Experience makes the difference, Dr. Earl G. Yarbrough Sr. said in introducing himself to South Carolina State University faculty and staff on Wednesday as a finalist candidate for president.

Born to parents with little formal education but a strong work ethic, Yarbrough attended public schools and accepted a track scholarship to Wichita State University in his hometown.

"That was the best thing that's happened in my life," he said. It launched him on a career in education which evolved into a career in educational administration.

Teaching at a school in inner-city Los Angeles "was quite a learning experience" for a son of the Plains, he said. After completing his master's degree in the evenings, he enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Iowa State University.

"I spent the next 26 years working to obtain my goal of someday heading an institution of higher education," he said. That goal, he knew, required having experience at every level of academics.

He has served as a full professor, Faculty Council chair, department chair and, for 12 years, academic dean, where he oversaw construction of a new facility for the School of Technology.

In 1998 he accepted the position of provost/vice president for academic affairs and student affairs at Virginia State University in Petersburg.

"I knew I needed a larger experience than just being a dean," he said. "Being provost gave me another angle on academic development." He said he has applied for several presidencies in the past year or so.

Having worked at four historically black colleges or universities, Yarbrough spoke of the importance of nurturing the "love and engagement" that the alumni and employees have for the institutions which gave them opportunities when no one else would.

"All of us have to be involved" in rolling up his or her sleeves, cutting costs and improving conditions, and that includes himself. "I empty my own trash, dust my own furniture and vacuum my own carpet," he said.

"My vision ... is for the university to once again be the 'engaged campus' it once was," he said. "We can't stay in the past without exploring opportunities for the future."

He spoke of an institution in another state which had not introduced a new degree program in decades. "That's a sin in my mind," he said, because they are not keeping up with the times.

"My vision would be for South Carolina State University to be the best value-added institution in the country," he said, adding that success needs to be measured with a yardstick, such as students' "entrance and exit scores."

When it comes to quality, "you can't just say it; you have to show it and prove it," Yarbrough said. "I believe in professional accreditation. It's a stamp of approval, something you brag about," and a magnet for students and donors alike.

The first question from the audience concerned whether he favored "dilapidated academic buildings brought up to codes" and made "safe, secure, clean and comfortable."

"If I said no to that, I'd be run out of here," Yarbrough said while smiling, adding that he has confronted the problem of "deferred maintenance" at other institutions and the answer is "to bring in people who can help."

Using the analogy of a child asking his father for money, Yarbrough said the university cannot expect to get funding unless it can explain its needs, show relevant data and provide an action plan for corrections.

When queried about the university's looming deficit due to reduced state funding, Yarbrough said many other institutions across the nation are in the same predicament.

He expressed confidence the economy will improve and, in the meantime, the university will have to tough it out, perhaps by asking professors to teach additional classes or by leaving vacant positions unfilled.

Yarbrough said he has zero tolerance for drug abuse by students and suggested it would be grounds for expulsion.

Replying to questions on how to improve SCSU's image in the greater Orangeburg community, Yarbrough said one way is to bring in community leaders and show them programs and facilities they probably don't even know exist on campus.

Another way is to "go out and be proactive" and get "involved in community activities" such as participation in churches, civic and service clubs and local political events.

A third way is to improve students' satisfaction with their experience at SCSU. "The institution is judged by its graduates," Yarbrough said.

An alumnus of SCSU should be "a well-rounded person" who is "able to speak the king's English," who is knowledgeable about world events, history and fine arts and is prepared for leadership, Yarbrough said.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Hendren can be reached by e-mail at lhendren@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5552.

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