The Penn State Board of Trustees meeting began Friday morning with President Graham Spanier's 2006 State of the University video presentation that touted Penn State as a student-centered university and highlighted university projects.

"Although a university's national reputation is substantially based on the research productivity and stature of its faculty, we must never forget that the university exists first and foremost to provide an advanced education to our students," Spanier said in his State of the University presentation on the video.

Spanier introduced the address -- which in past years Spanier had delivered in Eisenhower Auditorium -- to the board as the day's proceedings commenced.

"We're going to do something different this year," he said at the meeting.

"Instead of giving a formal address, we decided to produce a DVD," Spanier said.

As the video appeared on the dual projector screens, orchestral strings swelled and slow-panning images of Penn State's hallmark buildings and locations greeted the viewer, signaling a marked change in the way the State of the University address would be presented from now on.

The video then cut to Spanier in his office for his opening remarks, during which he noted that Penn State has performed more than $700 million worth of research in the past year, leading to "medical breakthroughs, improvements in national defense, safer food and a better understanding of the universe."

Afterward, Spanier pushed open the double doors of Old Main to reveal brilliant light pouring in from outside, as he told the viewer, "This year I want to show you the state of our university."

By showing the State of the University address, instead of simply talking about it, Spanier was able to profile numerous projects involving Penn State students, such as an urban renewal effort in Philadelphia and the filming of a documentary about a journey to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

In the speech, Spanier discussed the importance of the addition of the Dickinson School of Law and its impact on the University Park campus.

"Changes in the field of legal education made it necessary for Penn State to rethink the way we operated our law school," he said.

"The result is an unprecedented commitment to legal education."

Spanier also stressed the "high priority" he has placed on improving the physical environment on all Penn State campuses.

Over the past 10 years, the university has added more than 7.7 million square feet of new space to its campuses.

"I'm a firm believer that students are more productive, study better, socialize better and feel better in an environment that is attractive, inviting, well-maintained and technologically advanced," he said.

After referencing this year's 8,300-strong, record-sized freshman class, Spanier then chose to focus on the growing amount of debt that is facing students immediately upon graduation and said it is at an all-time high.

"With our state government able to contribute only 10 percent of Penn State's budget, private donations have been critical ... " he said, adding that 80 percent of undergraduate students at Penn State received financial assistance last year, totaling $538 million.

Lastly, the speech touched on the school's growth in distance education through their World Campus correspondence courses.

The program's importance was illustrated with a profile of a Penn State student who was the victim of a paralyzing fall, but was still able to earn a Penn State degree from home.