UNT System
On July 1, Dr. Ronald T. Brown is set to take over as the second president of the University of North Texas at Dallas. Dr. Brown recently served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Wayne State University in Detroit. He has also held positions at Temple University, Emory University, the University of Illinois – Chicago, and the University of Adelaide.
New Horizons recently met with Dr. Brown to discuss his new role at UNT Dallas.
NH:Dallas is quite a change from Detroit. What are your thoughts about the city thus far?
Brown: This is an exciting city. There's a lot happening. It’s very vibrant and it certainly has a lot of energy. I have travelled to Dallas many times over my career for conferences and meetings and the thing that has struck me the most is that the city now has much more of an international flavor. Dallas is truly becoming a global city. There are people from all over the world here now and the economy and culture are a reflection of that growing diversity. All great cities need great universities. Given that this (UNT Dallas) is Dallas’ university, all of this new growth and purpose is exciting. The two fit together really well.
NH: As a licensed and board-certified psychologist, what inspired you to pursue a career in higher education?
Brown: The practice of psychology and teaching has always been intertwined for me. Both are about human relationships, and I think that is what always appealed to me. I love teaching students about clinical work and activities, imparting knowledge and expertise, challenging their ideas and having them challenge mine. As a teacher, you get to see people develop in a different way and you develop in a different way. That is what drew me to higher education and that’s why I have made it my lifelong career.
NH: What drew you to UNT Dallas? Why did you want to be the university’s next president?
My entire career has been in at urban universities. The University of Illinois – Chicago Circle, Emory University, Temple University, Wayne State – all are urban universities with very focused urban missions. That is what attracted me to UNT Dallas. Urban institutions have a city as a core interest and a mission to be a partner with that city to improve lives and neighborhoods and the economy. I see UNT Dallas very much in that light. It’s a university that is seeking to become an anchor for the city. It’s focused on making higher education more accessible and affordable. It is focused on producing quality graduates to fuel the area’s economy and it’s committed to being a strong partner in the future growth and success of the city and the region.
That is what is so exciting about UNT Dallas. The whole Dallas region is on the move and growing, and it is exciting that we will be an integral part of what’s happening here.
NH: Is that the main difference between an urban university and say a land-grant-type institution, is this focus and mission to meet the needs of the local community?
Brown: Yes, for an urban university, the city is its laboratory and classroom, and my expectation going forward is that Dallas is going to become – especially with all of the innovations and cutting-edge things happening here – a very large classroom for the university. For our faculty who do research, Dallas will be the research laboratory where new ideas will be created and challenged. The benefit to our students will be incredible because they will be learning in a real-world urban setting. And students who are trained well in Dallas will not only be successful here, but will also be able to compete for jobs in other urban settings such as Atlanta, New York or Chicago.
NH: You’re still getting your feet on the ground, but whatWhat are your impressions of the university so far?
Brown: It’s like the city; it’s exciting, vibrant and growing. I've been impressed with the faculty and staff and their commitment to the students and their success. The care from the faculty is impressive. They go to great lengths to make certain students are successful and well trained. The staff is dedicated to running a quality university. Everyone takes great pride in UNT Dallas; even the custodial engineers make sure the buildings sparkle. You can tell that everyone is invested in the mission of UNT Dallas and is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of the students.
NH: Tell us a little bit about your work and leadership styles. What should faculty, staff and students know about working with you?
Brown: I believe leadership is a function of the strength of the relationships you form with all of your constituents. So building those relationships and nurturing them over the long-term is paramount for me. People came to work at UNT Dallas to make a difference in society and they want to make a difference at this university. I must show them that this is my priority as well, and that they have a partner who will work side by side with them. Transparency also is critical. Faculty, staff and students must be aware of the resources that are available, the challenges we face, and understand that they have an important voice and role in moving UNT Dallas forward. There can be no secrets about plans or finances or anything. We’re all in this together. They should know that we are going to work together as a team and family to create our own destiny, to overcome challenges and to celebrate successes.
NH: You were provost at Wayne State, an institution that is more than a century old. Now you will be president of UNT Dallas, which is basically a start-up. What’s going to be the biggest challenge in making that transition?
Brown: Even though Wayne State is more than 140 years old, it also was a start-up at one time. Being a start-up is part of every institution’s legacy so it’s nothing new, and we can learn from the experiences of others. That is a great benefit. The biggest challenge now, I think, is that we’re still finding our way, we’re still defining traditions, we’re still molding our reputation, and we’re still determining what we’ll be in the future. I view UNT Dallas as being in its adolescence. We’re just beginning to form our identity and that’s exciting. We get to make those decisions, to create the traditions, to define our culture, to determine our course and how we meet the needs of our city. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I hope everyone is as excited about this journey as I am. Yes, there will be challenges and it will require a lot of hard work, but we have the opportunity to create a legacy and not just be the caretaker of one.
NH: Are you coming into the job with any strategic timetable developed? What’s on your immediate “to-do” list with regards to moving UNT Dallas forward?
Brown: I want this to be an institution where student success is its defining goal. So, the first area of focus will be curriculum for freshmen and sophomores. I want to work with faculty to make certain the curriculum at this level is shaped so that students can be successful, including the use of cohort educational models that offer students peer support while fostering a better understanding of course material and more interaction and debate of taught concepts. The learning environment I envision is one in which these cohort teams work closely with faculty who are experts in their fields through business practice and research so that students are exposed to not only theory but also real-world application of that theory. My goal is to work to create a truly immersive experience that delivers highly skilled, well-rounded graduates that are keenly competitive in our evolving economy.
