Dear Executive Officers,
Thank you for your leadership during the past couple of weeks. This is an unprecedented situation. We recognize that we have asked you to assume enormous responsibilities. Your actions to keep the University moving forward at this time are critical to the success of our mission.
As you know, our top priority at this moment is the health and safety of our community. Our second priority has been to ensure continuity of instruction and research. As we transition into this temporary phase of remote working, we want to remind you of the importance of providing support to our faculty members, especially our pre-tenure faculty members, and to your staff.
Faculty will be concerned about what this crisis means for their progress and development. You can remind them that the campus has a robust policy for tenure rollbacks. And that Faculty Staff Assistance Services remains open for virtual consults. Beyond campus policies, your colleagues will have questions about their professional trajectory. These questions become more urgent because faculty members are isolated from one another. We encourage you to connect with individual faculty members via phone or Skype. Reach out to them; find out what is on their minds; listen to their concerns; help them navigate the situation. Even if you don’t have all the answers, you can reassure them, particularly junior and mid-career faculty colleagues, about our collective commitment to their careers. In short, mentoring matters now more than ever. Express your support and appreciation for each of your colleagues by taking the time to talk with them. Your personal interaction with your faculty members will be especially valued.
For staff, you can never say “thank you” enough for their efforts in this transition. Take a moment to inquire after their well-being. Remind them that Faculty Staff Assistance is still available. As with your faculty colleagues, staff will have questions and concerns about how the crisis affects their own professional and personal situations. Acknowledge the difficulties of working in the current moment. Let them know how much you value their contributions to your unit, both with a personal word of thanks as well as a unit-wide e-mail statement that celebrates their hard work.
Our people are our greatest asset in this moment. Your continued investment in the personal and professional well-being of your faculty and staff is vital to achieving the University’s mission. By listening to your faculty and staff, providing reassurance and guidance to them, and recognizing their accomplishments, you will help guarantee the long-term success of your unit and the University.
Sincerely,
Andreas C. Cangellaris
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost