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This before.
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So Alan, you're gonna have to help me,
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but we'll call the meeting to order at 12:21.
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Approve the minutes. You all got the minutes and the notes
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or the minutes from the previous meeting with the agenda.
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And so now I have to vote to approve them.
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Can I have a motion to approve the it?
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I motion to approve but with an amendment to the date?
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That'll come after.
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Okay.
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Does anyone second that motion?
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I second.
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Thank you.
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Discussion.
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Just to the date should be October 1st.
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I opposed to the day of today we debank.
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You hadn't brought that up.
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I was gonna mention, that's fine.
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Going, that's today. Minutes from today.
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Okay. So do we approve before?
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All those in favor?
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Anyone not in favor or reciting unanimous.
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That's good.
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Great.
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So now we have our public comment period.
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Is there anyone here from the public comment?
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Amanda's hand raised?
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I dunno, that may have been from voting.
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Amanda, is your hand up from Legacy
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or did you have a comment or question?
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Sorry. Nope, that was from voting.
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Excellent.
Okay.
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All right.
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Well, no public comment period.
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We'll move on to meet and greet with Linda Schadler
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Right on time. Almost.
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James Provost.
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So thank you for inviting me.
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I am going around to as many units on campus as we can think
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of to say hello so that you know what I look like
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and to talk about few things that I'm trying
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to focus on in my four, six, eight, 10 or 12 months
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in this role. TBD.
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And then actually one of them ties into something
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I just wanna get a little feedback
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on from you all based on some feedback I've already gotten.
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So in addition to just trying
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to keep the campus momentum going in all the directions
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that we have been going, I'm focusing on four things.
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One is the graduate college.
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As you know we're trying to increase the number
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of graduate students and strengthen our graduate programs.
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So working with folder on the structure, the financing,
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the policies coming out of the graduate college
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and I think we're making some progress there.
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So having a good time on that part of it.
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Second is finding places where administrative units
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and academic units can better partner for student success.
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So a great example
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of success would be the course in CAS
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and the course in STEMS for students
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with below about a 2.3 GPA
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where they are being taught in a very focused way.
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Time management, study skills, resources,
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radical self-care.
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And that's primarily administrative units coming
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into the academic units to support that program.
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Places where maybe we wanna see a little bit
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more integration might be around student conduct
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or the CARES program
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or looking for all sorts of ideas
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on how to better lead to student success
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with that integration.
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The third thing is digitalizing our systems.
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So we have some great examples, course leave
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or high submitter proposal or you know, external grants.
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A few other things where it's really digitalized.
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You submit online, you could track it.
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Signatures happen online, you know,
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approvals back and forth.
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People some processes
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and people admin would be another example.
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But there are a lot of processes on campus
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where we take a word file, we turn it into a PDF
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and we're emailing it around
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and it's often hard to track what's going on.
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So looking for some low hanging fruit
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to be putting those new processes in place
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or you know, different way of putting that process through.
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We're getting a demo from InfoReady I think next week,
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which is the new process the graduate college has been using
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for even just submission of approval
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for faculty into the graduate college.
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And it seems to be a nice system.
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So that might be a,
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and that's supposed to be very easy to use.
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So we're gonna take a look at that.
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And then last is campus climate.
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And I wrote, I honor our common ground values
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in our relationship with faculty and staff around employment
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and shared governance.
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So that's recognizing
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that we have three union negotiations going on.
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But also for me, I came from a campus six
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and a half years ago
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now that did not have functional shared governance,
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and it really limited the university's ability
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to move forward and communication,
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and therefore getting the best decisions made
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because there wasn't a great mechanism for getting input.
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So I really respect UVMs even though conversations
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are not always easy around faculty shared governance
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and staff shared governance.
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And so I just wanted to make sure I said that.
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And lastly there it's, "I wrote Celebrate UBM
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more with levity and lighthearted fund."
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So some simple things that we've already started to do.
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The president's office gets flowers from events
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that have already happened and there's sometimes four
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or five bouquets sitting there.
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So I've started to put a little thank you note
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and deliver those two units
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around campus actually so far Waterman and CAS.
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So, but I will start to extend the circle.
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And so looking for other ideas
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about what we can do that's doesn't cost a lot of money,
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that might help build community
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and celebrate each other more.
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We work in this beautiful place with incredible people
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and we turn out an incredible students.
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So how do we celebrate that more and one example
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or idea that has come forward,
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I think you all are calling them affinity groups as a plan
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for how we bring faculty and staff together around hiking
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and knitting and other things that people like to do.
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I got an idea from the libraries
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or even just teams that people can join where you post,
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"Hey I'm gonna go hike final a mountain at, you know,
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noon on Sunday, wanna come, anybody wanna come?"
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Sort of like meetups before the UVM community.
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And I talked to Chris Layman about this idea
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and I think that it's moving forward in some form
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where the idea would be that the funding
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for the affinity groups
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and I'm not sure that's the what we wanna keep calling them.
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But anyway, those groups that y'all,
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that some of you have talked about anyway,
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funding would come from HR
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but the idea would be that the faculty senate
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and the staff council would kind of form a joint committee
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to lead that, not have it led by a staff person.
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I think we feel that the funding's there,
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but if we want it to have longevity
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and agility to move with people's interests,
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you don't want it under a specific administrator
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who might change at any moment
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and might have a different feeling.
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If it's in this, in the shared governance purview,
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then I think that has more stability
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and will more as the interest
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of the faculty and staff change.
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But I'm open to many other ideas.
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One thing I think I'll be doing is walking
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around with Rally Cat on the last day of classes,
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which will be a big Green and Gold day handing
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out meal cards to the top few people I see
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who have really green and golden it out.
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But, and then that might become a more regular event
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but we're gonna just try it for the last day of classes.
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So interested in other ideas you might have around that.
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Yeah, thanks to Kelly for letting me take her bases
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around campus 'cause they haven't all come back yet,
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so if you happen to get one, please return
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it so that we can give some to the next people.
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That's my spiel.
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I'm happy to take any questions or comments or ideas.
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Yeah, I'd be curious to know what we could do to get a,
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like a bigger response around Green and Gold Day.
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'Cause I feel like there's a lot to work with there
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and Spirit is such a connector for staff
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and students and faculty
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and like you were saying celebratory, right?
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So I think we need that. We need to focus on the joy.
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Yeah so I would love to say every Friday's Green
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and Gold Day, we haven't done that yet.
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But maybe that would be something for the staff council to,
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to start announcing
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and say, "Hey let's make every Friday Green and Gold day."
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And you know, maybe we could do a clock test.
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Oh that's the walking around with Rally Cat
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would be whoever I happen to see, you know.
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But we could do something more formal.
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Who was doing the door decorating?
