AUBG Prospective President Vol. 3




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  • 2014-04-03 18:12:20
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One of the possible new presidents of AUBG – Mr. Alan G. Walker was at the AUBG campus to get better acquainted with the university’s environment and situation. A series of open meetings with representatives of the student body as well as faculty and staff, allowed Mr. Walker and his wife to get a better sense of AUBG. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="241" caption="Mr. Alan G. Walker, source: wcfcourier.com"][/caption] Having 30 years of experience in higher education, Mr. Walker pointed out that he was particularly proud of his contribution to the development of the Upper Iowa University. He expressed his firm belief that the voice of students should be heard at all times and that all important decisions should be communicated to them first. In terms of the challenges Mr. Walker had to deal with during his presidency of the UIU, he pointed out that they were very similar to the ones AUBG is currently facing – enrollment, dining services quality and versatility, recruitment of new faculty and staff, adding more degree programs, and last but not least rebranding of the university itself to make it more profitable and at the same time more open to the local community. Mr. Walker and his wife emphasized upon the fact that they have always responded quickly to students’ concerns and that they have always been very open to suggestions and improvements in all the institutions they worked at.  They have been involved in athletic events and open discussions with the student body, in order to build a better vision for the future. Both of them asked the AUBG-ers present at the meeting a number of questions regarding the problems they see at the university right now and gave examples of how they coped with similar situations in their past work experiences. [caption id="attachment_20145" align="alignright" width="369" caption="Mr.Walker participating in athletic events at UIU, source: http://donsheppardbikesacrossamerica2012.com"][/caption] This being their first time in Bulgaria, the Walkers pointed out how impressed they were with the nature and the friendly people, as well as with the high Internet speed. They also said that they did some research on the university and were very impressed by the contribution of student media. Mr. Walker himself pointed out that he has been living in several European countries (incl. Turkey, Italy and Germany) for a while as a child, so moving to Europe would be a pleasant adventure. The decision making process that Mr. Walker used, being a President at the UIU, was “based on collaboration and consensus”. He is a supporter of a more democratic approach when it comes to leadership, as he believes that the key to success in any institution is “the unique balance between the intake by faculty, staff and students”.  In the past, Mr. Walker has worked very closely with his former university’s CFO in order to create a more profitable business plan, manage spending priorities and developing its fundraising capacity. The Alumni Association is a key factor in this process, as he explained, but so are local businesses. He also pointed out that students should be an active part of any strategic planning process. At the end of his brief meeting with AUBG students, Mr. Walker provided his contact details, asking students for feedback and questions. * AUBG Daily is in no way implying a preference for the third candidate for the position. Our team does not intend to give anyone unfair advantage. Mr. Walker agreed that his full name is used in student media even before the results become known.