U Magazine, Winter 1987

The search for excellence atUSD

President Author E . Hughes

By John Sutherland

H igher education is under seigefrom many quar– ters. Headlines scream a litany ofcomplaints: colleges are too career bent in their course ojferings.jaculty are more interested in research instead of teaching , and students are being turned into the work force unable to speak and write intelligently. Federal financial aid dollars are decreasing. The pool of tradi– tiona l college age students is drying up. Costs continue to escalate. How is USDfaring in this stormy sea of troubles? How does the University measure up against some ofthe

criticisms voiced nationally? What's in storejor USD's future? How can the University better serve the Pacific Southwest? We asked those and other questions ofPresident Author E . Hughes recently during a wide-ranging interview. Now in his 16th year as president, this remarkab le man who has guided the University to.fiscal stability , academic growth, record enrollment levels and an ambitious campus expansion program shared his thoughts about the challenges corifronting USD.

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