• Our newest endowed chairs boast exemplary records of scholarship and notable service, setting a wonderful example for what it means to reinvigorate what makes us distinctly Drexel – a commitment to advancing research and ensuring the success of our students. As one of the highest honors in academia, and because these were initially bestowed during the pandemic, please join me once more in applauding Drs. Dandekar, Han, Kalra, and Miller for their installation to endowed chair positions.

• From the faculty senate meeting to the Provost’s town hall, we have heard some tough news over the last month or so, and there is no question we are being faced with a significant financial situation that requires care and repair. Our SOAP (strategy, operations and administrative planning) group, initially introduced last year, continues to meet weekly to do just that: plan and strategize for optimizing work in an RCM environment, evaluate various scenarios of enrollment and revenue generators, and set high-level goals as we work to align with campus AEOs and attain financial stability.

• To that end, I’d like to remind you of the guiding principles we set previously, and renew our commitment to mission-critical, margin-critical, and moment-critical activities and initiatives. We must prioritize research, and preserve and enhance the student experience, specifically with regard to retention, as we simultaneously look at what will positively impact our bottom line – all with the understanding that must encompass short-term management as well as long-term planning.

• I look forward to sharing more details of the SOAP group’s work plus other updates later this spring. Speaking of, please save the date for Wednesday, May 10, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. for our year-end spring faculty and staff meeting. Location TBD.

• The DSA-E continues its important work, providing an outlet for nurturing staff development, team building and mentoring. I appreciate the continued open communication with this group, particularly the advocacy of those involved in working groups and collaborating across campus.

• Related, we have a few new faces who have joined the college, replenishing the staff in critical ways. Please welcome Marilyn Grandshaw, executive assistant in the dean’s office, and Fran Poeske, assistant director for digital content operations. Marilyn joined us from the College of Engineering at Temple, while Fran was previously at TJU and Jefferson Health. They fill important vacancies that have been repurposed to better serve us college-wide.