The Best Ideas

Welcome to 2023 – it’s a new year and it promises to be a different year. I’m hoping different in a good way. Higher education, and the world, has been significantly disrupted over the last few years – you know that better than most.  It’s been said that “we can’t solve today’s problems with yesterday’s thinking.” And I think that’s particularly true for where we are right now. We need to think differently.

These changes affect all we do – teaching, research, and service. The changes also impact our mission – student success, academic distinction, and employee success. How will we adjust to each of these? What will we do the same and what will we do differently? As your dean, I have ideas, but not all of the ideas. And who’s to say that they are even good ideas? We all have ideas and insights as well as preferences. Over the next few months, as we work through our strategic plan, we will actively engage in thoughtful discussions. We all have something to contribute to this discussion. Each of us will respectfully listen as well. Together we will uncover the ideas that are right for us.

But remember the words of Sue Grafton: 

“Ideas are easy. It’s the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the goats.” 

Our thoughtful conversations will surface ideas, and continued conversations will help us figure out next steps. But it will all come down to execution.  I am looking forward to hearing your ideas and what you think.  

YOU make a difference!

Remember: