Fallon Deatherage
News Editor
The second of the presidential candidates to visit campus, Laura Woodworth-Ney, fielded questions at campus forums and shared her goals for the office of president on Monday evening.
Woodworth-Ney currently serves as executive vice president and provost at ISU. Formerly, she was the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Director of Women’s Studies and chair of the Department of History.
“ISU’s greatest strength is its historical commitment to student success,” she said. “We provide opportunities to students better any of the surrounding universities.”
At the faculty and staff forum, Woodworth-Ney championed the progress made my the current administration among an audience that posed questions about the fractured relationship between faculty and administration.
“I’m committed to repairing these relations,” she said. “I want to meet with every department and find out what the issues are on the ground.”
When questioned about comments she made regarding not wanting to pursue a presidential position when addressing USU as a provost candidate, Woodworth-Ney clarified by explaining her reasons for saying that was she wanted to remain as provost.
“I love the job I have now more than any job I’ve ever had,” she said. “It allows me to have a connection with the faculty, and I don’t want to lose that.”
Woodworth-Ney’s plans are for the presidential office to have more interaction with faculty than it has before. In a time when many faculty members are unhappy with university administration, she plans to work to manage discord through dialogue.
“My door will always be open to meet with those that are frustrated,” she said.
Many of those frustrated faculty members attended the forum where some individuals raised concerns about past problems with Title IX violations.
“I am not able to speak on specific cases, but ISU is committed to Title IX,” she said. “There will be no retaliations for Title IX complaints.”
In addition to reducing cost, Woodworth-Ney proposed offering class options on a student demand basis.
“We need to continue to offer online classes,” she said. “Because students have asked for them.”
She proposed that online classes and traditional classroom options be available based on student demand which she linked to online shopping where consumers dictate available products.
Woodworth-Ney plans to be active in fundraising, citing it as a important duty of the president. In order to perform this duty she wants to work to build the relationship between the university and the community.
“We have to be reaching out the community,” she said. “Because it is a lot more difficult for the community to come to us.”
Woodworth-Ney expressed a passion for public universities by citing her own family as an example of the opportunities that public institutions provide.
“Our role here at ISU is transient, but it is our responsibility to ensure that ISU remains strong for future generations,” she said.
