WEBVTT 00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:16.000 Western Oregon's first standalone classroom building in somewhere around 50 years. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:20.000 Have not built a freestanding classroom building in all those years. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:26.000 I think it's remarkable, but now we're going to do it for the sciences. I can't say enough about that. 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:33.000 We're going to dig today a little bit, but then we're going to say hello in September 2013 when it opens. 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:40.000 So I do want to thank Dr. David Lewis. He's not here. He's the individual who came up from the 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:44.000 Grand Ronde Tribe. He's the manager of the Cultural Resources department to 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:50.000 administer the blessing and our associate provost, Dave McDonald, helped us with that. 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:56.000 He presided over that event, did a beautiful job, and it was just a very fine ceremony. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:61.000 I do want to start to recognize quickly some people, because 00:01:01.000 --> 00:01:05.000 these types of events are very nice but I've often felt 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:09.000 that people that really do the work never get recognized or recognized enough. 00:01:09.000 --> 00:01:12.000 First of all I want to thank the board representative, Jim Francesconi. 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:14.000 The guy's been here all day and all night. I don't know, where's Jim? 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:19.000 He's right here. You know, he's supposed to come down. The board sends someone to our commencement, 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:23.000 but he's been here, I think, for weeks. He came to the breakfast this morning. 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:28.000 He spoke beautifully over there at the commencement because he did what I told him to do, 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:32.000 and he's now come back here. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:35.000 And so Jim, really, you've given up your whole Saturday for this little school and I really appreciate it. 00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:39.000 He's an extraordinary lawyer, former member of the Portland City Council, 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:44.000 and member of our Board of Higher Education. Of course, Dr. Steve Scheck, the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:51.000 he's got a heavy responsibility in this because the natural and physical science is part of his responsibility. 00:01:51.000 --> 00:01:54.000 Is Dr. Hilda Rosselli' where's Dr. Rosselli? 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:04.000 Only the Liberal Arts and Sciences people get seats, I guess. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:09.000 But anyway, Steve Taylor, the professor of Geology and Chair of the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, where is he? 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:14.000 He's standing at the back too? He ought to be just as happy as can be. 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:17.000 He ought to be just touching himself all over. 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:21.000 Well, don't get carried away. 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:26.000 But I mean by that, this is going to be his home, and his faculty home. 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:30.000 I don't know how they've continued to work with our old building there. 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:33.000 It's been a wonderful building because of the students and because of the staff. 00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:37.000 But now this is going to be their home and so thank you, Dr. Steve Taylor, for being here. 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:42.000 Dr. Gary Dukes, the vice president of Student Affairs. There's Gary. I know how happy he is because 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:48.000 so many of our students now are in the Natural and Physical Sciences, not to mention other students in the Social Sciences. 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:52.000 Part of their core curriculum, they will take a class in this building, 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:56.000 so it's not just for those who will major in the Natural and Physical Sciences. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:60.000 You can major in the Social Sciences, but you could take a class or two. In my case, as few as 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:04.000 possible because I can't do that kind of work. I don't know what's wrong with my mind. 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:08.000 So I know he's happy. Judy Vanderburg. Where's Judy? Judy's right here. 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:12.000 Judy in Human Resources. I already praised her and her staff over and over again 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:16.000 of all the work that she's done and continues to do. Without Human Resources, 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:20.000 in some ways, at least in the private sector, businesses spend more money on their Human Resources department 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:24.000 than any other department. That shows you the importance of her work. 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:27.000 Jim Kilpatrick, the president of Fortis Construction. Where's Jim? 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:32.000 Now, this is the guy that's going to build this thing, and I want him to hear from me right now. 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:42.000 You better build it right. You better build it on time and under budget. You got it, buddy? Okay. 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:45.000 But we also must thank the people of the state of Oregon. 00:03:45.000 --> 00:03:50.000 They're part of this. They're helping fund us in a way, and the people of the state of Oregon, Oregon, my Oregon, 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:55.000 they've been here for Western, for the Wellness Center, Ackerman. They support this place. I know because, 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:58.000 as you may not know, I am a state senator, president of the Oregon State Senate. 