As I begin my third full week on the job, I want to thank everyone for the warm welcome and let you know a bit about how I'm focusing my time.
First, I have begun a series of meetings and visits to help me better understand the campus from as many perspectives as possible. Even after many years of teaching, research, and academic and administrative leadership at UC Santa Cruz, there are many people I haven't met and there is a lot I haven't yet seen.
My immersion began during move-in weekend. I toured much of the campus and met many, many students and their families, as well as many staff members who helped move thousands of students onto campus. I visited The Village for the first time and checked out the newly expanded residences at Porter College, where hundreds of new transfer students reside.
I have also begun meeting with academic department chairs, and I look forward to meeting with colleagues from across campus, including those who work in the Physical Plant shops and the Delaware offices that house much of University Relations and Information Technology Services.
The list is long, but I believe it's essential that I meet students, staff, and faculty to hear their concerns and get feedback on the current state of the campus. This process will illuminate areas in which we excel, and it will reveal areas that need attention.
Second, I've begun working with academic deans and vice provosts to further define what features make UC Santa Cruz distinctive. This work complements our strategic academic planning and ongoing efforts to strengthen UCSC's public image. Our goals are to identify those characteristics that are central to our identity and ask the critical question "Can we do better in these areas?" We will determine which issues we can address in the near term, and which will take longer, and then identify measures by which we will know if we are improving. We are also preparing to begin the budget process for 2011-12. I will keep you informed of our progress
Finally, I value input and invite you to be in touch. Please write to me at cpevc@ucsc.edu. I may not be able to respond to every message, but I promise to read each one.
And if you see me on campus or in the community, please stop and say hello.
Sincerely,
Alison Galloway
Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
