Provost Office: Memorandum
To: All Faculty
From: Dr Stephen Director, Provost
Subject: A Message from the Provost
Date: 11 July 2005
Dear Colleagues:
Having assumed the position of Provost on July 1, 2005, I am excited to be a part of the Drexel community. I look forward to learning more about Drexel - its core values, history and culture. As one means to learn more about the institution, I plan to visit each College and School as well as each Department over the next several months. I want to meet with faculty, staff and students so we can have a chance to get to know one another and so that I can learn about your hopes and aspirations. In addition, please feel free to email me (director@drexel.edu) and I will do my best to respond in a timely fashion.
During my initial address to the faculty in April, Dr. Barbara Hornum, Chair of the Faculty Senate, asked me to describe my vision of a great university. Let me share with you again some of my views as it will help give you an idea as to what my aspirations for Drexel might be. In my view, a great university should have environment that
* supports diversity;
* promotes intellectual curiosity and intelligent risk taking;
* promotes and supports interdisciplinary and collaborative research; and
* provides opportunities for all members of its community to achieve their best.
Great universities clearly must have outstanding faculty who
* continually strive for excellence;
* play a leadership role in the "scholarship" of education as well as research;
* are active in shaping the national agenda;
* are committed to the broader mission of the institution - not just to their own special interests;
* take pride in the accomplishments of their colleagues; and
* understand the responsibility associated with shared governance of the university.
In addition, great universities are places of choice for outstanding faculty, staff and students - both graduate and undergraduate - that are looked to for solutions to the most pressing problems facing society.
Again, I look forward to meeting you, discussing Drexel's future and working with you to realize that future.
Sincerely,
Steve
Stephen W. Director
Provost and Senior Vice President