Somewhere I read that in ancient China a family was regarded as cultured and sophisticated if their home smelled of the scent of books.
I am in the process of packing and bringing to Albany a lot of books. Collected over the span of four decades, these books have been sources of guidance, instruction, inspiration, enjoyment, fascination, frustration and good company. My books have been the one constant in a professional life of moving from one place to another, culminating in what my four brothers, my sister and I fondly call the one good move I have left in me: the move to become Albany State University president.
Each and every book I own contains pages from my life. They serve as markers of my professional and intellectual development, my likes and dislikes and the many courses I took along the bends and curves leading to Albany, Georgia. These books sometimes shout of things long forgotten. They remind me by their covers and their scent of proud, joyous, bittersweet, poignant and triumphant moments. They have earned my respect and companionship - even the ones I have yet to read.
I am in the process of coming to an institution of higher learning that has a stellar history of producing lovers of books and knowledge. Indeed, among historically black colleges and universities, ASU has one of the most impressive library collections and facilities. That is no accident. It is the result of a lot of people over the years, beginning with the University's founding father, Dr. Joseph W. Holley, placing the highest premium on making books available to those whose race or circumstances made book-learning a dream denied or deferred.
With each passing day, I am learning more about Albany State University's many historic achievements and esteemed alumni. The more I discover, the prouder I become. I am proud not only of the accomplishments of yesteryear but also of the academic and athletic successes of recent years. I heartily applaud those accomplishments. But know that this is no time for resting on past laurels. We must look to the future with an intense focus on how we can continue to fulfill the dream of Dr. Holley and those who have dedicated their lives to the work of producing men and women who are able, agile and ambitious to an uncommon degree.
What I have, as I begin my partnership with you as ASU president, is my collection of books - and a pretty large number of jazz and classical albums - and something more; namely, an abiding faith in the boundless vitality of ASU's faculty and staff. Go to their homes and you will catch the scent of books. Like their predecessors, the faculty and staff at ASU want to do everything possible to make the educational aspirations of our students come true.
ASU is not perfect. No college or university is. ASU's founders and countless supporters throughout the years knew, just as we know, that no institution that brings men and women, young and old, together for intellectual debate and discovery is free of problems. Disagreements will erupt and linger far longer than they should. People will be misunderstood. Mistakes will be made. Feelings will be hurt. But ASU is far more important and significant than any one person. In the vernacular of our youth, ASU has and will continue to "live large" because it has a good scent about it.
I am looking forward to working with our faculty, staff, and alumni, but I am especially eager to get to know the ASU student body. I fully expect ASU students to give me a warm welcome and tell me what needs fixing. I also expect to learn something from students about the books they are reading, valued research projects, as well as their iPod music downloads.
I'm already beginning to love the scent of this place!
Sincerely,
Everette J. Freeman