Rowan University President Ali A. Houshmand hosted University Assembled to speak on upcoming projects and other news regarding the university on Nov. 13.

Faculty and Staff gathered inside Tohill Theatre at Bunce Hall for the occasion that comes each semester of the school year. 

Houshmand began his presentation by praising the faculty and staff at the university for a successful start to the school year.

“Thanks to your great work, your university is in great shape,” Houshmand said.

Houshmand spoke about the university’s ongoing work towards becoming an R1 University. R1 is a prestigious rank amongst universities classified for Doctoral Universities with very high research activity.

In order to be classified as R1, budgeting into research expenditures must be over $50 million and the university must have over 70 or more dissertation-based doctoral degrees. 

Current projections for the current school year have our budget for research expenditures at over $63 Million and 69 dissertation-based doctoral degrees.

Rowan is projected to have over $74 million in expenditures and 85 doctoral degrees next year, putting themselves far over the threshold necessary to become an R1 University. These projections must be averaged in a three-year period, meaning Rowan will have to wait even if they meet the single-year metric. 

This marks immense growth for the university in an eight-year period. Rowan was classified as below R3 in 2016.

The next announcement was the new division of Rowan Online. 

Rowan Global was the initial structure for online learning at the university, but it was believed that it was not optimized for the rapid online growth. So, the reorganization of it became Rowan Online, Rowan Reach, and the Marketing and Enrollment sections as well. 

Growth in infrastructure continues to be a key movement with the increase in enrollment growing year after year. In last spring’s University Assembled, Houshmand said it was projected the university will grow to over 38,500 students by 2033, so the urgency for expansion is one that can’t be ignored in Houshmands quest to build “The University of the Future.” 

On the north side of campus, Academic Facilities, a Modern Farming Area, Integrated Trails and Multi-Use Paths are some of the highlights that are being discussed that could soon come to the university. With the goal of making a walk around the whole university as short as 15 minutes being a goal as well.  

On the south side of campus, Memory and Assisted Living Facilities, Office and MOB buildings, and Passive and Active Green Space are key highlights as well. 

Consultants LIN and Erdy McHenry also engaged the University community to identify key needs to support the “University of the Future.” Erdy McHenry has previously worked with the university to create Holly Pointe Commons. 

Houshmand also announced that The Princeton Review recognized Rowan University for leadership in environmental action in the organization’s annual Guide to Green Colleges.

Houshmand spoke about the Presidential Election in early November and how it’s important that students and staff stay united as a university as changes to higher education come.

“I know this was a very emotional election for everybody,” Houshmand said. “Those who won are obviously happy. The way I see it here, I am delighted to be in such a civilized university, where, despite our differences, we are esteemed colleagues. I can assure you that higher education is going to change, and all of us, for the sake of this amazing university that we have built together, need to start creating, and figure out how we can move along as the changes come upon, because the changes will come.”

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