Viewpoints

There is no question in my mind that the University of West Florida is a great place to work, but it’s reassuring to have it confirmed by my fellow Argos. Once again this year, UWF is on the "Great Colleges to Work For" list, marking our eighth appearance.

On this episode of The EdUp Experience, Dr. Martha Saunders talks to us about how UWF has handled the higher education year of disruption, and she discusses how her team considered their reopening plan.

We often say that a great community deserves a great university. That is true, and the University of West Florida has proven its value to the Pensacola area in myriad ways over the past half-century.

To be sure, there have been plenty of teachable moments over the past few months. Ironically, the coronavirus is the teacher and we are the students. At UWF, we are learning a lot.

The University of West Florida’s long history with quality online programming served us well when the COVID-19 pandemic forced a switch from face-to-face classes. Online learning is not new to UWF. We’ve been at it since 1998; and, as early adopters of remote learning, we have learned a lot about excellence in online course delivery.

For the record, none of us is having the year we planned. As each day brings unimaginable challenges to our resources, we find ourselves scampering to rewrite the year’s strategic plan with one absolute mandate — stay alive!

In recent years we have seen a significant shift in the priorities of prospective students and their parents. Today, the perceived safety of a campus looms as a key factor in college selection. Parents and students give the factor almost equally high ratings on most polls. The safety of students has taken center focus on university campuses and works hand-in-hand with the quality of the learning environment.

The advice and attention of our board members make an important difference in decisions affecting the University and help us move forward. We rely on the eyes and ears of our board members to keep us in touch with what matters to our community, our business partners and our alumni. In return, they can help shape quality undergraduate and graduate education for generations to come.

As an entrepreneurial leader, Dr. Saunders is passionate about creating innovative solutions to deal with the dynamic challenges facing higher education. As a change maker, she drives action behind these solutions to propel higher education into the future.

Happy New Year to all of you from your hometown University. Thank you for your kindness, your generosity and your encouragement. Best wishes for all good things in 2020.

Dr. Martha Saunders joins Mark Taylor on the Learning on Fire podcast and explores the most important learning and educational moments that shaped her life.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be university president? This week on the show, Lougan talks with Dr. Martha Saunders, President of the University of West Florida. In her more than three decades in higher education, Dr. Saunders has served in multiple academic and leadership roles and has led UWF a to new heights.