With finals upon us and the close of the academic year fast approaching, I鈥檇 like to offer my heartfelt thanks to you, our faculty and staff, for your vision, dedication, and hard work in making this a successful year for our students and their families.
The vision of faculty intertwines research, scholarship, creative work, and teaching, and turns them into a special magic that builds confidence, enriches lives, and gives our students the foundation to pursue their dreams. The vision of staff is made real each day by your workplace innovations鈥攃ompleted alone, in teams, and in partnership with faculty鈥攑rojects that transform our departments, colleges, and schools.
Dedication is everywhere, from the time faculty spend working to make your courses better, the long hours you spend mentoring students, or the extra time you spend serving on committees that improve how we all experience the university. Dedication is also keenly present in the work of staff. You arrive early, stay late, and ensure that every logistical detail is accounted for in everything you do. Hard work is the currency we all trade in today, as CU Boulder adapts to meet the varied and changing needs of our state, nation, and the world.
This year, I鈥檇 like to single out a group of people who have lived these values in a special way: the interim leaders who have stepped up in dozens of places to fill vital roles in carrying out our mission. Austin 鈥淛B鈥� Banks, acting vice chancellor of student affairs, provided steady and energetic leadership for his division during the search that, on June 1, will deliver D鈥橝ndra Mull as the new vice chancellor for student affairs. In turn, Devin Cramer stepped in as acting dean of students, and Holly Nelson stepped in to fill Devin's role as deputy dean of students. Together, they kept consistent the compassion, cooperation, and concern that characterize Student Affairs鈥� service to students.
Yonca Ertimur, as acting dean, kept the Leeds School of Business on a track to excellence following the departure of former dean Sharon Matusik for the University of Michigan. Massimo Ruzzene stepped in for Terry Fiez, vice chancellor for research, who retired. He then competed for the post in a national search and won it, and all the while, our research mission didn鈥檛 skip a beat.
To the dozens of other people who took on interim or temporary roles, did huge amounts of extra work, and made the difference between their organizations鈥� thriving or struggling, thank you. From the university鈥檚 leadership, thank you all for your hard work (and extra work) this year, and best wishes for a strong finish to the year.
And from me, personally, thank you for the myriad things you do to make CU Boulder an amazing institution and a special place for all of us.
Warmly,
Russ
Russell L. Moore
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs