Today’s topic is a follow-up on the mission statement ThoughtExchange (TE). The mission statement TE drew 111 different thoughts in response the question, “What do you see as the most important work that NOVA does to serve and advance our students and the Commonwealth of Virginia?” And our community also provided almost 2,300 ratings. I’ve … Continued
NOVA’s values tell us who we are and what we believe. Before we begin our next strategic planning process, I want your input on our values: the core principles that center all we do. Your feedback will inform any revisions to NOVA’s values. This ThoughtExchange offers all of NOVA a chance to share perspectives and … Continued
Today’s topic is NOVA’s mission statement. As we prepare for our next strategic planning process, we need to make sure we have agreement on our North Star, our mission statement and values. At convocation this year, I challenged those gathered at the Schlesinger Center to say our mission statement and values. No one could. For … Continued
First, you did not misread that statement. NOVA has had a Policy for Policy Development and Review (Policy 101) for over five years; we then added a procedure to help the college community understand the workflow of policy review and development. However, over time, the role of policy manager (which appears to have been tailored … Continued
This week’s topic is the VCCS legislative agenda. As you likely know, Virginia has a biennial budget, with a two-year spending plan being passed in even-numbered years. (Here’s a good UVA diagram of the process.) The most recent two-year budget passed in summer, so in keeping with the Commonwealth’s process, the budget introduced for 2023 … Continued
Today’s topic is National Hispanic American Heritage Month. September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic American Heritage Month. This year’s theme is Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation. The theme calls on us to ensure that all voices are represented and welcomed, aligning directly with our commitment to inclusive excellence. Each campus has programming … Continued
Today’s topic is a reminder on where to find information from the President’s Office. As we begin a new academic year, with a number of new faculty and staff, I want to refresh your memory on the four ways in which I share information with the college community. First, there’s the weekly Tuesday Topic, which … Continued
Today’s topic is gratitude. Thank you for all you are doing this first week of fall semester to welcome our students (back) into our community. Thank you for the thought and effort that you have put into your courses, for the hours you have spent helping our students prepare for the semester, for making all … Continued
Next Tuesday, August 16, we’ll come together in person and via live stream for NOVA’s Fall 2022 Convocation. This year, our college will be concluding its last strategic plan and beginning work on our next. At convocation, we’ll be taking a look back, a scan of the current environment and our first step in planning … Continued
Today’s topic is faculty office hours. This spring, VCCS implemented a change to the portion of Policy 3.5 related to full-time faculty office hours (VCCS Policy 3.5.3). Now called “Student Engagement Hours,” these 10 hours per week no longer are restricted to office hours. With the agreement of a teaching faculty’s supervisor, the 10 student … Continued
