Radford University Board of Visitors heard a spate of good news from President Penelope W. Kyle at its quarterly meeting Tuesday.

Preliminary reports indicate the university’s enrollment should be the largest in school history.  The current enrollment figure of 9,600 may change, but the final enrollment should top the previous high of 9,555 in fall 1989.  At the same time, Kyle said, Radford’s academic profile improved.  Average SAT scores rose 15 points to 1010.  “That trend is exciting, but we want the average to continue upward,” she added.

Kyle also reported to the Board on her first three months on the job.

A tool the president says she has used to catalog perceptions of Radford is a stakeholders survey sent to more than 200 internal and external constituents.  “I’ve learned so much about this institution and what certain groups think,” she said.  As a follow-up Kyle plans to invite those surveyed to campus later this fall for a town meeting to hear an overview of the survey results.

One of the greatest tasks facing all public colleges and universities in the Commonwealth this fall is development of a six-year restructuring plan which is due to Richmond in late September.  The plans are expected to be blueprints for the institutions’ development of programs and biennial expenditures for the next three budgetary cycles.

Kyle explained that expectations must be agreed upon, and each year institutions will be evaluated by the state on whether expectations were met.  How well institutions do will determine the kind of incentives the state then offers in return.  These incentives, Kyle noted, could include more authority in dealing with procurement and personnel at the university level and other initiatives.

The Board of Visitors Executive Committee will meet later in September to approve RU’s plan, which officials say will include steps to strengthen current academic programs and introduce some new ones. In addition, the university will ask for capital funds to develop new facilities.

The Board also approved the establishment of the position of provost and authorized the president to hire a national search firm to assist with the process.  “The process will be open and we will look both nationally and internationally to fill this important position,” Kyle said.

In other action the Board: 

• Re-elected Mary Ann Hovis of Oakton, Class of '65, as rector and elected Nancy H. Agee of Roanoke as vice rector.
• Approved the appointment of Karen Casteele as the President’s Chief of Staff.
• Heard a report that RU’s Capital Campaign is nearing its $40 million goal.