The end of last week and a portion of this week is all about partners. Carolyn and I will spend some time with new partners and connect with some of our long-time advocates and supporters. We have exciting things to share during our meetings and communications about the successes in AGNR. We also listen to what’s important to our partners and seek feedback. I see this work as a growing part of my time, to the benefit of the entire college.
I will make a visit to D.C. this week to meet with Congressman Ivey, one of our strong elected supporters. I enjoyed our first meeting back in February 2025 and look forward to many more. Given that we are so close to D.C., it would be a shame to not stop in to see our members more than once a year. Their schedules are tight and I appreciate Congressman Ivey and his team taking time for a meeting.
I continue to have meetings with departments. This week, I will meet with the Extension leadership team. It has been easy to fill the allotted time at each meeting, which has me thinking about offering these meetings before the spring semester begins – during that slower time in January. It is important to me to know what is on the minds of our faculty and staff. In early October, I will meet with the Dean’s Student Advisory Committee, to hear how things are going for our students and a bit about what they are thinking.
My homework assignment is almost ready to be turned into the President’s office. I have someone reviewing it and I look forward to feedback to improve the idea. Following the retreat, I plan to take the feedback received during the retreat, refine and iterate the idea a bit and then seek input from key meetings in the college with no reading assignment required.
Between the AGNR Tailgate and the Parent’s Weekend event, I hope everyone is enjoying fall and connecting with AGNR members of past and present, their families, and our wonderful partners!