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Vol. 38, No. 18 |
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1-9-2008 Dining with the president
Staff will have similar access to the administration as the president’s office and the University Staff Advisory Committee sponsor regular breakfasts with Gee. The breakfasts, which are invitation-only, will be held for staff in different campus areas such as the arts and sciences colleges, the Medical Center, engineering and so on. Similar plans also are in the works to hold future sessions with Executive Vice President and Provost Joe Alutto. “The goal is to make the breakfasts as intimate as possible,” said David Kos, USAC chair. “It’s a chance for President Gee to share his vision for Ohio State with staff and at the same time hear about their roles at the university and how they feel they fit into the big picture.” USAC members were the first to breakfast with Gee in December, and Kos said the experience was thoroughly positive. Gee told the group he started the staff breakfasts during his first OSU administration and thought it was an important tradition to continue because there is no substitution for direct engagement. He then remarked on his key goals and the important role staff play before taking questions from the group. “We were able to ask some in-depth questions of President Gee, and he was very forthcoming,” said Kos. In addition to the breakfast meetings, Gee and other top administrators will participate in the quarterly USAC Town Meetings, giving all staff an opportunity for direct interaction. Representatives from college and regional staff councils will be invited to the first winter quarter breakfast and previous Distinguished Staff Award recipients are slated for the second breakfast. Then, the pool of people invited will be broadened to be representative of all staff rather than specific groups. The first Town Hall meeting is Feb. 20 from noon to 1 p.m. at a place to be determined. Significant conversation topics from each breakfast will be posted to the USAC Web site (usac.osu.edu) and staff will be notified through OSUToday as soon as the information is posted. onCampus will report on each Town Meeting. “I know President Gee and Provost Alutto would like to meet with every staff member,” Kos said. “But since that isn’t feasible, these breakfasts are one mechanism for doing so and allow our leaders and staff to discuss what’s important to all of us — the success and growth of Ohio State.”
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