Dear Raider Family,
As I shared in Tuesday’s message, we are tasked with creating a plan between now and June 15 to help us weather the headwinds and challenges that are reverberating across the state and federal higher education landscape. We know that we need to adjust our overall budget picture by approximately $20 million annually. That will create the framework that breaks the cycle of crisis that we’ve endured for far too long. We heard from our campus loud and clear that this is our last chance to do this, and we must do it right.
We are in the process of setting up two Workshop Groups (one focusing on our future Academic Portfolio, and one on our future Administrative Footprint) whose members will be rolling up their sleeves over the next few weeks to explore creative solutions. Ultimately, I want these groups to present alternative frameworks for me to consider, before I make final recommendations to our Board of Trustees, who will consider taking action on the SOU Vitality Plan on June 18.
If you are interested in joining one of these two workgroups (you must identify a preference for one or the other), we ask that you:
- Commit to six to nine hours of morning workshop time (9 a.m. to noon) on May 18 and 20 for the Administrative Footprint Group, and May 19, 21 and 26 for the Academic Portfolio Group;
- Come to the workgroup in a truly selfless mindset, focused on the well-being of the university above the interests of any specific program or individual;
- Be open-minded and willing to think beyond traditional frameworks; and
- Be willing to engage in heavy and difficult conversations that may affect the livelihoods of people we love and care about.
The goal of these groups, as one of our colleagues put it, is “to channel the broadest possible funnel for good ideas.” While these groups are advisory in nature, I will give serious consideration to their proposals, as with all of the constructive ideas that come in. If you are interested in serving on one of these workgroups, please fill out the interest form located at the following link HERE. This form will close at 1 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, May 15. We hope to have group members identified by tomorrow afternoon so that they can start planning their schedules accordingly.
We know that we will likely have far more interest than available seats on these workgroups so we have developed an alternative avenue for ideas and recommendations from people who can’t afford the time requirement, or who are interested but unable to attend because of space limitations. We have created a new form for sharing all ideas, recommendations and proposals HERE.
And please allow me to repeat my earlier request: the feedback tool should not just be a place to vent frustrations, or solely to stress the importance of a particular program or activity at the university. I am ALWAYS open to that feedback, and I understand the importance of giving that space, but what we truly need now are ACTIONABLE and IMPLEMENTABLE ideas that meet our financial goals and offer viable alternatives to the recommendations in the Option Path.
We need to come out of this transformation not just fiscally balanced, but better. We CAN do this, everyone. Thanks for all you do, and let’s get to it.
Very respectfully,
