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Local News

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Progress Edition: UF prepares for changing of the guard
By MICHELLE REITER

STAFF WRITER

The poor economy took its toll on most colleges in the last few years, and the University of Findlay is not different: Enrollment was affected and investments were not always growing. Graduates had to be at the top of their game to find jobs in a competitive market.

But the college's thirst for change and growth never wavered. It completed an animal science building on its western equestrian farm, spent millions renovating and improving student housing, and expanded programs such as pharmacy and physical therapy which continue to draw students from all over the country.

Many students who were struggling to pay tuition also found help from the college's endowments.

"We invested a half-million dollars in the fall of 2009 to help students with tuition," said DeBow Freed, the university's president.



Presidential search

Freed, 84, has been president for the past seven years, overseeing rapid growth at the university and showing consistent pride in students, who he said tend to arrive with majors selected and motivated toward community service. He is the university's 16th president.

At the end of the semester, however, he plans to retire, leaving the university in the hands of a yet-to-be-selected leader.

The university has launched a nationwide search for its 17th chief under the guidance of a search committee led by C. Richard Beckett, the university's board chair, and an agency called Academic Search Inc.

By fall, the committee hopes to have found a president who will hold values important to the university: someone who will inspire trust and instill confidence; a person of vision who builds consensus; a strategic thinker; a person comfortable with the university's pluralism; an eager fundraiser; someone with financial acumen; a strong communicator; and someone aware of the school's religious heritage.

He or she will take the helm of a university whose community presence has grown.

After all, the university hosts nearly 600 international students from 25 countries and territories, ranks in the top tier of U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" in the Midwest, and was named a Best Midwestern College by the Princeton Review for the past three years.

Recreation center

Every year the university sets aside money for renovations, land purchases and projects. Last year's premier project was a new animal science building, and this year's will be the renovation of the Koehler Fitness and Recreation Complex.

The project is controversial because it involves removing an ice rink that was used by the community for skating and hockey leagues, and turning the space into a recreation center.

But the project is a response to students' requests.

Freed said students wanted a chance to run, play sports and exercise without competing with athletic teams.

Although the public may have opportunities to use the center, the finished product will be for the students.

Renovations of the Koehler Complex are to begin in April and will continue through mid-August.

The project is estimated to cost about $1.5 million, and will involve installation of a three-lane walking track, a basketball court, a climbing wall, a racquetball court and a new weight room on the first floor.

Martin Terry, the university's vice president of business affairs, said the weight room, which is now on the second floor, is causing too much damage to remain there.

"When people use drop weights, it's pulverizing the cement floor," he said.

A mezzanine will be at each end of the recreation center, and a ping-pong table will be at the east end, he said.

If the university can raise the money, it will also add a golf simulator, Terry said, and a Nintendo Wii may be available.

Where a university gift shop is located now will be a lounge area and juice bar.

Students, Terry said, are very excited about the new recreation center.

Freed said it should provide the easy access students wanted.

"We have 30 teams with 1,200 athletes," he said. "The need was, if the students wanted to have a basketball game, they would have reasonable assurance that they could go do it."

New programs

Freed said the first class from the six-year doctor of pharmacy program will graduate May 1. The university is taking great pride in the graduation as it is the first new pharmacy program in more than 100 years. About 50 students are expected to graduate.

Next year, the physical therapy program will graduate its first doctor of physical therapy class.

Freed said the university has to turn away students from the pharmacy and physical therapy programs, because it wants to keep the programs small enough that each student gets enough attention.

"If we're going to produce really good physical therapists, we can't do it in mass numbers," he said.

A new program, master of physician assistant, began during spring semester. Before this year, the program was a bachelor of physician assistant.



Improvements, renovations

The university spent about $4.6 million on capital projects during the last school year, including $1.2 million to renovate residence halls and $2.4 million for the animal science building.

This year, the university plans to spend more than a million dollars less. It has budgeted about $3.1 million for capital projects, including $1.5 million for the Koehler Complex renovations and $648,408 for campus building, rental and office renovations.



Finances

The university has received almost $2 million for about 39 endowed funds in the last 18 months. Endowed funds are permanent funds where interest income can be spent, but the principal cannot.

In gifts and grants, the university received $9.7 million last year, and Freed said those gifts are expected to be about the same this fiscal year.

Freed said the university has enjoyed an annual budget surplus without having to cut back significantly on its programs or campus improvements.

Reiter: 419-427-8497, Send an e-mail to Michelle Reiter


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After fighting a house fire early Monday at 815 Howard St., firefighters found 20 marijuana plants in the residence.

"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

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Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.

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The Courier won't be published on Monday, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Because of the holiday, some advertising deadlines have been moved up this week:

Black and white display advertising for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by noon Friday. Display advertising for Wednesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Color display advertising for the Thursday, Sept. 9 newspaper must be placed by Friday.

Classified advertising and City and Country advertising for Saturday's newspaper must be placed by 2 p.m. Friday. Classified ads for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Courier business and advertising offices will close at 3 p.m. Friday for the holiday.