APU Celebrates the Inauguration of Adam J. Morris

This article was originally published on APU’s website.

Azusa Pacific University celebrated the inauguration of its 18th president, Adam J. Morris, PhD, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. More than 2,000 faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of the university filled the Felix Event Center to watch as Morris was officially sworn in to take the helm of APU. “During my interview process with the Board of Trustees, I told the leadership of this great university that I wanted to be part of something so big, that only God could do it,” Morris said. “It’s that hopeful expectation of what God will do in our midst that motivates and encourages me to join each one of you on this epic adventure called Azusa Pacific University.” Watch a recap of the entire program or view President Morris’ address.

The festivities began with a processional as APU’s dedicated faculty marched down the aisle donned in regalia from their respective alma maters. Albert Tate, Board of Trustees vice chair, delivered an invocation and acknowledged special guests in attendance, including several university presidents, elected city leaders, and superintendents of local K-12 school districts. Many more special guests livestreamed the inauguration online.

APU’s renowned chapel band took the stage to lead the crowd in worship, followed by special remarks from Shirley Hoogstra, JD, President of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU); Barry Corey, PhD, President of Biola University; and Richard Felix, PhD, President Emeritus of APU. Hoogstra wished Morris success in leading the university into a new era. Corey spoke of how instrumental Morris was in his role as executive vice president and chief transformation officer of Biola, helping the institution thrive missionally, academically, and financially in the ever-changing landscape of Christian higher education. Felix offered personal advice, having served as APU’s president from 1990-2000, encouraging Morris to stand on the shoulders of the 17 presidents who came before him. Felix said he was confident that APU had chosen the right person for the job, saying “His breadth and depth of experience is remarkable. His ability to deal with various and complex issues is simply amazing. He has a firm grasp of the challenges that face all Christian colleges across America today and seasoned wisdom in the pursuit of God’s calling for this assignment.”

The investiture of President Morris was led by Board of Trustees Chair, Thomas G. Miller. All 19 members of the Board took the stage and held onto a cord, which ran through a Bible that once belonged to Cornelis P. Haggard, APU’s 13th president. Morris placed his hand on the Bible with his wife, Faith, holding her hand underneath. “By the power conferred upon me by the Board of Trustees, I hereby instate you as President of Azusa Pacific University. And now, Adam, may the power, peace, and presence of God uphold, sustain, direct, and keep you always. To Him be all the glory,” Miller said. Lucie Moore, JD, prayed for Morris and APU as his tenure as president officially commenced.

Morris delivered his inauguration speech, revisiting the history of APU, back to its roots as the Training School for Christian Workers. “The institution grew to become Pacific Bible College, then Azusa College, followed by Azusa Pacific College, and today, Azusa Pacific University,” he said. “APU’s history is replete with remarkable men and women of God whom He has used to advance His mission throughout the world.” Morris spoke of the impact these great leaders had, including Felix, Haggard, William Marshburn, Cliff Hamlow, Carolyn Koons, Ron Turner, Nobel Henson, and past president Jon R. Wallace. “Pausing this morning to remember anecdotes from APU’s past is both healthy and wise. It’s Biblical and it’s fitting for a day like today,” Morris said. “The Psalmist writes, ‘I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you’ve done; I ponder the work of your hands.’ (Psalm 143:5) Recalling moments from our past is really an invitation to reflect on God’s goodness, faithfulness, and to acknowledge all that God has done.”

Morris spoke about the priorities for the year ahead, including developing a financial roadmap, reinvesting in infrastructure, bringing clarity to the strategic plan, spending time cultivating community well-being, and building an executive team to chart the course into a future full of possibilities. “There is much to do, and I couldn’t be more optimistic for our future, but I would be remiss today if I didn’t ground us yet again in our sacred, time-honored mission,” he said.

“APU is an institution that is unapologetically Christ-centered, with a deep commitment to academic excellence, a global Great Commission mindset, and a passion to touch the lives of our beloved and diverse student body.”

Morris gave examples of several students who are doing exemplary work, readying themselves to become difference makers in their respective fields. Having spoken earlier about the revival that had taken place in Azusa so many years ago, Morris called for the same thing to begin on campus today. “I’ve begun to pray for revival at Azusa Pacific University. I invite you to do the same,” he said. “It’s hard for me to put into words the strong sense that I have that God is about to do something new, and even miraculous, in our midst. But I can tell you that I sense it. I believe it’s coming.”

Morris was presented with gifts embodying APU’s four pillars of Christ, Scholarship, Community, and Service from the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and student body. The gifts included a Bible, bookends engraved with Psalm 119:66, a statue of Jesus washing the feet of another, and a wooden table decoration representing the different backgrounds of APU students.

