BGSU trustees recognize success amid a global pandemic

Bowling Green State University continues to garner accolades amid a global pandemic, from enrollment and retention records to national rankings, the BGSU Board of Trustees learned at its meeting Sept. 25.

The board approved the additional naming of spaces within the Robert W. and Patricia A. Maurer Center, reviewed the performance of President Rodney K. Rogers and approved personnel matters and the ability to refinance bonds to continue work on the Campus Master Plan. 

President Rogers' gifts annual performance bonus to support
BGSU students, contract extended to June 2026

The trustees, in recognizing BGSU’s highest enrollment in a decade, the highest student retention rate in the University’s history, U.S. News and World Report and Wall Street Journal rankings and the near completion of the successful Changing Lives for the World campaign, unanimously voted to extend President Rogers' contract to June 2026. Given the challenges with COVID-19, the board and Rogers agreed to forego a raise to his base salary. A contribution of 32.5% of Rogers' salary was directed to his deferred compensation.

As he did last year, President Rogers gifted his full annual performance bonus of $60,000 to the BGSU Foundation, Inc. in support of BGSU diversity and belonging initiatives and student scholarships, totaling $144,900 in bonus returns to BGSU in Rogers’ presidency.

Under President Rogers' leadership this year alone, BGSU announced the Allen W. and Carol M. Schmidthorst College of Business, the first named college at BGSU; launched Life Design, a transformational and fundamental shift in undergraduate education at BGSU; increased external funding for research and creative activities; and developed a comprehensive plan focused on diversity and belonging at BGSU.

BGSU is up 1.6% in headcount from fall 2019, with 20,232 students enrolled for the fall 2020 academic term. The University’s retention rate saw an even larger increase, up 2.3% from 2019, with a 79.4% overall retention rate, the highest in a century.

This enrollment success comes at a time when U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowling Green State University in their tier one of 2021 Best Colleges listing. BGSU retains this recognition from the 2020 rankings, demonstrating its comprehensive education among colleges and universities in the United States. In addition, the University was also ranked for social mobility and as a top public institution adding value for students across its academic profile.

"In a pre-COVID-19 world, these achievements are remarkable. Given that President Rogers has continued to elevate BGSU's national reputation, enhance the University's quality of its academic profile, and hit enrollment and retention records during a global pandemic is nothing less than extraordinary," said Board of Trustees Chair Betty Montgomery. "The board's vote of confidence is a reaffirmation in his leadership and vision, which will position BGSU to achieve excellence."

"I am honored to continue to lead my alma mater as president and express my sincere thanks to Chair Montgomery and the entire board for their leadership and support of Bowling Green State University," Rogers said. "We are a public university for the public good, and while we have accomplished so much together since January 2018, our sights are set on what's next, positioning BGSU to prepare its graduates to lead meaningful and productive lives, to foster a community where each of us belongs, and to further our mission of becoming the preeminent comprehensive, public university that serves Ohio and beyond."

BGSU retains Wall Street Journal prominent rankings

The Wall Street Journal announced that BGSU once again ranks among the highest for teaching quality and student satisfaction in its 2021 rankings. BGSU is America's No. 3 public university for teaching quality and earned high marks for how well it manages to inform, inspire and challenge students. In addition, when asked, “would you choose your college again,” BGSU students overwhelming answered “yes,” placing the University as the No. 1 public university in the Midwest for student satisfaction.

This national recognition demonstrates the University's commitment to redefining student success. As a public university for the public good, BGSU's mission is to provide its students an outstanding education at a great value. With the leadership of BGSU's world-class faculty and staff, the University is helping students design a meaningful and productive life so they can succeed both professionally and personally.

Action items of the board

In recognition of the leadership and contributions of additional donors, friends and alumni to the Maurer Center, the board approved the naming of the Raymond W. Braun and Theresa Popp Braun Student Organization Hub, Hiromi Matsumoto Dye Conference Room, Robert M. and Dana M. Thompson Faculty Office, Karl and Joan Vogt Faculty Office and Joe Zimmerman Faculty Office.

The Maurer Center opened its doors this fall, and the state-of-the-art facility serves as a gateway to the academic core of the BGSU campus. It includes the renovation of Hanna Hall and a more than 50,000-square-foot addition. Now, the Allen W. and Carol M. Schmidthorst College of Business will enhance and elevate the University’s longtime, quality business education and develop new, innovative programs in the future.

In other business, the board authorized the vice president for finance and administration or the president to refinance outstanding bonds to continue capital projects associated with the current Campus Master Plan. This includes ongoing work on the ITS Infrastructure Master Plan, enabling moves for the eventual demolition of the Administration Building, and building repairs for the College Park Office Building, the Moore Musical Arts Center, Tucker Communications Center and plans for the Technology Building replacement.