It’s that time of year! We are in the midst of welcoming over 40,000 undergraduate students to campus this year, some for the first time, many as returners. Thank you to everyone who is helping with the various events connected to Welcome to State! I know moving in students, staffing a resource fair, and/or helping with Sparticipation can be a lot on top of your everyday job, but the energy and support you bring to those events helps our students see what Spartan nation is all about.
While most of our work doesn’t slow down in the summer in the way those who don’t work in higher education think it does, there is a different energy and pace to the summer. It’s a quieter, slightly slower pace. And though I enjoy it, I always get excited this time of year as the campus starts buzzing with students again. It’s a time of excitement, energy, and lots of traffic! But also nervousness, the unknown, and worry. As I walked on campus today, I stopped to help a parent and child find their way and their excitement and nervousness was palpable. It made me reflect on change and how we can best support folks through it.
As I begin my role as interim vice provost and dean for Undergraduate Education, I am well aware of the change that brings. We have transitioned from a long-standing leader, to an interim leader, and will transition again to a new permanent leader in the spring. It may be causing worry or anxiety for some, so I want to share with the larger community what I shared with the Office of Undergraduate Education team:
- Continued Progress with Limited Change: We will keep things moving and ensure continued success but keep changes to a minimum. We may tweak a few things for efficiency or implement some already planned edits, but we won’t be taking on massive changes to our systems and structures. At the same time, there is work that needs to be done, and we will ensure that work continues with limited interruption.
- Only Essential Additional Work: I recognize everyone is already tired with full plates. I commit to not adding additional work or starting new initiatives that can wait until the new VPUE starts. We will critically think about each initiative and whether it needs to start in the fall or can wait until later.
- Listening, Supporting, Encouraging, Empowering: I will work to listen to folks all across campus to understand what was/is working and what can be improved. I will work to support progress in improving what needs to be improved and encouraging continuation of what is working well. I will work to empower staff to meet their goals and support them accordingly.
- Building and Enhancing Relationships for a One Team Focus: I will work to build out the relationships we have and enhance the many wonderful relationships we have already built. We will continue to work in alignment with the colleges, Enrollment Services, Residential and Hospitality Services, Student Affairs, University Health and Well-Being, and our other partners to ensure a campuswide vision for student success.
- Setting Up the Next VPUE for Success: Most importantly, we will spend the next few months preparing for the new VPUE to arrive and ensuring a smooth transition and onboarding for them.
I hope you all keep me to these commitments during the interim period, and if there are other things you think I need to be mindful of, please don’t hesitate to reach out!