00:03:58.000 --> 00:03:62.000 In that building, the hottest university today'"I'm sorry, Jim, I'm going to say it 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:11.000 It is Western Oregon University. It is this school. It is this school. 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:16.000 And in part because all the other commencement exercises taking place today or tomorrow for the university system, 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:21.000 they're not dedicating a building. They're wondering how we did this, so that makes us special too. 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:26.000 Brad Dehle, the principal for the Soderstrom Architects. Where's our architects? 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:30.000 I've looked at the prints, but they don't do me any good. 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:39.000 it looks nice, both inside and outside. Are you happy that you got the job? (Oh, absolutely.) 00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:40.000 Oh, good. Alright. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:49.000 Tom Neal, physical plant. Tom Neal was here yesterday, he'll be here tomorrow, 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:54.000 all day long. They live with this kind of building day and night because they turn on our water, 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:59.000 they turn on our lights, they turn on our heat, they turn on our air conditioning. They take care of the building. 00:04:59.000 --> 00:04:65.000 So he's going to live with this thing and has been 24/7. He and his forces get no pass. 00:05:05.000 --> 00:05:11.000 Tom Neal, physical services. I'm just telling you. He's back there. He's a very humble guy. He's an Air Force grad, 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:15.000 so he gets militaristic sometimes, but I think he's just extraordinary. 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:19.000 And Tommy Love. Where's Tommy? Where's Tommy? You know, Tommy, 00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:25.000 all of the things that you see here, putting these together. Advancement, he's helped raised the money and things. 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:31.000 We got him from North Carolina, what, a couple years ago? Three years ago. 00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:37.000 He's really done a remarkable job for us, as I think the president will attest. So I thank Tommy and all his forces. 00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:41.000 Now I want to introduce the president. I don't know how Mark David Weiss is doing what he's doing. 00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:45.000 You should know he has had a hip replacement maybe yesterday. He has been on his feet all day. 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:51.000 He's got his little stool, sat on it a little bit. But he's been giving one speech after another, 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:53.000 he's had to tolerate me and he's doing a remarkable job. 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:60.000 And doggonit he's here again and I have a feeling he's going to get up here and talk, and he's not going to sit from a seated position. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:04.000 Of course Meg's with him, his wonderful wife who, when he could not be here because of his surgery, 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:07.000 she was standing in for him and, boy, the speeches she gave. 00:06:07.000 --> 00:06:12.000 She is incredible. I hope you know you've got quite a teammate there. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:16.000 President Mark David Weiss, your remarks please. 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:25.000 Today marks yet another milestone for Western Oregon University. 00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:29.000 Through the hard work of our faculty and staff, 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:32.000 the wisdom of our State Board of Higher Education, 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:40.000 efforts of the DeVolder family, and our state legislature, and Mark Corcoran's efforts 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:47.000 with Osram Sylvania, as well as the other benefactors who wish to remain anonymous. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:52.000 We are here to break ground for a new science center 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:58.000 that will contain state-of-the-art laboratories and will be completed on time and in budget. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:06:65.000 I am certain that Soderstrom architects and Fortis contractors, as well as our own WOU 00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:08.000 project team, will assure that that will occur. 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:12.000 This morning this land was 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:17.000 blessed through a traditional Native American blessing, honoring the land's past, 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:22.000 just as we embark on a new future for this piece of property. 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:29.000 Knowing full well that for Western Oregon University and Oregon graduates to compete 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:37.000 in the global economy, the importance of education and the sciences and technology is critical 00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:42.000 to our future generations' success. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:48.000 I remember speaking with Ron DeVolder, on a fishing trip as usual, 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:55.000 about philanthropy and why it is so important for some individuals. (To Ron: It was down by Multnomah Channel, 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:62.000 you might remember.) We concluded that it isn't about personal recognition 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:08.000 and people don't just automatically turn to becoming philanthropists. 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:15.000 We see it in the good work others do and the opportunities and goodness it brings to all of us. 