UT President Sharon Gaber has made the recruitment and retention of additional, better academically prepared students one of her primary goals for the University moving forward.

“To be successful, The University of Toledo must and will grow our enrollment of highly qualified students,” Gaber said. “UT provides students of all ages the opportunity to achieve their goals through education and I believe a degree from The University of Toledo is one of the best investments anyone can make in their lives.”

As the strategy to achieve these goals is developed, Gaber and Cam Cruickshank, vice president for enrollment management and online education, have agreed that Cruickshank will leave the University.

“I want to thank Cam for all that he has done to advance UT and enhance the University in online education” Gaber said.

Cruickshank said that given the change in leadership, it made sense to step aside and provide the president a chance to bring in someone that most closely aligns to her vision and style.

“With any new president there is also some turnover. Dr. Gaber is working to build a leadership team that is the best fit for her and I respect that,” Cruickshank said. “I am confident that President Gaber will lead the institution to a more prosperous future. I wish her and UT well.”

UT Interim Provost John Barrett said he and the president are evaluating possibilities for interim leadership and the ultimate structure of the unit would incorporate input from enrollment consultant Ruffalo Noel Levitz.

Media Coverage
The Independent Collegian (Sept. 4, 2015)
The Blade (Sept. 4, 2015)
The Blade (Sept. 5, 2015)

University of Toledo President Sharon L. Gaber has named Dr. Mary Powers, professor of pharmacy practice, to serve in the position of UT’s Faculty Athletics Representative for a three-year term beginning Sept. 1.

Dr. Mary Powers

The position at UT — and all NCAA institutions — serves as an essential liaison between the University’s president, its athletic department, the Mid-American Conference and the NCAA.

“Mary’s integrity and knowledge of the University, as well as her experience and understanding of the rules and regulations regarding intercollegiate athletics, make her the ideal choice for this position,” Gaber said. “I look forward to her leadership and collaboration with Athletic Director Mike O’Brien, coaches, academic advisers and student-athletes.”

UT student-athletes have an impressive history of academic accomplishment. For the last 13 semesters, UT student-athletes have collectively averaged higher than a 3.0 grade point average. In spring 2015, all 16 varsity teams averaged greater than a 3.0. 2015 was also the third time in four years that UT’s student-athletes earned the highest GPA in the MAC.

“The academic success our student-athletes have earned demonstrates UT’s commitment to ensuring their excellence in the classroom and ultimately earn that degree,” said O’Brien, vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics. “The Faculty Athletics Representative is an important part of maintaining that culture, and Mary’s experience will only make our team stronger.”

Powers said she looks forward to the opportunity.

“Rocket intercollegiate athletics plays such an important role at UT and in the community, and I look forward to the opportunities and responsibilities that come with this position,” said Powers, who also serves as an associate dean for College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Both Gaber and O’Brien thanked Dr. Celia Regimbal, associate professor of early childhood and special education, who concluded her term as the Faculty Athletics Representative in August.

The University of Toledo continues its efforts to recruit medical students from northwest Ohio with 25 percent of this year’s class from the region.

Dr. Christopher Cooper

Of the 177 students who started classes at the UT College of Medicine and Life Sciences in August, 131 students are from Ohio with 48 of them from northwest Ohio and 26 from Lucas County. In 2014, 30 students were from northwest Ohio and 16 from Lucas County.

“We are purposely and steadily increasing the number of local students that we recruit and, ultimately, accept into our medical school,” said Dr. Christopher Cooper, executive vice president for clinical affairs and dean of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences. “This is as good of a class as we have ever had, and one-fourth of them are from this area. We have to create opportunities for kids in northwest Ohio, and I believe we are doing that.”

Dr. David Pearson

The number of local students attending UT for medical school started to increase five years ago, according to Dr. David Pearson, assistant dean for medical school admissions.

“Ultimately, we want these students to consider practicing medicine in northwest Ohio, which is more likely because they already have roots to this region,” Pearson said.

This effort has been aided by recruitment efforts that include the Better Together Scholarship offered through UT and ProMedica, Pearson said. This $25,000 award per year is for permanent residents in the region who demonstrate intent to return to the region after they complete their medical training.

Motivating young people to stay in the region for their medical school and residency training also could help address our projected physician shortage as increased numbers of those new doctors then choose to practice here to care for our families and friends, Cooper said.

In 2013, Amanda Zakeri started medical school at UT. She graduated from Ottawa Hills High School and went on to earn her undergraduate degree from George Washington University in D.C.

“My family is from here so I thought it would be good to return,” Zakeri said. “It is a very collaborative environment. Every student wants every student to succeed. I wanted to be in an environment where people wanted to help each other.”

Media Coverage
13 ABC (Sept. 2, 2015)