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Is that social committee?
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Yeah.
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And maybe we can weave that into something like that.
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And so far the things that I would be handing
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out are things that are just sitting in the Provost's office
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that weren't used for some event in the past.
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Like I haven't invested any new dollars
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and we we're actually make sure the meal cards work.
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It's how old they are but if not,
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we're hoping we can exchange them that work.
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And the other thing I have is these wooden boxes
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that have a wooden pen in them are really cool.
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I think that the power of the staff
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to have an impact on the students
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and the faculty around this is huge.
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Just huge. So if you're willing to partner on this
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and come up with million ideas, I would be thrilled
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because you hear the smiling faces
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that they see every day when they get things done.
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So.
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No we could figure that out between,
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'cause we have community engagement
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and maybe that lives there so that seems like
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more campus centric.
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And I'm happy to come to anything
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and yell, you know, go chat them out
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or whatever you want me to say.
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We've also, we didn't get a chance
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to talk about this last night
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when we were talking about the food insecurity,
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but we've tried to partner with events
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with donations to Rally Cat too.
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Like I don't know if we've had a lot of traction.
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We definitely have it for the Ben, the holiday Bizarre
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and the benefits fair.
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I think I saw, I think the benefits fair is gonna do it
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but when we do like the tours,
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have we started collecting things
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when we do the campus tours?
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Not that I know.
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We'll might be able to do that too.
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So.
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Yeah, I'm hoping we can also just get a better partnership
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with Vermont Food Bank.
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Question from Elise Liv has her hand up in Teams.
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Hi.
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Hi there. My name is Liv. Nice to meet you.
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I'm sorry I'm not there in person. I'm over in Waterman.
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So hello from Waterman.
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Something that I'm on the Community Engagement Committee
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and I know that's something that we talked about last year
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and I think is still something that we wanted
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to explore this year was potentially a volunteer day
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or volunteer time
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or potentially volunteer paid time for the UVM community
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to come together either in, you know,
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their current groups within their own departments and units
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or kind of collaborate across departments
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and units to connect more with the community.
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But that's something that I feel like could be a potential
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great partnership on.
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I'm not sure exactly Linda
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if that's something that would fall under you
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or if that's an example that you'd be looking for,
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but just wanted to put that on the table.
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I know there's a lot of moving parts with that one so.
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Yeah, I mean it's a great idea.
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You're right, there's moving parts in terms
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of keeping offices staffed while we do it.
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But let me talk to Patty and Chris about it.
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The campus I came from, we did that
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and it was really meaningful.
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It was usually just a half a day
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but yeah it was good.
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And then a second comment is just that as part
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of the staff appreciation week that happens in September,
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we bought a lot of free cones from the dairy bar
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and we have quite a few of those left over.
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So if you're looking for other handouts potentially
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while you're with Rally Cat, let me know.
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We have them in human resources.
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That could be something else to give out.
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That's awesome. Yes. Nothing's better than ice cream.
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Thank you for that offer.
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Thank you.
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A comment in the chat from Cindy,
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we might wanna have explain a little bit more.
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She says how about a pay it forward incentive?
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Can you explain a little more?
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Well maybe.
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I mean I know what pay it forward is,
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but I'm wondering what you mean
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for how we incentivize it here.
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I don't know, I have, I'm just kind of putting
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it out there to see what anybody else thinks about it.
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I love the idea of paying it forward
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and I think it catches on pretty quickly
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so we could maybe tie it into a green and gold theme
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or any special events either you know,
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the getting food for Rally Cat Cupboard.
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I don't know,
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I think we would need some brainstorming.
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We do Staff Years of Service Awards
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and a lot of people are choosing
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to potentially not select a gift
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for their Staff Years of Service Award.
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So they could choose to pay that gift forward
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potentially rather than them collecting the gift themself.
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That could be an opportunity.
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Yeah, good idea.
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And then a couple years ago our division had,
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we made up some just really basic appreciation kind
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of peer to peer appreciation cards
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and we could send one to either a team
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that we worked with that we really appreciated
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and it wasn't just within our division
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but we could send it to you know,
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the Athletics Department saying like,
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"Hey you guys do a great job putting the games on."
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Or to the print mail shop or a job they did
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or the custodian who just really takes a good,
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00:15:02.168 --> 00:15:05.520
takes good care of your office or your building.
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But just little cards that you could have at your desk,
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and whenever you felt like giving somebody
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some extra thanks, you can do it.
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I think that thing is strong.
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And Sam's a couple years ago we did warm fuzzies
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and cold prickly, you know the little ball
322
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with the eyes on them?
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The bubble eyes.
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00:15:27.870 --> 00:15:30.450
Well yeah I still have one.
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Maybe we could get Rally Cat warm fuzzy stick.
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Maybe a little bigger than the ones
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something silly We could do a crappy project making.
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Alright, well I don't wanna take up too much
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of your time and thank you very much.
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Those are great ideas then.
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Thank you for the friends and family.
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00:15:48.829 --> 00:15:50.160
and yeah,
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Kelly's got some great things she's gonna share.
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Thank you have a good day.
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And also for two.
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It's really open.
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00:16:02.144 --> 00:16:02.977
It's really real lost.
338
00:16:02.977 --> 00:16:07.350
Yeah. Where do you want me to,
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do you have a clicker to advance the slides?
340
00:16:10.136 --> 00:16:12.360
My mouse.
341
00:16:12.360 --> 00:16:14.138
I let you know what I need you to advance.
342
00:16:14.138 --> 00:16:14.997
That would be the way to go.
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Are we gonna be looking over here?
344
00:16:16.560 --> 00:16:17.970
Yes.
I don't know.
345
00:16:19.494 --> 00:16:20.483
Need to move a little bit.
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00:16:20.483 --> 00:16:21.920
Whether I can make this work.
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Am I in anybody's way that...
348
00:16:27.543 --> 00:16:29.710
Let's see where it goes.
349
00:16:37.800 --> 00:16:41.070
Yeah, I'm excited to hear it again. It's new, it's improved.
350
00:16:41.070 --> 00:16:41.903
I've heard
351
00:16:44.112 --> 00:16:46.560
So I, should we introduce Kelly?
352
00:16:46.560 --> 00:16:48.960
You want me to introduce Kelly?
353
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I'm Malley, Head of presidential events
354
00:16:52.410 --> 00:16:54.270
but you have a different title.
355
00:16:54.270 --> 00:16:57.180
Senior Coordinator, Presidential Events and Protocol now.
356
00:16:57.180 --> 00:17:00.630
Thank you. And Kelly's here to talk
357
00:17:00.630 --> 00:17:02.163
with us about commencement.
358
00:17:04.207 --> 00:17:06.057
Can you all see that in Teams Land?
