Excitement Grows as Rozanski Announces Strategic, Facilities Plans

At his second town hall meeting of the academic year Thursday, the audience of 500 students, faculty and staff responded with appreciation and enthusiasm as President Mordechai Rozanski presented plans to take Rider University to the next level.
     As he did in November, Dr. Rozanski stood before the Lawrenceville campus community in the Luedeke Center Cavalla Room and spoke via interactive video to the Westminster community gathered in Talbott Library.  He outlined the university-wide strategic planning process and announced that groundbreaking ceremonies for residence hall construction and renovation and the construction of phase 1 of a new student recreation center will occur on Thursday, April 1 – one day ahead of his inauguration and the University Day celebration.

Strategic Planning

     “The key goal of Rider’s strategic planning process is the development of a shared vision that will build upon the success of our past, focus on institutional renewal, and guide future decisions and actions,” Dr. Rozanski said. 
     The strategic planning process began at a special meeting of the Board of Trustees on Sunday, February 22.  Dr. Rozanski envisions a three-semester timeline that includes:

• a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis by the 6 task forces this spring,
• visioning activities by trustees in June,
•   identification of strategic priorities by the task forces and Coordinating Committee during the summer,
• development of a strategic plan in Fall 2004,
• completion of the final plan, vision and mission statements in Spring 2005,
• ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the strategic plan thereafter.

     Leadership will come from the trustees, the president, and a Strategic Planning Coordinating Committee. Dr. Rozanski noted a key element of the strategic planning process will be the work of the six task forces comprised of faculty, staff and students. The task forces will play crucial roles in the SWOT analysis and strategic plan development.  Their work will also help the University prepare for the Middle States accreditation visit in Spring 2006.
      Dr. Rozanski announced the chairs of each task force – Barry Truchil, Academic Distinction; Marge O’Reilly-Allen, Enrollment Management; John Buschman, Facilities; Joseph Nadeau, Institutional Mission and Accountability; Jan Friedman-Krupnick, Resources; and Robbie Clipper Sethi, Student Life.
     Overall, almost 100 people – 33 faculty, 32 staff, 11 students, the alumni board president, and 18 resource people – from both campuses will participate on the committees. “We wanted to make sure we had representation of faculty, staff, students and administrators from both campuses” Dr. Rozanski said, promising there will be many opportunities for campus members to participate and give feedback throughout the process. “This will be a very dynamic and participatory effort.”

Facilities Master Planning

     Discussion of facilities enhancement and campus master planning, however, generated the greatest excitement. Dr. Rozanski stressed the importance of a long-term master plan for both campuses over the next 15 to 20 years. “Instead of approaching facilities enhancement in an ad hoc fashion, we need to have a sense of how pieces fit together aesthetically and functionally.”
     As a first step, Dr. Rozanski announced and thanked the Board of Trustees for its review and approval at a February 22 meeting of a $15 million bond issue to finance residence hall renovation and construction in the Ziegler and Hill Residence Hall area and the construction of phase 1 of the student recreation center.
      “These projects are part of a facilities master plan that we intend to use to reshape Rider’s campus in the coming years,” he said. “We will break ground on April 1, and the projects are expected to be completed by August 2005.”
      He envisions ultimately creating a quadrangle of residence halls, which he calls East Village. In time, if there is additional growth, he hopes to see a West Village near Poyda. The first stage is the construction of a new residence hall connected to Ziegler.  Work in this area will feature:

• conversion of Ziegler’s two lounges (or pods) into two three-story suites or apartments with a variety of living arrangements,
• a new entrance and lobby to provide improved security, reception and lounge space, mail area, laundry room, and a loft lounge,
• connection of the new entrance and lobby to the new residence hall,
• conversion of Hill’s two pods into three-story suites,
• a portal archway between Hill and the new residence,
• peaked roofing to add architectural distinction to the structures,
• expanded residential space to create an additional 186 beds,
• landscape and signage improvements, particularly on Rt. 206.

     Longer term planning will include the campus entrance, traffic flow and conversion of the mall into a pedestrian mall.
     Across the way, the new 45,000 square foot student recreation center (SRC) will feature:

• three basketball courts,
• a 3,650 square foot fitness center,
• an aerobics room,
• locker room facilities,
• a jogging track on the second floor.

     Phase II calls for completion of upper level offices and a boardroom in the SRC as resources become available.  Phase II will also create a link and entrance between the SRC and Alumni Gym.  “This link/entrance will attempt to mirror the other side of the mall where the residence halls are,” Dr. Rozanski said. “This will give us a look of distinction along the mall.”  The Phase II link would create a spacious lobby where students and the campus community could congregate. There would be sitting space, a possible Athletics Hall of Fame display, and a possible rock climbing wall.   Phase III will involve the renovation of Alumni Gym.
      “I want to thank everyone who helped,” Dr. Rozanski concluded, “Each one of these activities has involved virtually every member in this community in one way or another. I see tremendous energy here.  I think we can do terrific things together and we will.”

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