December 1, 2005
The first 100 days: A message from the provost
Just over 100 days ago I arrived at the University of Washington as provost. So, this is a good time to report on what I’ve learned in this short period, and also on what President Emmert and I plan to do in the next 6 to 12 months.
I have met formally and informally with many different groups of faculty, staff, and students. I know that I still have touched only the tip of the iceberg, and I have many more people to meet and much more to learn. What I viewed as a wonderful place when I interviewed for the position of provost, I find even more so after spending some time here. I am deeply impressed with this university, and with the passion, loyalty, and deep commitment of those who work and study here.
As good as this place is, most of the people I have encountered know we can make it even better. I am thrilled to be in a position where I can help to sustain the good things that are going on here, and to pursue initiatives that will achieve positive change.
One of the tasks that President Emmert and I will pursue is the crafting of a vision statement for the University. This statement should be distinctive to the UW and should help us prioritize where we will put energy, time and resources in the future.
I believe there are at least six necessary elements of this vision statement:
- It should express the University’s commitment to excellence at every level;
- The vision statement must express our intention to intensify efforts at diversifying our community in its faculty, staff and students;
- It needs to state clearly that people are our most important asset and that the people who work here determine the values, character and quality of the institution;
- The statement must stress the value of active engagement both within the university community and especially among those from whom we seek support. We owe taxpayers a clear explanation of why they should support the UW, and why this support should be increased;
- No statement would be complete without acknowledging that education is at the core of what we do, and that the type of educational experiences we offer have the power to transform lives, not just within the confines of our campuses, but across the state, nation, and world;
- We should recognize that the UW is well-positioned to take on initiatives that are both complex and difficult and are of global significance. Working on what may seem like local issues, such as the sustainability of Puget Sound, has global implications.
- As we continue to craft a vision statement, President Emmert and I will be meeting widely with members of the community to seek your continued input and feedback.
But I will not be waiting for a final vision statement to start taking action. I have already started to initiate change by looking carefully at the organization of the Provost’s Office and have considered carefully how it can meet current and future needs. My thinking has been informed by the findings of the Leadership, Community and Values Initiative, which found that many people lack confidence and trust in how decisions are reached in central administration. People feel disconnected from central administration, which has engendered a lack of respect for the work we do.
These findings are not acceptable. I promise to improve the transparency of decisions that come from my office and to improve communication with all campus groups. I will have town meetings for faculty and staff at least twice a year and will meet periodically with students. In addition, all faculty councils now will report directly to me.
I have appointed Professor Ana Mari Cauce as executive vice provost, a position that allows her to act on my behalf where appropriate with the full authority of the office. With the two of us working collaboratively, we double our capacity to meet with members of the community and make key policy decisions.
Professor Mary Lidstrom recently has assumed the position of vice provost for research. In order to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of that office, I have allocated additional money to speed the implementation of electronic transfer and review of grant applications. Vice Provost Lidstrom also is developing plans to create two new Institutional Review Boards, whose purview will focus on research in the social sciences. Increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the Office for Research is not only important for the research endeavors of the faculty, but it will facilitate the research efforts of our graduates and undergraduates, allowing us to offer an educational experience that is rich and distinctive.
I am pleased to announce that Professor Susan Jeffords will assume the position of vice provost for global affairs. Formerly, this position was titled “international education,” but the new title reflects the expanded portfolio of the position to include not just education but research and industrial partnerships.
We have just advertised the position of associate vice provost for faculty advancement, working under Vice Provost and Vice President Rusty Barcelo. This individual will work with departments to help them recruit a diverse pool of talent for open positions and then continue working with those departments to help diverse faculty succeed at the UW. We can and must do a better job of achieving diversity at all levels of this institution, but it is not enough that we change hiring and recruitment — we also must work hard on retention. We plan in the future to announce similar programs for staff.
President Emmert and I recognize the importance of addressing the findings of the LCV survey with tangible and significant actions. The survey quite properly identified salaries as a major concern. President Emmert and I have allocated $2 million to deal with compression issues, but we know that this is just the beginning of what will be a multi-year process. We must convince the state to invest more in our human resources. Improving faculty and staff salaries is our highest priority.
The LCV survey showed that we need to better support leadership and mentoring among faculty and staff. We are forming a committee to develop plans for enhancing leadership development. We regard UW ADVANCE as a useful model for what can be accomplished with chairs and faculty, and will work in the coming year to examine how to adapt its success and extend its benefits more broadly. We also intend to use the career development framework created by the President’s Staff Forum to construct comparable plans for staff, both classified and professional.
The LCV survey showed that many individuals would like greater support from the University in achieving a satisfactory balance between home life and the pressures of work. This is one of the most challenging issues we face, and one with many facets. As a way to begin, I am working with Dean Pat Wasley to create a faculty position in the College of Education that focuses on early childhood education. It’s my hope and ambition that this will result in the establishment of a preschool and training facility that could serve hundreds of children. Such an effort will require a number of years and must rely heavily on private support to be successful, but it is one good way of matching our primary mission with the needs of our greatest institutional resource, our people.
Creating a greater sense of community means taking the time to celebrate ourselves. We are working with the Alumni Association to create one or more celebratory events for the UW community as part of Washington Weekend, April 27 to 29.
I am thrilled to be at the University of Washington. My personal commitment to integrity, inclusiveness and excellence will help me work with the wide-ranging and innovative community of scholars who characterize the University of Washington. I know that the resources provided by the state will never satisfy all our needs or help us achieve all our lofty ambitions. But I know that, working together, we can create an environment that is even more supportive of our commitment to excellence, engagement and transformation.
