Statesman: Jonathan Raymond

Posted by admin on Apr 14, 2010 in Featured Articles | 0 comments

The first time I met President Raymond was just about a year and a half ago, nearing the end of Fall semester in 2008. On our way to a concert downtown, my friend Ryan and I began to critique TWU and brainstorm ways it could improve. Ideas that got thrown out ranged from opening a law school and revolutionizing the campus architecture to replacing all the cement walkways on campus with cobblestone. Being the enterprising undergraduates we were, Ryan and I decided to make an appointment with Raymond to pitch him our ideas. We were on our way to the LLC the next semester, and figured we’d take our ideas to the top before we left Langley.

While neither of us had met Raymond and had no idea how our ideas would go over, he listened intently to a pair of 21 year-olds pitch him ideas on what should be done with the school. He provided a warm response, gave us some thoughtful feedback and his appreciation, and wished us the best of luck in Ottawa.

As I walk into President Raymond’s office for this interview 17 months later, he offers me a diet Coke before we each take a seat on two adjacent green leather couches, with my diet Coke and textbooks resting on the coffee table between us. Like our first meeting, Raymond carries a nervous excitement for the future, covered in a thin layer of executive calmness.

Sitting at the top of an organization can be a strange position to be in, particularly for the president of a university. Raymond, however, has found his niche in the spectrum of ways he could be spending his time and energy.

“I’m the guy at the top of the mountain that has the best view,” Raymond explains. “The presidency here is a job of being chief statesman and diplomat. My job is to help people see they’re on a particular side of the mountain at a particular altitude – whether that’s academic, financial, with student life, etcetera – but it’s impossible for everyone to see what everyone else sees.”

On a close examination, it’s easy to tell he carries a PhD by the words he’ll throw out. Words like ‘cathedra’ and ‘efficacy’ are as common to him as ‘LC’ and ‘worldview’ are for students.

As Raymond nears completion of his fourth year as president, he’s proud of what he and his team in Reimer have accomplished, but mindful of the amount of work it will take to get TWU to where he wants it. “I feel very good that our leadership team has positioned the university on higher ground financially in an economy that has been rocking universities,” says Raymond. “We have navigated tough waters and tough territories…and I feel good about the significant financial aid we have been raising to bring the sticker price for tuition down.” Additionally, Raymond has also improved TWU’s academic standing since taking over, as the school has received strong ratings in the Globe and Mail and MacLean’s since beginning his tenure.

For the future, Raymond has two top priorities. “My plan is to make this university even more Christ-centred and missional, and to make it whoppingly endowed and capitalized, so that it becomes affordable for any student in the future who merits studying here.”
As I leave Raymond’s office, I’m convinced he is the right man to lead this university in the direction of academic excellence while remaining Christ-centred.

While he could’ve been derisive at our first meeting a year and a half ago, Raymond decided to listen to what two young punks had to tell him about the organization he oversees. His willingness to listen and dialogue demonstrated he truly is intent on listening to TWU’s students, and his high goals for the school depict a man who is humble enough to listen, but qualified and confident enough he can achieve them. – J.H.