359
00:17:07.903 --> 00:17:09.996
You can see it but you don't see it here.
360
00:17:09.996 --> 00:17:11.520
Yes we can.
361
00:17:11.520 --> 00:17:12.690
Yep.
362
00:17:12.690 --> 00:17:13.590
Right. Hang out.
363
00:17:15.570 --> 00:17:18.470
Play with some settings here because we can't see it here.
364
00:17:26.520 --> 00:17:29.070
Where I did just stop sharing it so it's okay.
365
00:17:32.724 --> 00:17:36.813
Struggled and I made it with Ellen's help.
366
00:17:41.970 --> 00:17:44.973
Maybe as a gift someone could get me the book Robert Hood.
367
00:17:47.400 --> 00:17:49.180
Oh I never thought to do that.
368
00:17:55.920 --> 00:17:57.822
Right. Look at that.
369
00:17:57.822 --> 00:17:59.356
It's like, I dunno what I'm doing-
370
00:17:59.356 --> 00:18:00.689
Screen's here.
371
00:18:04.715 --> 00:18:05.702
You don't have like
372
00:18:05.702 --> 00:18:07.140
where maybe I should sit next to Alan.
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00:18:07.140 --> 00:18:08.580
We're gonna do musical chairs
374
00:18:08.580 --> 00:18:10.560
just 'cause I feel like that might be easier.
375
00:18:10.560 --> 00:18:12.000
I think tap on.
376
00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:13.473
Yeah, it's perfect.
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00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:18.873
You guys still see the the PowerPoint Teams Land?
378
00:18:20.940 --> 00:18:22.329
Yes, we can.
379
00:18:22.329 --> 00:18:24.210
Thumbs up.
Excellent.
380
00:18:24.210 --> 00:18:26.370
So thanks for the intro Jen,
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I'm gonna warn you this is scripted
382
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'cause I have so much information I need to get through.
383
00:18:30.390 --> 00:18:33.300
I wanna make sure I cover all.
384
00:18:33.300 --> 00:18:36.180
So lots of information on this presentation.
385
00:18:36.180 --> 00:18:38.760
You probably argue it's all important.
386
00:18:38.760 --> 00:18:41.340
Just a quick little bit about me.
387
00:18:41.340 --> 00:18:44.070
I've been a staff member at EBM for 16 years now
388
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and I've been planning UVM's Commencement for 13, including
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during the COVID pandemic.
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So I recognize how important this rite of passages
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for our students and their families.
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UVM has consistently
393
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provided an incredible commencement weekend experience
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for our grads and their families
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00:19:00.300 --> 00:19:02.400
and we wanna continue with that tradition
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in making this memorable,
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00:19:03.990 --> 00:19:07.260
meaningful and special for everyone involved.
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00:19:07.260 --> 00:19:10.830
Numerous factors have led us to look at a new model
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00:19:10.830 --> 00:19:13.106
for commencement that's being proposed.
400
00:19:13.106 --> 00:19:16.800
Note this is a proposal still the process is ongoing,
401
00:19:16.800 --> 00:19:19.890
but I'm gonna stress that change will have to happen
402
00:19:19.890 --> 00:19:22.390
for reasons I'm gonna outline in the presentation.
403
00:19:28.200 --> 00:19:29.370
So.
404
00:19:29.370 --> 00:19:30.203
Sure.
405
00:19:32.490 --> 00:19:35.040
All right, you can do it one more time.
406
00:19:35.040 --> 00:19:37.290
So why are we re-imagining commencement?
407
00:19:37.290 --> 00:19:41.430
The 2024 Commencement was extraordinary if you were there,
408
00:19:41.430 --> 00:19:42.720
we had a record turnout.
409
00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:46.380
The weather cooperated attendees were in a celebratory mood,
410
00:19:46.380 --> 00:19:48.120
but we had some fundamental issues
411
00:19:48.120 --> 00:19:49.470
with our current commencement model
412
00:19:49.470 --> 00:19:52.650
and some serious constraints to help frame our constraints
413
00:19:52.650 --> 00:19:55.110
to provide some background for anyone who's unfamiliar
414
00:19:55.110 --> 00:19:56.790
with UVMs traditional commencement,
415
00:19:56.790 --> 00:19:58.560
I'm gonna provide some information
416
00:19:58.560 --> 00:19:59.460
on how commencement
417
00:19:59.460 --> 00:20:02.685
has looked over the past several years post COVID,
418
00:20:02.685 --> 00:20:05.400
and for several years before the pandemic.
419
00:20:05.400 --> 00:20:07.890
Commencement weekend is an incredibly complex event
420
00:20:07.890 --> 00:20:09.960
that brings over 15,000 people
421
00:20:09.960 --> 00:20:12.960
to celebrate each spring and each year the schedule
422
00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:15.900
and locations of events alter depending on the number
423
00:20:15.900 --> 00:20:19.020
of graduates in each college school and other circumstances.
424
00:20:19.020 --> 00:20:20.460
So the venues times number
425
00:20:20.460 --> 00:20:22.920
of tickets receptions can change every year
426
00:20:22.920 --> 00:20:25.920
to accommodate changes in our graduate numbers
427
00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:27.603
and their needs.
428
00:20:28.590 --> 00:20:29.610
Excellent.
429
00:20:29.610 --> 00:20:32.790
So in general, there are 11 ceremonies over two days,
430
00:20:32.790 --> 00:20:36.360
two ceremonies on Saturday and nine ceremonies on Sunday.
431
00:20:36.360 --> 00:20:39.030
The university Commencement Ceremony, which is also known
432
00:20:39.030 --> 00:20:40.440
as the Main Ceremony,
433
00:20:40.440 --> 00:20:43.050
is the university wide event where all students,
434
00:20:43.050 --> 00:20:45.060
including undergraduate, graduate,
435
00:20:45.060 --> 00:20:47.100
and medical degree candidates are invited
436
00:20:47.100 --> 00:20:49.680
to attend historically students process
437
00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:51.900
and sit with their college school
438
00:20:51.900 --> 00:20:53.970
at the university Commencement Ceremony.
439
00:20:53.970 --> 00:20:55.710
Since 2004,
440
00:20:55.710 --> 00:20:58.260
this ceremony has taken place on the University Green
441
00:20:58.260 --> 00:20:59.760
with numerous exceptions,
442
00:20:59.760 --> 00:21:03.570
including the years of 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic.
443
00:21:03.570 --> 00:21:04.770
Before 2004,
444
00:21:04.770 --> 00:21:07.770
the Commencement Ceremony took place at Centennial Field
445
00:21:07.770 --> 00:21:09.390
and various other locations
446
00:21:09.390 --> 00:21:12.510
before that depending on class size and other logistics.
