OUR VIEW: Albrecht’s vision achieved

Mission accomplished.

Only one year into the comprehensive campaign, the $200 million goal set by USU President Stan Albrecht has been exceeded, at $202.8 million. Not only was the goal exceeded, but the three-year campaign will continue on, gathering support and donations from generous individuals across the country.

In a society where goals and plans are made and promptly forgotten, it’s encouraging and inspiring to see and hear a plan successfully executed. Our congratulations and thanks go out to Albrecht and especially all the donors who made this possible. Nearly 30,000 individuals donated to the campaign. Some gave millions of dollars to the university, while others gave thousands or hundreds. All contributions are valuable and will increase the quality of the educational experience at USU.

Money alone does not create improved education. A few hundred dollars doesn’t make a degree more valuable, but when this money is put toward improving facilities, faculty and research projects, the overall educational experience will improve. It won’t happen overnight either, but over the years USU will thrust itself increasingly forward as a quality research university that produces bright and able graduates.

We also praise Albrecht’s leadership in this. When the campaign was first being considered, there were plenty of skeptics who doubted the necessity or the ability of USU to hold a comprehensive campaign as has been done at many other universities. Despite the naysayers, Albrecht stuck to his vision and the result has been remarkable. Meeting the goal in three years would have been a notable achievement. Topping that goal in only one year demonstrates a mark of impressive leadership. Albrecht moved past complaining about the high costs of operating an institution of higher learning and was proactive in drafting, implementing and executing a successful plan. Too often we see leaders spout off meaningless rhetoric that warms the heart for a few minutes but ultimately fails to produce any results. It’s gratifying to see a leader who cannot only give a meaningful speech, but come through on his goals and promises.

Students and faculty alike should be appreciative of the donations made, as they will only serve to benefit them. The state only has so much money available to give to USU, and it’s not enough to meet all the needs of a growing university. Through the generous support of donors – many were USU faculty who donated part of their paychecks – the school can work toward improving aspects the state can’t afford to finance.

We hope donations will continue to pour in as people across the country see what USU has to offer to the world.