IT'S MID-AUGUST: SEMO IS A BEEHIVE AGAIN

This week, the campus of Southeast Missouri State University looks like a beehive as students start making their annual fall appearance.

From all reports, this promises to be a good school year for Southeast. Residential units on campus are nearly full, which indicates there will be an increase in enrollment once that process is completed in a few weeks.

And the campus is starting its first academic year under the leadership of a new president, Dr. Ken Dobbins. His is a familiar name to all but the new students, faculty and staff members and administrators. Dobbins, who formerly was executive vice president at Southeast, became president in July when Dr. Dale Nitzschke moved to the new position of chancellor with responsibilities for fund raising.

Cape Girardeau merchants and residents are helping to welcome students, new administrators and more than 30 new faculty members to town. Many are displaying a special "Welcome Southeast Missouri State University Students" banner published in Wednesday's Southeast Missourian.

This city is fortunate to have the university, and it also is fortunate that "town and gown" is a term rarely used in its usual sense of division between university and non-university affairs. Cape Girardeau benefits immensely from the community involvement of staff and students, and the university regularly draws on the community for support and participation.

There are a lot of good things happening at the university right now. The expansion of the recreation center on the west end of the Show Me Center is just about finished. Renovations at the student housing complex are nearly done for the most part. Steps to Kent Library on both sides of the spectacular new fountain are now open, with some landscaping remaining to be done around the fountain and in the plaza on Normal Avenue between the library and the Administration Building. Ground was broken this summer for a new Polytechnic Institute building. Plans and fund raising are progressing for the River Campus to house visual and performing arts along with a new university museum. Renovations for Houck Stadium are in the works.

All of the activity this week, along with the physical changes in the campus and the anticipated growth in enrollment, is the result of an aggressive master plan at the university. Every indication is that Southeast is growing -- and growing stronger. That can only mean good things for Cape Girardeau.