Ā This is the third piece, published in November 2017, after I arrived in Canyon. Relationships with communities is as important now, as it was then. Communities and the universities they host are married to each other. When one partner growsā¦
In continuation of sharing the first four reflections published in November 2017, this is the second piece I wrote after my arrival at WT. In 1769, Charles Thompson received financial aid from John Hobbsās widow to study the ministry atā¦
-Buff courts under construction, looking north- In the coming weeks, I will publish the first four reflections posted in November 2017 after arriving at WT. I started this process to share thoughts about WT, our purpose and our passions. Iā¦
First in a series on Intercollegiate Athletics. The impact of intercollegiate athletics on universities and colleges around our nation is undeniable. More than 460,000 students compete in intercollegiate athletics, the vast majority using their athletic ability to help fund, inā¦
From their earliest inception, universities in the United States have burned bright with fires fueled, thoughtful opportunity fanned into flames, creating a stronger, more robust, free society. These fires were built to recognize that individuals, a collection of selfās, wouldā¦
As seniors in high school contemplate graduation at the end of the school year, their possibilities are nearly endlessāno matter a studentās class rank or personal opportunities and challenges faced, are facing or will soon face. Configuring the post-high schoolā¦
Ā This reflection represents a collaborative effort with the Executive Vice President and Provost, Dr. Neil Terry, and myself to communicate cost and quality differentials for on-campus and online study at West Texas A&M University.Ā It was first published on Augustā¦
Regions breed individuals with some common traits that generally represent all. People generate an identity, whereāsubject to environmental conditions, personal predilections, and aspirations of heart and soul, they have a shared experience and perspective. Regions in a state or nationā¦
Texas’ Most Conservative 21st-Century Public University The Texas Panhandle owns a value system that serves as a benchmark for many of its citizens, even in its imperfection. And this region is WT’s home. Former University President Joseph A. Hill illuminatedā¦
Texas SB1295 recognizes the need for financial support and incentives for comprehensive regional universities that meet performance targets. Itās on the way to Governor Abbottās desk. In all its forms, post-secondary education is a powerful force in improving job opportunities,ā¦
Previously published but updated here. What a year. Old council sometimes retains its value. Dear Graduating Senior, I am begging your pardon for a somber reflection amidst the joy of the near completion of high school ā not to beā¦
Walter Wendler, West Texas A&M University President and John Sharp, The Texas A&M University System Chancellor Fourth in a series on Regional Universities. The location of any University, its place, is important for every institution. For a comprehensive regional universityā¦
Walter Wendler, West Texas A&M University President and John Sharp, The Texas A&M University System Chancellor Third in a series on Regional Universities. Comprehensive Regional Universities (CRU) are the quiet centerpiece of the Texas higher education constellation. Often founded asā¦
Walter Wendler, West Texas A&M University President and John Sharp, The Texas A&M University System Chancellor Second in a series on Regional Universities. Borrowing from a working paper, “A Regional Research University” West Texas A&M University’s commitment is to serveā¦
Walter Wendler, West Texas A&M University President and John Sharp, The Texas A&M University System Chancellor First in a Series on Regional Universities Regional universities in the U.S. educate 70% of the nearly 17 million students pursuing an undergraduate degreeā¦
Eighth and final in a series on the Heart and Soul of the Texas Panhandle Over the past seven weeks, various intersecting aspects of the Texas Panhandle and West Texas A&M University have been communicated in the ‘Heart and Soulā¦
Seventh in a series on the Heart and Soul of the Texas Panhandle West Texas A&M University is focused on big ideas. Communities of the Texas Panhandle sharpen this focus. The Panhandle is a big place, with challenges and opportunitiesā¦
Sixth in a series on the Heart and Soul of the Texas Panhandle In traveling the Texas Panhandle, I sensed in many communities a genuine, thoughtful loyalty to people and place. I am not naĆÆve and know that in towns,ā¦
Fifth in a series on the Heart and Soul of the Texas Panhandle It is difficult to separate the faith of people in the Texas Panhandle from daily life, the way of American frontiers for centuries. The lives of earlyā¦
Fourth in a series on the Heart and Soul of the Texas Panhandle When people think about public space in and around cities and towns, notable parks in metropolises come to mind. Some examples include Griffith Park in Los Angeles,ā¦
Reading the Chronicle of Higher Education on January 6, 2021, I came across an advertising banner that gave me pause. It read, āA College Lifeline: Higher Education for incarcerated and rural students – and why it matters.ā I downloaded thisā¦
