President Quinton T. Ross Jr., Ed.D., delivered his annual “State of the University Address” during Alabama State University’s virtual Fall 2022 Convocation Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022. Ross spoke on the university’s progress and accomplishments over the past year, stating seven priorities as anchors.
Under Anchor One, which is to create an intellectually rigorous learning environment that encourages, manifests and celebrates knowledge, creativity and learning, Ross talked about the academic excellence of the university.
“We have established new programs such as the Master of Business Administration that is now offered in ASU’s renowned Percy J. Vaughn, DBA, College of Business Administration,” he said. “Our academic leadership is also taking creative measures in developing programs such as the micro-credentials that allow students and others outside of the university to earn credentials that allow them to become more competitive in their chosen fields.”
He also mentioned Anchor Two, which emphasizes student success around the campus. According to Ross, the university wants students to navigate through their college experience without hurdles.
“We have initiated ASU CARES through the Division of Institutional Advancement,” he said. “This initiative has allowed the university to pay outstanding balances for many of our deserving students who need extra assistance in order to graduate.”
Ross continued.
“Also, under the anchor of student success, the university has established partnerships with state organizations, such as the Alabama Association of Realtors that made the first-time investment of $250,000, and national entities such as KPMG, a renowned marketing agency that made an investment of $750,000 in the university.” According to Ross, both gifts will provide internships, scholarships and career readiness programs for our students.
Ross said that Anchor Three focuses on the financial stability and institutional integrity of the school.
“Our diligence was recognized in our last two reports from Moody’s financial services, which showed upgrades to the university’s credit rating,” he said. “Moody’s pointed specifically to improvements and governance and management credibility as reasons for upgrades, which have measurable implications for the stability and growth of the university.”
The fourth anchor, “communiversity,” is the umbrella under which the university reaches beyond the campus to serve and engage the community in mutually beneficial ways. Ross listed ways in which the university had accomplished that goal.
“Hornets have participated in various activities to raise money and awareness for local service organizations such as the United Way, the Salvation Army, Hands on River Region, the Boys and Girls Club of Montgomery, the Montgomery Zoo, the Lupus Foundation, the Kidney Foundation, the Joy to Life Breast Cancer Foundation, and many more,” he said. “We also continued to make an impact through the university office of health services under the leadership of Dr. Joyce Floyd Davis. Health services have now received a total of $750,000 in grants through its partnership with the Alabama Department of Public Health to expand our initiative to provide COVID testing and vaccinations locally and across the state of Alabama.”
The goal for anchor five, continuous growth and improvement, is to seek opportunities to improve, strengthen and advance the university.
Ross said Vice President Donald Dotson and his team are working diligently on campus beautification projects.
“The new turf represents the latest turf technology by Field Turf Incorporated, and our stadium now has the same turf as larger national sports venues such as the one used by the Pittsburgh Steelers,” he said. “The Houston Markham Football Complex practice field is also getting the same turf. We’re expecting that work to be completed soon which will also give our championship-winning track program a new field for practice and competition.”
According to Ross, Anchor Six focuses on the philanthropic growth of the university.
“On September 2, we held the president’s gala where we were able to announce that our 12-month record investments in ASU totaled more than $8.7 million,” he said. “We are extremely grateful to those who invested in ASU because these gifts and donations helped provide scholarships, internships and other avenues that support student success.”
The final anchor focuses on marketing and communications that will help promote, strengthen and protect ASU’s brand, relevance and accomplishments.
Ross said the university choir has been selected to perform at the internationally renowned Carnegie Hall next year, and Alabama State University will be the site of the 2023 Honda Battle of the Bands.
“The event is returning after a two-year hiatus due to COVID. The organizers decided to stage the event at an HBCU for the first time and ASU was selected,” he said. “The battle of the bands will bring thousands of fans to our campus and to our city. Events such as this exemplify the impact that Alabama State University has on the city of Montgomery and the River Region.
According to Ross, Alabama State University is on the move, and everyone must work together as a unit to accomplish a greater purpose.
“Academic excellence focused on student success will always be our goal as we work as one, as we strategize as one, as we give as one, grow as one, believe as one, then we will elevate as one,” he said. “We have achieved much over the past five years, but we have higher heights to reach.”