Dear colleagues,
This is a special edition of the Office of the Provost faculty newsletter for two reasons.
President-elect Rebecca Blank
First, we celebrate the naming of Northwestern’s next president, Rebecca Blank, an accomplished leader and scholar who will become the first woman to serve in the role. I am thrilled by her appointment and look forward to working with President-elect Blank on the institution’s transition to its 17th president. Please join me in congratulating President-elect Blank and welcoming her back to Northwestern.
Enhanced communications with faculty
Second, this newsletter shares the details of a new plan for how we communicate our supports and resources to faculty. Over the past year, through the COVID-19 impact survey, focus groups and personal anecdotes, we have heard a consistent request from the faculty for enhanced communication with the Office of the Provost. Faculty members want not only timely news and information about personal and professional resources that are relevant to their unique roles at Northwestern, but also more opportunities to ask questions and provide feedback.
We share the desire to solidify two-way communication across multiple platforms and venues, particularly as we settle back into life on a bustling campus. To further our information-sharing goals, here are some of the actions we will take this year to enhance the dialogue:
- Beginning with this newsletter, the Office of the Provost faculty newsletter will increase in frequency from quarterly to monthly, with an emphasis on the news, resources, events and deadlines that are meaningful to faculty.
- We have created a central Faculty Resources email, faculty@northwestern.edu, that is monitored by the Associate Provost for Faculty team. Please use this email address for inquiries about personal and professional resources, and someone from the Office of the Provost will respond promptly.
- We are working with the Office of Global Marketing and Communications to upgrade the Office of the Provost website with improved navigation and timely content. We expect to roll out the new look in the next few months.
- We will join at least one faculty meeting in each school during the academic year to provide updates that are relevant to the school as well as seek input and answer your questions.
- We will schedule quarterly webinar events for faculty, during which Office of the Provost leaders will provide updates on topics that are highly relevant to faculty and take questions.
It’s important that we have a shared understanding of Northwestern’s goals, policies, processes, challenges and opportunities. Through the academic year, and with the input of faculty, we will gauge the effectiveness of these communications strategies and make changes where necessary.
We wish you success this fall and look forward to seeing you and hearing more from you.
Thank you,
Kathleen Hagerty Provost and Professor
Sumit Dhar Associate Provost for Faculty |