This month, Bradley’s 11th president Gary Roberts was introduced to campus in an in-depth manner, through several welcome ceremonies open to faculty, staff, students and community members.
Roberts was able to make a highly positive first impression we can only hope he lives up to. His speeches were candid and refreshingly straightforward; there weren’t any politician-type sidesteps or terms-and-conditions disclaimers.
Campus has been in desperate need of transparency and honesty, and it seems like that’s what we have with the new leadership.
Roberts acknowledged issues on campus such as low morale, inadequate employee compensation and several other concerns, showing he’s paid attention to the feedback from the multiple forums discussing frustrations on campus.
Roberts is also an alumnus, which definitely helps him with his Bradley relevant sense of humor.
Additionally, campus has been in need of an empowering president, rather than one who controls every aspect of the university.
Roberts said he would accomplish this by empowering faculty and staff. By getting rid of the president’s office hours, he might be disappointing some students, but he is also showing faith in administrators’ abilities to handle important issues.
Besides a devotion to empowering university employees, he hasn’t presented any tangible plans yet. Roberts has rarely been seen on campus, except for at public relations events and basketball games.
However, students shouldn’t be too quick to pass judgment, for good or bad.
The semester has barely begun, so it’s difficult to give a ringing endorsement before any plans have been fleshed out with real details. But, as students, we might as well approach with caution and some humor.
For the time being, we will give him the benefit of the doubt. If he stays true to his promises and priorities, Bradley is well on its way to getting back on the right track.
