By Emily Losito
New Editor
Interim President Andrew Roth, Ph.D., said he felt welcomed to the university by great people the past few weeks.
Fr. Francis Di Spigno, O.F.M., said he believed Roth offered the campus a lot to think about and to do.
Roth said he wanted to begin to take a good look at how to conduct business right away.
“The college community did a lot of work last year on the strategic plan. It’s a good plan, an ambitious plan,” Roth said.
Getting initiatives off the ground is at the top of Roth’s list. He wants to start with those that can be undertaken this year to “continue the momentum the college created through its work a year ago,” he said.
According to Roth, a lot of background work has been done on various initiatives.
One of his first plans is to further explore the Allied Health program, which he feels is a “tremendous opportunity for the university.”
The Allied Health program is an opportunity coming in the fall of 2017. The program will include both undergraduate and graduate programs in health professions.
As a general rule, the initiatives that will be focused on and pushed forward first are those with the greatest potential, he said. For example, increasing enrollment and enhancing the university’s financial status would be an important aspect of his tenure.
Enrollment is up about 14 percent this year compared to last year, according to Roth. He said admissions counts about 442 first-year students for this school year versus 391 students during the 2015-2016 academic year.
He would like to explore the extent that the athletic rosters could increase. Roth said that creating an enriched club sports program could also serve as an enrollment driver.
“My mantra is ‘think big, start small, move fast,’” Roth said.
International student recruitment and a Military Aligned program, for veterans who hope to pursue college educations, will also be a focus during Roth’s tenure.
Although Roth isn’t taking the permanent president position, he still wants to move forward in a positive and constructive fashion.
Gerald Boersma, Ph.D., assistant professor of theology, wished Roth all the best because it’s a big role during a transition period, he said.
“He instills a sense of confidence in faculty and students,” Boersma said.
Boersma said he hoped Roth would bring direction, focus and cohesion to the university.
Roth wants to “set the table” for the next president, but is hesitant to give any long-term plans because he doesn’t want to compromise him or her.
Roth encourages students and faculty of St. Bonaventure to “walk a little taller….be proud of [the university].”
