Following the “good counsel” of the faculty on the value of a sabbatical, President Donald P. Wharton requested and was approved to take a sabbatical of his own.
The USNH trustees approved Wharton’s sabbatical in two parts. November 2003 through January 2004, and July and August 2004, to accommodate his goals and to meet the needs of the institution. During this time, Wharton will:
• Teach a seminar in American Studies at Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj, Romania. “We’ve been developing a relationship with them as some of their folks have come here, and Horst Freyhofer and Bruce Heald [both Social Science faculty members] have been there to teach,” says Wharton.
• Do research and academic writing in early American literature. “This will be a follow-up on scholarly work I had done in the past, and a chance to get back to and pursue a research interest of mine.”
• Develop a graduate course in higher education administration for the CAGS program.
• Volunteer work that “has nothing to do with education or administration.” Wharton is finalizing the details on what this will be, but wants it to be a service activity not related to his career, in order to add perspective.
“I very much appreciate the support I’ve received from folks in response to the news of my sabbatical,” Wharton says. “I’m in my 11th year at Plymouth; the average length of tenure for this position is less than half that. As with any sabbatical, it will be time off to do something else—to refresh—and work with a renewed sense of excitement and pleasure.”
Wharton says that Plymouth State University is in a good place for him to take his sabbatical now: “The new standards are fully in place, Boyd is complete and the name change has been implemented.”
As for those concerned there might be something else behind Wharton’s sabbatical, he has three words for them, “I’ll be back.”—MBH
