The Hol(y)days are over, the Strategic Plan is here

For those of us celebrating Passover and/or Easter the hol(y)days are over. And for that I'm grateful. Between the chocolate covered matzoh and the marzipan Easter eggs I am in big trouble, foodwise. I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays.

I love these two holidays because they remind me each year that Spring does come, that renewal is possible and in fact, often inevitable. As small groups of us are meeting to decide if/how/when to restructure our school reminders of renewal and new growth are welcome.

We are coming to the end of open houses and preview weekends. Our undergraduate enrollment numbers are not as strong as we need them to be; we need everyone to do all that they can to support our recruitment efforts as we move through this next critical period.

Please make sure to attend an open meeting about the current draft of the University's Strategic Plan. There will be a meeting April 14, from 3:30-4:25 in Butcher Suite on the Pleasantville campus, another on April 20 from 12:20-1:15 in the Student Union on the NY campus, and the last one on April 24 from 12:20-1:15 in the VIP Room in the Goldstein Fitness Center on the Pleasantville campus.

I will also be holding Seidenberg School discussions as follows: on April 23, in Goldstein 100 on the Pleasantville campus, from 12:20-1:20, on April 28 at the Graduate Center in Room 204 from 3:30-4:30, and on May 5 at 163 William Street from 3:30-4:30.

I also encourage you to discuss the plan among yourselves. You can find the contents of the plan by logging on to your Pace portal.

This week I'm in NY on Monday and Thursday, at the Graduate Center on Tuesday morning and Friday, and on the Pleasantville campus Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday.

Mostly I'm working on the budget for fiscal year 2009-2010 and continuing to focus on restructuring meetings with faculty and staff.

We are now at the point in the semester where the time flies by. Faculty, you will be meeting with your department chairs (if you haven't already) to discuss your self-evaluations and your plans for next academic year. I thought I would have time to meet with each of you before the end of the semester but instead I'll schedule more leisurely meetings throughout the next academic year. Staff, you will be meeting with your supervisors shortly using the new performance form that was developed this year.

See you round campus or in cyberspace!