Dear Infrastructure and Sustainability team,
As we enter the Spring season, it’s an excellent opportunity to examine our department’s strategic plan. I want us to take a closer look at our I&S mission, vision and values. These are the areas I believe are most important for our organization:
Student success: Our primary responsibility is to ensure that our students experience an environment where they feel safe, are inspired to learn, then graduate with knowledge to impact the world.
Research success: Great things are coming out of our research community, and I&S is responsible for the operation and maintenance of all our campus facilities.
Climate action: Our teams will be involved in the implementation of our Climate Action Plan, which has a goal of cutting campus greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 50% by 2030 and 100% no later than 2050.
Employee wellness: We need to make sure we are taking care of our employees. When our team is physically and mentally healthy, we are able to perform our jobs more effectively. My goal is to create a work environment where employees can grow and thrive.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI): I want us to identify and remove barriers to success at all levels in the organization. When we provide opportunities for our staff to connect and get to know one another, we create an environment where everyone feels they belong. We are actively working to expand programs and development opportunities for our staff at all levels.
Our mission statement should clearly define our purpose – why we exist and what we hope to achieve. It should be something that is easily remembered. My goal is to create a mission statement that can serve as a guide for decisions moving forward.
One of our top priorities for the coming years is the Climate Action Plan (CAP), specifically reaching our 2030 CAP goals and beyond. The CAP open comment period just closed, and I thank those of you who participated in our open forums and engagement sessions. We will compile your feedback and incorporate it into a final version of the CAP that will be released in April.
Embracing change is crucial for the long-term continuity and success of our campus. Let’s create a culture where we say "yes, and…" rather than "yes, but…" I look forward to innovating, growing, and adapting to our future…together.
With gratitude,
Chris Ewing, vice chancellor for infrastructure and sustainability
