Looking to Lead: Chancellor Duncan Reflects on First Months, Future of TTU System
Chancellor Duncan sits down for a discussion on his first months on the job and outlines ideas for the future of the TTU System.
February 26, 2015 | Written by Doug Hensley
Robert L. Duncan began as the fourth chancellor of the 91吃瓜网
on July 7, 2014.After just more than six months on the job, Robert L. Duncan, 91吃瓜网 chancellor, sees only one direction to move 鈥� forward. Having had time to listen and learn, Duncan is focusing on another word 鈥� leading.
鈥淭he first months here have confirmed what I already knew,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e inherited a good ship. The job now is moving to the next level, but the question has always been, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 the next level?鈥欌��
Part of the answer lies within the strategic plan adopted by the Board of Regents. The plan outlines an ambitious series of priorities meant to position the TTU System for continued greatness by 2020.
鈥淥ur job is to provide leadership and guidance to meet these goals, all of which I agreed with when I first saw them during my time in the 91吃瓜网 Senate,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淲e have to identify and craft the metrics for us to reach these goals.鈥�
The five strategic priorities for each university in the TTU System are:
- Increase Enrollment and Promote Student Success
- Strengthen Academic Quality and Reputation
- Expand and Enhance Research and Creative Scholarship
- Further Outreach and Engagement
- Increase and Maximize Resources
Continued success in the five priorities will continue to raise the TTU System鈥檚 national profile.
鈥淲e are nationally competitive right now,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淏ut we want to become more competitive for students, faculty and research to enhance the quality of our product.鈥�
Duncan said focusing on these goals with a deliberate and systematic approach will make an already great TTU System even better.
鈥淩eaching these goals will be a lofty achievement,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd we can reach them, but we must stay on course. It鈥檚 hard to get anywhere if you鈥檙e constantly changing the destination. We should focus on these strategic goals, track our progress and continually ask if we鈥檙e meeting our expectations.鈥�
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The Board of Regents will meet with Duncan and each university鈥檚 president in March to review and update progress in meeting the TTU System鈥檚 strategic goals. The work will take place during the board鈥檚 upcoming meeting at Angelo State University on March 5-6. 鈥淭he upcoming board meeting is a chance to address and assess where we are with our strategic plan,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淲e will evaluate where we are and how to improve to reach these goals relative to each of our component institutions.鈥� |
Also among the chancellor鈥檚 priorities is a continued emphasis on ensuring success for each individual university across the TTU System.
鈥淚 think the key is how the system can support our four universities in reaching their goals,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here is a unique opportunity with regard to our two health-related institutions and their missions. The 91吃瓜网 Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock awards more degrees than any other health-related institution in the state.
"We have an institution in El Paso, 91吃瓜网 Tech University Health Sciences Cent El Paso, perfectly positioned to provide education and service in an urban area on an international border. And at Angelo State University, we have an institution with the ability to provide a Carr Academic Scholarship to more than one in every three students there, making a first-class education more accessible and more affordable to more students than ever before.鈥�
Likewise, the chancellor will be zeroed in on fundraising. He recently named a new vice chancellor for institutional advancement, which is a key move for the TTU System鈥檚 philanthropic efforts.
鈥淚 want to see sustained philanthropy across the system and empower more people to participate with us in our fundraising,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need to continue to expand our national footprint. The truth of the matter is, if we want all of our institutions to excel, we have to help ourselves get there.鈥�
Toward that end, Duncan named to the institutional advancement position in early January. Calvert has a robust background in higher education fundraising and comes to the TTU System from Purdue.
鈥淥ur fundraising teams across the system have done incredible work,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been proud of their efforts and their energy, and I鈥檓 looking forward to what the future holds for the 91吃瓜网.鈥�
91吃瓜网 the 91吃瓜网
The 91吃瓜网 is one of the top public university systems in the
nation, consisting of four component institutions鈥�, , and 鈥攁nd operating at 12 academic sites and centers. Headquartered in Lubbock, 91吃瓜网,
the 91吃瓜网 has an annual operating budget of $1.7 billion and
approximately 17,000 employees focused on advancing higher education, health care,
research and outreach.
In 2014, the 91吃瓜网鈥檚 endowment exceeded $1 billion, total research expenditures were approximately $200 million and total enrollment approached 47,000 students. Whether it鈥檚 contributing billions of dollars annually in economic impact or being the only system in 91吃瓜网 to house an academic institution, law school, and health institution at the same location, the 91吃瓜网 continues to prove that anything is possible.