KALA STROUP LEAVES LEGACY OF PRIDE AT THE UNIVERSITY

This is the last week as president of Southeast Missouri State University for Kala Stroup. On Sept. 5, she starts as Missouri's commissioner of higher education in Jefferson City.

Stroup has served Southeast and the region well these past five years. She can look back with pride at the accomplishments the university has achieved during her tenure at the helm. She did a great job of lobbying governors and legislators in Jefferson City, a quality that will be important in her new job.

That isn't to say the last five years didn't hold some ups and downs. Change often brings uncertainty. But the university's accomplishments during the last five years are rather remarkable when considered as a whole.

-- Southeast finally achieved a long-awaited and hard-fought goal of a College of Business building. Construction is under way on the $15 million structure.

-- Enrollment has made a turnaround at Southeast. The fall numbers marked the largest increase in the number of beginning freshmen since 1981.

-- The school made the long-awaited jump to Division I, hooking up with the Ohio Valley Conference.

-- Southeast undertook its first major capital campaign, raising $28.5 million.

-- The teacher-education program won well-deserved national honors. Other academic programs achieved national accreditation.

-- Major renovations were undertaken for campus housing. Two of the Towers high-rise dorms were renovated at a cost of $11 million as a way to attract more students.

-- Student admission standards were strengthened. Five years ago, the university had admitted only one National Merit scholar in its history. Today, the university boasts 70, including 16 entering students. Overall, student ACT scores have also climbed.

Some of these changes began before Stroup's arrival in 1990 as Southeast's 14th president. Others will continue long past her departure this week. But Stroup and her administrative team had a hand in many of these improvements. Good leaders not only facilitate change, they encourage those around them to do the best they can do.

Cape Girardeau and the university wishes her well in Jefferson City. And it certainly doesn't hurt to have a friend in high places.