On The Green with Alan - April 12, 2011

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!