<p>[Witt</a> oversaw era of unprecedented growth | The Crimson White](<a href=“http://cw.ua.edu/2012/04/11/witt-oversaw-era-of-unprecedented-growth/]Witt”>http://cw.ua.edu/2012/04/11/witt-oversaw-era-of-unprecedented-growth/)</p>
<p>the piece has one error, however. </p>
<p>It states that the acceptance rate is down to 53%, when actually, as of last Fall, it is down to only 43.5%.</p>
<p>CAN’T wait to read Thursday’s edition for part II!
What a fantastic decade of achievement he has overseen.</p>
<p>I am personally a proud supporter of Dr. Witt and feel that his vision will continue to guide The University of Alabama as he undertakes the Chancellor’s role.</p>
<p>Roll Tide!!</p>
<p>I second that Robotbidmom. We are extremely grateful for the leadership of Dr. Witt. Roll Tide!</p>
<p>I only hope that the interim president and future president will be able to fill his shoes and keep Alabama on its stratospheric rise.</p>
<p>Today, the University has more than 31,000 students, a budget of $709 million and the University’s acceptance rate has fallen to 53 percent. Bryant-Denny now has room for101,821 spectators, and it has two more flags to denote the 2009 and 2011 national championships.</p>
<p>**</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>*Lazer said Witt’s goals sounded very unlikely at the time.</p>
<p>“I was working closely with admissions, and we were working hard to bring in a qualified class of 2,600 freshmen. We’re now looking at 5,500 to 6,000 better-qualified freshmen. On the surface of it, that sounds preposterous,” he said.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>*“I think that what his presidency has taught me is a president’s first, second and third job is fiscal,” Lazer said. “His job is to create the conditions for such successful innovations, but he himself doesn’t have to know or pick what those innovations will be. He creates the conditions; he creates growing conditions.”</p>
<p>~*</p>
<p>One of those growing conditions has been the development of the University’s physical infrastructure. During Witt’s tenure, the University has done $1.4 billion worth of construction, University planner Dan Wolfe said. With the completion of the North Bluff residence hall, he will also have added 5,000 beds to campus.</p>
<p>In May 2010, the University also purchased the Bryce Hospital property, adding 168 acres to campus.* Wolfe said that the University plans to develop Bryce over a long period of time, enabling the future growth of the University.</p>
<p>“What I saw when I came here and I think what President Witt saw, was the University had great bones, great history, great tradition. It was just kind of tired,” Wolfe said. “It just hadn’t been well cared for, hadn’t been manicured, hadn’t been all those things.”</p>
<p>Moore said that he was thrilled that the athletic department has been able to support President Witt in a positive way</p>
<p>“His plan for this University, to grow it with out-of-state students [and] support the students within the state … under the tough economic times and the inability of the state to properly support higher education, what he’s accomplished has just been quite amazing,” he said.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>I think the acceptance rate is lower and I think the Bryce Property was about 300 acres…at least that was earlier reported.</p>