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:20.000 It is a learned behavior that we might see in a family member, 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:24.000 a friend or colleague, or even a stranger. 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:28.000 It is better to give than receive. Although often a clich', 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:33.000 it is a feeling I believe many of us here today share. 00:08:33.000 --> 00:08:38.000 Thank you all for your hard work and dedication to making today a reality for Western, 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:43.000 and now I would like to introduce Western Oregon University provost Kent Neely. (applause) 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:50.000 Thank you, President Weiss. 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:56.000 I am pleased and honored to speak as the chief academic officer for Western Oregon University 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:60.000 as we break ground on the DeVolder Family Science Center. 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:05.000 I speak on behalf of Western's academic leaders, the faculty, 00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:09.000 and the thousands of students who will use this building in the coming years 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:13.000 by expressing deep gratitude to the DeVolder family 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:18.000 and others for their generous gift which makes this building possible. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:23.000 It provides essential support for science education at Western. 00:09:23.000 --> 00:09:27.000 Let me emphasize that point by asking this question: 00:09:27.000 --> 00:09:35.000 What do these countries have in common? Finland, Japan, South Korea, Australia, 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:41.000 The Netherlands, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium, Ireland, and Iceland? 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:46.000 Students in those countries have a better knowledge of science than students in the United States. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:51.000 In fact, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:56.000 there are a total of 19 countries that have better scores than the United States. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:62.000 Our need for science education at all levels of instruction is critical to our wellbeing. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:10.000 You might think that a single building at a small university in Oregon is not important in such grand comparisons. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:17.000 I submit that it is universities just like Western that can make a difference 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:21.000 by making students aware of the importance of science, 00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:27.000 by encouraging their curiosity, and by teaching them the scientific method. 00:10:27.000 --> 00:10:34.000 We don't know whether we are currently educating the next Alexander Fleming or Lloyd Conover. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:40.000 You may not recognize their names, but you certainly have benefited from their scientific discoveries. 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:46.000 Fleming discovered penicillin. Conover developed the antibiotic tetracycline. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:53.000 Perhaps we will see students who will follow in the footsteps of James Watson and Francis Crick, 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:57.000 the two men who won the Nobel Prize for discovering the structure of DNA. 00:10:57.000 --> 00:10:63.000 By the way, let's believe that among those same students there will undoubtedly be 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:10.000 thousands who will be better prepared for life because of the education they had here. 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:14.000 Albert Einstein made an insightful comment when he said, 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:26.000 The DeVolder Family Science Center will further enable the pursuit of scientific knowledge 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:34.000 necessary for our young people to find solutions that Einstein refers to, to be future leaders 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:39.000 and to improve the competitiveness of the United States. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:45.000 I want to close my remarks by recognizing two individuals who have worked exceptionally hard in the 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:49.000 conceptualizing phase and the initial coordination of planning, 00:11:49.000 --> 00:11:53.000 although Peter has already mentioned their names. Both are named Steve, 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:60.000 so I ask that they stand so we can differentiate. Please show your appreciation for Steve Scheck, 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:03.000 dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:07.000 and Steve Taylor, division chair of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:18.000 Now if you'll welcome to the podium Randolph Miller, who's a Chemistry and Mathematics major from Salem, 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:24.000 and he'll be graduating next year. I should tell you that when Randolph was asked to 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:29.000 participate in a groundbreaking, he said, 'That sounds like fun. 00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:34.000 I grew up in a rural area and digging was one of my main sources of entertainment as a kid. 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:40.000 Okay, thanks. Like he said, I'm Randolph Miller. I'm a Chemistry major, 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:44.000 maybe a Math major, too. We'll see how that goes. 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:49.000 So I do a lot of homework and I never really do the homework here in the Natural Science building. 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:55.000 I always do my homework in the Hamersly Library or in the Math and Nursing building, the Ted Winters building. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:61.000 It's because there isn't really a space to do it. I mean, we've got good lecture halls here, we've got 00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:06.000 good laboratories here. But that's really all it is. It's sort of a bare bones building. