Friends,
I want to thank everyone who worked over the Thanksgiving holiday. While most of us get some time away, there are always people keeping us safe, caring for patients, maintaining the research facilities, and generally keeping the university and our partners afloat, so the rest of us can have a holiday.
Personally, there has always been a part of me that likes patient care over a holiday. The hospital is relatively quiet, your compatriots at work usually have the esprit de corps of neighbors after a blizzard, and there is a guilty pleasure to avoiding holiday travel. Still, it is a hardship to miss out on good time with family and friends, and I appreciate all of the people who made it possible for the rest of us to enjoy the break.
We returned from break to snow, and I have been accused of bringing winter with me from Michigan, since there have been two snow storms in my four weeks here. To be clear, I like the snow and cold, but I can assure you . I’ve noticed sunset comes early here, balanced by the morning light. I’ve spent nearly all of my life in Indiana and Michigan on the western edge of the Eastern Time Zone, which brings dark mornings but later light. It is nice to drive to work in the light on this side of the lake. I’m prepping for the sun to set at 4:22 p.m. on the Winter Solstice here at Î̃ÂëȺ½». We will keep the lights on.
Most of the focus in the president’s office this week and next is on the December meetings of the Board of Trustees and its committees. The committees of the board include:
Each of these committees has a university leader who provides the bulk of the data and reports for the committee. As an example, the academic committee does its work with the leadership of Interim Provost Jim Carlson, who will be presenting to the academic affairs committee on our early start program. I have had a one-to-one meeting with nearly all of the board members, and we have a great group of people on our board who are dedicated to this university, its people, and the good we do in the world.
The faculty and staff of the university have done great work to create the early start for so many of our programs. Beginning classes earlier in the summer will help us de-intensify the start of some programs. This helps all of our students but particularly non-traditional students and those who have been away from school for a while. With the changes from the reconciliation bill, this new system also provides financial flexibility for a core group of our students. I cannot overstate how impressive this effort has been. Our people saw where the puck was going to be before other institutions did, and then our colleges, staff, faculty, programs, and university systems were nimble and flexible enough to make the changes to benefit our students. I look forward to sharing with the board this remarkable work, which obviously precedes my time here.
Also this week, I have had the chance to see and meet some of our staff and faculty. First, I went to new employee orientation. I had the chance to meet new staff and faculty, and the orientation team did a great job going over policies and services. And, I can now find the interactive map!
Later in the week, I went to the Long-term Employee Brunch (a second breakfast), where we celebrated staff who have been with us for more than 20, 30, and 40 years. They had some great stories and clearly enjoyed being together. It was an elegant bookend to my new employee orientation at the start of the week.
I also dropped in on the holiday gathering of the Employee Resource Groups, which run as a partnership of Human Resources and the Division of Community and Campus Outreach. I appreciated sitting down for my first lunch of the day (it was more like ) with the staff and faculty working together to create a welcoming culture here at the university. Later in the week, I got a second breakfast at the Nexus for Faculty Success “Coffee-Cocoa-Connections.” I had a really good time at these events talking to people about the university and their work. And, I managed not to eat too much.
Each week, I have found a way to be with some students, and this week I attended a student council meeting - it was a dinner (before supper) meeting. I did not get a chance to talk to everyone there, but each time I meet our students, I am impressed by their energy and dedication to their studies and the impact they have in the world.
I did not design my week’s schedule to get so many extra meals, but it was so nice to meet staff, faculty, and students while breaking bread, or eating fruit, or drinking hot chocolate. So much of our impact comes from how we as a community work together. And last night, I had the pleasure of meeting with some of the community and philanthropic organizations that are our partners through support of our community work and educational programs. It was great to be in a room with so many people aligned to improve the lives of our neighbors, especially our neighbors here in Lake County. As we know, there is and will be much to do. We are a key economic and social partner in efforts to improve the lives of those around us through the direct care we provide, our discoveries, the opportunities we provide through education, the people we hire, and our outreach in the community. It has been energizing to see the synergy and alignment amongst the people of Rosalind Franklin and our community partners. It is in these collaborations that great interprofessional institutions like ours make the greatest difference for those in need.
Improving the health of all people with you,
Aron
Aron Sousa, MD
President