August 20, 2002
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the beginning of our new academic year, and to what is in many ways a "new" University of Louisiana at Monroe! Thanks to the very hard work that you, our faculty and staff, have done over the past five months, the mood has changed on this campus as surely as its physical appearance. Together, we have done much; together, we will do even more.
I especially want to welcome those of you who are new to ULM. In the short time that I have been here, I have learned firsthand that this University has within it some of the finest faculty and staff professionals to be found anywhere. This group has rededicated itself to putting students first, to redefining who we are and where we are going, and to working together in the best interests of the University as a whole. I encourage you to become a part of this new spirit on the bayou, and to work with us to help ULM fully realize its potential.
Under Interim Provost Richters' leadership, we will begin the process of recreating and refocusing the University's academic infrastructure by using faculty and staff expertise to address specific issues facing the University. Two very crucial committees, which will have a significant impact on ULM academics, have already been appointed and have begun meeting. The University Core Curriculum Committee, chaired by Dr. Christopher Blackburn, has been charged with broadening our undergraduate education by designing a new and innovative university-wide core curriculum. The Academic Planning Committee, chaired by Provost Richters, has been charged with re-establishing the balance between the fiscal and the academic sides of this university by reconfiguring our academic program offerings.
Many of our standing committees will continue their work, while other faculty committees will be appointed to modify the University tenure and promotion process, to develop and implement a post tenure review focused on development, to determine the level of budgetary support needed by academic departments in order to adequately support each of its faculty members' classroom and professional development needs, to develop a coherent University policy both for faculty workloads and reductions, and to rewrite the faculty handbook. We also hope to address long-standing problems by developing a coherent strategic technology plan for the University, to streamline the University web page and to develop policy to monitor its contents. Your deans and department heads will soon be asked for input on committee assignments for this year. Please contact them and tell them of your interest in reshaping our University - there is so much to be done.
I have come to appreciate Provost Richters' exceptional ability to handle complex issues with diplomacy and compromise, and know that this talent will serve all of us during the coming months as we work together to develop a master plan for academics. I also wish to thank the leadership within our Colleges as they have come together to help merge several Colleges to attain greater organizational efficiency. Their cooperative spirit has made a difficult task much easier for everyone.
If you have not yet met Dr. Wayne Brumfield, Vice President for Student Affairs, you will be meeting him soon. VP Brumfield has put in place an aggressive action plan for revitalizing Student Affairs in three crucial areas: Enrollment Services and Recruitment, Freshman Orientation, and Student Life Activities. Specifically, he is adding counselors and expanding our staff of recruiters, organizing alumni student recruiting throughout Louisiana, instituting best practices in the Freshman orientation program, and finding new and exciting ways for our students to become active agents for change here on our campus (initiating an Adopt-A-Space program for student groups and organizations, creating a student division of "Reclaiming Our Campus" volunteer clean-up/fix-up, etc.). One of Dr. Brumfield's first new employees was Lisa Miller, former counselor at West Monroe High School. She is making an immediate and dramatic impact on our recruiting efforts. Student Affairs is clearly leading the "students first" initiative.
Many of you will have the opportunity very soon, if you haven't already, to begin working with Dr. Nick Bruno, Associate VP for Business Affairs. He will be assisting VP Turner in all areas of business operations, and will be specifically handling all of the issues surrounding the business operations of the University. Initially Dr. Bruno is charged with maintaining and improving our campus appearance and operations. Nick comes to us with a wealth of experience in privatized housing and auxiliary operations, an area that we desperately need to improve. We welcome his expertise in these critical areas, and look forward to working with him.
Throughout the past five months, you have provided us with good ideas, suggestions, and constructive views that have helped us make good, informed decisions. I have met weekly with groups of faculty and, just recently, with staff to listen and talk with you about issues of concern that you would like me to address. I intend to continue that practice in the months to come, and invite you to participate. In addition, we have also started a weekly radio program on KEDM where we are addressing current campus issues. If you miss any of these broadcasts, they are archived on the radio's website. I also will continue to use the "Dear Colleague" process I started when I arrived. You will find all of those letters on the ULM Web site including the FY 2002-2003 Budget. Please visit that Web site often.
Again welcome back, we missed you this summer and are truly happy to have you at ULM. The campus is alive again, and I expect that this will be an exciting and challenging year. I am reminded as I have been contemplating the start of the year that no one person, nor single administrator, can solve all of our problems. Instead, all of us must work together to discover the questions, find the answers, and bring ULM back to the position it deserves. With your help, we can do this.
Let's look forward to an outstanding year.
James E. Cofer, Sr.
ULM President