MARQUETTE, MI-- The 14th president of Northern Michigan University held his first fall convocation address Wednesday.
David Haynes said he won’t just be marking time until a permanent replacement is found.
“I will not be a placeholder president,” he said. “I will dedicate every waking hour to the furtherance of this institution. Your needs and the needs of our students cannot be put on hold.”
Haynes asked the campus community to rethink, renew, and reconnect in four areas: enrollment, excellence, experience, and endowment. He said the last area is especially critical as families face economic challenges not seen in decades.
“Eighty percent of our students rely on some sort of financial aid. Over 40 percent hold down a job while taking classes. Sixty-five percent of our 2010 graduates left NMU burdened by an average debt of over $18,000.”
Haynes says improving NMU’s endowment will help furnish students in need with scholarships and grants.
The interim president replaces Dr. Les Wong, who is now president of San Francisco State University.