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:11.000 The Ted Winters building, on the other hand, has got too little math lounges where it's a really productive area. 00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:15.000 People sit in and work together as groups. It's very efficient. 00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:20.000 You notice over here, a picture is worth a thousand words, and they got layouts for the new building. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:24.000 You notice on both floors they have a little space right in the middle of the building 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:28.000 where students will be able to sit down and study, work together, etc. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:30.000 So even though a brand new building, 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:36.000 it might not be able to improve the quality of the lecture or the lab or anything. It'll be the same instruction. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:44.000 But this will be a positive improvement overall in the education experience, and I think this is very good news. (That's all.) 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:59.000 So, we're going to depart from the program just briefly because James Francesconi wishes to speak to us. 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:06.000 Francesconi: (laughs) I wanted to risk this for one reason. I wanted to tell you one 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:08.000 quick story. This'll take me less than a minute. 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:16.000 Dr. Lesley Hallick was the provost at OHSU for more than 20 years. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:21.000 You know, Peter Kohler and Joe Robertson deserve a lot of the credit but she was the provost like 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:28.000 Ken is the provost here. And she's responsible for making OHSU a world-class 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:34.000 academic medical center. She's a doctor, she's a scientist herself. That's her background. 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:39.000 She chose to send her children not the University of Oregon, 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:47.000 not to Oregon State, not to Harvard or somewhere else, but she sent her kids right here to Western Oregon University. 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:51.000 She entrusted you with her children. 00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:56.000 Her children did not have the benefit of this new facility. 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:62.000 So they deserve, your children deserve excellence. Western Oregon is little-known, 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:07.000 you're trying to keep a little bit secret, but it's about excellence for the whole state of Oregon. 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:11.000 So on behalf of the State Board of Higher Ed, we want to thank you, donor, 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:16.000 for knowing this, for investing in excellence, because this university deserves it. 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:27.000 That was nice, Jim. I know Lesley Hallick. There's a little story you should know about her. 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:32.000 He didn't tell you where she is now. She's the president at Pacific, 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:38.000 and she's doing very well there, and you know why? Nothing to do with science. She's bringing back men's football. 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:44.000 And I say that because Daniel Hare, our athletic director, is here, but that's exactly right. She goes on. She was an extraordinary 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:51.000 provost ' [unintelligible] ' children to come here. But she's doing very good work up there at the Pacific. 00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:55.000 I miss her. One of these days I want to look her up. Alright. Mark Corcoran. 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:59.000 Now I'm not going to give you the description the president did. We know all about him. 00:15:59.000 --> 00:15:63.000 He's been here all day. We've talked about him. He's the individual that did a really nice job with that 00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:08.000 commencement address, I thought, and he came out all the way from Topsfield, Massachusetts. 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:12.000 That's North Shore. My mother born and raised back to the days 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:16.000 when Pilgrim was all South Shore. I'm sure he doesn't know where Hingham or Weymouth or Quincy 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:20.000 or any of those areas are, where the [unintelligible] is. 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:23.000 He came all the way out here, did a wonderful job, and 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:30.000 he did play on our basketball team. He captained it his senior year. So, Mark. Where's Mark? 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:38.000 Yeah. Why don't you come on up here and talk to us about your family and the Western family? Good job. 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:44.000 Courtney: I don't want to talk about BC. I don't like BC. 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:44.000 Corcoran: (laughs) Too BU guy. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:49.000 Thank you, senator. And Ann, I'd like recognize Ann as well here, Chris' partner. 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:52.000 Thank you very much, President Weiss, for this opportunity. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:58.000 We've been working with your folks'"Tommy, your group'"for the last number of months, 00:16:58.000 --> 00:16:65.000 where we have the opportunity to partner with you folks to supply some of our high tech lighting products 00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:09.000 into the science building. These high tech products are going to be 00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:15.000 kind of neat for everyone living in there, working in there because we're going to have controls 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:22.000 which, again, are software-based, and each single fixture can be operated unto its own. So everyone 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:28.000 in their office can put the lighting to where they like, and that'll be good for them. 