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April 4 Staff Meeting recap

April 7, 2025

ϳԹ’s April 4 staff meeting featured updates from senior leadership and staff on a wide range of campus offices and initiatives, including ongoing responses to recent federal actions, wellness programming, Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration efforts, and budget planning. 

Federal policy updates 

Sarah Delaney Vero, general counsel and vice president for Human Resources, opened the meeting with updates on how the College is navigating recent federal executive orders related to Title VI, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming and immigration.  

She acknowledged the additional work required across many departments and expressed appreciation for the collaborative approach being taken. She thanked those gathered for the strong showing at the March 20 “Navigating Uncertainty Together: Understanding the New Administration's Executive Orders and Their Impact on Our College Community” information session, noting that a (passcode 9E@I?sQ9) for those who were unable to attend.   

She highlighted several areas of focus: 

  • Support for international students and faculty: Student Academic Services and the Office of the Dean of the Faculty have provided information, one-on-one advising, and gatherings to help international students and faculty understand the implications of policy changes, including travel and visa-related concerns. 
    • Vice President Vero and Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dorothy E. Mosby will hold from noon to 2 p.m. on Friday, April 11, to address additional concerns and questions from individual faculty members.  
  • Federal inquiry protocol: Campus Safety, in partnership with Student Academic Services and the Office of General Counsel, has added information online that outlines the College’s existing protocol that employees and students should follow in the event a federal agent seeks access to campus or requests information about a student or employee. 

Human Resources updates 

Julie Delay, chief human resources officer, introduced new employees and shared that a final in-person information session about the annual performance review process will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 8. A recording will be available on the Human Resources website. 

Delay also encouraged staff to mark their calendars for the following upcoming events: 

  • 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, Murray-Aikins Dining Hall, second floor.  
  • Final staff meeting of the academic year: 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, Murray-Aikins Dining Hall, second floor. 
  • Retirement and Recognition Ceremony: Tuesday, May 20. 

Wellness programming 

Ann Marie Przywara, director of student conduct, provided an update from the Wellness Planning Group. Current and upcoming Live More ϳԹ programming include: 

  • The DASH Challenge: Now in its fourth week, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) program encourages participants to reduce their daily sodium intake. 
  • Exploring Gratitude Challenge: A new program from May 2 to June 1 will help participants reflect on gratitude and stress management.  
  • Walking path project: In collaboration with MVP Health Care, signage and measurement of walking routes across campus are in development. 
  • Employee fitness classes: Offered in June for a new four-week summer session free for employees.
  • Chair massages: Scheduled for May. 

Przywara encouraged staff to share feedback and suggestions with committee members. 

AI integration 

Matt Lucas, Harder Chair in Business Administration, presented an update on ϳԹ’s efforts to integrate AI across campus. A working group is developing a phased “AI Pace Setter Strategy” to increase AI fluency and improve operations. He noted that over 110 staff and faculty have already participated in AI training sessions and emphasized the College’s commitment to helping all departments use AI tools thoughtfully and effectively. 

Institutional planning 

President Marc C. Conner closed the meeting by reflecting on the past month and offering perspective on both external and internal challenges. 

Recent events, including “Dialogues Across Differences” with Ross Douthat, the Humanistic Inquiry Symposium, and the CHAS Students of Color Conference, continue to reflect ϳԹ’s mission and values. He also shared that a final draft of the 2025-30 Strategic Plan, will be submitted to the Board of Trustees.  

The president addressed questions and concerns related to budget planning and the ongoing work with Huron Consulting Group. He reiterated: 

  • Huron is providing data and analysis, but final decisions will be made by ϳԹ leadership with community input. All decision-making will continue to follow established governance processes. 
  • The College is committed to balancing the budget proactively and addressing projected deficits without across-the-board cuts. 
  • Enrollment strategy and fundraising remain the two key avenues for revenue growth. The ϳԹ Fund is working to increase from $7.5 million to $10 million annually. 

President Conner concluded by noting that the College was considering endorsing the , which affirm academic freedom and open inquiry — key themes in the Strategic Plan. 

The final staff meeting of the academic year will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, in Murray-Aikins Dining Hall, second floor.