I welcome all of you warmly to campus. I welcome as well a group of alumni who are IT professionals, who join us this weekend for an affinity Reunion, one of the many such gatherings we plan in the future. And I welcome Carl Redfield '68, of Cisco Systems, who will offer the keynote address for the IT professionals this afternoon. All of you have returned to visit us at a particularly promising and exhilarating time. Rensselaer stands at a time of unique opportunity.
Technology pervades every facet of life and drives the economy.
We are on the threshold of a new age, when science and technology will propel us to rapid advances beyond anything the world has seen. Rensselaer must seize this opportunity. This is our time in history, our time to grow Rensselaer, to enhance our educational programs, and to rise to the first rank as a national research university. We have created a road map to capture and define our vision, and set us on a path to achieve this vision. It is called the Rensselaer Plan, the first comprehensive plan for the Institute in 25 years.