State of the University Address 2010-2011 - page 1

Harvey Perlman, Chancellor

Introduction

I thought of opening with the overused line from Charles Dickens: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." On reflection, I prefer the formulation of that better-known wordsmith, Lawrence Welk: "There are good days and there are bad days, and this is one of them." Looking back, I can't help but stand in awe of what we have collectively accomplished over the last year. No recitation here, no listing in the Scarlet, no subsequent compilation by historians can do it justice. Looking forward, the opportunities that are before us have never been more important or more visible. The challenges are just as real. At almost every State of the University address during my 11 years as your Chancellor, we have faced the dark clouds of an uncertain state budget. This year is no exception. Our attitude has successfully been to work hard on the things we can control and to have a positive attitude about the future. As Seinfeld observed: "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."

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