NOTES FROM THE GREEN
Oliver Appointed to Second Term
In September, the Board of Trustees announced that Rob Oliver has been appointed to a second term of up to six additional years as president of Augustana College. “Rob’s passion for Augustana is unmatched. He absolutely believes in the vision of this institution and is committed to doing all he can to support our mission of providing students with the education they need in order to make tomorrow’s world even better than today’s,” said John Thomas, chair of the Board. “In addition to his passion, Rob has an impressive grasp on the issues, trends and challenges associated with higher education today. His understanding of the industry’s complexities – coupled with his proven ability to work with, lead and inspire our campus community – makes him a tremendous asset to the College.” “Rob’s also done an exceptional job leading the College during a time of unprecedented economic uncertainty and volatility. With more than 27 years of experience in the financial services industry, his knowledge and understanding of operations and management are simply invaluable.” “Under Rob’s leadership, Augustana has accomplished so much. Yet, the entire Board feels that the College has even more exciting opportunities to grow and serve students and the broader region into the future.” Oliver was named Augustana’s 23rd president in 2006. During his tenure, the College has made significant strides
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in enrollment, endowment growth and enhancements to its facilities. During the last fiscal year, Augustana’s endowment grew to $56 million and the College received more than $7.5 million in cash gifts. Its annual giving totaled $1.6 million, including $855,000 in unrestricted annual giving – the second highest unrestricted annual giving total in College history. Earlier this year, the College also surpassed the halfway point on its $120 million Momentum Augustana Campaign, the fund-raising initiative that will support the planned renovation and expansion of the Gilbert Science Complex. Most recently, the College received a $1.25 million anonymous gift in support of planning and early design work for the new science laboratories. Under Oliver’s watch, Augustana’s campus has undergone significant enhancements and students have continued to give Augustana high marks for its academic rigor and its high-caliber professors. According to students surveyed in Spring 2010, 89.1 percent agreed that their courses were intellectually challenging; 90.6 percent agreed that their instructors were enthusiastic (of those, 62.9 percent strongly agreed); and 84.7 percent agreed that their professors were “excellent.” Augustana boasts a student-to-faculty ratio of 12:1 and more than 80 percent of Augustana’s full-time tenured and tenure-track professors hold the highest degree in their field.
The AUGUSTANA
Campus Law Enforcement Association Honors Tupper Rick Tupper, director of campus safety, has received the President’s Award by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), an honor bestowed on a member of campus law enforcement whose efforts go above and beyond the call of duty. “Rick Tupper has provided vital service leadership over the Rick Tupper past several years as chair of the Conference Committee and, before that, as an active member of the committee. Rick has served his entire career in law enforcement, is a veteran of the United States Navy and a graduate of the FBI National Academy,” said Phillip A. Johnson, IACLEA’s 2010-2011 president and the director of security police at the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Ind. Tupper joined Augustana in 2003. Prior to that, he served as a sergeant for the Sioux Falls Police Department.
Werner Named Director of Institutional Research Darla Werner ‘77, has been named Director of Institutional Research. In her new role, Werner will be responsible for gathering, analyzing, reporting and using internal and external data to inform and support institutional decision-making and strategic planning. Before joining Augustana, Werner spent 13 years at LodgeNet Interactive Corporation, Darla Werner most recently serving as Vice President of Information Technologies. Prior to LodgeNet, she spent 20 years at the USGS EROS Data Center where she managed the USGS data centers and data archives.