447
00:21:12.510 --> 00:21:15.060
So changing venues and locations has occurred a number
448
00:21:15.060 --> 00:21:17.370
of times over the last 30 years.
449
00:21:17.370 --> 00:21:19.020
The main ceremony typically includes
450
00:21:19.020 --> 00:21:21.420
the following components, remarks by the president,
451
00:21:21.420 --> 00:21:24.330
a commencement speaker, governance leader, remarks,
452
00:21:24.330 --> 00:21:27.510
Student Faculty Awards, Honorary Degree presentations,
453
00:21:27.510 --> 00:21:30.120
and Degree Conferral by the President.
454
00:21:30.120 --> 00:21:32.520
No diplomas are given out at this ceremony
455
00:21:32.520 --> 00:21:34.020
so no students cross the stage
456
00:21:34.020 --> 00:21:35.700
or have their names called, with the exception
457
00:21:35.700 --> 00:21:39.120
of student award recipients, the ceremony is not ticketed.
458
00:21:39.120 --> 00:21:41.370
It takes place outside on the University Green,
459
00:21:41.370 --> 00:21:42.480
rain or shine.
460
00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:45.030
And as of recent years in the event of severe weather,
461
00:21:45.030 --> 00:21:46.380
the ceremony is canceled
462
00:21:46.380 --> 00:21:47.700
and a modified live stream
463
00:21:47.700 --> 00:21:49.890
with only a small audience takes place instead
464
00:21:49.890 --> 00:21:51.750
of a ceremony on the Green,
465
00:21:51.750 --> 00:21:54.750
there's no space large enough on campus or off
466
00:21:54.750 --> 00:21:56.580
or on campus in Chin County
467
00:21:56.580 --> 00:21:58.860
to hold the ceremony in the event of severe weather
468
00:21:58.860 --> 00:22:00.900
and tinting is not an option.
469
00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:03.120
The Green typically sets 8,000 chairs.
470
00:22:03.120 --> 00:22:05.310
And attendance at the University of Commencement Ceremony
471
00:22:05.310 --> 00:22:07.220
has varied over the last several years.
472
00:22:07.220 --> 00:22:11.100
In 2024, we estimated there were 12,000 attendees,
473
00:22:11.100 --> 00:22:12.960
which is most definitely our record.
474
00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:15.510
We think this is most likely due to the graduating class,
475
00:22:15.510 --> 00:22:18.420
not having any type of high school graduation as seniors
476
00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:19.650
during the COVID pandemic.
477
00:22:19.650 --> 00:22:21.680
And they were very eager to celebrate.
478
00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:23.910
In 2023, we estimated closer
479
00:22:23.910 --> 00:22:27.720
to 5,000 attendees in 2022 4,000,
480
00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:29.905
same with 2019.
481
00:22:29.905 --> 00:22:33.903
And in 2018 it rained heavily, so attendance was quite low.
482
00:22:35.580 --> 00:22:38.370
This one, the Nine Individual College School ceremonies
483
00:22:38.370 --> 00:22:40.710
include our graduates receiving diplomas
484
00:22:40.710 --> 00:22:43.230
as they cross the stage, as their name is called.
485
00:22:43.230 --> 00:22:45.690
This is where official photographs of graduates are taken
486
00:22:45.690 --> 00:22:47.100
as they cross the stage.
487
00:22:47.100 --> 00:22:50.160
And these are ceremonies or college school specific.
488
00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:52.380
Some college schools have commencement speakers,
489
00:22:52.380 --> 00:22:53.250
others do not.
490
00:22:53.250 --> 00:22:56.700
Some have specific student awards, others don't.
491
00:22:56.700 --> 00:22:59.100
Deans typically give remarks at these ceremonies
492
00:22:59.100 --> 00:23:01.590
and they take place off and on campus.
493
00:23:01.590 --> 00:23:03.900
So that includes the University Green,
494
00:23:03.900 --> 00:23:06.750
Patrick Gym, Gutterson, Ira Allen Chapel,
495
00:23:06.750 --> 00:23:09.150
and the Flynn Ceremonies have also taken place
496
00:23:09.150 --> 00:23:13.500
at the DoubleTree, but we outgrew that space since 2023.
497
00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:16.050
All of the spaces we use have varying capacities.
498
00:23:16.050 --> 00:23:18.510
Ceremonies move around each year between these spaces
499
00:23:18.510 --> 00:23:19.980
as we know more about numbers
500
00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:22.920
and the different populations in each college school.
501
00:23:22.920 --> 00:23:25.620
I actually don't get a list of graduates until early March.
502
00:23:25.620 --> 00:23:28.870
So a lot of this can sometimes be estimating
503
00:23:29.970 --> 00:23:32.580
the Patrick Leahy Honors College Scholars Recognition
504
00:23:32.580 --> 00:23:35.580
also takes place typically on Saturday afternoon
505
00:23:35.580 --> 00:23:38.520
and honors college students who participate are part
506
00:23:38.520 --> 00:23:39.970
of all undergraduate college.
507
00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:43.050
So that was a really brief explanation
508
00:23:43.050 --> 00:23:44.820
of what our commencement currently looks like,
509
00:23:44.820 --> 00:23:46.200
but you get the idea.
510
00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:48.750
It's a multifaceted and complex event.
511
00:23:48.750 --> 00:23:50.760
I'm not gonna review some of the considerations,
512
00:23:50.760 --> 00:23:51.593
and constraints.
513
00:23:51.593 --> 00:23:54.150
The team that plans this event with me have kept in mind
514
00:23:54.150 --> 00:23:57.480
as it's become clear to us that change is necessary.
515
00:23:57.480 --> 00:23:59.610
Change that we are seeing at a national level
516
00:23:59.610 --> 00:24:02.130
as universities try to improve the commencement experience
517
00:24:02.130 --> 00:24:04.110
for students and their families.
518
00:24:04.110 --> 00:24:04.953
Last one.
519
00:24:06.090 --> 00:24:08.160
So over the last several years we've been concerned
520
00:24:08.160 --> 00:24:09.657
about how different some of our graduates
521
00:24:09.657 --> 00:24:11.910
and their families experiences have been.
522
00:24:11.910 --> 00:24:13.110
As outlined just now,
523
00:24:13.110 --> 00:24:16.260
some college school ceremonies are on campus, some are not,
524
00:24:16.260 --> 00:24:18.420
some are outside, some are inside.
525
00:24:18.420 --> 00:24:20.970
A few are air conditioned and most are not.
526
00:24:20.970 --> 00:24:22.407
Some are ticketed and some are not.
527
00:24:22.407 --> 00:24:26.010
And some graduates get four tickets and others get six.
