Dialogue with Larry Burns

As we get ready to say goodbye to 2008 I am already thinking forward to 2009 and some key events that will be taking place.  Starting in January a new partnership with The Toledo Blade, The University of Toledo and several other institutions of higher education launch the first edition of a new publication known as “Campus Connections”.  This quarterly Blade insert will focus on the Arts and other educational and entertainment activities taking place on each of the many wonderful campuses in our region.

I also remain extremely excited about the UT student program known as “Plugged In”.  This show gets better each month and I look for exciting things in 2009.

In a few short months our University will be hosting the 2009 NCAA Men’s Golf  Championship. This  International event will take place at the Inverness Club and UT will have the opportunity to show the world how well we do things.  Stay tuned for more details on how you too can participate as a fan.

I am also extremely optimistic about the launch of the new “UT Guarantee Scholarship Program”.  I believe this will not only offer educational opportunities for first-generation students but also broaden our diversity on our campuses and allow us to take steps toward being one of the most admired and diverse universities in our country.

In addition to the UT Guarantee I’m  also optimistic about continued enrollment growth in 2009.  I think freshmen and transfer enrollment will be up again and we’ll be setting new records come Fall.

Well, just a few thoughts about the incoming year.  I look forward to staying in touch.  Regards, Larry

Hello and happy holidays!  Today I had the opportunity to attend the Downtown Coaches meeting.  This is the weekly meeting that includes an overview of UT athletics and in particular football and men’s and women’s basketball.  Today was the first time our new head football coach Mr. Tim Beckman had the opportunity to visit the group.  Tim did a marvelous job speaking and he also brought along his parents.  Please know that Rocket football is in great hands and I know Tim is an even finer man than he is a coach.   Look for wonderful things to happen in the years to come on the gridiron. By the way, don’t forget to vote for your UT on http://www.pontiac.com/ncaa. Tricia Cullop and Gene Cross also had the opportunity to speak today and as always did a great job.  I firmly believe that our two basketball programs are headed in the right direction and that the new Savage Arena will be the site for many victories and joyous times for Rocket fans in the years to come.  Kudos to Mike O’Brien for bringing in such quality people to lead our teams.  If you get to know our Rocket coaches you know that we are in good hands… these are fine individuals leading our student-athletes.  Go Rockets!  Regards, Larry.

I hope all is well and appreciate you taking the time to read my latest entry.

Just a quick update regarding the UT enrollment team going to Cleveland. It was an extremely successful day with over 40 UT representatives making the trip and close to 500 Cleveland public school seniors attending, each with a 3.0 or better grade point average. To me, the best part of the day was the quality of these high school students.  They were extremely polite, attentive and engaged.  At the end of the day we had 446 applications and 446 newly admited Rockets.  The UT Guarantee is off and running and if all of our initiatives are as successful as our Cleveland trip, then I can’t wait for the fall of 2009.  Our next adventure is in January right here in our very own Toledo backyard and then were off to Columbus to meet with 535 students.  I’ll keep you posted.

Last Saturday the University held an open house for  community members to tour our beautiful new Savage Arena.  Folks were also able to get an autograph from both the men’s and women’s basketball teams.  As part of the program Smooth Jazz radio from Detroit hosted the Alexander Zonjic morning show in Savage.  Mike O’Brien, our Athletics Director, and I had the opportunity to be interviewed during AZ’s show.  The interviews are part of this journal entry and I hope you have few minutes to listen to them.  This was part of our ongoing outreach to the Southeastern Michigan market as we continue to gain enrollment from our neighbors to the north.

Watch my interview with Alexander:

Listen to Mike O’Brien’s interview:

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These are difficult economic times but we must move forward and continue to be positive, proactive and forward thinking as our University of Toledo improves the human condition.  Regards, Larry.