By Raven Lirio
Copy Editor
While student protesters gathered outside of Olson Auditorium, inside large crowd of alumni, faculty and staff watched as the university medal was placed around the neck of Pacific Lutheran University’s new president. On Oct 4, Allan Belton stepped up to the podium and gave the first speech in his new role.
This presidency came as a shock to both students and faculty when the decision was announced last spring.
Belton initially came to PLU to serve as the Vice President of Finance Administration before being passed the role of Interim President in 2017 while a presidential search was conducted by the university. By the end of the process, Belton was highly encouraged to take on the position officially by the Board of Regents, who were looking for alternative candidates after the conclusion of the presidential search.
“I really was not striving to get this job,” Belton said. “I really, right up until the very end, was not thinking that there was any real possibility or that I would even be asked. I had a short time to consider if this was the right role for me or if I was the right person to be president. It was actually my wife who made me sit down and think about it.”
Some alumni raised concerns about Belton’s lack of a doctoral degree, which many university presidents had previously. Belton addressed this concern by turning his background into a strength.
“One of the things I’ve heard quite a bit is that most non-traditional presidents at universities these days do tend to come with a finance background,” Belton said. “It’s really important for me to keep that skill but also shift away from being all about the numbers and more about the mission and strategy of the university.”
Despite all the skepticism, Todd Dizon, Vice President of the Associated Students of PLU, spoke in support of Belton’s leadership abilities over the last few years.
“In terms of leadership ability, I think that he brings a lot of experience with his past to the table. But I’m interested to see how that necessarily plays in the context of PLU,” Dizon said.
Overall, Belton expressed his eagerness for the future of PLU.
“I’m surprisingly excited,” Belton said. “I think I really, over the last couple of years in many ways, found my calling. It’s not what I anticipated doing but this is a really great place and, to be honest, I’ve fallen in love with it. So, I’m excited about the possibilities of where we’re heading.”
Since assuming his role, Belton has worked with the Long Range Planning Committee to complete the goals he set as interim president. This plan includes receiving feedback from the campus in open forums to ensure the university is heading in a positive direction.
One of Belton’s bold initiatives is to build on the strength of the current programs revolving around healthcare sciences, such as nursing, psychology, kinesiology, social work. He aims to make PLU the premiere health science university in the Northwest.
Belton would stated that he would like to improve other programs as well. “The main goal is to set ourselves apart and to keep the humanities programs a strength on campus,” he said.
President Belton began offering own office hours for students to give him direct feedback and to discuss issues regarding the university. His office hours can be found in the box below.
“One things I’ve talked about is having a real open door policy, particularly with students. Some students don’t hesitate to come talk to the president, but for the vast majority it’s not something they really think about,” Belton said.