We also must begin to define the strands of emphasis for the university, some particular niches of academic focus for the university. The university is already moving in this direction in healthcare, technology, education and life sciences, but I hope to accelerate the process because it is vitally important to establishing an identity for UNT Dallas. This goes back to the whole notion of who we are and how we will serve our community and fuel our economy. This effort will require close cooperation between the university and employers to ensure that our degree offerings and academic programs serve our students and community well. My hope is that we will build such strength in these niche areas of study that we will not only grow our local and regional reputation, but that they will have national significance as well.
NH: Give us your take on the “New University Model” proposed by the 21st Century Commission.
Brown: It’s a very thoughtful and carefully done report. They were absolutely right in their recommendations. That work began two years ago and a lot has changed in higher education in those two years. Many of the concepts outlined in those recommendations are no longer just theoretical. Experiential learning, the use of technology to extend the boundaries of the classroom, new approaches to improve accessibility and drive down costs are being tested by many institutions. For UNT Dallas, now, the devil is in the details. We are at the stage where we have to decide the best ways to implement this for UNT Dallas.
I think my role is to work with the faculty and staff to figure out how we’re going to use our talents collectively and get there, to get to this 21st century university. The support of the institution from the community to do this is just incredible. I've never been at a university where there has been so much community support, support by the city, and support by the state. It’s really gratifying to have that support. I'm excited to get my shirtsleeves rolled up and begin working on this.
NH: There has been a lot of discussion lately about the importance of revitalizing southern Dallas County and bringing new economic development opportunities to the area. In your mind, what role should UNT Dallas play in this effort?
Brown: Economic development is central to the mission of urban universities to serve the community and make it better. At Temple, we did a great deal to help revitalize the northern part of Philadelphia. When I lived in Chicago, no one wanted to venture into the West Loop area, but the university (University of Illinois) was part of the effort that changed the way that area was viewed. At Wayne State, the university is a central part of the efforts to transform Detroit, which is dealing with a lot of economic adversity. So I’ve been involved in a number of economic development efforts and I’ll rely on that experience here at UNT Dallas.
UNT Dallas is and will continue to be a very strong anchor for the development of southern Dallas County. Strong universities help attract corporations and businesses. They motivate people to live in the area, which in turn brings quality-of-life-development. The foundation for development around UNT Dallas and southern Dallas is already being built. There are plans for new campus facilities on the drawing boards. The DART rail will be extended to the campus. There is a major golf course being built in the southern sector. There’s the ongoing revitalization of the Bishop Arts District, and the Inland Port project is going to stimulate the entire I-20 corridor. That transformational effort continues to radiate out and extend further and further through southern Dallas. There’s the development springing up at the base of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. So, there’s already a lot going on and we need to continue to work with city government and business leaders to increase the momentum.
The university and the community need to work in traditional and non-traditional ways to foster development. Student housing or residence halls can help bring people to the area but this will need to be done in conjunction with the city’s effort – a public-private partnership, if you will – so that a service and amenities infrastructure to support the students is created at the same time. I want to begin discussions early on with the community about the best way to do this. We can also incentivize faculty and staff to live in the area and, as we grow the university, develop a robust hiring plan that will bring more people to the area and drive quality development.
I also see UNT Dallas as a community connector. We need to draw the city to the university with events and activities on campus that make them feel a part of the university and what we have going on here. The university can and will be a hub for meetings, conferences, entertainment and other activities that can foster a sense of ownership, community and belonging. These activities will also introduce the broader Dallas and regional community to the university and the area and they will be able to see the opportunities the area has to offer.
I live in Oak Cliff, the more I explore all areas of southern Dallas County, and the more people I meet within the community, the more I’m struck by the energy, the sense of entrepreneurship, and the sense of pride everyone has. The potential here is immense and UNT Dallas has an important role in ensuring that it is realized.
NH: Look into your crystal ball, if you will. What is UNT Dallas going to be like 10-20 years down the road?
Brown: I’ve seen the strategic growth projections that show enrollment in 20 years at 16,000 students. That is certainly a manageable number and I expect that it can be achieved. But just as important as the size of enrollment is the culture and fabric of the university. I’d like to see a vibrant institution with a strong national reputation for some niche academic programs that serve the needs of the emerging international cities such as Dallas. I’d like to see a university with a student-focused culture and a vibrant campus life with strong traditions and a legacy of service and success. I’d like to see an institution where faculty, staff and students are an active part of the community and work in partnership with business and government to improve the city and the region. I’d like to see UNT Dallas as a strong anchor for economic development, building partnerships with business, entrepreneurs, government and other organizations to diversify and grow the city’s economy.
Obviously, this is not going to happen overnight. It will take the collective effort of our faculty, of our staff, of our students, and of our government leaders to solve the challenges we face. It will not happen through the efforts of just one person. It will take the energy, talent and commitment of the entire community.
We are in the rare position of deciding our destiny. We get to make the choices of how UNT Dallas will grow and evolve into a great urban university. That is a very exciting prospect, but it’s also very humbling. It will not happen overnight and will take the collective effort of our faculty and staff, students and government leaders to grapple with the problems that we face. It will take the energy, talent and ongoing commitment of the entire community.