Sixth in a series on COVID-19 and studying in Spring 2021 Originally published on September 29, 2018, slightly modified here The roots of higher education in the United States are knotted into purpose and place.Ā From a functional standpoint, almost allā¦
West Texas A&M University will host a virtual graduation in December ā a decision reached only after much discussion and heartfelt deliberations. Details regarding the event will be released soon. I know that many faculty, staff, students and families willā¦
Third in a series of how universities can help build character. WT values the practical framing of intellectual work. Being pragmatic does not mean big ideas or the big picture are avoided. When carried out faithfully, being pragmatic is aā¦
Second core value in a series regarding character Service presents itself in many ways at public universities. Members of university communities understand the three-legged stool of responsible teaching, scholarly work and service. I recently reflected on the power of customerā¦
First in a series of how universities can help build character. Critical thinking skills, long held to be the nucleus of a strong liberal arts curriculum, are essential. A number of institutions receive acclaim for their ability to teach criticalā¦
Tenth and final in a series on the reopening of West Texas A&M University in the midst of COVID-19. Universities propel students, families and communities toward economic prosperity and intellectual liberty. WT has pursued this mission since 1910; training teachersā¦
Seventh in a series on the reopening of West Texas A&M University in the midst of COVID-19 Written a number of years ago and updated for its value as we return to campus. A culture is created and sustained byā¦
Second in a series on the reopening of West Texas A&M University in the midst of COVID-19. A valuable part of attending a university for many college students, particularly those in their late teens or early 20s, is the experienceā¦
First in a series on the reopening of West Texas A&M University in the midst of COVID-19. In the coming weeks, I will address a number of issues regarding our return to campusāthings such as residential life, classroom and communityā¦
The concept of ānew normalā is wearisome. Enterprises of every kind falter assuming there was an old normal. Normalcy is an innovation-robbing concept. In February, I reflected on demographics and their impact on shaping a regional research university like Westā¦
People working in higher education, whether in the classroom, research lab, dance studio, library, and various business support offices or even maintaining buildings and grounds, are all involved in customer service. Many resist seeing students as customers; however, students payā¦
West Texas A&M University is becoming a regional research university. Defined in WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World,Ā it means in part, āOur focus will be on community life, schools in rural settings, enriched enterprise, beef, rural healthā¦
This draws from a series of reflections on excellent teaching published a decade ago. The COVID-19 crisis has created unimaginable hardships for individuals, families, small businesses and international behemoths. Crisis knows no boundaries in how it impacts people and theirā¦
The 24-hour news circuitry is alive with concerns about COVID-19, its impact on people and the economic crater left in its wake. No segment of the American economy or enterprise, the faith life of Americans, or any other aspect ofā¦
Sixteenth in a series on what to look for in college. On February 2, 2017, I visited Canyon High School. A group of 600 students attended. Canyon ISD covers over 700 square miles of ground. With the onslaught of theā¦
Fifteenth in a series on what to look for in college. Charles Spurgeon, the great nineteenth-century preacher and orator rightly observed, āSkillful mariners sail by all winds, and we ought to make progress through all circumstances.ā Like so many communitiesā¦
Fourteenth in a series on what to look for in college. During the āYour Community, Your Universityā Tours, visits to high schools in the Panhandle and South Plainsādaytime visits while school was in sessionāhad a larger number of students present.ā¦
Thirteenth in a series on what to look for in college. At 37 degrees 27 minutes 12 seconds north latitude, Booker is the northernmost municipality in Texas. Booker used to be in La Kemp, Oklahoma, but in 1917 moved southā¦
Twelfth in a series on what to look for in college. Pampa, Texas, is the county seat of Gray County in the heart of the Texas Panhandle. Its population of just under 18,000 people is supported by agriculture, ranching, someā¦
In January 2019 the median household income in the United States was $63,688, a 0.3% increase over the December 2018 estimate. The growth rate of the median household income is substantial; however, according to Seeking Alpha, purchasing power for certainā¦
The U.S. birth rate is at its lowest recorded level. Since the 2008 economic recession, fertility rates have decreased by nearly 20%. The population of students for universities to draw from is shrinking. At the same time, the age ofā¦
