Priorities
Together with the faculty and staff of ÌÒñ«ÉçÇø, I am committed to implementing our new strategic plan, ÌÒñ«ÉçÇø Forward, which was developed through the 2020–2021 academic year and formally endorsed by our Board of Trustees in June 2021. My personal priorities include:
- College Access
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Student Success
- Career Readiness
- Student Mental Health and Wellbeing
College Access
Ensuring college access for students from all backgrounds. This includes ongoing outreach to students from underrepresented communities, working with partners to build pathways to college especially for first-generation students, and providing resources that help students who aspire to a ÌÒñ«ÉçÇø education have access to one.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion. I’ve long been a passionate advocate for diversity, leading the legal effort when I was general counsel at the University of Michigan that resulted in the Supreme Court decision recognizing student body diversity as a compelling state interest. At ÌÒñ«ÉçÇø, we have a proudly diverse student body, and in our new strategic plan we committed to becoming an anti-racist institution. I launched a Presidential Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion to make recommendations on improving our procedures and practices, and we know there is more work to be done.
Student Success
Driving student success for all students at ÌÒñ«ÉçÇø by providing the support needed to succeed in their studies and stay engaged and on track toward graduation. Recent efforts to bolster advising, increase tutoring and other learning supports, and simplify student processes are yielding improved retention and graduation rates at ÌÒñ«ÉçÇø.
Career Readiness
Building career readiness in our students and graduates. ÌÒñ«ÉçÇø has a long tradition of combining academic instruction with real-world experience. Today, we call that model the ÌÒñ«ÉçÇø Path, and it yields remarkable results. For our 2021 graduates, about 95 percent were employed, in service, or continuing their education at six months after graduation—well above national averages.
Student Mental Health and Wellbeing
Advancing student mental health and wellbeing. Even before the pandemic, America’s college students were struggling with depression, anxiety, and other challenges. The last few years have only made things tougher. At ÌÒñ«ÉçÇø, we created the position of chief wellness officer to help us expand a culture of wellbeing, and we’re providing the counseling resources needed to help our students to thrive.