CityView Magazine

“I tried, and I got deeper into it, and found as the months progressed that tai chi began to influence my thinking, be- havior, my diet,” Anderson said. “I felt more at peace. My relationships with students changed. I became much more accepting of their diversity, especially if they were trying (students). I found I was more even-keeled. “The overall line in tai chi is that you become one with the universe. In a way, I found that to be true.” The patience and insight the 59-year- old gained from his practice of tai chi will come in handy in his new job. It may equip him for the task of moving the university forward and resolving some of the problems that have persis- tently dogged Fayetteville State. Anderson replaces former chancellor T.J. Bryan, who resigned last year amid problems with the university’s finances and its nursing program. Much of what Anderson will do in his first year will center on fixing these issues. But it’s not the whole picture. And in many ways, those issues are mere footnotes to what Anderson is trying to accomplish. “Since I was first identified as chan- cellor, I’ve been pushing the notion that FSU has to become a 21st-century uni- versity in all that that means,” he said. “That means understanding globalism. That means understanding diversity. That means that we’re preparing stu- dents to compete, not in a job, but we’re preparing them to compete in the global workforce. “If your thinking is so limited that you think all students are getting a col- lege degree to go out and get a job then you’re missing the bigger picture. It’s no more about a college degree. It’s about getting a competitive degree.” So how does Fayetteville State Uni- versity get to that successful point? It helps, Anderson said, that Univer- sity of North Carolina system has the same progressive goals for the entire system. UNC’s “University of North Carolina Tomorrow” program ar- ticulates many of the same priorities Anderson holds for Fayetteville State. The new chancellor also believes that 52|Winter 2008/2009 the committed staff at Fayetteville State, which includes new additions and long- time members of the university commu- nity, is key in executing those goals for the future. “I think we have the right staff in place to make sure that we can move forward in a positive direction,” he said. “Everyone is on the same page.” Of course, Anderson wouldn’t have it any other way. Wanting what’s best for Fayetteville State is ultimately borne out of his desire to make sure his students get the best. For most of his career, which has seen him work as a psychology instructor and university administrator at North Carolina State University, Texas A&M and the University at Albany, Anderson has viewed his students as part of his family. “I have identified very closely with every university community I have been a part of,” said Anderson, whose actual family includes his wife, Nancy, and adult daughters Arie, Amina and Jennifer. “University communities be- come my extended family.” Anderson also has a desire to make his university community a bigger part of Fayetteville. One of the recurring themes he’s heard since arriving in town is that Fay- etteville State hasn’t made a big enough impression on the culture of the city. Part of that is owed to the fact that Fayette- ville isn’t the typical “college town,” An- derson said. The presence of Fort Bragg and the military tends to color most everything that happens around town. But Anderson believes that Fayetteville State can have a bigger footprint in the community. And he says that can be achieved by working closely with city leaders and the military. “This university has to be a signifi- cant part of the Fayetteville commu- nity,” Anderson said. “To me, there are three big partners here. There's the military. There's the city of Fayetteville itself. Then there are the educational in- stitutions within the city of Fayetteville. “If we’re not interacting in a significant way the city is not functioning as well as it could."CV

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