The Inauguration ceremony closed as President Morris was joined by his parents, children, and grandchildren on stage as Tate and Coba Canales, EdD, dean of spiritual life, prayed over the Morris family. “We ask that your love would fill them. We ask that your hope would guide them. We ask that your peace would sustain them. We pray that this presidency would be marked by your presence and your revival, in Jesus’ name.”

APU names Paul Ferguson new president

This article was originally published on ZU News, with help from Micaela Ricaforte.

On Wednesday, Azusa Pacific named Paul Ferguson, Ph.D., as the university’s next president. He will assume the role on June 1.

Background

Ferguson has an impressive background in higher education. This will be his third time serving as president of a university. He previously served as president of Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. from 2014-16 and the University of Maine from 2011-14. He is currently the founding dean of the School of Science, Technology and Health at Biola University.

Ferguson also previously served as the provost and vice chancellor of Academic Affairs at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (2006–11), vice president for Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (1999–2006) and vice provost and dean of Graduate Studies and Research at the University of Louisiana at Monroe (1993–99).

APU’s presidential search committee believes Ferguson is the perfect man for the job of navigating the university out of the difficult times it has faced over the past year, from the financial deficit to the handbook controversy.

“Dr. Ferguson is an accomplished and admired academic and administrative leader,” said Search Committee Co-chair Elizabeth Maring, JD. “He’s the right person to lead APU with his vast experience, thoughtful leadership and commitment to Christ and biblical principles.”

Ferguson said he is excited to assume the presidential role at APU.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity, and I want to thank the Board of Trustees for the confidence placed in me,” Ferguson said. “I’m devoted to APU’s Christ-centered mission, achieving sustainability, academic advancement and a joy for learning to all our campuses.”

Raised in Hacienda Heights, Ferguson is a Southern California native and currently resides in Yorba Linda. Although he lived in other parts of the country for many years, he still paid attention to what was going on in Southern California and at APU.

“Watching APU from afar, I’m familiar with it and I’ve always had a tremendous amount of respect for what’s gone on at APU,” he said. “I think the institution and its people have done extraordinary things over the last couple decades.”

Ferguson decided to return to Southern California in 2016 to help care for his wife’s parents. He also welcomed the challenge of revamping Biola’s science programs.

Ferguson earned his doctorate at UC Davis, where he focused on toxicology, later going on to become a professor of toxicology and public health. He plans on teaching classes at APU as well, although the details of these classes won’t be ironed out until a later date.

Leadership

Ferguson said he admires current president Jon Wallace’s commitment to student service.

“I’ve seen how [Jon] interacts with and talks about students,” Ferguson said. “He’s a very good example of a student-centered president … he has truly walked with and fellowshipped with students. I think what [I] can learn from him is tangible love of students.”

Ferguson’s own leadership model places emphasis on creating strategies that unite people towards a shared vision. He developed these leadership skills when he became a dean at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

“When I became a professor I never thought that I would become a university administrator. That was not the path until the provost of the University of Louisiana pulled me aside and asked me if I had ever considered administrations. He wanted me to infuse administrative position with my love of learning so that the whole university could grow together,” he said. “So I really became a student of leadership, primarily [learning] how [to] inspire, encourage, and chart a course that everybody wants to do. Leadership, strategic planning, vision setting and how to do that in teams and as a community — that’s what a university does.”

Ferguson also said he’s a strong believer in the servant-leadership model.

“He who serves first leads well. It’s not about command and control from the top-down, it’s about encouraging, inspiring and empowering the organization to thrive,” Ferguson said. “That’s where I have been most successful, in getting people to come together and agree on a vision and getting them excited about where they go. That’s where I have developed leadership skills in my career, and learned how to best apply those skills in the community.”

Plans/Goals

Ferguson recognizes the complexity of APU’s academic structure and community. He plans on getting to know the community “intentionally and strategically.”

“In my past experience as president, I have gone out to every department and met with them. I’m a very relational, engaged person. I want to get to know people, who they are and what they do,” Ferguson said. “I’ll be directly going out into the APU community to seek and to listen. I need to go and see where they think we are and understand where they’re coming from, listening to their hopes and fears.”

In the next few months, Ferguson will meet with constituents from across campus. He said he needs to learn a lot from these constituents in order to form plans for improving the university and bringing it out of the current financial deficit.

