Reflections on 9/11

by Merrill Ewert on September 8, 2011

Much is being said and written about 9/11. After visiting Ground Zero a few days after that horrific event, I returned to my hotel room in Midtown Manhattan where I wrote an email to my friends and family. It was subsequently published as a newspaper article and is posted on my web site. Every year [...]

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Preparing for Transition and Change

by Merrill Ewert on June 25, 2011

I recently informed the Fresno Pacific board and the university community that I will be retiring from my role as president on July 31, 2012. Since the board’s single most important role is to hire, supervise, and evaluate the President, the trustees will shape and lead the search, screening, and appointment process—with lots of input [...]

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Accepted–and Coming!

April 27, 2011

Wow! Last Tuesday, we hosted more than 500 guests on our campus for dinner; over 90 of them were “accepted students” who came to take one final look at FPU before making their college decisions. More than 50 “confirmed” that evening which was terrific! Some indicated that they are coming but are waiting to put [...]

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The Triumph of Value Over Price

April 18, 2011

The argument for independent colleges and universities is not based on price; it’s about value. Without a doubt, schools such as Fresno Pacific cost more than it does to attend the public, 4-year institutions but that calculus changes significantly when you consider all the expenses incurred in earning an entire degree. Our 4-year graduation rate is significantly [...]

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Making Higher Education Accessible, Affordable, and Accountable….

September 5, 2010

Fresno Pacific is enjoying record enrollments with the largest incoming class in history. The university’s “six-day” report reflects a 20% increase (overall) in traditional undergraduate, degree completion, and graduate students. Though the final numbers await our “16-day census,” FPU now enrolls more than 3200 students; around 1100 are new. As this word has spread, some [...]

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Agents of Shalom

July 4, 2010

The pastor at North Fresno Church where Priscilla and I are members is preaching through the “Sermon on the Mount” in the New Testament book of Matthew. Currently, he’s leading us through the Beatitudes. This morning (Fourth of July), he spoke on Matthew 5:9 which (in the New American Standard Bible) reads: Blessed are the [...]

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The Critical Questions: Why Congress is Concerned

June 29, 2010

A growing national debate on the role of for-profit universities has been heating up as Congress becomes increasingly concerned about the misuse of federal student aid (Title IV). The public policy debate in Congress around Title IV is focused on several questions: • Are students learning what we as colleges and universities claim to be [...]

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Women in Higher Education

June 11, 2010

The National Center for Educational Statistics recently released a new study on educational achievement that speaks to the growing disparities in race and gender within higher education. In the 10-year period covered by the study (between 1997-1998 school year and the 2007-2008 academic year), the number of women earning doctorates increased by 68%. That’s the [...]

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Good Snakes and New Songs

November 22, 2009

When the Rosedale Mennonite Brethren Church (Bakersfield, CA) recently observed its centennial, Dr. Haddon Robinson (former president of Denver Seminary and currently professor of homiletics at Gordon-Conwell) delivered an unforgettable message. The next evening, I attended a concert by the Christian rock group, Kutless. Juxtaposed, these two seemingly disparate events made an important point. Most [...]

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Lamar Alexander on Future of Higher Education

November 3, 2009

If you haven’t seen it, you should take a look at a recent article by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) in Newsweek magazine because it is getting considerable traction in some circles. Mr. Alexander has a lot of credibility because of his prior service as the President of the University of Tennessee (1988-1991) and his role as U.S. [...]

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