00:00:19 -- Hello and welcome
00:00:20 -- to this edition
00:00:21 -- of "On The Green with Alan!"
00:00:25 -- Last month, I announced
the creation
00:00:27 -- of a new University Council.
00:00:30 -- The council offers advice
to university leadership
00:00:34 -- in the decision-making
process of issues
00:00:37 -- that impact the campus
community.
00:00:41 -- The council includes
representatives
00:00:43 -- from six campus groups -
undergraduate students,
00:00:48 -- graduate students,
faculty, staff,
00:00:52 -- the Clerc Center,
and the administration.
00:00:56 -- The goal of the council
is to open
00:00:58 -- lines of communication
and reach consensus
00:01:01 -- on critical university
decisions.
00:01:07 -- On March 30, the council
held its first meeting.
00:01:10 -- The first topic
we discussed was
00:01:14 -- the expansion of the
campus smoking policy.
00:01:19 -- Many key concerns about
the existing policy
00:01:22 -- and various impacts
of a potential expansion
00:01:26 -- of the policy were raised.
00:01:29 -- It was agreed that more
research is needed
00:01:31 -- before the council could
reach a consensus.
00:01:37 -- The council also agreed
that enforcement
00:01:39 -- of the existing policy was
an immediate need.
00:01:44 -- More information
on the expansion
00:01:47 -- of the campus smoking policy
will be announced in the future.
00:01:55 -- Second, the council was
provided an update
00:01:57 -- on the progress of the
Innovation Reporting Team.
00:02:03 -- In a moment, I will share
more about the IRT's report.
00:02:08 -- Finally, council
members shared news
00:02:11 -- and information specific
to their respective communities.
00:02:18 -- Thank you to all the
council members
00:02:20 -- who participated and provided
the group
00:02:22 -- with thoughtful comments and
diverse perspectives
00:02:26 -- for everyone to consider.
00:02:31 -- University Council
meetings are open
00:02:33 -- to the campus community.
00:02:36 -- The next council meeting
will be Friday, April 29
00:02:39 -- from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
00:02:43 -- in the JSAC
Multipurpose Room.
00:02:53 -- My State of the University
presentation last February
00:02:57 -- focused on the need
to build and rebuild Gallaudet.
00:03:02 -- I spoke about how we live
in a time of change.
00:03:06 -- And, I spoke about how our
success is measured
00:03:09 -- by our ability to change.
00:03:13 -- I spoke about the
Gallaudet Strategic Goals.
00:03:16 -- These goals
provide the university
00:03:18 -- with firm objectives we
need to achieve success.
00:03:21 -- But, we need a strategy
to help us achieve these goals.
00:03:28 -- A strategy requires
innovative thinking.
00:03:33 -- And, the responsibility
for original,
00:03:35 -- innovative thinking is all of
our responsibility.
00:03:40 -- To build a plan for
change, I appointed
00:03:42 -- an Innovation Reporting Team.
00:03:47 -- The IRT will collect,
organize and prioritize
00:03:50 -- innovative ideas for
transforming Gallaudet.
00:03:55 -- Those ideas will
be organized along
00:03:57 -- Gallaudet's
five strategic goals -
00:03:59 -- increase enrollment, increase
graduate rates,
00:04:06 -- expand funding sources, promote
career success for students,
00:04:10 -- and advance
research and development.
00:04:16 -- The work of the IRT
will conclude June 30.
00:04:20 -- I strongly urge all of
you to get involved
00:04:22 -- by submitting your innovative
ideas through the website
00:04:27 -- and email addresses
shown here.
00:04:39 -- On April 8, 1864,
President Abraham Lincoln
00:04:44 -- signed the charter
granting the school,
00:04:46 -- now known as Gallaudet
University,
00:04:48 -- the ability to award degrees.
00:04:50 -- For the deaf community,
Charter Day represents
00:04:54 -- a turning point in deaf
history and it is full day
00:04:59 -- of special events
and celebration.
00:05:04 -- Today we are again at a
turning point in deaf history.
00:05:08 -- New challenges arising
outside our gates are changing
00:05:12 -- the way the university
serves its communities.
00:05:17 -- Now, how we respond
to those challenges
00:05:22 -- will define Gallaudet for
future generations.
00:05:28 -- As President
Lincoln once said:
00:05:30 -- "The dogmas of the quiet
past are inadequate
00:05:35 -- to the stormy present.
00:05:41 -- The occasion is piled
high with difficulty,
00:05:44 -- and we must rise
with the occasion.
00:05:50 -- As our case is new, so we
must think anew and act anew."
00:05:58 -- I ask that all of us
consider those words
00:06:00 -- as we continue to move
Gallaudet forward
00:06:04 -- with a goal-directed, innovative
approach to success.
00:06:12 -- Thank you for watching
"On The Green with Alan."
00:06:15 -- Have a great day!