Document text
- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us November 30, 2005 SOU looks to future By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings Elizabeth Zinser: A brief history Elisabeth Zinser became president of Southern Oregon University in July 2001. She and her husband, Don Mackin, returned to the West after her six years as chancellor of the University of Kentucky-Lexington Campus. Before Kentucky, she was president of the University of Idaho from 1989 to 1995. Raised and educated in California, Zinser obtained her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, master’s degree from the University of California at San Francisco, and her Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley. In 1982, she was a Sloan Fellow, earning a master’s in management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Zinser’s career through the 1980s included leadership in decentralized medical education in the Northwest (University of Washington), community-based health science education in Kentucky (involving the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and the Council on Higher Education), dean (University of North Dakota), and vice chancellor for academic affairs (University of North Carolina-Greensboro). For a brief interlude before going to Idaho, she served as president of Gallaudet University during the 1988 revolution for the empowerment and recognition of deaf and hard-of-hearing people. In North Carolina, Zinser was a member of the board and vice president of the Eastern Music Festival. In Idaho, she served on boards associated with economic, social and work-force development. In Kentucky, she was an active participant in the YMCA Black Achiever’s Program and a member of the Metropolitan YMCA Board of Directors (Lexington). Dr. Elisabeth Zinser’s announcement that she will step down from the president’s office at Southern Oregon University caught most of the campus off-guard on Tuesday morning. “I’m surprised,” said Kemble Yates, chair of the faculty senate and a math professor. “Basically, it was a pretty well-kept secret.” But for many on campus her departure — effective Aug. 31, 2006 — was not unexpected or unsupported. “I think she’s bowing out gracefully,” said Ken Kempner, a professor of international studies and education. “Enrollment’s been in trouble. We’ve had difficulty raising money for the library. I think presidents are rated on how enrollment’s doing and their ability to raise money.” Zinser had a tumultuous beginning at SOU that included a mandate from the state to make a 10 percent budget cut in December 2002. Turnover in upper and mid-level administration — including seven current vacancies — has plagued the university for years. State funding never filled the needs of university programs and enrollment levels have fluctuated by hundreds of students. “The faculty did have their bouts with her. She had a rough first year with us, or we had a rough first year with her,” Yates said. But Zinser established a stronger working relationship with the faculty in the years since. “Definitely, I’m sad to see her go,” Yates said. “She was a strong leader who guided us through some tough financial times.” The right moment “If you can’t see my excitement, you’re probably not looking very hard,” Zinser said. “I’m so excited for the university. This is the right time.” She thinks her retirement comes at a good time, both for herself and for Southern. Zinser has built her own leadership team in her five years as president that will continue to guide SOU, the university has a 9.9 percent reserve fund balance for the 2005 fiscal year and leading indicators show the enrollment decline over last two years may have turned a corner. “When you look at what was accomplished in the five years she was here, I think she’s going to be known for great changes,” said Pete Belcastro, the RVTV director and member of the SOU Alumni Board. Zinser shepherded the university through capital projects including the new library, the Madrone Street apartment-style housing, Stevenson Union additions and the recent allocation of $12.7 million in state funding commitments for the SOU-RCC Joint Education Building project for downtown Medford as memorable accomplishments. “I think that Elisabeth has created a wonderful foundation here for moving the university here in a very professional direction,” said Lee Ayers Schlosser, a criminology professor and past chair of the faculty senate. But Zinser is not retired yet. “I’m so focused on next nine months and what we need to do,” she said. Zinser still needs to finish building her leadership team and plans to hire a new vice president of academic affairs in early 2006, as well as continue fundraising for the new library. After that, she plans to travel and spend more time with her grandchildren, while continuing her civic involvement on a local and national level. A day later Southern Oregon University President Elisabeth Zinser and Provost Earl Potter talk after Zinser announced her retirement Tuesday afternoon. Orville Hector | Ashland Daily Tidings Leaders from the Oregon University System and the State Board of Higher Education are in Ashland today to lay the groundwork for a presidential search process. OUS Chancellor George Pernsteiner and Kirby Dyess, the vice president of the State Board of Higher Education, began their day in an 8 a.m. meeting with Zinser and moved onto discussions with students, staff and faculty members about the qualities they would like to see in Southern’s next president. “We need a strong and visionary leader one that is well connected and can be well connected with the faculty and the community,” Pernsteiner said. The State Board of Higher Education must open the official search process, a move that will occur at a board meeting Friday or on Jan. 6. “It’s a nice opportunity for the university to take a breath and look toward its future,” Kempner said. “I think it’s a time to look at who we are, what’s our role in the region, where do we want to go?” Already one person has indicated he will apply for the position. Dr. Earl Potter, the provost and executive vice president at SOU, said Tuesday he would like to succeed Zinser as the 11th president of the university. Potter believes putting his name into the mix shows his commitment to Southern, although he noted he still has a lot of work to do in the provost’s office. “Being a candidate is going to be a small part of my energies,” said Potter, who came to SOU in July 2003 after serving as professor and dean of the College of Business at Eastern Michigan University. After the board of higher education opens the search process, Pernsteiner will form a search committee that includes students, staff, faculty and others. The committee will review the position description and determining the key qualities of SOU’s next president. The state board will advertise nationally to attract a field of candidates and narrow the list from there. “We would like to have the strongest and best candidate for the position,” Pernsteiner said. “That person may very well be on campus now. That’s entirely possible.” Pernsteiner hopes to have a new president hired by June or July, to allow for transition time between the two administrations. Staff writer Jennifer Squires can be reached at 482-3456 x 3019 or [email protected]. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Deep Muscle Stimulator Ceramic Piggy Banks FREE Entertainment Guide Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Online Pharmacy Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations Hammocks Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams