RADFORD – The Radford University academic year kicked off on a upbeat note as President Penelope W. Kyle welcomed faculty and staff and reviewed university accomplishments and future plans during her convocation speech on Thursday, August 16.

As a capacity crowd entered, the first 500 people were given a piece of Highlander spirit -- a small RU magnetic decal -- donated by the RU Bookstore. This set the tone for the positive news to come during the annual speech.

“This time of year is full of optimism, energy and excitement for the future,” said Kyle. “There are many reasons we should be especially excited about this upcoming year.” 

She began by highlighting those who have assumed new roles or new hires to her administrative team including: Wil Stanton, RU’s second Provost; Danny Kemp, Vice President of Information Technology; Sherri Mylott, Vice President of University Advancement; and Joey Sword, Director of Human Resources.

(IN THE PHOTO: President Kyle delivers her convocation speech Thursday.)

Kyle described her successful initiative to work with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to place RU in a new peer group that is used in setting the state funding goals for faculty salaries.  The Commonwealth has set a goal of funding faculty salaries at the 60th percentile of the institution’s peer group. “That was a challenge I made a year ago and I think we hit a home run on this one,” said Kyle.  In mid-June, Stanton led a task force to research institutions, develop a case and present their findings to SCHEV in Richmond. 

As a result, RU’s 60th percentile salary benchmark has increased by $9,355, or 15.31 percent.  “…the dollar amount and the percentage were by far the largest of any institution in the Commonwealth,” said Kyle.  There are no actual dollars attached to the change in RU’s peer group status.  “Changes in the salaries of faculty remain dependent upon appropriations by the General Assembly,” said Kyle. “Moving the average RU faculty salary to the 60th percentile will undoubtedly take a number of years, but a major step toward making that a reality has been taken,” Kyle said.

In addition, Kyle has asked Stanton to examine teaching and research faculty salaries across the university and document instances of salary inversion or salary compression.  This fall, Stanton and his task force will provide Kyle a report and recommendations to be implemented by November. Additionally, salary studies will be conducted for administrative and professional faculty, as well as classified staff in order to ensure their salaries are competitive.

Faculty can also look forward to 33% increase in the budgets for both faculty professional development and departmental non-personal.  Also, additional funds will be distributed to the deans as a flexible spending account to be used for high priority needs in the colleges.

Kyle previewed the key initiatives of Radford University’s completed ten-year strategic plan “7-17.”  The plan will be presented to the RU Board of Visitors on Thursday, Aug. 23.

A committee, led by RU’s interim registrar Gene Carson, reviewed the university’s academic calendar and compared it with others from institutions across the Commonwealth. 

One of the committee’s recommendations Kyle approved is to adopt a shorter semester in order to be consistent with other state universities.

“Thus, beginning in January we will implement a 14-week semester by starting classes on Monday, January 14,” said Kyle.  Other changes to next year’s academic calendar will be announced later this fall.

Students are the reason for our existence, said Kyle.  “Next week we will be adding one of the best academically prepared freshman classes – and we think also the most diverse – we have ever admitted to this institution,” Kyle said.

A new position, Vice Provost for Enrollment Planning and Management, will be added to the Office of the Provost to help the university reach its enrollment goals.  The goals include increasing graduate enrollment and keeping undergraduate numbers the same while enhancing RU’s student profile.  Possible graduate programs could include a Doctorate in Pharmacy, Doctorate in Physical Therapy and a Doctorate in Optometry.

Kyle said that the time is right for the university to submit its request for capital projects funding.  This is the year in the state’s two year budge cycle that the Governor and General Assembly consider funding capital projects. 

RU’s top priorities of its capital funding request are signature new buildings for the College of Business and Economics, the College of Science and Technology and a new College and Professional Studies building. Additional requests include a student fitness center, an addition to the Bonnie Hurlburt Student Center and three new residence halls, which would be funded through university funds and student fees.  The Governor will send his recommendations to the General Assembly in December, and the General Assembly will finish the budget late next spring.  If the requests are approved, construction could start next summer.

“So you can see that we have already accomplished much by working together, but there is much yet to be done.  I hope you can tell, I’m excited and passionate about what lies ahead for us and our university,” said Kyle.