A Message From Cow Eye's New President

As the new president of Cow Eye Community College, I’d like to welcome you to our beautiful campus in the heart of the Diahwa Valley Basin. Cow Eye Junction is a special place and in my first few months here, I've come to see so many of the things that make it special. From our recently constructed apiary complex, to the three historic lagoons each with its own cattle-themed statuary. Our award-winning faculty include a nationally recognized Esperanto program, a regionally acclaimed Animal Science department, and incredible teachers in fields ranging from Logic and Mathematics to Horticulture and History. From the Humanities to the Sciences, from the Trades to the most Liberal Arts, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know all of these fine individuals. Believe me when I say that I am grateful for the amazing hospitality that has been shown to me over the past three months.

As we pay tribute to our previous successes and begin to look ahead to the next chapter in our institution's history, it's important to keep in mind how much hard work still remains to be done. We are only now beginning to emerge from the dark recesses of intra-faculty contentiousness and strife that have so indelibly marred our recent collective history. Our attempts to reaffirm our accreditation have become ever more subtle and purposeful yet still fall far behind national standards. The historic drought that has crippled our region's crops and paralyzed its industry is showing no signs of abating. Recently, the Cow Eye Ranch, the largest provider of jobs in the area, shuttered its doors for good. Most importantly for the viability of our college, we have seen a severe and steady decline in student enrollment over the last decade as our local population continues to leave for other regions of the country where jobs are more plentiful, economic opportunities more pronounced, and nightlife encounters more daring and diverse.

Though all of these challenges are severe and imposing, now is no time for hesitation or self-doubt. As your president, I truly believe that there is no problem that we cannot tackle if we approach it together. No cultural divide is too expansive. No segment of time and space so wide that it cannot be traversed. Personally I look forward to taking on the daunting challenges that lie ahead. But I need your support. Let us work together for the betterment of our institution and our community. Let us meet this new era hand in hand, without fear, without prejudice, resolutely and faithfully focused on this glorious new era in the history of Cow Eye Community College.

Sincerely,

Brenda A. Smith, Ph.D.