University of Memphis President Shirley Raines continued to celebrate learning yesterday in her inaugural address. She delivered the address to a crowd of about 50 representatives, including both senates and the Student Government Association, at the Fogelman Executive Center at 2:30 p.m.
Raines spoke of her three main ideas to improve higher education at The U of M: Invest in people, build partnerships both on and off campus and go beyond boundaries to do a better job.
“Invest in more scholarship money and better teaching,” Raines said. “Invest in the student’s opportunity to learn.”
According to Raines, if people take into account the amount of money that tax payers, scholarship donors, the government and students invest in The U of M, they would see it’s about the same amount that private school students invest.
“Each student counts a great deal and there is great agony over the loss of each student at private schools,” she said. “That’s the position we need to take here.”
Raines also stressed her goal to invest more in the faculty and staff at The U of M by finding ways to answer money problems and making sure that departments work together.
“The reality is that people spend time in internal warfare when they need to direct their energy towards some other aspect of greater importance,” she said.
Raines pressed the importance of building partnerships around the city and country as well.
“My hope is that next year, the university’s 100th year, we will have built at least 100 more productive partnerships,” Raines said.
Raines spoke lastly on the importance of working free of agenda.
“We must strive to work across discipline and identity lines of staff, faculty and students to do a better job of what’s required of us,” she said.
In addition to the address, two symbols of appreciation were presented to Raines at the ceremony.
SGA President Karimeh Abdel presented Raines with the celebration week’s official poster, designed by U of M student Danielle Owens to honor her inauguration.
“This poster is a token of appreciation to go with the vision of the celebration of learning,” Abdel said.
Kenneth Lambert, faculty senate president, also announced a gift that will soon honor Raines.
“A red maple tree will be planted on the lawn south of the Administration Building with a bronze plaque as a monument to Raines’ presidency,” he said.
While the maple tree will remain a tribute, a magnolia may be more fitting given Raines’ campus nickname.
“The campus police officers call me ‘steel magnolia’ and I think I like it,” Raines said. “I am certainly Southern and I am certainly, at times, a steel person.”
