The Record

Koopmann update: 100 days in office

By: Alivia Tison

As President Obama celebrates his first year in office this month, CSB/SJU is reminded of another president who is celebrating a milestone. Fr. Bob Koopmann, president of SJU, surpassed his 100th day of presidency earlier this month.

“The honeymoon period is over,” President MaryAnn Baenninger said.

Although the honeymoon stage may be over, Fr. Bob is continuing to reach out to members of the SJU community who are still adjusting to his role. Koopmann is currently in Hong Kong, where he is meeting with alumni and friends of SJU. Since his inauguration, he has traveled to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Omaha, St. Louis, Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, Denver, New York City, Washington D.C., New Jersey, Boston and more. It is no wonder Fr. Bob said a typical day for him begins with driving to the airport.

In between his travels, he still manages to find time to teach three piano students, and he has recently invited the St. John’s senate to dinner. He expresses his surprise that, though he is president, he rarely gets to see the students.

His time consists of busily maintaining various relationships. Two central relationships include the partnerships between Saint John’s University and the Abbey and the partnership between SJU and CSB.

“I think one of the special things about Fr. Bob is that he was recently a faculty member,” President Baenninger said. “He brings about his musical talents and interacts well with the community.”

Kevin Welle, a student worker for the president, agrees that Fr. Bob interacts well with the CSB/ SJU community.

“Fr. Bob is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet,” Welle said. “He is a guy who really cares.”

Fr. Bob’s future goals consist of keeping SJU affordable to young men from all walks of life and furthering academic excellence. Renovation of the Alcuin Library into a dynamic, state-of-the-art learning commons is one of Fr. Bob’s first priorities.

“Bob is fully charged with making the university work,” Abbot John Klassen said.

Br. Dietrich Reinhart, the former president of SJU, made the university work for 17 years, and many believe that Fr. Bob is filling his shoes quite nicely. However, there are differences in presidential styles between the past president and the presiding one.

“Any person coming into a role of leadership is going to have different gifts,” Abbot Klassen said. “Br. Dietrich and Fr. Bob are two very gifted men.”

President Baenninger also notices their differences.

“Br. Dietrich was very detail oriented. Fr. Bob and I tend to think of the big picture first and details later,” President Baenninger said.

One of the big pictures both presidents are facing right now is the economy. Coping with financial challenges is an issue for all college presidents, and President Baenninger said Fr. Bob stepped right into these poor financial times. Fr. Bob, however, does not seem to flinch in these times of trouble.

“Everything about being president has been rewarding,” President Koopmann said in an e-mail. “Working with budgeting for now and the future has been challenging because of the economy. But the positive side is that my cabinet and I are very carefully looking at the strengths of SJU, and how we can make them better in a very focused way.”

Whether Fr. Bob is in Hong Kong or back at SJU, many believe he has been productive in his first 100 days of presidency and has high goals for the future.

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