Letter from the president
B
efore writing this introductory letter I always ask Janet Schutte (Director of Marketing) about the “theme” for the upcoming issue of Trends. The reason for doing this is simple: I prefer to be consistent with the larger message of the entire publication. This time, my strategy didn’t work. Why? Because there is no particular theme to this issue. There are so many exciting things going on at Indiana Tech that sometimes it’s difficult to settle on just one topic to explore. You’ll find that this issue covers a wide range of topics – almost all of which support our plan for growth and change at Indiana Tech. Yes, we are growing and we are changing as a university. Confidently, we build new forms of academic rigor in our existing programs, and we develop new programs to serve new categories of learners. For example, our programs in criminal sciences may seem a far cry from our roots in engineering, computer studies, and business. An even greater departure from our past is the planned launch of our distance education component. So you see, not only will we be educating men and women of all ages at many locations other than our Fort Wayne campus, we will be educating them wherever they are in the world! Most assuredly this is the epitome of growth and change. Past issues of Trends have introduced new faces, and this issue is no different. As a part of our growth and change plan, many new Indiana Tech team members have joined us. We are a more capable and complete institution as a result of the additions to the team. Moreover, we are better prepared for the future and the challenges ahead. In his seminal work, “Grow or Die: the Unifying Principle of Transformation” (originally published in 1973), George Land created a revolution in thinking about how organizational growth really works. Perhaps Aline Edson, a believer in Land says it best, “There is neither nobility nor merit nor security in keeping things just as they are” and “Living without growing and changing is dying by degrees.” It seems to me that their philosophy of growth and change applies equally to individuals and organizations. In the case of Indiana Tech, it is very helpful to charting our course for next year and the years beyond. Celebrate the Past – Believe in the Future! Cordially,
Arthur E. Snyder, Ed.D.
Trends | Spring 2006