With his inauguration and over 100 days in office behind him, Wartburg President Darrel Colson can now further concentrate on his goals for the college. But what should those goals be? While an exhaustive list cannot be compiled, we offer the following suggestions.
The first suggestion reflects basic concerns of college students across the country, like tuition, sustainability and technology funding.
The president needs to decide which of these are most important and which are most feasible.
The campus cannot be vastly improved without money, however. If tuition is lowered or stays the same, the money will have to be obtained through other means, such as grants and donations.
While on the subject of improvement, we urge the president to seek out areas that need the most upgrading, whether facilities or programs, but also to concentrate on a few programs of distinction that can be further improved to set Wartburg apart from other colleges.
These tough decisions should be made quickly, however, so that rumors do not overtake us.
With the weak economy, Wartburg needs to carefully choose what to spend its money on, but it also needs to keep bettering itself from the inside in order to attract students from the outside.
Additionally, before decisions are made, the effect they will have on the college and the students, both short term and long term, should be considered.
The most important thing for President Colson to concentrate on during his time at Wartburg is to communicate—as he has done so far—with students, the administration and the town of Waverly. With continued clear and open communication, the president can build the trust of those who help the institution operate.
Likewise, he needs to encourage administrators to do the same and communicate clearly and honestly with the students, faculty and staff. Without the truth, some people will continue to feel disgruntled and lose faith in those leading them.
The president has had time to adjust to Wartburg College (and the Iowa weather); now it is time for him to confidently move forward with his goals for Wartburg College, informing the rest of the college community of his choices along the way.