Robert Blocker
Robert Blocker is in the final stages of moving from the northeast to his new home in Texas. SMU”s incoming provost is packing boxes and just closed on a house in Plano.
‘My wife and I have been getting ready and should have no problem getting settled in our new neighborhood.’
While Blocker”s wife will be unpacking the boxes at his suburban house, he will be settling into his new office inside Perkins Administration building beginning July 18.
Blocker is ready to get to work, because as he sees it, ‘SMU has a lot of opportunities that could make the university even more impressive.’
During the search process, candidates were most frequently asked about the university”s General Education Curriculum, and Blocker is already planning out how to go about making changes and improvements.
‘We need to ask how to be the best stewards and what can we do to be the best in an increasingly global environment.’
Blocker plans to have a series of faculty and student sessions to review the pros and cons of the current GEC before going about an additional set of sessions taking suggestions on changes to be made.
Blocker believes that the GEC should always be under perpetual review, so the university can be responsive to the demands of the changing climate.
He also thinks that SMU has unique opportunities being an urban university that have not been fully explored.
‘It”s not us having the answers (to Dallas” problems), it”s us wanting to be involved in the city”s future.’
Blocker suggested the new School of Education could be involved in some type of public education initiative. Additionally, he suggested all of the schools could be involved in the issues of the underserved or those below the poverty line.
The possibility of George W. Bush”s Presidential Library coming to SMU also has great potential for the university.
‘It would be a significant advantage to have the library on campus, foremost being the connections he has would bring a lot of guests to the university.’
Blocker says that there would be opportunities for guest lecturers and teachers in addition to bringing the university national recognition.
‘I truly hope it will happen,’ Blocker said.��
