Florida State University - Renegade / Tally Ho Yearbook (Tallahassee, FL)

Page 23 text:

. ' s the afternoon comes to an end, listens to Sliger ' s opinions and memories, students who attended social were encouraged by his interest in them. STUDENT LIFE ra Last Weekend at Bernie ' s Classic tunes greeted parents, faculty, and students from the Sligers ' backyard as they made their way up his circular drive for the last of one of FSU ' s greatest traditions, the Annual President ' s ice cream social. Since his first years as president, Bernard F. Sliger has treated his students to free ice cream and a day to get to know their president while expressing their thoughts and concerns. The whole reason I started having these socials was to meet my students and hear their ideas. I feel it ' s very important because I didn ' t have a chance to do it when I was in school. Students were filled with mixed emotions when they heard the news of Bernie ' s retirement. When I heard he was leaving it made me sad. I don ' t think they ' ll ever find someone to completely fill his shoes, stated sophomore Wendy Lincks. Jeff Rosen, a junior math major, summed it all up, President Sliger reminds me of Papa Smurf, and I just can ' t imagine the Smurfs without their Papa. Amy Shinn tudents enjoy time to get to ow their president at the qpnual Ice cream social, und the ice cream tasty ne company invigorating.

Page 22 text:

SLIGER RETIRES lood of emotions iwept across the j ampus as the news ' he weight of one ' ciecisio n impacted the lives of thousands of people. Bernard F. Sliger, who had become a legend for bringing the institution to its highest level of achievements, was saying good-bye. At age 66, the tenth president of the uni- versity announced his retire- ment. It ' s time for someone else to have the joy and the re- sponsibility of the office, said the teary-eyed Sliger. Elected president on Feb- ruary 7, 1977, Bemie, as the students respectfully called him, led the university through many ups and downs. His accomplishments included creating tradition with the ever popular ice cream social, which Sliger first hosted in 1977. When Sliger was in office, enrollment grew by more than one third, an engineer- ing college was added, two world class super computers were acquired, 27 scholar chairs have been established or are in various stages of completion, and the univer- sity was selected by the Na- tional Science Foundation as the site for the new National High Magnetic Field Labratory. As his triumphant closing act, Sliger led the athletic de- partment to a 13 million dol- lar budget, and in September of 1 990, the Seminoles joined the Atlactic Coast Confer- ence. The fifteen years Sliger contributed will be remem- bered as a time of exciting accomplishment. He is not only one of the most beloved presidents in the state uniersity system, but a remarkably strong lead- er, said Joan Ruffier, a member of the Board of Re- gents Admiring students and fac- ulty agree that Sliger ' s great- est qualities include his easy going manner, his wonderful sense of humor, and his com- passsion for the university and the people attending it. He is more accesible at times than many people with- in my own department, and it ' s great to be able to start at the top if I have a specific problem, said Charles Mar- relli. Student Senate Presi- dent Pro Tempore. According to Sliger, his greatest accomplishment in- volved the faculty and stu- dents. He cited the higher quality and the diversity of the student body and faculty in recent years, but it is the cooperation between the two of which he is most proud. It has been my privilege and pleasure to serve as pres- ident of FSU. I have enjoyed the friendship and support of the university family and its many constituencies, said Sliger. His charisma and energy have created a strong bond between him and the student body. It ' s nice to know that somebody who loves the uni- versity, and is willing to give his energies in order to ad- vance the state system, is in charge, senior Will Mulligan said, We will all miss him. Indeed, the entire univer- isty will feel the absence of our president and friend. His honesty, shown by his expres- siveness and concern is gen- uine and rare. Replacement does not seem possible. How could anyone re- place good ol ' Bemie? said graduate student Kyle Colle. It will take the university years before finding someone with spunk like Bemie. That someone else will most likely be a professor, ac- cording to Sliger. Throughout the year, various applicants were interviewed for the presidential position. The ZULMA CRESPO Students agree that whoever is selected will have their work cut out for them. It is not too difficult to fill Sliger ' s position, but no one could take his place in the hearts of the students and faculty. Sliger plans to return to teach economics after tak- ing a year off to do a little fishing with his wife, Gret- ta, in their summer home in Trout Creek, Michigan. Krista L. Marino and Rachel Priest

Page 24 text:

mmt N T