Dear colleagues,
Fall is upon us, and we are now more than halfway through the semester. We continue to live in challenging times, so I especially want to thank you for all you are doing every day in support of our students and of our entire community.
I have had many conversations with colleagues and students about the rewards of teaching and working at UNC since I arrived in July. I also am learning about the work we still need to do in support of our students, faculty, and staff. Thank you for your willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue about how we can move forward together.
There is no question that we have challenges around enrollments, retention, and graduation rates. I am excited about the Students First Framework and am optimistic that the taskforces undergirding the framework will help us improve our recruitment, admissions, and retention strategies so we can better support all students.
One of the joys of working at UNC is taking advantage of the many concerts, performances, and other events on campus. Like you, I sorely missed the excitement and spontaneity of live performance and in-person events during the Covid-19 shutdown. I am making up for lost time now: I have enjoyed attending the Leo Tanguma exhibit in the Campus Commons, the exhibit on El Movimiento in the Mari Michener Gallery, The Flick, and various athletic events. I was also thrilled to learn that you can livestream the concerts held in the Campus Commons, which enabled me to virtually attend the symphony orchestra’s recent performance of Bach, Wagner, and Stravinsky.
Whether I see you at an upcoming event or meeting -- or simply walking across campus -- please do not hesitate to say hello and let me know how you are doing.
With gratitude,
Lisa
Lisa Vollendorf, Ph.D.
Interim Provost
