By Dan Chase

Utah State University President George Emert praised faculty for their efforts to become influential teachers during his State of the University address Sept. 14, but worried that students should be learning more than just classroom information.

"Our faculty and staff do a very fine job," Emert said. "(But), we worry about how much the student is learning and retaining.

"(We need) to teach students to be competitive, support their families and serve their communities," Emert added.

Emert also addressed other needs such as the deaf education program's shortage of interpreters and its inability to give adequate pay to those who work with USU's 1,000 deaf population.

Despite these needs, Emert praised volunteer organizations such as the Val R. Christensen Service Center, which earned the Daily Point of Light Award in March, and other groups that try to influence others in positive ways.

Emert said the 120,000-member 4-H Club, which is one of the many programs of USU's cooperative extension, keeps Utah kids off the streets by providing them alternative activities.

"I'm very pleased that you and our colleagues are involved in service at USU," Emert said.

But that's not all.

Emert said USU is involved all over the world, from helping ailing children in the Philippines, to examining building structures in quake-ravaged Turkey, to reading books to children in elementary schools.

Emert said other USU accomplishments include boasting Utah's professor of the year for the past four years and receiving $325,000 from the Legislature for libraries.

And though many needs and challenges need to be met, Emert said he is proud of what USU has accomplished.

"Only in America could so much be done as has been done on our campus this year," Emert said. "We have a very special foundation and framework."

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DC