| VIEW IN BROWSER |
| Staff Newsletter | June 2025 |
Dear colleagues,
By now, you have read the June 10 financial update from President Michael Schill, Provost Kathleen Hagerty and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Amanda Distel, along with follow-up emails (June 12 and June 24) from Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Lorraine Goffe that addressed benefits changes. The difficult decision to implement these measures was made to help secure the University’s long-term future, but that doesn’t make the situation any less challenging for our community.
Provost Hagerty and I have heard from many of you, and we recognize the unsettling nature of these developments, especially as we confront unprecedented challenges and uncertainty across the higher education landscape. We will communicate more details about the impacts on the Office of the Provost as we are able.
Office of the Provost staff have been remarkably resilient during a difficult time, and we are grateful for the dedication and professionalism you have brought to your work, along with the support you have shown your colleagues. Even in this challenging moment, I hope you continue to take pride in the fact that our work in the Office of the Provost makes a great impact at Northwestern on a daily basis, and that Northwestern in turn makes a tremendous impact on the world.
Please remember to take care of yourselves and one another. The Employee Assistance Program is available to support your well-being, and I encourage you to make use of it as needed.
Thank you again for all that you do, for your unique talents and your commitment to Northwestern.
Sincerely,
Jake Julia |
All about the staff |
Meet Christina Smith Christina Smith joined Northwestern in 2016 as the Administrative Assistant in Student Enrichment Services in the Division of Student Affairs. She has been in her current role of Assistant Director of FGLI Initiatives in the Office of the Provost since February 2025. Her main focus is to facilitate strategies and policies that help first-generation and lower-income undergraduates thrive at Northwestern.
How did you come to work in higher education, and what was your path to Northwestern?
I learned about higher education during my undergraduate years at Loyola University Chicago. I joined the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program for two years and knew this was the path I wanted to take. I studied Black World Studies and was drawn to higher education because I wanted to improve the college experience for Black students and FGLI students like me.
What do you most enjoy about working for Northwestern?
I enjoy the people I have met at Northwestern. I have learned so much from watching the work others do and have been able to engage in numerous professional development opportunities with or conducted by those people. Northwestern speaks to the learner in me and there is so much to soak up from the people who work here.
What is something fun or interesting about you that people may not know?
I’m the oldest of a set of fraternal twins, I’m six feet tall, and I love reading novels and watching movies and TV. This year, I started an Instagram account where I rate and review movies, books and TV shows. Additionally, I am from the South Side of Chicago, and I carry that community with me everywhere I go.
Brag about your teammates! We feature one staff member in each newsletter. Nominate someone by emailing the Office of the Provost and telling us, in a sentence or two, how your colleague contributes to Northwestern’s mission and why everyone in the Office of the Provost should get to know them.
Staff who joined the Office of the Provost in May
Financial Aid
|
News, notes and need to know |
Office of the Provost Peer Benchmarking Workshop The Strategy and Policy team will lead a cross-functional, in-person discussion about how peer benchmarking can inform strategies and decision-making on July 29 from 9:30-11 a.m. at 1800 Sherman, Room 3029, in Evanston. The session will explore methods for conducting and deriving meaningful insights from data. Snacks will be provided. Register online. Space is limited.
Performance Excellence timeline Northwestern’s Performance Excellence supports individual development and helps teams, departments and the University become stronger and more effective. Here is the timeline for this academic year's process.
Mandated Reporter Training On June 9, the University Compliance Office sent an email indicating that, per Illinois regulation, all University employees are mandated reporters and required to complete mandated reporter training every three years. Shortly afterward, myHR Learn sent a link to the training to those who have not completed it within the past three years. The 40- to 45-minute course must be completed within 90 days from the initial email (but it does not need to be completed in one sitting). More information can be found on the Youth on Campus website and in the mandated reporter training FAQs. If you are looking for resources regarding reporting obligations, please see the mandated reporter resources. For any other questions, please contact minors@northwestern.edu.
Office of the Provost temporary move Starting this week through the end of October, Office of the Provost team members who work in the West Tower of Rebecca Crown will be located in either the East Tower of Rebecca Crown or at 619 Clark Ave. If you need to visit a team member in person or need to direct others to these locations, please consider making arrangements in advance as building access may be limited.
In case you missed it
|
Mark your calendar |
Event highlights
Key dates
More resources Help us build future newsletters! If your unit is working on a project that is relevant to the entire Office of the Provost, or if you have awards, honors or accomplishments to share, send an email to officeoftheprovost@northwestern.edu. |
|
Learn more about the Office of the Provost |
