Tabor College Provost

As I look back over the past four and a half years, I am impressed with how the academics have been strengthened at Tabor (not that I should get much of the credit).  Lest we forget, here is a part of my list of how we have improved the academics at Tabor:

Bill Kostlevy was hired in history to increase the history department to two full-time faculty;

Shin-Hee Chin was hired in art to increase the art and design department to two full-time faculty  ;

The Behavioral Science department was increased to 3 FT faculty (we had to retreat here);

Robin Ottoson’s library position was increased from 10 month to 12 months;

Nearly $500,000 was gifted to Tabor from the New Hope church and placed in an endowment providing $23,000 a year to support faculty and student research interests;

Approximately $150,000 was donated and placed in an endowment for the Carson Center and David Faber hired to serve as director;

A gift of $25,000 to make the Writing Center technologically equipped was donated by two alumni and $5,000 to help with technology for lecture capture ability;

$25,000 was borrowed by Tabor to refurbish the grand piano;

Approximately $50,000 was donated to the music department to improve the music department;

The Tabor women’s auxiliary gave funds to renovate the humanities area in the third floor of Lorenhz;

Cherry Stucky has lead the effort to improve the looks of MJR;

Professional development funds were increased last year to cover 100% of the requests with money saved by postponing full-time hiring in business and biology;

Professional development funds were increased nearly 50% this year to support faculty in development needs;

Funds for the library were increased by $25,000 this year;

New projectors are being placed in all the smart classrooms;

$80,000 was granted by Kan-Ed to enable Tabor to have the band-width it needs be connected to the internet and to fund the ITV room;

Tiffany Seiter was hired to promote academics through the enrollment management office;

ITV is being used regularly now to allow the math coop with Bethel to connect students without travel;

A gift of $70,000 was given to expand nursing in Wichita to distance delivery;

Smaller gifts have been given to buy equipment for the science department including a torso.

And do not forget that Tabor employees got a 2% increase and no cut in benefits in 2009-10.  (Many faculty across the nation would look at this with envy, even as relatively small as it may seem.)

We have been blessed.  Academics at Tabor have never been stronger. Spread the news.  Tell the story.  The commitment to academics is strong at Tabor.