August 23, 2014 | SharkAdmin If you missed Dr. Ric Baser's convocation speech, here's a chance to read it. Thank you so much to each of you for the wonderful reception that you have given to me and my wife, Kari, and my granddaughter, Kennedy. I am truly humbled to accept the presidential responsibilities of service and leadership inherent to this role. I am honored to follow an outstanding Northwest Vista College president who has provided the vision, focus, and stewardship while ensuring that NVC is responsive to the changing needs of the community. Jackie, having served at six institutions of higher education, I am empathetic to how difficult it is to leave behind an institution in which one has made such an emotional commitment for such a long period of time. It requires focus, tenacity, and fortitude—not to mention plenty of sleepless nights. I pledge to you that I will honor your legacy by sustaining and building upon the good work you have done in your many years of service on behalf of Northwest Vista College. Your inspired leadership has created a vision and climate for Northwest Vista College which has served to strengthen the college’s capacity for wonder and learning, enhanced its national visibility and reputation, and instilled into this community a sense of unceasing hope and optimism, much as is expressed in Keats’ lyrical poem, Ode to Autumn: …To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells With a sweet kernel; to set budding more, And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease… Thank you for creating in this place and in this time an unending summer for all of us to enjoy. I am certain the faculty and staff who are gathered here this morning will join me in thanking you for your tireless dedication. I inherit a wonderful platform on which to begin my new journey. And while we have all learned the inherent danger of a new president making too many bold promises before he or she has had the time to even set up their office, I would like to offer a few tentative ideas of what the future might hold for us working together, acknowledging that these ideas inevitably suffer from the lack of sharpness that debate and discussion with faculty, students, community and the district would lend to them, the helpful discourse of shared leadership that transforms good or interesting thoughts into excellent ideas. To read more, click on the file: [file 1]
