2008 Woodie Awards
Interview with William Paterson President Arnold Speert
Barbara Boucicaut
Issue date: 5/7/08 Section: News
There is no such thing as a typical day for William Paterson University President Arnold Speert, whether it is making an early start at making telephone calls to attending budget meetings and alumni events.
"Part of it is, is that I like that," said Speert during an afternoon interview with Prof. Tina Lesher's Advanced reporting class.
As William Paterson's president since 1985, Speert said the biggest change he's witnessed has been the switch from college to university.
"It changed the sense of how we think of ourselves," said Speert.
As an active member of the William Paterson community, Speert is focused on enhancing the physical as well as the academic aspects of the university. Speert stated that the Valley Road addition was critical to the college of Education and Business. With the newly build student center and Nursing wing, Speert later aims to renovate the Science Building, but has yet to find a way, financially, to expand the Rec Center.
"The key is the physical facility," he said. "which is then facilitated by an excellent faculty."
Speert admitted that most students will be paying for the renovation of the Science building, but will probably never get to experience the end results. He also stated that the lack of support for higher education and higher salaries were the cause for the recent budget cuts. Not since 1988, said Speert, has there been any capital improvement for the University.
Speert, who initially began his career at William Paterson as a chemistry professor, graduated cum laude from the City College of the City University of New York. He later received his chemistry doctorate from Princeton University where he was a National Institute of Health Fellow.
Speert expressed his desire to create a campus conducive to the goals of the students.
"This is a learning and teaching community," stated Speert
He also plans to keep the campus community safe by utilizing an alerting system in case a tragedy resembling the shootings at Virginia Tech and Illinois were to occur. His concern is the aftermath of such an event, rather than prevention.
Amidst the never ending responsibility that comes with his position, Speert admitted that the hardest part of being president is snow days.
"Waking up at 5:30 a.m. to make a decision on whether or not to keep the institution open is hard," said Speert. "Everything else is very tangible, which you hope will help this university."
Speert hopes that the student of WPU will evolve, and become empowered to move on successfully in whatever careers they choose in life. In a speech to parents of undergrads, Speert once stated that the university was not a place for automatic job placement.
"We don't train people for jobs," he said. "We provide ways with dealing with change or creating change."
As a self proclaimed lover of bread and cheese, Speert has a trainer and attends the gym once a week.
"I love to eat, which is not a good thing in this business."
"Part of it is, is that I like that," said Speert during an afternoon interview with Prof. Tina Lesher's Advanced reporting class.
As William Paterson's president since 1985, Speert said the biggest change he's witnessed has been the switch from college to university.
"It changed the sense of how we think of ourselves," said Speert.
As an active member of the William Paterson community, Speert is focused on enhancing the physical as well as the academic aspects of the university. Speert stated that the Valley Road addition was critical to the college of Education and Business. With the newly build student center and Nursing wing, Speert later aims to renovate the Science Building, but has yet to find a way, financially, to expand the Rec Center.
"The key is the physical facility," he said. "which is then facilitated by an excellent faculty."
Speert admitted that most students will be paying for the renovation of the Science building, but will probably never get to experience the end results. He also stated that the lack of support for higher education and higher salaries were the cause for the recent budget cuts. Not since 1988, said Speert, has there been any capital improvement for the University.
Speert, who initially began his career at William Paterson as a chemistry professor, graduated cum laude from the City College of the City University of New York. He later received his chemistry doctorate from Princeton University where he was a National Institute of Health Fellow.
Speert expressed his desire to create a campus conducive to the goals of the students.
"This is a learning and teaching community," stated Speert
He also plans to keep the campus community safe by utilizing an alerting system in case a tragedy resembling the shootings at Virginia Tech and Illinois were to occur. His concern is the aftermath of such an event, rather than prevention.
Amidst the never ending responsibility that comes with his position, Speert admitted that the hardest part of being president is snow days.
"Waking up at 5:30 a.m. to make a decision on whether or not to keep the institution open is hard," said Speert. "Everything else is very tangible, which you hope will help this university."
Speert hopes that the student of WPU will evolve, and become empowered to move on successfully in whatever careers they choose in life. In a speech to parents of undergrads, Speert once stated that the university was not a place for automatic job placement.
"We don't train people for jobs," he said. "We provide ways with dealing with change or creating change."
As a self proclaimed lover of bread and cheese, Speert has a trainer and attends the gym once a week.
"I love to eat, which is not a good thing in this business."
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