528
00:24:26.010 --> 00:24:27.930
We're also very behind in national trends
529
00:24:27.930 --> 00:24:29.430
regarding adopting technology
530
00:24:29.430 --> 00:24:31.860
to make our commencement experience efficient, professional,
531
00:24:31.860 --> 00:24:33.780
and personal for our graduates.
532
00:24:33.780 --> 00:24:35.940
We use this technology in 2021
533
00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:37.770
during the commencement ceremony we hosted
534
00:24:37.770 --> 00:24:40.290
during the pandemic and was extremely well received
535
00:24:40.290 --> 00:24:41.400
and successful.
536
00:24:41.400 --> 00:24:43.470
However, our current commencement model makes using
537
00:24:43.470 --> 00:24:46.500
this technology difficult to implement logistically.
538
00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:48.060
Very importantly, we are committed
539
00:24:48.060 --> 00:24:50.280
to making our ceremonies accessible.
540
00:24:50.280 --> 00:24:52.770
Many locations make this difficult to accomplish
541
00:24:52.770 --> 00:24:54.870
or accomplish in an ideal way.
542
00:24:54.870 --> 00:24:56.493
A good example is Waterman.
543
00:24:57.510 --> 00:24:58.650
Currently for the College of Arts
544
00:24:58.650 --> 00:24:59.880
and Sciences ceremony.
545
00:24:59.880 --> 00:25:02.310
If a student is in a wheelchair, then must make their way
546
00:25:02.310 --> 00:25:03.990
to the handicap accessible interns
547
00:25:03.990 --> 00:25:06.210
of the Waterman Building on College Street.
548
00:25:06.210 --> 00:25:07.043
Enter the building,
549
00:25:07.043 --> 00:25:09.510
then take the elevator up to the third floor to wait
550
00:25:09.510 --> 00:25:12.120
and enter the back of the stage for their moment
551
00:25:12.120 --> 00:25:14.070
and then exit back the way they came back
552
00:25:14.070 --> 00:25:16.770
to the University Green student seating.
553
00:25:16.770 --> 00:25:18.420
All of our current commencement venues
554
00:25:18.420 --> 00:25:19.650
have accessibility issues,
555
00:25:19.650 --> 00:25:22.230
looking at access to water, accessible seating,
556
00:25:22.230 --> 00:25:25.710
parking, stage access, bathroom access and heat.
557
00:25:25.710 --> 00:25:28.680
I'll take a moment now to illustrate a few other challenges
558
00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:30.690
with some additional examples.
559
00:25:30.690 --> 00:25:32.850
The University Green has uneven surfaces
560
00:25:32.850 --> 00:25:33.990
and is mostly grass.
561
00:25:33.990 --> 00:25:35.010
This makes it very difficult
562
00:25:35.010 --> 00:25:36.780
to navigate if you were in a wheelchair
563
00:25:36.780 --> 00:25:39.120
or have mobility limitations.
564
00:25:39.120 --> 00:25:40.980
Additionally, although very beautiful,
565
00:25:40.980 --> 00:25:43.590
the Green's physical space in buildings on university row
566
00:25:43.590 --> 00:25:46.530
cause audio challenges for those who are hard of hearing.
567
00:25:46.530 --> 00:25:47.580
Access to the building
568
00:25:47.580 --> 00:25:50.880
and especially handicap accessible bathrooms is challenging.
569
00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:52.650
The only handicap accessible entrance
570
00:25:52.650 --> 00:25:55.200
to the building is on the College Street side.
571
00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:58.020
So attendees who need a handicap accessible bathroom
572
00:25:58.020 --> 00:25:59.670
must travel quite a bit of a distance
573
00:25:59.670 --> 00:26:02.220
to the indoor handicap accessible bathroom.
574
00:26:02.220 --> 00:26:04.980
While we do have two restroom trailers on the Green,
575
00:26:04.980 --> 00:26:08.760
only one trailer has one handicap accessible stall.
576
00:26:08.760 --> 00:26:10.590
We've looked into adding additional trailers,
577
00:26:10.590 --> 00:26:12.990
but our water sources are very limited on the Green
578
00:26:12.990 --> 00:26:15.540
even though a river runs under it.
579
00:26:15.540 --> 00:26:16.920
And we don't have a water source
580
00:26:16.920 --> 00:26:18.480
for a third trailer.
581
00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:20.520
Gutterson and Patrick Gym poses great issues
582
00:26:20.520 --> 00:26:21.660
with accessible seating.
583
00:26:21.660 --> 00:26:24.300
The majority of seating built in both locations for guests
584
00:26:24.300 --> 00:26:27.600
to include bleacher seating with very limited floor seating
585
00:26:27.600 --> 00:26:29.940
and Gutterson egress is not ideal for anyone
586
00:26:29.940 --> 00:26:31.170
with mobility issues
587
00:26:31.170 --> 00:26:33.810
and ramps must be built for wheelchair users to enter
588
00:26:33.810 --> 00:26:35.370
and exit floor seating.
589
00:26:35.370 --> 00:26:36.900
And Patrick Gym, the only area
590
00:26:36.900 --> 00:26:39.990
for accessible seating is the back row of the room.
591
00:26:39.990 --> 00:26:42.270
For all of our on campus venues, we have to truck
592
00:26:42.270 --> 00:26:43.860
and water to meet the needs of the number
593
00:26:43.860 --> 00:26:46.260
of guests we host on campus for both indoor
594
00:26:46.260 --> 00:26:47.730
and outdoor spaces.
595
00:26:47.730 --> 00:26:50.430
Our infrastructure is unable to support large events
596
00:26:50.430 --> 00:26:51.633
and water consumption.
597
00:26:53.730 --> 00:26:55.800
The weather in May is unpredictable.
598
00:26:55.800 --> 00:26:59.160
We've had snow downpours and most recently high heat.
599
00:26:59.160 --> 00:27:00.810
We've also been lucky for several years
600
00:27:00.810 --> 00:27:03.000
that we didn't have any torrential rain or thunderstorms
601
00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:04.680
or lightning for outdoor ceremonies.
602
00:27:04.680 --> 00:27:07.620
But it is a real possibility and has happened
603
00:27:07.620 --> 00:27:10.410
and will be a reality again at some point in the future.
604
00:27:10.410 --> 00:27:11.940
Vermont's weather has become more
605
00:27:11.940 --> 00:27:15.180
and more unpredictable recently, as we all know.
606
00:27:15.180 --> 00:27:16.680
After numerous consultations
607
00:27:16.680 --> 00:27:18.390
with the National Weather Service
608
00:27:18.390 --> 00:27:20.250
before commencement, we used to be able
609
00:27:20.250 --> 00:27:21.390
to make the weather call
610
00:27:21.390 --> 00:27:24.420
for our outdoor ceremony several days before the event.
