Dear colleagues,
As we near the end of the Spring Semester and the 110th Commencement at Rice, I want to reiterate my deep gratitude for all you do in supporting the work of our campus community. This work demonstrates our commitment to support the university’s growing ambitions which will be outlined in the new strategic plan.
In the last month, I have been focusing on kicking off several of our key initiatives including the Budget Transformationand Capital Excellence. The Budget Transformation effort includes an early stage to gather feedback from the community via a series of engagement sessions. All sessions are currently full, but the team will be adding more sessions in the near future. Additionally, I want to thank Chetna Koshy for leading our effort to create a new process to develop our strategic enterprise risk management priorities. The first draft was presented to the board last week and was well received. Last month a presentation about university risks was presented during the Administrative Forum.
As a reminder, annual enrollment ends this weekend, on Sunday, April 16. It’s important to make sure you’re enrolled in the plan that best suits you and your family. Our HR group has been working diligently to facilitate a simple enrollment process, and they have created helpful guides on knowledge cafe.
This past Tuesday, Rice staff and faculty members were invited to learn more and provide input on the Academic Quadrangle redesign. Those unable to attend can read more about a similar event held for students. Additionally, if you’d like to share input on the project, complete the redesign survey by Tuesday, April 18.
Earlier this week, you received an invitation from President DesRoches to attend the Rice Staff Appreciation - Excellence in Action on Friday, April 21. This event will highlight many accomplishments and celebrate the staff anniversary milestones. This is an opportunity to celebrate our numerous contributions in ensuring the mission of the university is fulfilled. I hope you are able to attend and enjoy this time with your colleagues.
One final note, the April Administrators’ Forum is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25, at 3:00 pm on Zoom. The forum is a great way to stay updated on campus events and initiatives and hear directly from key campus administrators. I hope you all will plan to join us then.
All my best,
Kelly
Kelly Fox Vice President for Finance and Administration