Hello team!
Today marks the end of my third week at Rice, and I truly have begun to feel more at home not only in my office space but on our beautiful campus and engaging in more conversations with you all. I continue to be grateful to you all for making me feel welcome and a part of the team.
This week has been hurried and busy, not only because of the holiday on Monday but because I have been swamped preparing for my first board meeting. I am in awe of the amount of work and effort you all contribute towards this vital information and decision-making sessions for our Board Members. The work you all have shared with me this week has helped me learn much more about what you all do that contributes to our team's and the university's success.
I have spent some time with several of you exploring campus and discovered many of the beautiful architectural features that make Rice unique. Susann Glenn pointed out the frog wall on Anderson Hall that pays homage to the frogs displaced by the building construction in 1947. One cannot help but smile when running your finger along the wall creating the sounds of frogs from long ago. Earlier this week, Mark Ditman shared an incredible photo of the new solar panel array recently installed on the Rice Village Apartments (shown below). These are both excellent examples of the way our university's commitment to nature and sustainability has evolved over the many decades.
In my last email, I mentioned that I have set up some opportunities for us to meet in a small, casual setting to talk about what's working well, what you need to be successful, and the opportunities you see for improvement. Coffee and Conversation begins on Monday, September 19, and there will be three subsequent sessions - more may be added if needed. Each conversation will be a listening opportunity for me as you are all the experts in your areas and truly know what's required. I expect these conversations will help us learn more about one another and how we can work together to impact positive change within our group.
To sign up for a session, visit this site: https://fa.rice.edu/coffee-and-conversation. You will need to RSVP to attend a session. Once you're signed up, please take a minute to complete a brief survey of what you believe is working within our group, what needs some attention, and what your aspirations are for helping our department support one another and the university in its mission of teaching and research. The survey is available in English and Spanish. This survey information will help me prepare for our meetings together and come ready to listen and discuss your ideas.
If you're unable to meet in one of these sessions and you'd like to provide feedback about our group to me, please use one of the forms below to share that information:
I want to hear from all of you. Your opinions and perspectives are valuable to me, and your daily work is invaluable to our campus.
All my best,
Kelly Fox Vice President for Finance and Administration