Ayers gives his "State of the University" address
By Jimmy Young | October 27, 2009During his annual report to the University of Richmond community on Monday, President Edward Ayers acknowledged the accomplishments of the university staff and faculty throughout the last year. But he also highlighted the work that still needed to be done. Ayers said the university's achievements during the last year -- including a 7 percent increase in freshman students who accepted offers of admission from Richmond, a doubling of the number of students of color in the freshman class and continued improvements in sustainability initiatives -- had been even more striking because of the dire economic situation in Virginia and across the nation during the past year. As universities and colleges have worked through a fundamental redefinition of American higher education by laying off staff and faculty, instituting major budget cuts and eliminating sports teams, Richmond has endured well through this uncharted territory in comparison, he said.
