Dear colleagues,
Recently, I joined President DesRoches, Provost Amy Dittmar, and Executive Vice President for Research Ramamoorthy Ramesh for a Welcome Back Panel event. We delved into topics including student population growth, staff support, and strategic priorities for the forthcoming year. Additionally, a new campus tradition–Spirit Fridays was started! If you missed the event, be sure to review the recording.
Last month, the F&A Strategic Plan process launched with the working group gathering feedback from Rice community members. The panel discussions have provided rich insights regarding what F&A is doing well and how we can be more supportive of our campus partners and the campus strategic plan. This feedback has reaffirmed the importance of F&A’s cultural transformation and our division’s commitment to the customer experience and continuous improvement. Over the next few months, our division’s mission, vision, strategic themes, and goals will be finalized. The finalized plan will be shared with the campus community during the spring.
I am delighted to share that Kathryn Cavender has graciously accepted the position of Associate Vice President of Campus Safety after the interim appointment. Kathryn has demonstrated exceptional leadership and earned our campus community's trust during her 32-year career at Rice. Please join me in congratulating Kathryn as she enters into this permanent role.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I encourage each of us to champion our health and the well-being of those we care about by staying informed and considering regular screenings. Early detection often leads to improved outcomes. There are many resources available through our insurance partner, Aetna, which focuses on preventative measures, screenings, and treatment.
Finally, I want to thank everyone who joined us last Saturday for F&A Day at Rice Football. It was wonderful to gather together and have some fun. Although the outcome of the football game wasn’t what we were hoping for, the company was fantastic. I’m looking forward to many more events like this.
All my best to you,
Kelly Fox, Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration