“The Courage to Flourish”

The State of the University Address, 2007-08

Do we have the courage to move UWSP to a new place? Chancellor Linda Bunnell challenged the faculty and staff to embrace Vision 2015 as the University responds to the many external issues that require it to redefine itself.

Bunnell’s annual State of the University address, titled “The Courage to Flourish,” encouraged the university community to build on its past to move to a new place. She called on UWSP move from its comfort zone to the challenges of the future.

"Samurais define hell as living in uneventful times," Bunnell said. "UWSP would be heaven to them."

Watch the Connecting to the Future PowerPoint slide show

The August 29 address helped usher in the 2007-2008 academic year, and was followed by the traditional picnic on the Old Main lawn.

Following are excerpts from the Chancellor’s address.

Video	Why must this university move to a new place? Chancellor Bunnell notes some of the realities that are forcing us to change.
Video	The preamble of Vision 2015 calls on us to build on UWSP’s traditions of excellence and service
Video	The culture of caring is reflected in the way our faculty and staff treat our students.
Video	Most elected officials, opinion leaders, and businesspeople believe that the UW System’s most important contributions will be in economic development. This is the chief foundation on which UWSP must build for its political support. We must also be a part of solving the numerous challenges facing the Central Wisconsin economy.
Video	Do we have the courage? Chancellor Bunnell says that she has seen in the past year that the UWSP community has what it takes to move the institution to the new place through Vision 2015.
Video	The Chancellor connects being a diverse campus with a campus as a place that develops global citizens, as called for in Vision 2015.
Video	What’s in store for the new academic year? Chancellor Bunnell provides a preview of some of the major issues the university will address in 2007-08.
Video	Also in 2007-08, we will see UWSP partnering with others for a vibrant economy, in keeping with Vision 2015.
Video	We can invent our own future. The chancellor commits to better internal communication, and asks the faculty and staff to be heroic in committing to take the university to its new place.