In his 11th convocation address before faculty and staff in the newly renovated Student Center Theater, Rider President Bart Luedeke outlined several issues he thinks will impact higher education in the early part of the new century. After praising the faculty and staff for their many accomplishments in the upbeat address, he reserved time to discuss how issues such as technology, higher education, competition, financial aid expectations, the rapidly changing work world, and an emerging new era of student activism will affect the higher education environment. Technology, he said, will change the face of higher education in the years to come, but just how remains unclear. However, he said, The college that does not use high quality technology to complement traditional forms of instruction will fail to serve students and quickly become uncompetitive.
Adult students have different needs.
Because they work and have many other obligations, new instructional options such as distance learning are important factors in remaining competitive and serving this group effectively, he said. Luedeke expressed concern over the growing competition in today s collegiate recruiting environment and the public fascination with rating systems. He said, Rider must represent itself accurately and honestly and seek to assist students and parents in making the wise choice. Closely related to the competitive issue, he added, is family expectation for financial aid and their desire to negotiate the most generous aid packages. The future lies in generating new revenue sources and in convincing families of prospective students that we are worth the difference, he said.