Witt's first five years

Halfway into UA President Robert Witt's 10-year plan, the University has already increased undergraduate enrollment, improved its national ranking and implemented more campus diversity programs.

"President Witt is a transformational leader," said Executive Vice President and Provost Judy Bonner. "He is highly focused on a small set of priorities. He brings a tremendous amount of energy and urgency to accomplishing those priorities."

Witt started as UA president on March 1, 2003. Before joining the Capstone, he served as president of the University of Texas at Arlington and dean of the College and Graduate School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.

In a 2003 CW interview, Witt said the University was stronger in reality than on paper. He said he was impressed with the amount of scholars, including Academic All-Americans.

"One of the reasons I decided to come to Alabama, because I was coming to a good university that had a strong foundation that aspired to be an even better university," Witt said. "I was not coming into a situation where something was broken and it needed to be fixed."

Witt instated a strategic plan with the goal of increasing enrollment, retention rates, the recruitment of faculty to support the University's mission and enhancing the University's learning environment.

"To be able to take that step onto the national stage, we needed to grow strong on multiple levels," Witt said. "We already had a very good student body, but the national stage required a stronger student body."

Witt's goal is for the University to have 28,000 students by 2013, an objective Bonner said will be achieved ahead of schedule in 2010.

Despite cuts in state funding, Witt said he does not want the University's momentum to decrease.

"I wake up in the mornings and I'm almost tempted to get a magic marker and put on the mirror 'We will not lose momentum,'" Witt said.

Vice President for Financial Affairs Lynda Gilbert said she thinks the momentum to increase enrollment has only helped the University.

"In his five years at UA, Dr. Witt has brought a new vibrancy to the University," Gilbert said.

During Witt's tenure as president, the UA Honors Program, the International Honors Program and the Computer-Based Honors Program have been centralized in Nott Hall under the name Honors College. Enrollment in these programs has grown from just over 1,000 in 2003 to 4,000 in 2007.

"President Witt quickly identified that the University of Alabama did not have an Honors College," Bonner said. "Establishing one became a high priority and was accomplished early in his administration. Honors College has quickly become the fastest growing college on campus with one in four freshmen enrolling in Honors College."

The University has also been able to attract more and more National Merit Scholars, Achievement Scholars and National Hispanic scholars. The fall 2007 UA freshman class included 73 National Merit Scholars, compared to just 38 five years ago. More than 250 National Merit Scholars are enrolled at the University from freshman to senior levels.

"I came to the University for a number of reasons, but the main reason was the dedication to recruiting me," said Elizabeth Steele, a National Merit Scholar freshman majoring in nutrition. "I receive many letters and postcards telling what a great school UA was and how I would be part of a family. The scholarship didn't hurt either."

The Capstone has also seen a dramatic increase in construction under Witt. Three residential communities have been built along with Shelby Hall and the Student Health Center.

With all of the new buildings and the introduction of the CrimsonRide transit system, even the University streets have been restructured. Bonner said these additions could not be made without the surge in undergraduate enrollment.

As the University recruits more students, the need for scholarship dollars has increased. Campaigns such as "Our Students, Our Future" and the SGA sponsored S.P.I.R.I.T campaign, the University has been able to double the amount of money allocated to scholarships.

"Dr. Witt's leadership has been a major factor in the University's fundraising efforts," Gilbert said.

Amanda Peterson contributed to this report.