OBSERVER: So, how was it?

SHIPLEY: I don’t see how it could have been any better. It was thoroughly enjoyable. I was presented a high level of challenge, which I like. The big surprise was the red carpet welcome that the town rolled out. I was invited to private homes for dinners, and treated to a lovely reception by the merchants. It was wonderful, a dream come true.

OBSERVER: Tell us about three highlights of the year.

SHIPLEY: The first was the stakeholders survey we produced at the start of the year. There were five questions about Shepherd’s future. We received 500 responses on our website.

The second highlight was the wonderful reaction by the COPLAC (Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges), which followed our decision to call ourselves a public liberal arts university. There are fewer than two dozen of these in the country, it is a high level of credibility. We have already been given approval on the first step of the application process. If we get it, we will be the first in the state of West Virginia.

The third highlight was the inauguration. It was so much fun; I had family and friends here—it was a terrific weekend. So many things could have gone wrong, and they didn’t!

The fourth highlight, if I’m allowed a fourth, was dancing the tango at halftime of a football game with the marching band. That was a kick!

OBSERVER: I saw you at the Hillary Clinton rally in Shepherdstown .

SHIPLEY:  Looking what, beautiful? It was a lovely day. She arrived at the back of McMurran Hall, and the Secret Service walked her in. We met, shook hands, and took a photo. It was exciting; it was great to have a political presence in town.

OBSERVER: When Hillary came out she gestured for someone to move the Shepherd University podium that had been placed on the steps for her to stand behind, and then Chelsea hefted the podium to one side by herself.

SHIPLEY: Wasn’t that hilarious? I was worried she would damage it! I was thinking “Could somebody please help her with that.”

OBSERVER: Let’s move onto the big issue in town. How is the “Dr. Shipley parking garage” coming along?

SHIPLEY: You know, I spoke to Mayor Lance Dom more about parking than anything else. I will continue to work with Jim Auxer, when he becomes mayor, on this issue. I will listen to all opinions. My favorite spot to put the garage is on Route 480 between the nursing center and the football field. There is a little parking lot there already.

OBSERVER: Will allow town stay there during the week?

SHIPLEY: I don’t know, we will have to do a study on that.

OBSERVER: When will it happen?

SHIPLEY: I have no idea. I think it is the best thing to do, but I’m not sure that the new town leadership believes it is a good thing to do. They want more shuttles. The problem is that the students don’t use shuttles.

OBSERVER:  Tell me about the Mayor Jim Auxer’s megalomaniacal plan to annex the university? He argues that by increasing the size of the town, after the census in 2010, the amount of video lottery funds would rise.

SHIPLEY: [Laughs.] That is a conversation that started before Jim and Lance were mayors. If it would help the town to annex parts of the campus, we would be happy to pursue that conversation.

OBSERVER: How does having a new mayor in town affect you?

SHIPLEY: I have noticed that, as the town changes mayors, things that you thought were going to happen don’t, and things you thought won’t happen, do. The same thing happens with all elected officials you make inroads with—and then they changes. It is part and parcel of the political system.

OBSERVER: How do you view the relationship between the town and the university?

SHIPLEY: The longer I am here the synergy between town and university becomes clear. When I arrived I saw the town-gown relationship as important. Now I realize that the downtown area is part of what people evaluate when they decide to come to Shepherd. Therefore the more we can help the town be thriving and attractive, the more we help ourselves. It took me a while to appreciate this. I understood we had to make a contribution towards the town, and that the town could suffer from our decisions. But I didn’t understand what we get back from town, and how closely aligned we are.

OBSERVER: So professors choose to come here, sometimes despite a pay cut, because they like the lifestyle and the culture?

SHIPLEY: Yes. And the students and the parents. We have one chance to show the students and parents, who are traveling around to different campuses, what it is like here. And the town is a plus. The university is helped by that. If I can help the town by decision-making then I should.

OBSERVER: What role should Shepherd play in the local economy?

SHIPLEY: I think that is one of the most important questions we must answer this year. We should have an answer by the end of the year.

OBSERVER: Is that a rain-check?

SHIPLEY: No, it’s complicated. If we were a research institution—biotechnology, engineering, manufacturing—it would be different. But we are a teaching institution. The clearest contribution we make is through the arts, like how the Contemporary American Theatre Festival supports merchants on German Street in town.

OBSERVER: How does that compare with the economic contribution made by West Virginia University? They are able to attract enormous financial support from both the private and public sectors.

SHIPLEY: Yes, because the research they do stimulates discovery. Shepherd would not be that type of institution. The question is: What can we do? Our level of expertise would be around small and family owned businesses. We have a strong professional program, business program, and strong creative training in a liberal arts environment. If we created an incubator to support this, we could possibly make a difference in this area. I will need a year to look into this, and I will be asking advisors from the community to help me with this.

OBSERVER: What are your plans for this year?

SHIPLEY: I want to position the university for national prominence. Next year will be a good year to push in that direction. I will work on fundraising and growing resources for the university. And I will work to maintain our high scholastic standards.