University of Toledo interim President Nagi Naganathan said he focused on both internal and external collaboration Wednesday in his first State of the University speech.

Though he avoided ambitious or detailed plans for UT in his speech, Mr. Naganathan said he had set modest goals for increasing enrollment and that the university would develop a comprehensive plan during this academic year to address handling accusations of sexual assault on campus.

Mr. Naganathan was named interim president in June, replacing Dr. Lloyd Jacobs, who had led the university since it’s merger in 2006 with the Medical College of Ohio. Mr. Naganathan has brought a collaborative approach since becoming president, meeting frequently with students and faculty to try to improve the on-campus climate.

“I firmly believe that while my title is interim, my responsibilities are not,” he said.

He emphasized a spirit of collective effort, making “together we can” the motto. For instance, he said he plans to meet with the faculty and staff of each of the university’s 16 colleges this semester.

Mr. Naganathan said he has set a goal to increase enrollment by 400 students next fall. While the hoped-for increase is modest, it would represent a turnaround in enrollment, which dropped from 23,085 in 2010 to 20,782 this year.

Mr. Naganathan also briefly discussed sexual assaults on campus and at universities across the country. The university has faced criticism in recent weeks over its lenient punishment in a case where a then-UT student reported she was raped by another student in her apartment last year.

Mr. Naganathan said there would be a full review of UT’s policies and said he would have a comprehensive plan by the end of the academic year that would include practices that exceed those recommended by the White House.

Much of his presentation was punctuated by videos showing testimonials from staff, students, and community leaders, telling their own stories about the university.

Joseph H. Zerbey IV, board of trustees chairman and The Blade’s president and general manager, said Mr. Naganathan was not a placeholder as interim president, but a “mover and shaker.”

“I would say the board feels validated in its selection,” of Mr. Naganathan, Mr. Zerbey said.

Mr. Naganathan said a prime example of collective action was how the university responded to Toledo’s algae-induced water crisis in early August. The university gathered scientists and public officials together soon after the crisis to discuss the problem and solutions, and helped form a task force with Bowling Green State University to tackle the issue.

“This is a great example of our people coming together,” he said.

Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins said Mr. Naganathan was “immediately engaged” during the water crisis, and said he appreciated how the university offered support and expert advice.

With a large number of faculty expected to retire soon because of impending changes to state pensions, Mr. Naganathan said UT expects to hire about 50 faculty members in the next year, and bringing in “world class” staff was a priority.

Contact Nolan Rosenkrans at: nrosenkrans@theblade.com or 419-724-6086, or on Twitter @NolanRosenkrans.

First Published October 30, 2014, 4:00 a.m.