2021年11月18日

巴尚总统宣布计划从SVSU退休

萨吉诺谷州立大学 President Don Bachand announced his intent to retire from SVSU in December of 2022, 为大学服务超过40年.

“When I started here in 1978 as one of the founding professors for the criminal justice program, 而是因为我想教书, 指导和激励年轻人,巴尚说. “I have continued to find motivation to serve our students each and every day, 即使我的角色已经改变了.”

2014年，巴尚成为SVSU的第四任校长, 建立在几个先前的角色在大学. 作为一名教员来到这里, 巴尚享有杰出的教学生涯, 1987年获得SVSU兰迪卓越教学奖. He moved into academic administration in 1996 as dean of the College of Arts and Behavioral Sciences. Bachand served in that role for nearly 10 years before being named vice president for academic affairs in 2006 and adding the responsibilities of provost in 2010.

在巴尚的领导下, SVSU大大增加了来自捐助者的私人财政支持, 提高学生的保留率和毕业率, 并提升了SVSU作为社区大学的地位.

维姬拉普, SVSU董事会主席, expressed appreciation for Bachand’s dedication throughout his presidency, and especially for his leadership during the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“他立即挺身而出，展现出非凡的领导力, putting together a wonderful team to navigate incredibly complex and rapidly changing conditions,拉普说. “The Board and I are proud that SVSU has successfully maintained university operations while prioritizing very high levels of health and safety on campus. The university also responded to public health needs in our community by hosting numerous COVID-19 vaccination events, 管理近50,000剂.”

2020年2月, SVSU奉献了38号,500平方英尺的建筑扩建是斯科特L. 卡莫纳商学院. SVSU raised more than $15 million in private gifts and received nearly $10 million in capital outlay funding from the State of 密歇根 for the $25.400万项目.

作为SVSU的校友和陶氏化学的退休高管, I am acutely aware of the critical role SVSU plays in preparing business professionals for our region and our state,拉普说. 筹款活动非常成功, and the outstanding facility will benefit SVSU bt365app的社区 for generations to come. SVSU’s role in building the talent pipeline for our region and our state never has been more important than it is today.”

这是他作为第一代大学生的经历, Bachand secured private funding to ease the financial burden on students and families. The number of private scholarships awarded to students has more than doubled, 从2013-14学年的729个增加到超过1个,今年700人. 今年四月, SVSU also announced the receipt of the largest single gift in university history, $6 million from the Thompson Family Foundation to support scholarships for students from working families. 在巴尚担任总统期间, the value of SVSU’s endowment has grown from $76 million to $111 million.

当上总统后, Bachand emphasized the need to increase retention and graduation rates for SVSU students. 该大学的保留率从2014年的70%上升到77%.4% in 2020. 为了继续这一进步, SVSU is one of only eight institutions in the nation selected in 2019 to participate in the Higher Learning Commission’s Student Success Academy.

SVSU introduced several new academic programs during Bachand’s presidency in areas of rising community needs and job market demand, 包括2017年的社会工作硕士课程, 公共卫生学士和硕士学位课程, 2018年获得康复医学学士学位. SVSU created a post-graduate certificate program for psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners in 2019; the program already has received more than $5 million in federal grants to prepare nurse practitioners to respond to substance use disorders and mental health needs in underserved communities. These programs have grown rapidly and combined have more than 300 students enrolled.

Bachand拓展了SVSU的国际关系, 明川大学的新校区, 总部设在台湾, 2014年在SVSU主校区. 当时, it was the only collaboration in 密歇根 where an Asian university had a physical campus in the state; Ming Chuan continues to operate programs in SVSU’s Gilbertson Hall. 除了, Bachand and his wife Liana supported construction of the Royal Seed Home clinic in Ghana, 西非, 于2020年12月开业. SVSU健康学院的护理学生和教师 & Human Services will have opportunities for study abroad experiences in global health at the clinic in the coming years.

In 2015, SVSU earned the distinction of receiving the 社区 Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, marking SVSU as a university that is exceptionally engaged with the communities it serves. 不到10%的美国人口.S. 学院和大学都获得了这一称号.

“We have seen the impact of our students and alumni in businesses and organizations across our region for many years, but our community’s pandemic response really shined a spotlight on so many of them,巴尚说. “每天, 似乎, bt365app会听到医生或护士的故事, 老师或警察, 响应号召为他人服务的工程师或社会工作者.”

SVSU对员工的承诺也得到了全国的认可, 军方学生和其他人. SVSU was the only public university in 密歇根 to be named a Great College to Work For in 2019, 2020, and 2021; it has earned the honor for six consecutive years. The university also has been recognized as a “Best for Vets” college by Military Times for seven consecutive years.

“我为bt365app代表学生所做的工作感到自豪, bt365app的教职员工, bt365app的校友, bt365app的社区,巴尚说. “The awards and honors are welcome affirmations of what we have achieved together, 但我也看重个人评估. I know our students are receiving an education that will prepare them for meaningful lives and rewarding careers; I hear it from my niece and nephew who are currently attending. 我期待着今年秋天再次与bt365app的毕业生们一起庆祝.

“我在SVSU最自豪的时刻, 教授或校长, 看到学生们完成学位并毕业了吗. 我上大学时在底特律警察局工作. 我从未忘记学位给我带来的机遇, 那一刻对我和我的家人意味着什么. I have enjoyed sharing that moment with thousands of SVSU alumni families over the years.”

Rupp said the Board will conduct a national search to select SVSU’s fifth president, 董事会将很快就下一步行动分享更多信息.

“作为董事会, we value Don’s ongoing leadership as he concludes an extraordinary career with the university,拉普说. “他建立了许多值得信赖的关系, and he has pledged to remain engaged with the university after he retires from the presidency. We deeply appreciate Don’s devotion to SVSU and we will be working hand in hand with him to ensure a smooth and successful transition.”