By MATT PIKE
New Missouri Western State University President Lenny Klaver is ready to hit the deck running as he takes over as the seventh president in the history of MoWest.
Klaver says there needs to be a redemption and a renaissance at MoWest, and while many presidents look at their first 100 days in office, Klaver asserts there is not that kind of time, and is focusing on a 30-day approach as he gets ready to begin his tenure in St. Joseph.
Klaver says in those 30 days the goal is to get to know the people in St. Joseph he knows better, and meet people he doesn't, but also work to develop a strategic plan.
"That strategic plan needs action, and we'll be working hard to put together the objectives for that," Klaver tells reporters. "And then to make it happen, we need to execute that strategic plan."
Klaver says the first 30 days are just getting into the starting block of things and then taking off on the sprint and looking to keep momentum going.
"30 days is going to go fast, but I like to roll it into the next 30 days and pretty soon you stack those together and you're through half of the year, evaluating where you are, and hopefully a lot of good things are happening," Klaver explains. "It's all about momentum, it's about teamwork and momentum, and that's my intention is to pull people together and get us all on the same page working together for the betterment, not just of Missouri Western, but St. Joseph as well."
The renaissance Klaver would like to see comes in enrollment, which he acknowledges MoWest is in better shape this fall, but says enrollment growth would be the mark of major success for him.
"As a vice president not only have I overseen advancement and university relations and activities. I was the head of enrollment management and when I moved to North Central with their declining enrollment, I took admissions and advising under my wing there and we turned that around as well," Klaver says. "To make sure we're getting enrollment turned around, that we have a better understanding of what our programs are and how to promote them, and just to get a good vibe going in the community and the region about Missouri Western."
Klaver will officially begin his tenure on September 1st, just after the start of classes at MoWest on August 31st.
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