@ The President's Desk
Straight talk and timely information from President Roger SublettWhy Union?
On April 23, 2008, I was surprised by a staff celebration, commemorating my five years as president of Union Institute & University. The years have gone quickly, but have been nothing but eventful. Much has changed at Union as we addressed challenges and opportunities. I can tell you that it has been a privilege to serve as the fifth president of Union Institute & University. Our university, founded in 1964, is relatively young by many standards, but still a pioneer in adult higher education, and the first to actively embody the phrase “university without walls.” Yet, this institution remains largely unknown in its home town of Cincinnati, despite its reputation for encouraging innovative education as well as producing prestigious graduates who continue to make a difference world-wide. Fully accredited and licensed by the same agencies that approve all of our neighboring education institutions, Union is a mystery to many who have not experienced our dynamic environment and our commitment to “engage, enlighten, and empower” adults who seek education for purposes of services as well as professional advancement.
Our rich history includes many early faculty members such as nationally known experts Margaret Mead, H. Marshall McLuhan, Carl Rogers, Julian Bond, and Arthur Schlesinger Jr., to name a select few. Among our many distinguished graduates are authors/researchers Ken Dychtwald and Gene Cohen; authors Rita Mae Brown and Clarissa Pinkola Estes; political agents of change, including the Honorable Danny K. Davis (IL) and former Prime Minister of Jamaica Portia Simpson Miller; successful international businessmen such as Sidney Harman; and social activist Wynona Ward, who founded Have Justice-Will Travel in Vermont. What a dynamic group of people to be associated with Union, and what a unique legacy we have to celebrate.
Union’s vision statement, celebrating its one-year anniversary this month, aspires to educate generations of highly motivated adults who seek academic programs that encourage them to pursue a lifetime of learning and service. With social justice and responsibility underpinning the core beliefs of our programs, Union’s learners and graduates become agents of change – boundary-crossers – uniquely qualified to serve communities across the globe.
Armed with an interdisciplinary approach, Union’s learners are not restricted to a single discipline but are able to negotiate their way through complex issues and tasks with confidence in their creative talents and broad knowledge. Particularly at the doctoral level, Union’s interdisciplinary approach prepares learners to think very differently within their careers and their communities. Social issues today are much more complex than any one single discipline can adequately address. A Union education, using an interdisciplinary process, empowers individuals to view issues through multiple lenses and often arrive at very innovative solutions. We are producing exactly the kind of creative thinkers the world needs right now as we struggle with increasing economic, political, social, religious, and cultural tensions among a global population that is tied even more closely together in a shrinking world.
A Union education is even more relevant today than perhaps it was in l964 at its creation. In some ways, global social issues we are facing are more complex and dangerous than those faced in the l960s. They demand a new kind of thinking and leadership that can be offered only through an education based on solid research and thoughtful experimentation – both strong, underlying principles of the Union model. It is only through educating its people that nations can address our collective and very serious global challenges. It is only through education that we may actually provide a better quality of life for our citizens. It is only through education that we may finally discover how we can embrace one another and our differences in ways that strengthen both our nation and the world beyond. It is only through education that we can secure the future for our children and grandchildren. W.K. Kellogg, philanthropist and businessman, said, “Education is the best way to assure progress from one generation to the next.” I have often interpreted that to mean that education is the only way to assure that there will be a next generation.
While UI&U has not received the deserved recognition for its commitment to innovation and social responsibility, Union and its people are working every day to empower responsible graduates who have a vision to serve and make a difference in the lives of others. From Madagascar to rural Vermont to our major cities, Union graduates are on the front lines every day as ordinary people doing extraordinary work. And, our challenges will only become greater in future years as we struggle with nourishing a growing world, providing health care that sustains life, educating our children to lead meaningful lives, and, in the process, learning to celebrate the very best of the human spirit across the world. I have every confidence that wherever there is a need for solutions to pressing issues and struggles, you’ll find someone with a Union connection, either because our impressive alumni or faculty are engaged, or because our unique educational model has nurtured the desire to find different approaches that offer creative solutions.
The question “Why Union?” is an important one. Why should you support Union? Union Institute & University deserves your support because we have been successful in “recapturing the vision” of our early founders and have launched our hopes and dreams to change the face of higher education – one learner at a time. We have resolved the academic issues that have challenged the institution for some time. We have answered every question put before us by licensing and accrediting agencies over the last seven years. We have re-established the integrity and creditability of our academic programs, and we remain committed to the dream of providing socially responsible education to those most in need.
The values of this university are the right ones for this age. We care about our learners. We believe in and are committed to high-quality educational opportunities for adults. We have had the courage to make the difficult changes, answer the tough challenges, and fight for the survival of our university and our learners. And, we have succeeded! All of us standing together, finding common ground on which to share our common beliefs and uncommon courage, have made the difference. All of us have witnessed extraordinary accomplishments by ordinary people because we shared common purposes, values, and an inspiring vision.
In an effort to sustain this success, we are now turning our attention to enrollment and financial stability. There is no doubt that recruitment and retention are the highest priorities for Union over the next three years. Development and advancement efforts (fund raising) will also be a major focus in everything we do. We are seeking a commitment to raise two million dollars each year over the next five years from our own community to continue the great progress we have made over the last seven years. I know we will be successful because when I look back to where we were in 2001 and where we are today in 2008, it gives me great confidence in our ability to accomplish what appears to be almost impossible. We have not only experienced success, we have rediscovered our significance!
I trust we can each find our own answer to the question of “Why Union? Whether learner, alumnus/a, faculty, or staff, we each have a unique tie to UI&U, with our own stories, memories, and distinct connections to Union’s mission and legacy. It is up to each of us to find our voice in support of Union, and also commit to the financial future of the university. Please join me and others who have given over the past years to support your university and its exciting future.
Thank you for your involvement in and support of our efforts each day.
Roger H. Sublett, Ph.D.
President