Pace Paw Print

On Jan. third, President Stephen J. Friedman announced a three-year plan that he hopes will bring the University to financial stability and cause both "growth in size and reputation," as a press release reads.

The plan focuses on a number of different aspects, but primarily the issue of enrollment. Although the plan states that enrollment has improved for the class of 2007, efforts still need to be made in order to compensate for the small class of 2006, which has put a financial strain on the school.

"The financial part of the plan is the necessary condition for resuming the growth of this University. Trying hard is not good enough. We really have to be successful," he said.

Friedman said that admission standards, such as SAT scores and Grade Point Averages (GPA) have declined slightly to allow for more enrollment. The President believes that the school is in a good position with the admission for the incoming 2008 class, and believes that retention is equally as important.

Friedman wants to identify the students who are thinking about transferring, and reach out to them to figure out what the problem is. If it is a financial aid issue, Friedman says the school can likely take care of it if it is manageable. If it is a social issue that the student is unhappy about, exit interviews will be implemented to pinpoint the problem and develop a solution.

As of two weeks ago, 25 students were looking to transfer, Friedman explained. After reaching out to them, more than half of those students were persuaded to stay.

To cut costs, Friedman is also entertaining the idea of "Academic Leadership Areas," which are academic areas comprised of different schools. Some examples of such fusions would include health care management, a combination of Lubin and Lienhard; and security and law enforcement, which, according to the plan, would tie in Dyson, Seidenberg, possibly Lubin, Lienhard, and Law.

Although he believes this can provide for a richer and more diverse experience, Friedman is also aware of the fact that such combinations have not always been a success for the university. But he remains optimistic. "It has a huge potential payoff for the University," he said. "I have no doubt we can do this."

The plan also calls to improve both of the campuses. As for the physical appearance of both Westchester and Downtown campuses, Friedman wants to start making some changes, however minor they might be. "Just because we don't have the money to do everything doesn't mean we can't do anything," he said. For example, Friedman would like to install overhead projectors in each classroom. "There are literally hundreds of opportunities to do small things that would make a difference," he stressed.

Friedman also believes the University must return to its liberal arts roots. "Don't just accept answers, keep asking questions, that's the essence of liberal education. I think we lost our way in that. This plan is to reposition Pace back to its traditional role."

Friedman says that he has received positive responses from the faculty and staff, and there seems to be little negative stress in regards to the new plan. "I'm totally confident about this," he said. "And I have no problem getting rid of my best ideas if they don't work."

The plan is now available for students to view, and can be accessed by going to https://wfs.pace.edu/viewitem.aspx?navigate=%cjhealey. Friedman will meet with the Pace community from 12:10 to 1:15 in Butcher Suite on Feb. 20 to discuss the plan. All are welcome to attend and give their feedback.

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