For the first time as president of Bemidji State University, Dr. John Hoffman welcomed BSU faculty, staff and administrators to Beaux Arts Ballroom to jump-start the beginning of the 2022-23 academic year at the university’s annual Welcome Breakfast on Aug. 16, 2022.
Following a light breakfast social, around 350 campus community members gathered in-person and virtually to review the university’s accomplishments over the past year, welcome new employees and hear an update from President Hoffman regarding COVID-19, strategic planning, enrollment, student success and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Hoffman’s first discussed the university’s on-going response to COVID-19, recognizing that many at BSU are tired, have experienced loss and that the disease is still present in the Bemidji community.
“I think we can start to speak about the shift of the pandemic to an endemic,” he said. “It (COVID-19) is going to be with us for a long time, like others types of diseases.”
He applauded attendees for their work ensuring student success through the darkest points of the pandemic and reassured BSU faculty and staff that protecting the health and well-being of the campus community is of the utmost importance.
“I want to extend gratitude to you for the work that you’ve done over the past couple years to safeguard the health, the welfare, the safety and well-being of the members of our community. We are finding ways to mitigate the risks (of COVID-19) while at the same time our students are facing the risk of learning loss because of an extended time away from education.”
Additionally, Hoffman spoke on what he called the “five seasons” of his new presidency, referring to his intentions of listening to campus concerns, celebrating accomplishments, planning for the future, acting upon opportunities and accelerating towards goals during his first year.
Allen Bedford, provost and vice president for academic affairs, recognized key accomplishments over the past year in relation to BSU’s strategic plan, which included faculty unanimously adopting an Indigenous credit requirement for students, receiving a $1.8 million grant to support training K-12 math teachers and Beaver Athletics seeing one of their most successful years in recent history, among several others.
Hoffman summarized the collective enthusiasm on campus as the 2022-23 academic begins by reinforcing the “why” of the work he and all BSU faculty and staff do each day.
“It’s the convergence that’s happening this week, as thousands of students return to campus,” Hoffman said. “Students are our “why” and that’s what makes all of this so exciting.”
Startup activities continue throughout the week in advance of BSU’s annual residence hall Move-in Day on Aug. 18 with orientation activities scheduled through the weekend. Fall classes begin Aug. 22.