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:32.000 It's also good for the general building because you'll be able to save energy. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:38.000 Typically, our controlled products will save up to 68% in energy, so it's energy-saving, 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:42.000 it's a green product. It's all about what I think our school's all about. 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:47.000 Thank you for the opportunity, and I really appreciate the day. It's one off the bucket list, so thank you very much. 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:57.000 Now before we go to the shovels, Ron and Norma. Norma and Ron. 00:17:57.000 --> 00:17:62.000 It's very simple. Without them we're not here. I could not have gotten the legislation to the governor. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:09.000 There had to be a match, and it had to be a substantial match. Not only was it a match of millions, 00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:14.000 Ron and Norma and the DeVolder family are the greatest contributors to this school. Far and away they are, 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:20.000 and I just think it's going to be amazing to see the DeVolder Family Science building when this thing opens. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:26.000 I have so many things I could tell you about him. When he graduated in '68, a Biology major, lived in the fire station, 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:33.000 Volunteer Fire Department. Norma worked at the Health Center here in 2008. But most importantly, 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:39.000 they just give and give and give and give and give and give and give. 00:18:39.000 --> 00:18:45.000 He's going to speak. I'm going to ask him to speak. He doesn't want to speak. They don't like this kind of recognition 00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:51.000 but you know, Ron, sometimes you just gotta do it. That's because 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:56.000 you and Norma are such good people and we're so grateful. So why don't you come on up here, 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:62.000 so we can one more time recognize you as we head toward September 2013 when I know it's going to be ' 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:19.000 Yeah, well, after the example, I've been cutting this down quite a bit. (laughs) 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:25.000 Thanks all for coming. We're humbled. I thought we might have like 6 people here (laughs) 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:28.000 and I made sure of that because I invited 'em. 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:41.000 Raise your hand higher up. 00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:46.000 We're very pleased for Western today and mostly for the students who come here, 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:50.000 for however long in the future, 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:57.000 to learn about getting along in life and learning a little about science and about communicating with others, 00:19:57.000 --> 00:19:63.000 and to begin to construct their own individual lives. You know, we're here 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:08.000 talking about the construction of a building, but really that's not Western's mission, to build buildings. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:16.000 They got a lot of buildings. It's to help other students, other people, to construct their lives, and 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:25.000 that's what it did for me, and that's what it does for kids I met today, graduates I met today. 00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:32.000 We're not really about building buildings. It's nice to be able to do it, but 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:37.000 that's not our job. So as you see workers out here in the winter with the pouring rain and the snow, 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:45.000 working with bricks and mortar, remember you're part of this job. You're part of the Western construction team, too. 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:50.000 Your job is to do what you're doing, whatever it is, to help build students' futures. Enough about that. 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:56.000 Our Western community needs to thank some other people, not just Norma and me. 00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:64.000 The truth is this project, although it bears our family name, is really honestly the 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:11.000 result of a combination of a lot of things, a lot of families that life somehow brought together, 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:18.000 of which we were fortunate. So it's not only the DeVolders, it's also people, you know, you don't know it. The Ramsdells, 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:23.000 the Robertses, and other families who prefer to remain anonymous 00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:29.000 that have caused this to happen. This is not a DeVolder gig, despite what I guess it came out to look like 00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:33.000 Then we have other contributors, like Osram, 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:39.000 and other people we need to think about. You're not going to know these folks probably, or maybe you do, 00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:47.000 but they've helped me and they've helped 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:53.000 this growth that happened in our family that really allowed this to happen. Without these people 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:59.000 it wouldn't have happened, and the first one is Pamela Black, one of my associates. She's somewhere. Stand up, Pamela. 00:21:59.000 --> 00:21:63.000 Go ahead, you can stand up. 