The Chancellor’s “Fast Five” update provides the campus community a behind-the-scenes glimpse into some of the projects and priorities that occupy the chancellor’s time and attention.
“Here we are slogging through another week. I must be having loads of fun, because time is really flying these days,” writes Chancellor Dubois.
1. I've been spending a good bit of time over the last few weeks, with more to come in the next few weeks, participating in interviews as we seek to fill several key administrative positions in the University, including the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, the Director of Internal Audit, and the Executive Director of Alumni Affairs. Watch for several new faces on campus in the coming months. The candidates I've met thus far are impressive, and I am encouraged to think of what they can bring to the table here at UNC Charlotte.
2. Earlier this week, my Cabinet and a large cast of University staff members participated in an emergency preparedness exercise. This is something that we do periodically just to make sure we are ready for the unexpected and to identify any weaknesses that need to be addressed. Our philosophy is to plan for the best but prepare for the worst. And as we have seen over and over again in the news, you don't want to wait until "the worst" happens to figure out if you're ready for it!
3. I look forward to hosting Marcus Jones, the new city manager of Charlotte, for lunch and a campus tour this week. I'm thankful for great relationships with city leaders in Charlotte who are always eager to partner with the University to make exciting things happen. We will use our time with Mr. Jones to highlight the important partnerships we have had on light rail, the campus shuttle system and improvements to the campus' roadways.
4. This week brings another opportunity to spend a day in Chapel Hill with UNC president Margaret Spellings and my fellow chancellors at the other UNC system universities. These meetings provide great insight into what is happening across the state with regard to higher education, particularly as the 2017 budget session has begun in the General Assembly. Undoubtedly, we will also be discussing implementation of the new system strategic plan approved last month by the UNC Board of Governors.
5. Finally, we continue to monitor national developments as they affect two very important constituency groups within the University community -- international students and faculty from the seven nations identified in President Trump's executive order issued in January and domestic undocumented Latino/Hispanic students who are currently enrolled in UNC Charlotte. As events warrant additional communications to the campus community, those will be forthcoming.