I will not pretend to know the answer to this question for every individual; however, two ideas are repeatedly reinforced to me. First, students are interested in getting a job. A university that neglects this will falter. Second, students areā¦
Organizations flourish or perish based on big ideas that address issues of importance. Enterprises thrive through big ideas alone: their lack is toxic. Sony, Kodak, Apple, Disney, Walmart, and universities respond to big ideas shaping organizational culture. Snuffing out ideationā¦
Eighth in a series on what to look for in college. Borden County School District in Gail, Texas, on the edge of the Caprock Escarpment, is cut in two by the Colorado River. Borden County is the fourth-least populous countyā¦
The Nifty Fifty/Fifty Enrollments at universities around the United States are shrinkingādown 1.7 and 1.8 percent this year and last. Masterās and comprehensive universities, private liberal arts colleges, rural universities and a multitude of others that are not state flagships,ā¦
Seventh in a series on what to look for in college. Patton Springs ISD in Afton, Texas, had 96 students for the 2017-2018 school year. It is small. It is oldāestablished in 1910, the same year West Texas A&M Universityā¦
Fourth in a series on what to look for in college. Cotton Center, one of the smallest independent school districts in the Texas Panhandle or the South Plains, has a total enrollment from pre-k through grade 12 of 100 students.ā¦
Second in a series on what to look for in college. Tahoka, Texas, the county seat of Lynn County, is a small town of 3,000 souls. In spirit, it is bigger than the South Plains skies that crown it. Maybeā¦
Regional Universities are the core of educational opportunity for many students who choose lower-cost, locally-focused study opportunities. These same universities provide regional economies with a shot in the arm. They not only promote new businesses serving campus students, faculty andā¦
āJohnny, have you seen my backpack?ā āMom, I told you to keep track of your school stuff.ā My junior year in college, there were approximately one hundred students studying architecture in my class. I remember two of those students wereā¦
There are more than 4,000 postsecondary institutions of higher education in the United States. Of those, more than 400 are regional universities. Regional universities, West Texas A&M University for example, contribute to local economies, cultural and civic life inā¦
In the coming months, means to develop healthier, stronger organizations will be examined. While West Texas A&M University and WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World are the basis for these reflections, the thoughts may have value in manyā¦
The majority of college recruiting in the United States is focused on urban and suburban high schools. On the surface, given that approximately 80% of the U.S. population resides in metropolitan regions, it seems a plausible approach. However, the 20%ā¦
Raymund Paredes, the Commissioner of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), recently announced his resignation, effective August 31, 2019. This announcement caused me to reflect on the complexity of the enterprise and the importance of the coordination among theā¦
Universities, like all human organizations, need a passion for purpose coupled to a plan for the future. Without such a commitment, reactionary leadership and management follows. Such passion for purpose and a future grows from an institutionās people, its purposeā¦
In 1783, New York Governor George Clinton, proposed that in every state at least one public college should train people for entry into military service. In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Morrill Act that said in partā¦
All universities have economic impact on the regions and communities in which they are located. Changing views of higher education have affected the role of the university as an economic development engine. A university education is a combined public andā¦
One of the challenges for students and parents trying to select a place of study is that no two postsecondary institutions are the same. If for no other reason, the laws of physics assert that two things cannot occupy theā¦
This series of six reflections on corporate culture was originally published in October and November 2013.Ā I am on summer break but I think these still have some value.Ā WVW. Sixth and final reflection on corporate cultureā¦ Nurturing a strongā¦
This series of six reflections on corporate culture was originally published in October and NovemberĀ 2013.Ā I am on summer break but I think these still have some value.Ā WVW. Fourth in a series on Corporate Cultureā¦ Rules without relationships guideā¦
Americaās universities are the best in the world. This is so for many reasons, but primary among them is that we live in a free and open society. Two and one-half centuries of freedom and individual independence have allowed andā¦
Originally published March 26, 2013. Ā Slightly updated and worth a second look. Real leadership liberates, never limits: it unleashes people to work with passion. Effective universities recognize that strength in academic programs exists on the ground, with engaged faculty,ā¦