“That’s part of my transition, to be doing a deep-dive with the finance office, CFO and cabinet, so I’ll be meeting with leadership over April and May, and have those conversations to be pretty well engaged before I start in June,” Ferguson said. “From now until June 1, we’re just starting to do transition things.”  

Although the current situation APU is in may seem daunting to others, Ferguson said he embraces challenges like this. He described how he created strategic plans in his last two presidential roles to navigate through difficult situations.

“I really think in general, where do I get my most fulfillment, is when we have successfully charted a very challenging course because you don’t always know how it’s going to turn out or where it’s going to take you,” Ferguson said. “You just roll up your sleeves and do the hard work to get there.”

Ferguson said his vision for his first year as president is to listen to community members — students, faculty and staff — to determine what direction APU needs to head in the next three to five years.

“It’s now time to do a new strategic plan that really defines who we are today and the culture we live in and how to be difference makers in the current culture,” Ferguson said. “The ultimate goal, in my opinion, is that APU is the premiere Christian school in the country …  I would hope that in five years APU is the model for what a Christian university should be in the U.S. That means not only in the integration of faith and academics, [but in] practicing Christ-centered academic excellence … not only the graduate but the undergraduate and professional.”

Ferguson said this goal aims to point back to God.

“If we do this right and God really blesses us like I know that he will, then people will say, ‘That’s not easy to do, how did APU do that?’ and [we’ll be able to] point them back to God,” Ferguson said. “When I say let’s be a model, it’s not for pride; it’s to really, truly demonstrate the model of God First at an institution of academic excellence.”

Search for APU's next president down to four candidates

This article was originally published on ZU News.

Nearly 10 months have passed since Azusa Pacific President Jon Wallace announced his retirement. In that time, APU’s Presidential Search Committee has worked to find Wallace’s replacement, partnering with search firm CarterBaldwin to narrow the candidate list from more than 80 candidates down to just four.

Dan Fachner, board member and co-lead of the search committee, said the applications began in September and in the following months the committee narrowed the list down to nine candidates, then to the current four. Fachner said he was not at liberty to disclose the candidates names.

“I’m delighted with the candidates that we’re at today. I think each one of them are really strong,” Fachner said. “Each one of them has their unique strengths in different areas.”

The search committee, comprised of seven board members and seven non-board members (two faculty and five administrators), chose these four candidates after a lengthy review process. They began by assembling a set of criteria they were looking for in the next president.

Facher described the process, saying the committee members split up and each assembled their own list of traits they wanted to see in the next president. He said when they came back together and compared notes, they had the same main criteria.

“Being able to hold the university strong in [its] mission was very high up there. Being able to lead with vision and mission, both were extremely important,” Fachner said. “It goes without saying that a background in higher education was extremely important to us.”

Besides these traits, Fachner said two personal skills were paramount for the presidential role.

“[We wanted] somebody with really strong leadership and communication skills,” Fachner said.

Diversity is another important aspect for the next president.

“Absolutely. Diversity is very important to us and to the student body. We recognize the added value in that,” said Loren Martin, faculty moderator and a member of the search committee.

According to Fachner, the reflection of APU’s student body was a factor in searching for diverse candidates.

“We talked about it from the start, the importance of broadening our search enough to be able to pull in some diversity,” Fachner said. “Knowing that APU was a diverse campus was an important thing. Not that it was the sole reason, but we felt like that was an important thing for the potential new president.”

Neither Fachner nor Martin could comment on whether the candidates were internal or external applicants. However, Ethan Schrum, an assistant professor in the Department of History and Political Science, said he was certain where they would come from.

“I believe it is very likely that this will be an external hire,” Schrum said. “Among all the constituents, there seems to be a sense that APU really needs some fresh ideas and somebody who has some real experience running another institution, even if it’s not necessarily at the presidential level, but someone who really understands how other institutions work to maybe come in and help us improve our infrastructure and some of our processes.”

Schrum noted the traits faculty are looking for in the next president.

“Many faculty want a president who will both be very oriented toward faculty and a mission of educating Christian thinkers, while at the same time being a very strong fundraiser,” Schrum said. “It can be difficult to find one person who has both of those skill sets.”

Schrum said the best fundraisers are typically older with many years of experience. However, Fachner said the candidates vary greatly in age. He said the committee did not limit their search to either younger or older candidates.

Over the next several weeks, the committee will interview the four candidates at undisclosed off-campus locations, which will in turn lead to their final decision.

The committee has yet to release a date they’ll announce the next president on, but they released an official statement in December saying, “The hope is that the Committee will make a recommendation to the APU Board of Trustees sometime in spring 2019, so the board can have a new president in place by July 1, 2019.”