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Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to our newly named Hawk Murmurations. I love the richness and paradoxes in this name. Hawks are fierce, proud, and independent. Murmurations, on the other hand, describe the mesmerizing collective movement of many birds—moving purposefully and effortlessly (hence the soft murmur of their wings)—to form powerful, awe-inspiring images in the sky. That is who we aspire to be in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences: strong as individuals, extraordinary as a collective.
Thank you to all who responded to last week's call with thoughtful suggestions and feedback. Your input helped us narrow down the selection and shape this new identity together.
As I embark on this murmuration with you, I’ve worked with the Provost to define a set of goals for the year ahead—both for myself and for us as a college. I’m excited to share them with you:
- Launch the new Interdisciplinary School for Social Transformation, a vital hub for addressing critical societal challenges, in partnership with its Interim Director, Professor Laura Nicosia.
- Lead the restructuring of the college to strengthen alignment with our mission and vision.
- Review the structure of the Dean’s Office, aligning it with strategic priorities and long-term planning.
- Articulate a clear, forward-looking strategic vision and brand identity for the college.
- Integrate SEEDS values and our HSI designation into all aspects of our work.
- Establish a culture of institution-wide partnership and leadership for the college, collaborating with other colleges and divisions on some initiatives, and leading on others.
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Advance our progress in student enrollment, retention, and success.
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Update and execute a strategy for program vitality and sustainability.
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Expand support for faculty research and scholarship.
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Build on our strengths in community-partnered, participatory work, and deepen those partnerships.
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Increase transparency around the financial model and budget decisions.
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Streamline internal processes to support strategic coherence and effective operations.
Throughout the summer, I’ll elaborate on these goals as we move forward. I welcome your continued input, feedback, and partnership as we strive to meet them—together, for our college, university, and broader community.
I’m truly looking forward to a productive and rewarding year ahead. Let’s take flight and create memorable CHSS murmurations.
Warm regards,
Fatma
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