Greetings from Provost Ken Bladh
Wittenberg University’s 163rd academic year offers a rich array of campus lectures, performances, exhibitions, worship and service opportunities, athletic contests and special events. Please plan time in your busy schedules for these campus events. We grow individually and build a stronger community when we share our commitment and enthusiasm for learning and creative expression in all of their varied forms and contexts.
This academic year marks the 26th season of the Wittenberg Series, the University’s annual offering of distinguished lectures, performances and worship services. Details about this year's events can be found by accessing the Provost’s website on the Wittenberg home page.
The first event of the 2007-08 Series, the Opening Convocation, will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, August 29th in Weaver Chapel. Special remarks will be delivered by Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Bishop Hanson, also the president of Lutheran World Federation, is an advocate for social justice, especially housing, welfare and immigration rights. Faculty and academic administrators will enter the chapel in a traditional procession. In addition to a formal welcome from President Mark Erickson, student leaders for the coming year will be introduced, and faculty members recently promoted in rank and advanced to tenure will be recognized.
The convocation will require a minor adjustment in the daily class schedule, with normal hour-long classes shortened to 45 minutes, as follows:
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. class will be held from................ 8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.
9:10 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. class will be held from................ 8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.
10:20 a.m. - 11:20 a.m. class will be held from................ 9:50 a.m. - 10:35 a.m.
11:00 a.m. – 12 Noon...................................................... Opening Convocation
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. class will be held from................ 12:30 p.m. - 1:15 p.m..
12:40 p.m. - 1:40 p.m. class will be held from................ 1:25 p.m. - 2:10 p.m.
1:50 p.m. - 2:50 p.m. class will be held from................ 2:20 p.m. - 3:05 p.m.
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. class will be held from................ 3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The regular schedule resumes with the 5:00 p.m. class.
Wittenberg will observe Constitution Day, September 17, again this year. The U. S. Department of Education oversees that colleges fulfill their obligations under federal law to observe this important event in American history. The legislation provides no guidance on the nature of the “instructional program” intended. I encourage us all to seek creative ways to engage one another in this national event and in conversations about the influences of the Constitution on our lives.
Those of you who have been away from campus this summer will notice landscaping around the Main Gate and Commencement Hollow received more improvements. Carnegie and Synod Halls have received technology upgrades under a grant from the Small Business Administration. Technology upgrades in the Shouvlin Center have been extended to Room 201 by conversion to a video conference and synchronous classroom. The Student Center is undergoing interior renovations.
Wireless access to the campus network has been extended to Carnegie Hall and Commencement Hollow, Thomas Library, and Synod Hall. A survey has been completed that will allow wireless access outside campus-wide.
Let me conclude with a welcome to students and new members of the Wittenberg community. I also share my appreciation to the faculty and staff who gave graciously of their time and talents this summer to advise first year students. Equally worthy of acknowledgement are the faculty who led study abroad, field studies programs or supervised student research, internships or independent studies this past summer. Many of you also contributed to the success of several campus visit days for prospective students and their families. People make the difference at Wittenberg. Thanks for your contributions.