611
00:27:24.420 --> 00:27:26.700
Now our team would not be comfortable doing that
612
00:27:26.700 --> 00:27:28.650
and making that call so early.
613
00:27:28.650 --> 00:27:30.360
An important detail I'd like to stress
614
00:27:30.360 --> 00:27:32.640
is that with our current commencement model,
615
00:27:32.640 --> 00:27:34.200
in the event there is severe weather,
616
00:27:34.200 --> 00:27:37.350
the University Commencement Ceremony becomes a live streamed
617
00:27:37.350 --> 00:27:38.730
with only a small audience
618
00:27:38.730 --> 00:27:41.520
of approximately a 100 people, which could be consisting
619
00:27:41.520 --> 00:27:45.629
of our platform party guests and our honorary degree guests.
620
00:27:45.629 --> 00:27:49.290
And it would be an alternative indoor venue.
621
00:27:49.290 --> 00:27:51.090
The College of Arts and Sciences ceremony
622
00:27:51.090 --> 00:27:53.250
would also move indoors to the Davis Center
623
00:27:53.250 --> 00:27:54.840
for an alternative commencement event
624
00:27:54.840 --> 00:27:56.850
that does not mimic a ceremony.
625
00:27:56.850 --> 00:27:58.920
At this time with the on-campus infrastructure
626
00:27:58.920 --> 00:28:00.090
we have to work with
627
00:28:00.090 --> 00:28:01.620
and the schedule for commencement.
628
00:28:01.620 --> 00:28:04.200
The best backup plan we have for College of Arts
629
00:28:04.200 --> 00:28:07.260
and Sciences will be to split the college into two groups
630
00:28:07.260 --> 00:28:08.940
during their ceremony time,
631
00:28:08.940 --> 00:28:11.490
having them arrive at different times to the Davis Center
632
00:28:11.490 --> 00:28:13.380
for a commencement experience.
633
00:28:13.380 --> 00:28:16.140
Upon arrival, the students and their family members data
634
00:28:16.140 --> 00:28:17.820
and align to receive their diploma
635
00:28:17.820 --> 00:28:19.710
and make their way to a decorated stage
636
00:28:19.710 --> 00:28:20.850
where graduates will wait
637
00:28:20.850 --> 00:28:22.890
to cross once their name is called.
638
00:28:22.890 --> 00:28:24.930
Family members of the graduates would cheer them on
639
00:28:24.930 --> 00:28:26.910
and take photos in front of the stage
640
00:28:26.910 --> 00:28:29.250
and a professional photo would also be taken.
641
00:28:29.250 --> 00:28:30.570
This would not be a ceremony
642
00:28:30.570 --> 00:28:32.700
and there would not be a large audience.
643
00:28:32.700 --> 00:28:34.710
Students would not be able to cheer on their peers
644
00:28:34.710 --> 00:28:36.690
in this backup plan.
645
00:28:36.690 --> 00:28:39.210
I recognize this is not an ideal backup plan,
646
00:28:39.210 --> 00:28:41.970
but there are simply no venues large enough on campus
647
00:28:41.970 --> 00:28:44.130
to host College of Arts and Sciences Ceremony
648
00:28:44.130 --> 00:28:47.250
or the University Commencement Ceremony should they need
649
00:28:47.250 --> 00:28:50.310
to move indoors even if we ticketed them.
650
00:28:50.310 --> 00:28:52.770
Additionally, none of our campus ceremony venues
651
00:28:52.770 --> 00:28:54.900
are air conditioned and there are real health
652
00:28:54.900 --> 00:28:57.780
and safety concerns to consider with these locations
653
00:28:57.780 --> 00:29:00.570
due to the consistent heat, with the exception
654
00:29:00.570 --> 00:29:02.850
of the University Commencement Ceremony and College of Arts
655
00:29:02.850 --> 00:29:04.020
and Sciences Ceremony,
656
00:29:04.020 --> 00:29:06.270
all other ceremonies are held up indoors.
657
00:29:06.270 --> 00:29:10.080
And of those nine, only two are in air conditioned spaces.
658
00:29:10.080 --> 00:29:12.300
To give an example, the temperatures for College of Arts
659
00:29:12.300 --> 00:29:16.200
and Sciences in 2024 were a mild 76 degrees.
660
00:29:16.200 --> 00:29:18.420
At the time of the CAS Ceremony.
661
00:29:18.420 --> 00:29:21.690
Yet we still had several heat related calls to UVM Rescue
662
00:29:21.690 --> 00:29:24.380
as we do every year when it's hot at commencement.
663
00:29:24.380 --> 00:29:25.213
In the sun,
664
00:29:25.213 --> 00:29:27.180
it feels about 20 degrees warmer.
665
00:29:27.180 --> 00:29:29.370
Additionally, even when the temperature is reasonable
666
00:29:29.370 --> 00:29:32.280
outside the temperatures in our un-air conditioned spaces
667
00:29:32.280 --> 00:29:33.113
are not.
668
00:29:35.100 --> 00:29:36.120
With a healthy enrollment
669
00:29:36.120 --> 00:29:37.080
and high retention rates,
670
00:29:37.080 --> 00:29:38.880
our commencements will continue to grow,
671
00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:41.670
but many of our spaces are at capacity.
672
00:29:41.670 --> 00:29:44.100
For example, if 20 graduates moved from College
673
00:29:44.100 --> 00:29:46.740
of Agriculture and Life Sciences to Rubenstein,
674
00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:49.440
we would need a minimum of 140 additional seats
675
00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:52.350
at the ceremony venue for graduates and our guests.
676
00:29:52.350 --> 00:29:55.050
To me, it is not an acceptable solution to continue
677
00:29:55.050 --> 00:29:57.810
to reduce the number of tickets for our ticketed ceremonies,
678
00:29:57.810 --> 00:30:00.840
which we have had to do for the last several years.
679
00:30:00.840 --> 00:30:02.610
I'd like to take a quick moment
680
00:30:02.610 --> 00:30:04.560
to talk about national trends.
681
00:30:04.560 --> 00:30:06.900
I attend the North American Association
682
00:30:06.900 --> 00:30:09.660
for Commencement Officers or NACO National Conference
683
00:30:09.660 --> 00:30:11.070
and I get to hear about the challenges
684
00:30:11.070 --> 00:30:13.590
and solutions institutions across the United States
685
00:30:13.590 --> 00:30:15.300
and Canada are implementing
686
00:30:15.300 --> 00:30:17.370
to make their commencements a success.
687
00:30:17.370 --> 00:30:20.640
It is clear that every institution has a challenge.
