Fellow Bears,
I have made it a point to reach out to as many of you as possible over the last few weeks to understand how our campus community is interpreting the many layers of organizational work now underway at UNC. These efforts are complex and multi-dimensional, and occurring amid all of the important daily activities that keep us busy and engaged.
Your input has reaffirmed what I have sensed since arriving in Greeley 20 months ago: a genuine collective commitment to our mission and a strong desire to effectively support our students, our community, and each other.
Many important things have been happening, much of it concurrently: creating a ten-year strategic vision; addressing persistent financial challenges; and working to more effectively recruit, retain and serve our amazing, hard-working students. And while we have intentionally tried to take on these initiatives as inclusively and openly as possible, it is clear from your input that we can—and should—communicate more clearly and more often.
Some of you are saying it isn’t entirely clear why UNC needs to adopt a different administrative service model; others want to better understand how doing so can help us better serve our students. And there is understandable concern about how upcoming changes will impact some of our colleagues, including anticipated layoffs.
These concerns, as well as a general appetite for operational clarity and some confusion about exactly where we are headed, are wholly understandable. During what will be a time of continuing change, consistent and persistent communication is more important than ever.
Accordingly, I have decided to begin sharing weekly campus updates every Friday. These updates will touch on various aspects of the strategic work we are doing to strengthen UNC. Some will be contextual, responding to your questions and input; others will provide operational updates and complement other communications like those provided this week by other campus leaders.
Because I know your time is valuable, I will share some updates—including today’s— via short videos; others will be sent via email. I will try to use these updates to address questions of broadest interest.
This week’s update addresses two things I believe interest many of you: why UNC is rethinking how it serves students, and what benefits these changes can bring. I invite your feedback and comments!
Rowing, Not Drifting,
Andy Feinstein
President
