A Letter from Dr. Karen Riley

Good morning colleagues, 

I hope you all enjoyed some quality time with family and friends during the Thanksgiving break. I also hope that you were able to completely unplug for at least a portion of the long weekend. It is hard to believe but December has arrived, and we are officially in the home stretch of the semester. We have also entered the holiday season, which can be a challenging time, prompting issues and struggles with wellness and mental health. I want to remind us to continue to carve out time for self-care and for checking in with one another. “Getting things done” can quickly take priority.  Do not forget that there are resources available including the Employee Assistance Program. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Although it has only been a couple of weeks since our last digest, we have a lot to share.   

Associate Provost of Academic Affairs 

One of the issues that has been raised over the past several months is the concern that committees have been used as substitutes for institutional support and infrastructure.  This was a concern that required thought and action.  We clearly need to provide additional support to all of Academic Affairs from the Provost’s Office, particularly as it relates to accreditation and faculty development.  Fortunately, we were able to find capacity and talent within academic affairs.  I am pleased to announce that Dr. Heidi Blair will begin serving as the Associate Provost of Academic Affairs effective December 1, 2021. Heidi is an effective and strategic leader, and I am pleased to have her support in initiatives that will support faculty development as well as accreditation at Regis. She will continue in her role as Director of Instructional Design & Technology. I am so grateful to have Heidi and her exceptional skills and experience in this role. We will provide additional information regarding her responsibilities as we move forward.  Please congratulate Heidi when you see her.  

Open Office Hours 

I hosted several in person and virtual listening sessions during the past two weeks. I appreciated hearing your questions and concerns about the presidential transition. I hope that those who participated found the time helpful. I know that many are anxious for the interim to be named. I have been in continued contact with Mr. Bob Engel, the Chair of the Board, and I know he hopes to update the community very soon.  

Feedback Update 

As you are aware, we have been addressing the feedback we received from the survey. I wanted to say thank you for all the positive comments and feedback. There were several positive comments about transparency and communication, so we will keep that up. As always, please reach out to provost@regis.edu with your questions or concerns.  

One question that came up was about units/departments meeting with me. If your group has not yet had a meeting with me and would like one, please let me know. I have met with many groups, but it is possible that a unit/department was missed—so please reach out if that is the case. I am happy to get something on the calendar.  

Another set of questions and comments were around compensation and performance reviews. Human Resources is spearheading a process that is looking at both of these areas university-wide, and once we have the results, they will be shared. Within Academic Affairs, we have instituted some new practices.  We have instituted an annual review process for Deans and most of those who report directly to the Provost.  We are continuing to work on establishing goals and feedback mechanisms.  It is my expectation that reviews will become a more regular part of our practice for all employees. The practice should be seen as formative with the institution demonstrating its investment in the professional development of all employees. This practice builds trust and accountability and is part of good leadership and practice.  

Another suggestion that came in was about Athletics—wondering if Regis has considered moving to NCAA Division I for certain sports. I asked David Spafford, Associate Vice President for Athletics to respond to that question, and I want to share with you his response:   

Thank you for the thoughts of Regis moving into Division I. We constantly evaluate the current landscape of college athletics in addition to our standing and fit in Division II and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference as it relates to academic stature, community involvement and competitive success while comparing to our current overall campus experience. Division I can bring many positive benefits to Regis such as continued regional and national exposure on a higher competitive level. The importance of conference affiliation is imperative when evaluating such opportunities as they provide rivalries, scheduling opportunities for all sports and NCAA post season opportunities. The overall university commitment to move to Division I is significant in terms of scholarship opportunities for student athletes, staffing, facilities, overall campus experience and the financial impact of each of these areas. As we continually evaluate all the above, we are committed to academic excellence in athletics, community service and competitive success while providing an integral partner in the overall experience for our campus and local community. 

I hope you are all doing well and are finding the information in this Digest helpful.  Remember to click on the headings so you can read the full stories below. Again, I am so appreciative of all of your efforts, and I know that our students are as well! 

With gratitude, 

Karen