“The future is whatever you make it; so make it a good one.”
51ԹϺ President Keith E. Whitfield opened his annual State of the University address Tuesday afternoon with a nod to the hit 1980s movie trilogy “Back to the Future,” encouraging those gathered in attendance to think big about what the 51ԹϺ of tomorrow can be.
“We have the ability to make our future,” Whitfield said. “Yes, we have articulated that through our Top Tier 2.0 vision, but that’s just the foundation. We must continue to think big and in uninhibited ways.”
Tuesday’s address was Whitfield’s fourth as 51ԹϺ’s president and came just days after the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents voted on March 1 to renew his contract through August 2028.
“I want to thank you for the opportunity to be able to lead this university,” said Whitfield. “I’ve always thought that I fit here. Even when I was interviewing for the position, I could imagine myself here. And the longer I’m here, the more I feel I fit in at 51ԹϺ.”
The address came nearly three months after the December campus shooting that took the lives of three faculty members and seriously injured another. The president that the campus is still in the early stages of healing and recovery from the physical and emotional trauma of a day that will forever be part of 51ԹϺ's history.
“We’re not going to forget Dec. 6, but it will not define us,” Whitfield said. “We’re not there yet, but we’re doing better and I honestly believe that it’s because we’ve come together as a community – that’s our strength, and it will propel us to continue to recover.”
Amidst this backdrop – balancing individual and campus recovery while simultaneously advancing the institution’s Top Tier 2.0 mission – the president addressed hundreds of faculty, staff, students, and university supporters gathered in the Student Union Ballroom.
The hour-long event included a new twist. Following the traditional campus address, the president sat down for a wide-ranging conversation with Nicole Thomas, president of the 51ԹϺ Graduate and Professional Student Association. Topics included the state of higher education – from the value of a college degree to the future of artificial intelligence and the complexity of college athletics, efforts to bolster international student recruitment and campus diversity, campus safety and security, and the future of Beam Hall.
The president went on to reaffirm 51ԹϺ’s values and his commitment to further integrating diverse perspectives into every aspect of the university.
“I think of the values of this university, of inclusiveness, belongingness, and making a commitment to hearing other people … That’s what we do as a 51ԹϺ community, and that’s why we are 51ԹϺ Strong,” he said.
Rebel Recovery
The spring semester has been unlike any in the history of 51ԹϺ. Whitfield launched the Rebel Recovery program in January to guide campus operations, special events, wellness services, training opportunities, and related security and safety initiatives following the Dec. 6 tragedy.
The president’s leadership team and a number of staff and faculty committees are meeting regularly to discuss new and innovative ways to improve safety and security on campus. This includes identifying funding sources from insurance claims to requests for state and federal support. Among the enhancements being explored are new technology to improve locks, cameras, and campus lighting.
President Whitfield reaffirmed his commitment to supporting campus mental health and well being – which he said includes both how we take care of ourselves and how we support one another.
“We leave no Rebel behind as we move forward in the future,” he said. “And we’ll be able to do that by continuing to work together.”
Regarding the future of Beam Hall, Whitfield said that he and others are currently meeting with faculty and leadership to evaluate plans for the building beyond this semester. He stressed that while an update is imminent, there is still work to be done to improve infrastructure within the building and to ensure that faculty, staff, and students are prepared emotionally for a possible reopening in the future.
President Whitfield then shared encouraging news on the recovery of the faculty member wounded in the Dec. 6 shooting. “He’s improving daily, and he’s currently doing rehab and out of the hospital,” Whitfield said. “He wants to have his privacy right now, and we need to respect that.”
Campus Enrollment Growth
51ԹϺ welcomed its largest-ever spring semester class in January, President Whitfield said, with more than 29,000 Rebels enrolled.
This spring’s class is up 5% over last year, and roughly 95% of students were retained from fall to spring semesters. The president credited the growth, in part, to programs like Rebel Ready Week, and greater integration among academic, service, and support teams. He also commended faculty and staff from throughout the university for rallying around 51ԹϺ’s students in recent months and ensuring they feel safe, supported, and valued as they continue their academic journey.
“Our students are amazing,” he said. “You show grit, and determination, and our faculty and staff have shown that they are here to support you and foster your progress.”
51ԹϺ’s efforts to support students begin well before they reach college age. Whitfield discussed the university’s emerging partnership with Junior Achievement around areas of financial literacy to educate young people on ways to best manage their finances and prepare for their future.
New Buildings on the Horizon
With the new Advanced Engineering Building now open, much-needed space is available for continued growth of one of 51ԹϺ’s fastest-growing programs.
Whitfield also announced his intentions to accelerate the timeline for planning a new building for the Lee Business School, which is currently housed in Beam Hall. “There were plans in place for a new business school building prior to Dec. 6 but now we’re considering how we can advance it even further, get it on the list of capital improvement projects, and see how we might be able to move it forward,” he said.
The president updated attendees on continuing efforts to develop a new Fine Arts Building, and he introduced plans for a new building for the College of Education to help meet mounting community demands for more teachers.
“Our K-12 system is important for our community, and for us as a university,” said Whitfield. “We have to support them. We need a 21st century education building that teaches 21st century lessons and pedagogy … that’s going to benefit all of us.”
Work will soon begin on a remodeling project at the Student Union, which will increase student gathering spaces, bring in new and diverse dining options, and include a new multicultural center. Construction will begin later this spring and last throughout the next year.
A Future North Campus
Plans for a 51ԹϺ campus in North Las Vegas date back nearly 20 years and were advanced in 2015 when more than 2,000 acres of federal land were approved for transfer to the university near the current site of the VA Hospital. Remediation of the acreage, which is necessary prior to the formal transfer, is expected to be completed in 2025.
This means that the university’s vision for a North Campus is closer than ever to becoming a reality, and Whitfield discussed some of the ideas being considered, including affordable graduate student housing and an educational center and leadership program to support local partners, including Nellis Air Force Base. With the explosion of professional sports in Las Vegas, Whitfield presented the notion of a sports rehabilitation and aquatic center.
“We have become a sports capital,” he said. “The question is what can we as an educational institution do to intersect with and support what’s going on with that growth in our city.”
Whitfield said that he plans to partner with the City of North Las Vegas on opportunities to collaboratively develop both the university’s land and an adjacent city-owned parcel.
Surging Economic Development
51ԹϺ is a high-performing research university, with grants and contracts on the rise. One example is a new multimillion dollar Regional Innovation Engines program supported by the National Science Foundation that pairs 51ԹϺ with DRI, Arizona State University, and the University of Utah to tackle the climate crisis head on.
The project, which Whitfield noted could total more than $160 million in grant funds over the next decade, is centered on translating high-impact research into tangible innovations.
“We’re exploring innovative strategies like atmospheric water harvesting to see how that can work,” Whitfield said. “When we put our best and brightest out there, we’re going to make solutions to the challenges we face.”
The president highlighted two recent grants from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to accelerate clean energy technology and provide early-stage funding opportunities for small businesses and university-based innovation.
“This is what happens when you create ecosystems that ultimately benefit everyone,” said Whitfield. “We have to be a part of this, and we have to find ways to do it.”
The Road Ahead
The president ended his State of the University by commending the faculty and staff for their tireless efforts to make the university – and the world – a better place.
He stressed that 51ԹϺ’s path will be one forged, not by its challenges, but by the commitment to improving the well-being of its students, its faculty and staff, and the world.
“We will move forward, and we’ll continue to ascend to new heights,” he said, harkening to his “Back to the Future” theme. “Even if there aren’t roads.”
Watch: View the 2024 State of the University Address