688
00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:22.860
A few things I learned in 2024
689
00:30:22.860 --> 00:30:25.560
is that institutions are making or considering major
690
00:30:25.560 --> 00:30:26.550
and creative changes
691
00:30:26.550 --> 00:30:28.470
to their commencement ceremonies models.
692
00:30:28.470 --> 00:30:30.930
I was actually really blown away by some of the creativity
693
00:30:30.930 --> 00:30:32.880
and different things people are doing
694
00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:35.910
and many institutions are also moving outdoor ceremonies
695
00:30:35.910 --> 00:30:38.580
to indoor venues wherever they can due to weather, health
696
00:30:38.580 --> 00:30:39.850
and safety concerns.
697
00:30:39.850 --> 00:30:43.140
I had a little bit of an example of a cautionary tale
698
00:30:43.140 --> 00:30:45.540
of one institution's path to change.
699
00:30:45.540 --> 00:30:49.800
In spring of 2023, UC Davis moved their ceremonies
700
00:30:49.800 --> 00:30:52.260
to the Golden One Center in Sacramento,
701
00:30:52.260 --> 00:30:54.750
which is 20 minutes away from their campus
702
00:30:54.750 --> 00:30:56.700
after they canceled their outdoor ceremony
703
00:30:56.700 --> 00:30:59.790
on campus at 9:00 AM the year before due to heat.
704
00:30:59.790 --> 00:31:02.490
It's like all over the news, just Google it.
705
00:31:02.490 --> 00:31:04.590
I'm a strong advocate for being proactive
706
00:31:04.590 --> 00:31:06.360
and instead of waiting for something to happen
707
00:31:06.360 --> 00:31:08.410
to make a change that we get ahead of it.
708
00:31:10.110 --> 00:31:12.120
So what's important to our graduates and families?
709
00:31:12.120 --> 00:31:15.600
From a survey we administered to our spring 2024 graduates
710
00:31:15.600 --> 00:31:18.840
and families who had just experienced commencement as well
711
00:31:18.840 --> 00:31:21.330
as conversations brainstorms, we've heard
712
00:31:21.330 --> 00:31:23.790
that the following components of commencement are important
713
00:31:23.790 --> 00:31:25.710
to our graduates and families.
714
00:31:25.710 --> 00:31:27.540
These include receiving their diplomas,
715
00:31:27.540 --> 00:31:30.240
hearing their names called crossing the stage, celebrating
716
00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:33.960
with friends and families and with our college schools
717
00:31:33.960 --> 00:31:35.310
and obviously for families seeing
718
00:31:35.310 --> 00:31:37.230
their graduates where regalia.
719
00:31:37.230 --> 00:31:38.580
To be clear, this does not mean
720
00:31:38.580 --> 00:31:40.410
that other components are not important
721
00:31:40.410 --> 00:31:42.480
or have value to our graduates and families,
722
00:31:42.480 --> 00:31:44.760
but these top five components are collectively
723
00:31:44.760 --> 00:31:46.710
the most important that we saw.
724
00:31:46.710 --> 00:31:48.840
And this is what we were focused on while crafting
725
00:31:48.840 --> 00:31:51.000
this new proposed model.
726
00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:54.240
This one. Additionally, we've heard that the amenities
727
00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:55.500
and components that are important
728
00:31:55.500 --> 00:31:58.770
to our commencement attendees are length of ceremony,
729
00:31:58.770 --> 00:32:00.630
parking close to the venue, air conditioning
730
00:32:00.630 --> 00:32:02.550
and concessions, or food and beverage.
731
00:32:02.550 --> 00:32:04.290
The only venue we currently use
732
00:32:04.290 --> 00:32:06.903
as air conditioned is the Flynn Downtown.
733
00:32:08.670 --> 00:32:11.580
Also be a good one moment to point out that parking
734
00:32:11.580 --> 00:32:13.950
for commencement is an incredibly well orchestrated
735
00:32:13.950 --> 00:32:16.440
but complex feat that has its challenges
736
00:32:16.440 --> 00:32:19.560
with some parking far away from some ceremony venues.
737
00:32:19.560 --> 00:32:20.850
We used 22 buses
738
00:32:20.850 --> 00:32:23.670
and 31 golf carts to move people around campus
739
00:32:23.670 --> 00:32:24.840
and downtown Burlington
740
00:32:24.840 --> 00:32:27.720
for all the ceremonies throughout commencement weekend.
741
00:32:27.720 --> 00:32:29.850
I've included on this slide what parking looked like
742
00:32:29.850 --> 00:32:30.930
for 2024.
743
00:32:30.930 --> 00:32:33.600
Each color represents a different campus lot.
744
00:32:33.600 --> 00:32:34.890
Our team of transportation
745
00:32:34.890 --> 00:32:37.140
and parking professionals do an outstanding job
746
00:32:37.140 --> 00:32:40.080
of navigating accessible parking for our attendees,
747
00:32:40.080 --> 00:32:42.360
but our accessible parking lots are less than ideal,
748
00:32:42.360 --> 00:32:44.100
specifically for the main ceremony
749
00:32:44.100 --> 00:32:45.810
and College of Arts and Sciences
750
00:32:45.810 --> 00:32:48.933
and our accessibility needs have grown and continue to grow.
751
00:32:49.860 --> 00:32:51.690
So how do we meet our community's needs?
752
00:32:51.690 --> 00:32:53.160
Considering these constraints
753
00:32:53.160 --> 00:32:55.500
and the feedback we've received thus far,
754
00:32:55.500 --> 00:32:57.540
we have put together a proposed solution
755
00:32:57.540 --> 00:33:00.000
after many iterations that while extremely different
756
00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:01.143
from what we do now,
757
00:33:03.300 --> 00:33:06.030
offers our graduates UVM Community and guests,
758
00:33:06.030 --> 00:33:08.160
the opportunities to connect, celebrate,
759
00:33:08.160 --> 00:33:10.200
and gather in a meaningful way.
760
00:33:10.200 --> 00:33:13.320
In addition to hosting events on campus on the Friday
761
00:33:13.320 --> 00:33:14.340
of Commencement Weekend,
762
00:33:14.340 --> 00:33:17.370
we're proposing that we move college school ceremonies
763
00:33:17.370 --> 00:33:18.927
to the Champlain Valley Expo Center
764
00:33:18.927 --> 00:33:22.830
for UVM's re-imagined commencement for 2025
765
00:33:22.830 --> 00:33:26.580
and no longer have a main ceremony on the University Green.
766
00:33:26.580 --> 00:33:29.130
Many of our constraints will be addressed with this move
767
00:33:29.130 --> 00:33:30.660
as the expos infrastructure
768
00:33:30.660 --> 00:33:32.280
already includes air conditioning,
769
00:33:32.280 --> 00:33:35.700
one level accessible parking venues
770
00:33:35.700 --> 00:33:36.990
and ample parking,
771
00:33:36.990 --> 00:33:39.720
as well as addressing comfort and capacity.
