Summer 2007

We’re Creating The Future At Rose-Hulman
A Message From The President

Management guru Peter Drucker has said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” I am pleased to report the creative process is in full swing at Rose-Hulman. Our future awaits!

As I enter my second year as Rose’s 13th president, I am able to share with you that your institution is hard at work developing plans in response to societal needs, including the needs of our future students, the technological professions, and those companies that continue to aggressively seek our graduates.

For more than 130 years, Rose-Hulman has proven its capacity to succeed and to evolve, meeting and leading change in the educational community. Once again, Rose- Hulman must evaluate its options to respond to several external influences, including globalization of the marketplace; new technologies; the need for renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy; the call for cleaner air and water along with the need to deal with global warming; evolution of engineering content that includes prefixes such as “bio,” “nano,” “info,” and “macro;” more interconnectivity and crossover among traditional engineering disciplines; calls for education reform to attract more people to engineering, science and mathematics education; the increasing importance of lifelong learning; increasing competition from other outstanding educational institutions for students, faculty, staff and resources; and the growing need for well-educated problem-solvers in our society.

At first glance, that list might seem somewhat foreboding, but Rose-Hulman is more than up to the task. During the last six months, we have been crafting a strategic plan to meet those challenges along with others. Students, faculty, staff, academic and administrative leaders, and the Board of Trustees have devoted countless hours to developing the plan.

The planning process has focused on being the best in every aspect of an academic institution. However, being excellent isn’t enough. Excellence in the absence of relevance is inconsequential. Rose-Hulman’s faculty, staff and graduates must make an impact upon the world. Our plan will maximize that impact by focusing on the leadership traits of the college, faculty, staff, students and alumni.

Fortunately, we have a strong starting point in the planning process. We are able to base our plan upon an educational heritage that continues to graduate individuals who are well-trained and educated, and who emerge quickly within their professions as valuable contributors soon after graduating and entering the work force.

Our alumni are well-rounded, capable individuals who are adept at communicating and at working within team environments. Rose- Hulman alumni understand the impact they have on society both professionally through their careers and personally through contributions to their communities.

Our graduates are special people because they come from a special place. In the last issue of Echoes, I spoke to the characteristics that distinguish Rose- Hulman from its peer engineering, science and mathematics institutions across the country. The six characteristics that set us apart from other similar institutions are exceptional students; top-quality faculty and staff; a strong curriculum; a “handson, project-based approach to learning; cocurricular activities; and the spirit of the Rose-Hulman community.

As we plan for the future, we must hold strong to those six characteristics that define this special place we know as Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

It would be easy to stay where we are, but eventually we would fall victim to our own success by failing to grow and seek new horizons. I find much wisdom in the writing of Lester Thurow, former dean of the MIT Sloan School of Management: “Systems obviously need to be rebuilt when they fail, but they often need to be rebuilt when they succeed. But it is much harder to change if the need for change is generated by success. Success changes the nature of the environment and requires change if success is to continue.”

Rose-Hulman must emerge with an overall plan that builds upon its current strengths and capabilities while embracing new practices, pedagogies, and commitments. That approach allows us to meet dramatic and pervasive external forces, challenges, and opportunities that will challenge us to retain our educational leadership.

When completed, this strategic plan will guide Rose-Hulman as it provides our students with the relevant set of skills, values, aptitudes, experiences, and knowledge to realize their complete potential as the problem-solvers and leaders of tomorrow.

Our next step is seeking input from various constituencies, including alumni, business and industrial partners, parents and others. That input is vital to shaping the construction of the plan.

Throughout the summer and early fall months, we will seek conversations with our various constituencies to help complete our plans for the future. When your input is sought, I encourage you to share honestly and openly. We want you to help us create Rose-Hulman’s future.