1991-1992 Cedarville College Annual Report

Wi,,,,' mis•on " C'<lwW!e College-a mis•on l beli"'e will never change. In the past, godly people who shaped this school stated our purpose: "to offer students an education consistent with biblical truth." Today, we hold true to that purpose. As long as Cedarville College stands, I trust the president will still be reciting those words. More importantly, I believe the people of Cedarville College will still be dedicating their lives to the same mission. Committed faculty who offer a truly Christian education- that is our essence. Students who prepare to serve their Lord as the best in their professions- that is our goal. Acollege family who love and serve one another and the people around us- that is our daily practice. Why am I confident in the Lord that this College will continue to be true to our mission? I see llis leading in two areas. First, through strategic planning we bring godly wisdom to bear on important questions of how best to implement our mission. Second, the Lord continues to provide strong people who ensure the continued quality of our programs. Over the years I have challenged our college family to share their dreams for Cedarville. Through a rigorous process of strategic planning we have seen many of those dreams become reality. Who would have thought Cedarville College would have over 2,100 students...a groundbreaking computer network. ..one of the finest engineering facilities in any Christian college...a missionary internship program sending out over one hundred members of the college family every year? Someone had these dreams, and all of us have worked together to make them happen. Over the years I have challenged our college family to share their dreams for Cedarville. Through a rigorous process of strategic planning we have seen many of those dreams become reality. CedarNet, our campuswide computer network, is a good example. Just three years ago we realized the need for a plan for managing information resources in the 21st century. Many departments had dreams for using computers to enhance instruction and operations. We needed to combine our efforts to find the best solutions. I appointed an Information Resources and Technology Task Team, including faculty, staff, and administrators. The task team surveyed students, gathered information from other institutions, and discussed the benefits of various plans. The result of this strategic planning effort is a computer information system that may be the largest, best integrated network on any small college campus in America. Through a partnership with IBM, Cedarville will be a national showcase for networking technology. The same process guided recent efforts to • offer needed programs such as nursing and engineering • build facilities, including a $7 million Engineering/Nursing/Science Center • develop ways to competitively compensate faculty and staff while holding tuition well below the national average for independent colleges. All these efforts rely on people, and God sends our way some of the greatest people in the world. I am so thankful for trustees who have a vision for this College and who are actively involved in our growth. I appreciate the administrators who serve so faithfully. Cedarville's staff are not only effective professionals, they are also inspirational role models for students. And looking at the 20 new faculty who joined our