Meet the new boss
New president for regional college visits Ontario
BY Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 10:17 AM PDT
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| Dr. Bob Davies, newly appointed president of Eastern Oregon University, visits with students at the Malheur EOU Center in the Four Rivers Cultural Center in Ontario. Davies was in town to get acquainted with local faculty, students and the community. At right is Donna Rainboth, instructor for the science methods class from the main campus in La Grande. |
ONTARIO — When Dr. Bob Davies accepted the job as president of Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, he said his decision was based on some key factors including location, EOU’s mission, the faculty, students and the fact he felt he would be able to fit in.
Davies, who was in Ontario Monday on a one-day visit, hails from a family of people who are involved in higher education, including his father, who is a history professor. Those family connections to education made an impact, Davies said.
“I kind of fell into it,” he said.
However, before he went on to get his Ph.D., Davies took his father’s advice and “got some real world experience,” taking a position with large credit rating firm.
“I learned quickly the corporate world was not for me,” he said.
With higher education in his background, he said he decided to switch career gears.
When his parents had friends over, or when there was family around, the conversation generally turned to higher education and public higher education.
Davies said, in terms of numbers EOU is smaller than other colleges he has worked at, but the school’s impact across the region is not paltry.
“Its impact is 55 percent of the state, Idaho and Washington,” Davies said. The university has regional centers in such diverse locations Ontario, Coos Bay, Roseburg and two in Portland. There are 16 centers around the state, Davies said.
The new chief executive, who officially takes office July 1, made it a point to keep focused on the mission of EOU. “I think it’s mainly to serve the rural areas of Oregon, to giving everyone a strong opportunity to succeed and excel. I’ve noticed that faculty, staff and the students are committed to the mission,” Davies said.
Getting through the national financial quagmire is going to be a challenge, as it will be everywhere, and the focus will be on maintaining the core elements of the university, he said.
Davies said he wants to increase on-campus enrollment as well as build the distance education programs. Eastern is well-known on this side of the state, but on the western side of the state people have less knowledge about what the school is doing, he said.
“I think we have the right mix of programs,” he said. While he likes the East very well, Davies said he wanted to come back to the West. Both he and his wife, Cindy, have roots in the West.
“I love the West. I grew up in the West,” he said.
Although he has not gotten too far around the region, Davies said the response he has received has been extremely positive, and the partnerships with Treasure Valley Community College and Blue Mountain Community College are important.
“We are in this together,” he said, noting that TVCC is not seen as part of EOU.
