Welcome to the start of the fall 2018 semester and congratulations! You are among the brightest and the best from your communities and I am impressed by the academic qualities and credentials of this incoming class.
This academic year we welcome new students from 44 states and over 90 countries. You make us a stronger university and enrich our community with your talents, diverse perspectives and the life experiences you bring to campus. You are now a part of “Husky Nation” and we are delighted to have you here.
Fall is such an exciting time to reconnect with and meet new friends. These past few weeks I watched the campus come alive with activity as we once again begin to interact together as Huskies. I was able to observe our Huskies First Four activities and the wide variety of events that engaged our students in community service, academic advising and learning more about St Cloud State. Thank you to all of our student leaders, faculty and staff who worked so hard to welcome students and their families so that our new students began the academic year on a positive note.
Convocation was another opportunity for me to discuss what I believe is great about St. Cloud State and our future and to introduce everyone to our mitten-clad golden retrievers. They are ready for the Minnesota winter!
Huskies Athletics is also off to a strong start with a full slate of home events across all sports in the next few weeks. After an overtime win against Minnesota-Duluth on Sunday to open the NSIC women’s soccer season, two big match-ups against the UMD Bulldogs are coming up Tuesday in volleyball and Thursday in football. Help us create the “home” advantage at our matches. Don’t forget, SCSU students are admitted to every game at no cost.
Along with the excitement of a new academic year, this year may also bring situations that will challenge us as a campus community. We may also face challenges that will cause us to grapple with how some conversations impact us personally; our values of being a welcoming and inclusive campus for all Huskies may conflict with the tenets of freedom of expression guaranteed by the First Amendment and Constitution. The freedom of expression is the foundation of our democracy and is an essential bedrock of a university. Protecting freedom of expression isn’t always easy or comfortable because we coexist with individuals who may have ideas and rhetoric that intensely challenge our own perspectives and beliefs. We will endeavor to balance the right to freedom of expression with our values of a being a welcoming and safe campus for all, to ensure that all voices are protected, and to engage each other in a respectful and civil manner—even when we disagree. Soon we will develop campus forums that will bring the campus together to explore the construct of civil discourse. Please plan to join us.
In addition, I challenge you to always remain intellectually curious and to think critically and deeply about all aspects of an idea or concept that is familiar to you but also those that are unfamiliar. I encourage us all to be brave enough to take every opportunity to reach out beyond our own comfort zones to interact with others from a different place or background. We are a much better university community when we learn from each other. Be curious and take that intellectual risk.
As we celebrate St. Cloud State’s history in celebration of our 150th birthday, I reflect on those first students who came to the Third Normal School full of hope and dreams and who knew that an education would provide the opportunity that would shape their future. I have already met with many of you this year and I can attest that one thing hasn’t changed—students still desire a future of opportunity and success that will be unleashed by a high-quality educational experience. I am proud to be a part of this university whose faculty and staff are dedicated to ensuring your success.
Have a great semester and Go Huskies!
