Dear Colleagues:
We write to update you on the initial work of the Presidential Commission for Innovation and Change (the Commission). As stated in President Belton’s email to the campus from September 12th, the Commission has been established in order to support the bold innovation and meaningful, disruptive change required for Pacific Lutheran University to thrive. The Commission is charged to source, develop, and bring new ideas forward, make recommendations to the President and Provost, and assist in the coordination and implementation of approved concepts that result in revenue generation and/or expense savings.
To enable the thriving community our President envisions, our commission’s goal is to develop ideas and priorities that position PLU for long-term financial health to deliver our mission.
These are commitments that will guide our process and work:
- Be authentic to Pacific Lutheran University’s history, culture, and mission.
- Honor Pacific Lutheran University’s governance systems and processes.
- Use a broadly inclusive process that embraces Pacific Lutheran University’s collective wisdom, creativity, and experience.
- Develop effective, transparent two-way communication mechanisms (meetings, workshops, emails, announcements) that foster productive exchanges between the Commission and the campus community.
- Develop these communication mechanisms with the goal of creating an open exchange that allows the campus community to respond and contribute to the work of the Commission.
- Develop creative, thorough, and transparent recommendations that help find long-term solutions to help Pacific Lutheran University thrive educationally and financially.
- Fulfill the charge and respect the authority granted to the Commission by the President.
We anticipate that much of our initial work this Fall 2019 semester will involve consultation and listening. In the weeks ahead, we will be reaching out to groups across campus (faculty, staff, and students), as well as arranging Innovation and Change Workshops and soliciting your feedback and ideas via electronic surveys. We will also set-up a Commission website as a central location for all communications, relevant articles, and pertinent readings.
The members of the Commission will be committing a substantial amount of work in the months ahead. We are dedicated to Pacific Lutheran University and to the stewardship of our mission and future. At this important time for our institution, we thank our entire community who share this commitment to stewardship and we ask for your contribution to this Commission process.
Sincerely,
The Presidential Commission for Innovation and Change
Cameron Bennett, Chief Innovation Officer, Dean/School of Arts and Communication
Kory Brown, Assistant Professor of Business, School of Business
Melody Ferguson, Associate Dean of Admission, Division of Enrollment Management
Erin McGinnis, Associate Vice President for Hospitality and Retail Services, Dining and Culinary Services
Adela Ramos, Associate Professor of English, College of Arts and Science