Dear Voiland College Family,
Welcome to the start of the 2017-2018 academic year!
I joined the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture and Washington State University on July 1st and have spent the last several weeks getting to know the campuses and the college. I want to say thanks to those who have spent time showing me our facilities and discussing our programs. I’m quite impressed by what I’ve seen and I’m looking forward to meeting undergraduate students in the next few weeks. It’s an exciting time to be in higher education and I’m honored to have the opportunity to join the Voiland College family.
I’d like to offer special thanks to former dean Candis Claiborn and former interim dean Don Bender. Each led the college well through times of significant expansion and modest corrections. They selflessly sacrificed the productivity of their individual careers for the good of the college. Please join me in thanking them for their service to the college.
With the large and dispersed nature of our college, effective communication strategies are essential. To that end, I’ve been working with the college leaders and our communications team to create a structure that promotes effective information transfer across the units. Elements of the plan for communicating to the internal Voiland College audience include:
Electronic Communications
Voiland College Letters: I plan to share updates on issues facing the college in monthly letters distributed by email. These letters will provide a forum for more in-depth presentation around a single topic. Letters will be distributed to faculty, staff, and students.
Voiland College This Week: This weekly e-newsletter focuses on student, faculty, and research topics, including recent awards and future opportunities. The newsletter will also provide a calendar of Voiland College events occurring in the near future. My goal with this tool is to promote engagement across the college. To achieve this, I’ll need your help submitting information for inclusion. So, as you have information about faculty/staff/student awards, company information sessions, student competitions, seminar speakers, Ph.D. defense presentations, etc., please submit it to VCEA.News@wsu.edu for inclusion.
Twitter: You can follow me on Twitter. I’m a Twitter newbie, but endeavor to use Twitter to share information about what I’m up to on and off campus. If you see reference to an activity that interests you, please reach out and let me know. You can also follow Voiland College on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Town Hall Meetings
Each semester, I’ll hold a Town Hall meeting to share information about the State of the College followed by an extended question-and-answer period. This year, the meetings will be held:
- October 5, 2017, 3:30 – 5 p.m. in ETRL 101 (also available via AMS)
- April 5, 2018, 3:30 – 5 p.m. in ETRL 101 (also available via AMS)
Office Hours
For those who would appreciate an individual meeting, I’ll hold Voiland College office hours in Carpenter 526. Ten-minute spots will be available for individuals or small, themed groups. The first meeting dates are scheduled for September 14, October 24, and November 14, all from 3-4 p.m. To reserve a spot during these dates, contact Nelda Hume.
Look for future dates on the Voiland College website and in the Voiland College This Week e-newsletter.
Donuts with the Dean
To promote opportunities for student engagement, I will host a between-class gathering of donuts and coffee for students. I’m hopeful that this venue will allow students barrier-free access to share concerns or make requests. We’re still working on the logistics for the first event, but look for details in the weekly newsletter and on Twitter and Facebook.
My hope is that these structures will enable us to communicate effectively and ensure that we are working seamlessly to promote the success and growth of the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture. Thanks for all that you do to ensure that Voiland College provides a welcoming and supportive environment for student learning and a vibrant community for advancing research goals.
Go Cougs!
Mary Rezac, Dean
Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture
mary.rezac@wsu.edu