Reflections Magazine Issue #64 - Spring 2006 | Page 2
Editorial
from the president
Not long ago I was visiting with a local foundation executive and was asked how long have I been
at Siena – 5 years, he asked? At a recent non-profit
board meeting in the community, one of our
alumni referred to us as Siena Heights College and
apologized for her slip. I offered no rebuke, only
noted that it was 8 years ago that we changed our
status to University. More examples come to mind
that affirm the adage time flies when having fun.
A presidential search consultant writes “the college presidency is one of our society’s most multifaceted and demanding roles.” If one examines job
requirements for college or university presidents,
the word fun is usually not included. But you
could find it camouflaged in front of one of the
primary duties – fundraising! What other executives live in big houses and beg for a living?
More than fun, it has been a distinct honor and
privilege to serve as the president of Siena Heights
College and Siena Heights University these past
12 years. Joan and I cherish the thousands of
relationships established since our arrival in
1994. So many of you have extended handshakes,
hugs and welcome mats as we’ve traversed across
campuses and across the country. Your stories are
etched in our memories, your families are part of
our lives, and your alma mater and beloved Siena
is part of our DNA.
The theme of my inaugural address was “Better
Than Imagined.” Those who witnessed the installation might remember my imaginary slide show, a
series of images and dreams that described a better
Siena Heights. Many of those slides have been
realized, some described in these pages. Younger
and brash, I said this at my inauguration: “Being
better is not a destination. It’s a pursuit. It’s a passion. It’s our potential. It’s not about perfection,
but it’s a fire in the belly that insists upon change
and demands accountability, which will make us
better.” And we are.
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Reflections Spring ’06—The Artman Imprint
On this journey toward the betterment of Siena
Heights, we have experienced mountains and
valleys, accelerated on fronts beyond imagination,
and hit a few speed bumps beyond our control.
We have made mission the driver and remained
student-centered. We grew stronger in numbers
and strengthened our Catholic and Dominican
identity. We refreshed our sponsored relationship
with the Adrian Dominicans; we renewed our
pride, we released our potential.
The possessive subject is intentional. All that
WE are and do are gifts from The Almighty. Our
accomplishments are collective and shared, bottom
to top. God gifted me with a facility for remembering names, but there is neither sufficient printed
space nor cranial storage to recite all the names
and thank all the students, parents, faculty, staff,
trustees, alumni, community leaders, government
officials and Sisters in the congregation who
have made this time at Siena Heights so enjoyable,
so much fun. My contribution toward Siena’s betterment is marginal compared with the way you
have made me a better leader, a better colleague,
a better Catholic and a better person. In the language of Catherine and in great sincerity, Grazie!
Richard B. Artman
President