Winter welcome from President Tim Rahilly

Posted Jan. 6, 2023

Transcript

Hello everyone, and happy new year. I want to take a moment to officially welcome you back to campus after what I hope was a lovely December break. I expect many of you appreciated some time away after a busy fall semester to rest and to recharge. I know that I did.

As we settle into the first week of classes and being back on campus, I recall how it wasn't that long ago when I was acknowledging the full return to campus. The fall semester was incredibly busy. We got back into a familiar routine of students gathering in classrooms and study areas, countless events were held throughout the campus spaces and progress was made on planning to help direct the future of MRU for the new academic plan and the second phase of the University's strategic plan. We announced the appointment of Chad London as provost and vice-president, Academic, and I am elated that he has now officially stepped into his role. I know he will be busy meeting with many different people across MRU. The Executive Leadership Team will continue to support him during this transition and I hope the rest of MRU can give him a warm welcome when the chance presents itself. A "Save the Date" was shared in Our Community in late December for a special Leaders' Dialogue in the Bella Concert Hall on Jan. 16. I hope you will take the time to join us to get to know our new provost, Chad, and express our gratitude to Liz Evans for her service as interim provost.

The successes we've observed during the first half of the academic year make me incredibly hopeful. I know there is only more to look forward to in the coming months, such as your submissions to the EDI Opportunity Fund. The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion now has their web pages up with resources including additional information and instructions on how to make use of this fund that's meant to advance initiatives that identify and remove systemic barriers on campus.

I'd like to stress that the Opportunity Fund is open to MRU students and employees and proposed projects are eligible to receive up to $15,000. But small projects are also encouraged, since they often have a major impact. Please go to mru.ca/EDI for more information and reach out to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion if you have any questions.

I also look forward to hosting another Breakfast with the President. This is something I did for the first time in the fall and I can't wait to do this again this semester. Please look out for information on the date and time, which will be shared in Our Community once details are finalized. It's a great way for me to connect with employees at MRU in a casual setting while we enjoy a meal. With the first one I held in November, I was able to meet employees who were new to MRU and catch up with others I don't see regularly and understand what's in their hearts and on their minds. I know participants enjoyed the dialogue with each other as well.

And as we continue the momentum of participating in events on campus throughout the semester, I'd like to make two points about health and safety on campus.

First, all of us working together to stay home when feeling ill has been incredibly important. Please do not come to MRU if you are not feeling well. Please review the supports available to you on the Human Resources and COVID-19 web pages and fill out the self-isolation report form, if applicable. Second, I'd like to remind you of the requirement for safety training all employees must complete by the end of this month. You can find that training link at mru.ca/EHS.

Thanks for helping to take care of everyone on campus. As you embark on 2023, I want to thank you for all you do for MRU. We've been through a lot and I am optimistic about the semester ahead. I look forward to seeing you in the hallways. Please feel free to stop and say "hi."

Thanks and see you soon.