Chace addresses campus issues at Council Town Hall
President Bill Chace outlined some of his thoughts and concerns about Emory
and answered questions from the audience at an Oct. 15 Town Hall meeting
sponsored by the Employee Council.
Chace delineated several of the issues he has been working with and reflecting
on recently: campus planning, the future of health sciences at Emory, the
future of The Carter Center and the funding of Emory's rapid expansion in
all areas.
Chace said that campus planning means different things to different people,
but overall "there are a great many concerns about how the campus looks.
"My colleagues and I have concluded that what we need is an entire
master plan for the whole University," Chace said. He said this plan
is in progress, and a national firm will be selected to bring it to fruition.
Chace stressed the need for "radical solutions" to some of the
problems with Emory's campus and cited the need for a MARTA rail station
to alleviate several of these problems.
On the future of the health sciences, Chace stressed Emory's massive contributions
over the years and mentioned that more than two-thirds of Emory's entire
budget goes to health sciences. However, "we are vulnerable to shifts
in the federal government," Chace said, and "strong leadership
is needed to determine how Emory in the health sciences will be maintained
with greater strength. Emory's fate and fortune are inevitably linked with
the future of health sciences in America."
Concerning The Carter Center, Chace said "at some point the Carters
will no longer be active members. Their absence would provide an interesting
challenge." He emphasized that he wanted to honor former President
Jimmy Carter's ideals for The Carter Center, and since he and Carter have
a good working relationship, he is confident of a positive outcome.
Lastly, Chace said that "Emory as an institution has grown faster than
any other university in the country." He added that Emory's "great
resources in philanthropy" in one sense made it a "wealthy institution,"
but one that is still "crucially dependent on tuition dollars."
Chace said he hopes to raise the level of alumni giving in accordance with
this sentiment, among pursuing other means of fundraising.
Questions from the audience ranged from possibilities for the MARTA station
to plans for the arts center on campus. Chace said plans for a MARTA station,
were they to be executed, probably would not be in effect until the end
of the century. Chace said U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney is "our champion
in Congress" and is working to get plans under way in accordance with
Emory's surrounding community.
Chace called the planned Center for the Performing Arts "among his
absolute top priorities," saying he was looking at "more efficient
and flexible ways to make use of the endowment" for this purpose.
--Danielle Service
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