Huddleston's plan feels unrealistic

On Tuesday, President Huddleston spoke to more than 688 students, faculty and staff who were packed into the Johnson Theater at the Paul Creative Arts Center to outline his strategic plan for the university over the next 10 years. His speech was uplifting, creative, hopeful, and well presented. But it was hard to leave the building without a sense of disbelief and doubt. It was a genuine speech of hope, sure, but it lacked any realistic sense that his goals were achievable in such a short time period.

The economy of the country is in shambles. Some statistics say it's on the way up, but others say it's still floundering. Regardless, it's not going to turn around overnight.

So, with that in mind, it's hard to see the university finding the money to not only get out of their current staff salary freeze and negotiate a contract with their faculty, but also to construct modern facilities for the Psychology Department, expand the campus in Manchester, complete the Parsons Hall project, renovate Hamilton Smith Hall, create a new Performance and Wellness Center, and build out the football stadium all in the next 10 years.

It's admirable and right for the president of the university to hope and strive for such things, but to claim it's "not an exhaustive list" or that the hardest tasks of the university require "resolve" and "commitment" rather than money is just foolish. All the resolve and commitment in the world won't do any good if alumni donations don't rise or the state doesn't provide additional funding.

We want to commend President Huddleston for standing up and preaching the kind of hope that a university needs and deserves. We just don't want to get caught daydreaming of a better future when the harsh reality comes around like a slap in the face.