Pohl: University's image 'incomplete'

[UNTFan23]

Hmmmm, interesting what Pohl wants to do. Makes a lot of sense though.

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Ashley Womble -- NT Daily

President wants NT to be recognized for engineering and science programs

If Dr. Norval Pohl has his way, people won't think of NT as simply a liberal arts and humanities school for much longer.

Pohl is mounting a public relations campaign focusing on programs such as engineering and science, saying the public's image of NT as an arts and music school is incomplete.

"The goal isn't to shift NT's focus, but to shift people's perception about what NT is about," Pohl said.

Pohl's campaign to turn attention toward engineering and science programs could mean more funding for NT.

"Since most universities are evaluated on the amount of research dollars brought to the university, I think that it is important that we are strong in engineering and science since they are bringing in the dollars," Dr. John Gossett of the communication studies faculty said.

Gossett warned that NT must stay balanced and must not forget its roots in the humanities and arts.

"So long as science and technology don't become the sole focus, I think it is possible to become balanced as long as the university knows that there are several nationally recognized programs," he said.

Dr. Jean Keller, dean of the College of Education, said the emphasis on engineering and science will give students more options.

"As the university grows and becomes larger, if we have more programs, that is a good thing for students," she said.

Keller said that the challenge is how to appropriately fund the College of Engineering and still keep the strong programs that NT is known for.

"I think that NT is a comprehensive institution, and if the music and arts colleges maintain their excellence in their graduates and alumni, they will still bring recognition to the institution and themselves," she said.

While the transition will affect colleges and departments differently, Dr. Warren Burggren, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said he expects the emphasis on engineering and sciences to be a positive thing for the college.

"Since we have a half dozen science and math departments, and since science, math and engineering are all intricately linked, I think this new appreciation of the need to promote sciences, generally defined, bodes very well for improvement of this particular part of our college," Burggren said.

Dr. Jack Davis, dean of the School of Visual Arts, said he hopes that [the administration] wants achieve the same excellence in science and engineering that has already achieved in arts and humanities.

"Expansion is always to preserve the strengths we have and build on that," he said.

Pohl said he is doing more than trying to shift the public's perception to engineering and science.

NT is asking for $12 million from the state Legislature over the next six years to build a College of Engineering and purchased Research Park, the facility that will house the college, in November 2002 for $8.9 million.

Meanwhile, other buildings that have been requested by NT are being delayed.

Davis said that people in the School of Visual Arts was disappointed that it did not get a new building, but they understand the need for Research Park.

"I think we are still on the agenda to expand, it just got delayed.

An opportunity came and it would have been short-sighted if [NT] hadn't taken advantage of the opportunity," Davis said.

Pohl said that if NT does not get money for the College of Engineering from the Legislature, the university will get the money elsewhere.

"The plan is not to reallocate existing dollars away from other programs, " Pohl said.

Pohl said that money for the College of Engineering will come out of growth, out of special funding or from donors.

Gossett said that when one department gets one new building, it frees up space for other departments.

"A rising tide raises all ships, if there are more dollars at the university there will be more money to go around," Gossett said.

[CAV]

Other notes.....

UNT is going to break ground a new Science Building just north of Bruce Hall in March, but I feel The College of Business needs a new building before SOVA. Space in going to free up on Campus in the next couple of years when the UNT Reseach Park is fully operational.

[the green rokemi]

and hopefully by doing this, eventually those department alumnus will give back and support the university more than some of the biggest alumnus from the departments we are known for now, which it seems the only people who know us as a music school are music people...(I thought it was known for it's education program...)

[UNTFan23]

I couldn't agree more on those comments. We do need a newer, bigger COBA building. With roughly 8,000 students, we're the 2nd largest college on campus.

I too saw the light on the fact that Pohl is wanting to move away [some] from being known as a liberal arts school. We can get more money as a research school then we ever could as a liberal arts one.