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UM-Flint Campus News from the Desk of Chancellor
Ruth J.
Person
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Every August
while growing up in Maryland, my Mom would organize (or try
to) my brother and me for the upcoming school year. We would
shop for new clothes, supplies and other necessities, clean up
our rooms, and get our schedules for outside activities,
medical appointments and the like all organized. In
retrospect, it appears that I have been "going back to school"
every year since kindergarten, and this year is no
exception!
The list of "what to
organize" is a long one! Of utmost importance is our Higher
Learning Commission visit in October. We will initiate a new
strategic planning process, as well as a search for our new
Provost (and continue to search for the right director for our
development program.) Our two new deans will be in place and
we will begin work on their respective agendas. Several new
academic programs will be initiated. Our new Veterans Center
will open, as will our Student Organizations Center. We will
initiate a more in-depth examination of our club sports
programs and its potential, as well as a more in-depth look at
future campus space needs. Our admissions and alumni directors
will be joining me "on the road" to engage more of our alumni
in the recruiting, "meeting and greeting"
process.
All in all, it will be a busy
Fall, so put on your track shoes! We have much to do together
make the Michigan Difference.
Go Blue!
Ruth
J. Person
Chancellor
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*COMPETE*
On August 7, our
student services division will be holding an off-campus
retreat to focus on goal-setting and future agendas. Why
mention this event under "compete"? I believe that our
student affairs colleagues want to be the best of the best.
When you're the "best of the best," that means that you compete not so much with
others in your "industry," whatever that may be, but rather
with yourself. So I am very much looking forward to meeting
with colleagues to start the day by discussing what the
absolute best student services for a campus like ours, as we
transition to a much greater living/learning profile, would
look like. What are the best practices elsewhere? What can we
stretch ourselves to attain? And most importantly, how can all
of us, as members of the campus family, offer the "best ever"
student experience. It will be a great
day!
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*CONVENE*
This month,
we convene our
incoming students for the last orientation sessions before
they actually begin attending opening events in the days
leading up to the start of classes in September. Our campus
hosts 26 orientation sessions for new freshman as well as
numerous transfer, veteran, and international student
sessions. My original goal was to attend some part of every
session (what was I thinking?) but a few things like Regents
meetings and other "must do" assignments got in the way.
Still, I'd venture to say I was able to attend at least
half of the sessions,
which gave me an opportunity to greet new students and, often,
their parents. Our orientation staff works very hard to ensure
that these sessions are meaningful to our new students as they
transition to us. As I look out over the audience, I am
reminded that these students represent the next generation of
"leaders and best." Our future is in their
hands.
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*CONNECT*
Our campus has
over 28,000 alumni, most of whom live in Michigan. Through the
good work of our admissions and alumni directors, we recently
contacted all of our alumni by mail to ask for their
assistance in recruiting new students. We have responses! So
on August 15th, our admissions office will have its first
training program for alumni so that they can prepare to help
us in their home communities. What a great way to connect grads with future
grads! I look forward to greeting our first volunteers on
August 15th.
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Upcoming
Events
August
7 -
SSEM
Retreat
August
8 -
Bay
City Outreach program
August
13 -
I
get to open the NYSE!
August
14 -
Back
to the Bricks donor event
August
15-
Alumni
Training program
August
18-
Chamber
Lunch
August
19 -
DOW
Visit
August
19 -
Student
Orientation
August
26 -
Veterans
Center opens
August
26 -
Hurley
Board of Manager
August
27 -
Orientation
Staff Picnic
August
27 -
Doctoral
program in Nursing
celebration
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Thank you for reading
"BlueNotes!"
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