Excited
and humbled are the two words that best describe how I’m feeling my first day
on the job as UW-Eau Claire chancellor. As chancellor, my first “official” actions will
be to listen and learn from as many of you as possible. I want to understand
what makes UW-Eau Claire the exceptional institution it is today and hear your
ideas on how we can achieve our goal of becoming the premier undergraduate
institution in the Upper Midwest. If you happen to bump into me this month
walking the campus, you can expect me to ask you how we can most effectively
work together, as our mission statement says, to “foster in one another
creativity, critical insight, empathy, and intellectual courage, the hallmarks
of a transformative liberal education and the foundation for active citizenship
and lifelong inquiry.” I’ve already printed that mission statement on the back
of all my business cards.
My
summer will be devoted to getting to know the campus and greater Eau Claire
community. Today, I am talking to campus and student leaders, faculty,
local legislators, community officials, key alumni and foundation supporters,
and business leaders to begin building important personal relationships.
Tomorrow, I will be meeting with campus shared governance representatives.
Later this month, there will be a daylong retreat with the cabinet to establish
“Gold Arrow” goals for the coming year. I will also be taking tours of campus
and hope to have the opportunity to meet many of you personally.
I
also want you to know that I have been closely following the development and
enactment of the 2013-15 state budget, including the vetoes Governor Scott
Walker made when he signed the budget yesterday. One of those vetoes will
impact UW-Eau Claire directly and I will post a separate message here about
the budget.
Finally,
I want to thank Interim Chancellor Gilles Bousquet for paving the way for a
smooth transition. True to his word, Gilles was not a “place keeper” — he
championed a number of important initiatives to keep the positive momentum of
UW-Eau Claire moving forward. I am grateful for all he has done this past
year and for his thoughtful, gracious guidance. I know you join me in
wishing Gilles and Debby great success and happiness as they resume their life
together in Madison.