Eighth in a series on why U.S. Universities are great Pragmatism in U.S. higher education calls for faculty and students to address real problems. Paul Simon, former Illinois Senator and presidential candidate, told me he viewed the Paul Simon Publicā¦
Fifth in a series on why U.S. Universities are great U.S. universities exist in a highly competitive three-party environment:Ā Public, private not-for-profit and private for-profit universities all share the market. The for-profit sector is not new to the landscape ofā¦
Some colleges and universities show indifference to employment prospects for their graduates, almost callousness, as hoards of students receive degrees, accompanied by too many promissory notes and too few job prospects. Ā Students almost unanimously choose to pursue a particular careerā¦
Ninth in a series on university struggles Administrative and bureaucratic operatives at universities have grown at rates that exceed even the rates of cost increases experienced by students and families. Rules rather than academic purpose govern too many institutions. Bureaucraticā¦
This piece originally ran in 2014.Ā I am running it again.Ā The basics donāt change much. WVW Every sector of the nationās economy is in flux.Ā Change breeds strength, but if pursued for its own sake may pervert primary purpose.Ā ā¦
This reflection was originally published on December 15, 2008.Ā It is worth a second look. Christmas memories are personal, deep and important for me. My familyās New York Christmases with the strong, first generational, influence of Western Europe; Cajun Christmasesā¦
The basis for President Obamaās action to cap student loan responsibility at 10% of earned income for 20 years (10/20 plan) is that education is a public good and the public should pay for it. Parts of the public, employersā¦
Universities should be sharply focused on academic excellence and helping students develop the power to think.Ā Thinking and doing creates value.Ā And jobs follow like a āshadow on dry thirsty land.ā Ā Employment will be a place of refuge for thoughtā¦
Guiding any organization by entitlementās nose is risky: It is ruinous in universities. And, while entitlement rears its quality-killing head too frequently in learning environments, it is not yet pervasive. But, itās on the way. āYou cannot help people permanentlyā¦
Universities have a duty to help create a more effective republic.Ā While this purpose has remained constant over the centuries, the means and methods necessary to accomplish that purpose must continually evolve to keep up with an advancing society.Ā Inā¦
This column, in a slightly modified form, originally ran in August 2008.Ā Walter Wendler Universities provide a key ingredient for the foundation of a free society.Ā They help create, through active faculty and engaged students, the fabric of informed economicā¦
The season and current events cause me to offer this slightly modified piece originally published on July 11, 2008.Ā The importance and value of voluntary military training in universities cannot be argued, nor can the interdependence in mission of aā¦
The Bologna Process is an ongoing effort of the European Higher Education Area to ātuneā universities from 47 countries so that more predictable outcomes and consistency across national and institutional boundaries, leading to transparency in expectations, employment preparedness and certification,ā¦
Distinctiveness is the strength of any organization.Ā True at any time, in any place, its importance is magnified when the competitive climate intensifies.Ā We own geographic distinctiveness.Ā The location above, the front steps of the recently renovated Morris Library, isā¦
The greatest challenge of any university is building a community.Ā This probably could be said for any enterprise, including towns in Southern Illinois that so many of us call home. Individuals sometimes get things done, communities almost always get thingsā¦
I recently had the opportunity to spend time in Vietnam.Ā For veterans who served “in countryā Vietnam is a different place today.Ā It is teeming with free enterprise, the entrepreneurial spirit.Ā New business start-ups are everywhere and there is aā¦
Universities are affected by many forces at work in the environment.Ā Location, student population, faculty composition and a multitude of other factors shape what a university is. On occasion, an individual will come along and join a university, sometimes asā¦
In places of worship we often think about the importance of lay leadership. No matter how powerful the spiritual leader, how driven by God, how adroit at understanding the business of the organization, how gifted in dealing with people helpingā¦
I had occasion recently to reflect on the social purpose of a university. Actually, this reflection took place as I held my grandson and thought a bit about this little fellowās future. My lifeās work is the university, so myā¦
In a great universityā¦ this could probably be said for any great organizationā¦ individuals must feel responsibility for the future, that it rests on their actions and decisions. This creates a powerful kind of accountability, a deep sense of purposeā¦
Wanting our university to grow in stature and importance, because it will be a better friend to our region, is an appropriate and powerful aspiration. There is only one way to do it. Seeking quality, defined and heralded as academicā¦