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:08.000 Pamela is my associate who puts up with me almost every day, 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:15.000 who tries to keep me centered, and for many family personal reasons, 00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:21.000 without Pamela, none of this would be happening, in the background, years ago. So it's not accidental, but 00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:28.000 without her I couldn't have done it. She's a pretty unusual woman. She's got a law degree in two countries 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:34.000 and has no trouble keeping me centered when she can find me. 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:40.000 The other couple people, one is Tim Wachter. Now, he's probably got a tie on. 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:44.000 Where are you, Tim? Tim, back by the phone pole. You can stand up. 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:49.000 Tim's with Duffy Kekel, a law firm in Portland. Without him, we'd be kind of adrift. 00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:55.000 And the other person is Peter Williams, of Umpqua Investments. I don't know where Peter is. Over there. Raise your hand, 00:22:55.000 --> 00:22:59.000 Peter. We're trying to educate him. He's a U of O guy, 00:22:59.000 --> 00:22:65.000 but we're working on it. And Ira, his wife, thanks for coming. 00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:13.000 Tim and Peter, their guidance and professionalism provided us with 00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:19.000 attainment and preservation of the resources that allowed us to help out here. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:24.000 And that happened a long time ago. That's not just yesterday. 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:30.000 President Mark Weiss is another one who has incredible vision for 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:38.000 what this place ought to be like, what it can be like, and has this sort of personal tenacity that, 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:45.000 when he gets onto something, he doesn't let go. So it was pretty clear from our conversation this was going to happen. 00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:51.000 He's created a team that it feels good to work with, and I like that. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:56.000 Peter Courtney, of course, is the leader of Oregon. 00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:59.000 I couldn't have done it without him. Peter mentioned, and I have him in my little notes here 00:23:59.000 --> 00:23:64.000 talk about, there's people in the state of Oregon, and they wouldn't have done it without Peter's leadership. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:11.000 There's no question about that. But you know, we hear and read a lot these days about how the state 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:18.000 and the legislature, whoever, has abandoned higher education. But if Peter and the legislature really 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:24.000 wanted to abandon higher ed, he would not be here today. He came up with biggest pile of money. 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:29.000 And lastly, I think, is Tom Neal, Western's facilities director. I don't know, 00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:34.000 he's wandering around here with a radio. Right there. He's hiding by the phone pole or the light pole, too. 00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:40.000 And his entire crew. These grounds look beautiful today. This has to be something 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:44.000 for everybody to see when they come on campus. This is 00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:49.000 what our kids will remember, our students will remember. This place looked good. And that's Tom's crew. 00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:55.000 He'll fret over this building every day, the same as he did over that one. 00:24:55.000 --> 00:24:60.000 But it'll all turn out. So that's all really I have to say except thank you all for coming. 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:04.000 Norma and I and Janelle are proud to make this work. Thank you very much. 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:11.000 Thank you, Ron. Yes, 00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:14.000 just before we go to the shovels, I do want to thank you. This is a very large turnout. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:20.000 We did not know what to expect because it's hot, as well we've been to other events today. So thank you, thank you. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:24.000 Now, I'm going to call the names of several individuals and I would ask that you come forward. 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:29.000 Tommy, you've got the shovels over there? A shovel will be given to you, and then you 00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:33.000 line up back here, facing this way. Then the president, who doesn't know this, but I just created it, 00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:38.000 he's gonna go '3, 2, 1, 0. And at 'zero,' then everyone who's up there 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:42.000 will dig in and take care of the dirt. 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:44.000 Weiss: Could we get the number sequence again, please? 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:54.000 I've just changed this list of people who will be shoveling the dirt. 00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:60.000 Gonna delete one here. 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:04.000 How about 3, 2, 1? 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:11.000 I don't want to start at 10 or 5, because the way you count we'll be here all day. So, 3, 2, 1. 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:16.000 Mark Weiss, get a shovel. Kent Neely. 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:21.000 Steve Taylor. Randolph Miller. Mark Corcoran. 00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:28.000 Ron DeVolder. Norma DeVolder. Jim Kilpatrick. James Francesconi. 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:37.000 Steve Scheck. Brad Dehle. Ron Thiesen. Ron represents the Alumni Association. 00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:44.000 And Cory Frondeiner. (hits podium) Alright. Have you got the shovels? 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:48.000 Weiss: 3. 2. 1. 0. Courtney: Nice job. You did well. 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:52.000 (cheering, applause)