Dear colleagues,
This week marked the first Coffee and Conversation. I enjoyed meeting new folks on the team and learned about their work, concerns, and hopes for the future. We spent some time talking about sustainability and how we are positioning ourselves to meet the goals we have laid out. We have a lot of work to do in this area, and I look forward to developing a plan that helps us ensure we are successful. We also talked a bit about our research accounting office and the critical nature of the work they do to support both our current research enterprise and to position us to achieve the robust research growth that we are embarking on as a campus. I know many of you have seen turnover and probably have vacancies still in your areas. We will be taking steps in the coming months to understand our compensation as it relates to the market and work to fill vacancies quickly. I look forward to our next discussion next week on September 28. Please do join us and if your schedule does not allow it, please use the feedback forms below to share your thoughts.
Speaking of celebrations, it’s hard to believe that we’re less than a month away from the inauguration of President DesRoches. I know that so many of you are working diligently to make this monumental occasion a success for the university. I want you to know that your efforts are recognized. I hope you can enjoy the events, whether it be the staff luncheon or the campus-wide investiture ceremony. Our dedicated grounds team is working tirelessly to ensure the campus grounds are in the best shape ever – including dutifully working on the lawn of Founders Court to replace the sod (picture shown below). More information about the events for Inauguration weekend is available at this web link: https://inauguration.rice.edu/.
Finally, I am celebrating hosting my first Administrators’ Forum! What a great opportunity to host folks from all over campus to hear about exciting programs we’re all able to participate in. If you missed the forum, the presentations and recorded zoom video are all available at this website: https://adminforum.rice.edu/admin-forum-presentations. The information presented reiterates the incredible opportunities we all have access to on campus. The Staff Council told the group they are hosting community hangout sessions. More details on those sessions can be found on this website: https://staffcouncil.rice.edu/upcoming-events. These hangout sessions are an excellent way for you to meet the people on Staff Council and to share your thoughts and opinions about what’s happening on campus. I’m looking forward to attending a session myself.
My attention in the coming weeks is on our newly formed Finance and Administration team and creating the structure that will enable us to deliver our services effectively. I will continue to build on the solid foundation set when Finance and Administration were separate organizations, and our goal will be to ensure our new team is well-aligned and positioned to meet the needs and goals of the university. I am working closely with the leadership team to adjust and create symmetry within departments where resources can be shared.
Fall is upon us, and hopefully, cooler weather is coming soon. Please take time this weekend to enjoy this change of season and perhaps some football with your family and friends.
Sincerely,
Kelly Fox Vice President for Finance and Administration