Friday focus: Planning and leadership communication in 2019
December 20, 2018
In January 2019, we will begin a weekly leadership column in the Friday edition of the Cornerstone newsletter. The columns will be written by me and members of my leadership team, and are a way to share important information with the campus community. Each university leader will use the column to talk about things happening in their areas, highlight people and accomplishments, talk about upcoming initiatives, and relay other timely and relevant information to you. My column will be on the last Friday of each month. I look forward to sharing more frequent updates with you and to receiving regular updates from other campus leaders.
In addition to the leadership columns, Cornerstone will begin containing regular updates on our strategic planning progress. The UAF strategic planning teams are underway, and will work through the spring semester to prepare five-year plans around our goals:
- Modernize the student experience
- Solidify our global leadership in Alaska Native and Indigenous programs
- Achieve Tier 1 Research status
- Transform UAF’s intellectual property development and commercialization enterprise
- Embrace and grow a culture of respect, diversity, inclusion and caring
- Revitalize key academic programs, from occupational endorsement to Ph.D.
Other planning processes, including strategic enrollment planning, accreditation planning, and campus master planning are also underway, so you will receive regular Cornerstone updates on those as well.
Congratulations to the many faculty and staff who participated in the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Thank you for representing UAF and our great research on one of the world’s most important stages for disseminating cutting-edge science.
I would also like to use this opportunity to thank those of you who came to the Chancellor’s Holiday Gathering last week, and to extend my gratitude to the staff at Chartwells, University Relations, the Wood Center and my office who worked hard to make the event enjoyable for our community.
I invite those of you in Fairbanks to attend the annual New Year’s Eve Sparktacular event on Dec. 31 and to have a cup of hot cocoa with me before the fireworks at the UA Museum of the North.
Whatever your plans, I hope you have an enjoyable and restful holiday break.
— Chancellor White