Spring Semester 2005
To: Faculty and Staff
From: Stephen T. Hulbert, President
This message is being written on the eve of the reopening of the University and the beginning of classes for the Spring Semester 2005. I hope that each of you are rested and relaxed after the long mid-year break and have enjoyed the recent holidays.The Spring Semester Faculty Institute was a most productive event. The various presentations on planning, preparation for the SACS accreditation and academic advising demonstrated just how much activity has occurred over the fall months. I am particularly appreciative of the faculty, staff and broader community support for the planning effort.
While many of us were away between the Christmas and New Year holidays, private contractors supported by physical plant personnel were hard at work with classroom and related support service facility renovations. Powell Hall, Talbot Hall and the front areas of the Student Union were the recipients of more major work. Additionally, further work was completed on parking lots and road surfaces.
As I indicated at Faculty Institute, I appreciate the participation of upwards of 120 faculty and staff in the eight informal ?��Ǩ?�coffee?��Ǩ�� discussions that I held over the course of the fall semester. These candid, free flowing conversations were most instructive in helping me to better understand issues and concerns before the University. Another series of these ?��Ǩ?�coffee?��Ǩ�� discussions have been scheduled for the February and March months ahead.
From the comments by Laynie Pizzolatto, before the Institute, you are aware that much work lies ahead this semester to prepare for the 2006 SACS accreditation visit. Faculty and staff will be asked for information and support of this process. The timely response by all involved will be greatly appreciated and is central to the University?��Ǩ�Ѣs success during the SACS review.
In another area of accreditation, the College of Business Administration is now awaiting the arrival of the visiting team for its reaffirmation of accreditation by the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) February 27 ?��Ǩ��� March 2, 2005. The business faculty have completed an impressive self-study document and have every reason to be most confident in the forthcoming assessment.
The recent tragedy in Asia has prompted faculty members to e-mail me expressing hope that the University community will come together to provide formal support to the affected people. Representatives of Faculty Senate, the Student Government Association, the Classified Staff and the Unclassified Counsel will be working together to initiate such a fund raising initiative. While I know that many of us have already given to this cause, as the opportunity presents itself I hope each of us will consider contributing to this university community sponsored initiative.
Last fall I had the opportunity to be involved in teaching a class at the graduate level within the College of Education. While I very much enjoyed the student contact, teaching on such occasions only too clearly reminds me just how challenging and demanding the life of a faculty member truly is on a daily basis. Please know that I appreciate the hard work and dedication of faculty and staff alike. I wish each of you only the best over the spring semester ahead.