772
00:33:39.720 --> 00:33:43.500
The new proposed model also ensures that each graduate,
773
00:33:43.500 --> 00:33:44.970
every single one of them,
774
00:33:44.970 --> 00:33:47.040
is guaranteed to receive the experience
775
00:33:47.040 --> 00:33:48.600
of a full commencement ceremony.
776
00:33:48.600 --> 00:33:50.043
Regardless of whether.
777
00:33:54.180 --> 00:33:57.150
Here's our proposed proposal for the weekend.
778
00:33:57.150 --> 00:33:59.100
On Friday the 16th of May,
779
00:33:59.100 --> 00:34:02.280
all events will take place on campus including
780
00:34:02.280 --> 00:34:05.580
a campus open house, which will be college school oriented
781
00:34:05.580 --> 00:34:08.229
and organized by the college schools to showcase campus
782
00:34:08.229 --> 00:34:10.320
or classrooms learning spaces
783
00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:12.720
and will provide an opportunity for faculty, staff,
784
00:34:12.720 --> 00:34:15.420
and administrators to celebrate with students
785
00:34:15.420 --> 00:34:17.130
and families on campus.
786
00:34:17.130 --> 00:34:18.540
Right now, there are many events
787
00:34:18.540 --> 00:34:20.400
that are taking place all across campus
788
00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:22.200
and the intent would be to have those moved
789
00:34:22.200 --> 00:34:24.120
to this Friday afternoon time.
790
00:34:24.120 --> 00:34:26.250
The plan is to use existing campus buildings
791
00:34:26.250 --> 00:34:28.410
and infrastructure to host this event.
792
00:34:28.410 --> 00:34:30.810
The timing would be in the afternoon, could be 2:30
793
00:34:30.810 --> 00:34:33.120
to 4:30, but that's not set yet.
794
00:34:33.120 --> 00:34:34.680
We'd work closely with each college
795
00:34:34.680 --> 00:34:37.260
and school to determine exactly what this would look like.
796
00:34:37.260 --> 00:34:40.530
And some ideas include poster presentations, lab classroom,
797
00:34:40.530 --> 00:34:43.230
studio tours, self-guided tours, meet
798
00:34:43.230 --> 00:34:45.930
and greets of faculty, staff, and administrators.
799
00:34:45.930 --> 00:34:46.890
It's also become clear
800
00:34:46.890 --> 00:34:49.260
to us as students love photo opportunities.
801
00:34:49.260 --> 00:34:51.690
So there would be photo opportunities across campus.
802
00:34:51.690 --> 00:34:54.930
Ones that we have now and added ones as well.
803
00:34:54.930 --> 00:34:57.210
Following the open house would be a food truck festival
804
00:34:57.210 --> 00:34:59.010
on the Davis Center Green that would be open
805
00:34:59.010 --> 00:35:01.050
to the entire UVM Community.
806
00:35:01.050 --> 00:35:04.110
The timing of this would be approximately 4:30 to 6:30,
807
00:35:04.110 --> 00:35:06.510
and then at 6:30 there would be a procession
808
00:35:06.510 --> 00:35:08.340
for those in attendance from the Davis Center
809
00:35:08.340 --> 00:35:11.190
to the University Green for an event on the Green.
810
00:35:11.190 --> 00:35:13.050
This event is still in development.
811
00:35:13.050 --> 00:35:14.670
We're working with students to determine
812
00:35:14.670 --> 00:35:16.230
what this could look like.
813
00:35:16.230 --> 00:35:18.780
But the goal would be to make this student centric
814
00:35:18.780 --> 00:35:20.700
where graduates can gather with their friends
815
00:35:20.700 --> 00:35:21.960
and celebrate with one another
816
00:35:21.960 --> 00:35:24.210
on the historic University Green.
817
00:35:24.210 --> 00:35:25.440
Additionally, on Friday morning
818
00:35:25.440 --> 00:35:27.000
or early afternoon, we'd schedule
819
00:35:27.000 --> 00:35:29.850
the Patrick Leahy Honors College Scholars ceremony.
820
00:35:29.850 --> 00:35:31.200
On the 17th and 18th,
821
00:35:31.200 --> 00:35:33.270
we'd host the commencement diploma ceremonies
822
00:35:33.270 --> 00:35:35.220
at the Champlain Valley Expo Center
823
00:35:35.220 --> 00:35:36.982
and they'd be organized by college.
824
00:35:36.982 --> 00:35:40.380
The focus would be diploma distribution with each student
825
00:35:40.380 --> 00:35:42.720
crossing the stage, having their name called receiving
826
00:35:42.720 --> 00:35:45.270
their diploma and having their photos taken.
827
00:35:45.270 --> 00:35:48.210
We would use technology to ensure a streamlined experience
828
00:35:48.210 --> 00:35:52.020
for graduates to include a grad card with their name
829
00:35:52.020 --> 00:35:54.780
and a QR code with a pre reported name pronunciation
830
00:35:54.780 --> 00:35:58.590
that we guarantee is pronounced correctly and lower thirds
831
00:35:58.590 --> 00:35:59.760
for the screen.
832
00:35:59.760 --> 00:36:01.140
Deans will give remarks
833
00:36:01.140 --> 00:36:02.940
and rather than a single commencement speaker,
834
00:36:02.940 --> 00:36:03.773
the college schools
835
00:36:03.773 --> 00:36:05.190
could have a speaker at their ceremonies,
836
00:36:05.190 --> 00:36:06.453
much like they do now.
837
00:36:07.410 --> 00:36:09.570
Faculty would be invited to participate.
838
00:36:09.570 --> 00:36:11.700
Outstanding Student Leader Awards,
839
00:36:11.700 --> 00:36:13.620
which are usually awarded the main ceremony,
840
00:36:13.620 --> 00:36:15.480
could be awarded at these ceremonies.
841
00:36:15.480 --> 00:36:16.980
And if there are posthumous degrees,
842
00:36:16.980 --> 00:36:19.230
they would be presented here as well.
843
00:36:19.230 --> 00:36:22.260
The president would confer degrees at each ceremony.
844
00:36:22.260 --> 00:36:24.810
And we are proposing that the honorary degrees be awarded
845
00:36:24.810 --> 00:36:27.210
at the Graduate College Commencement Ceremony.
846
00:36:27.210 --> 00:36:29.160
The commencement diploma ceremonies will be one
847
00:36:29.160 --> 00:36:32.070
and a half hours for every undergraduate college school,
848
00:36:32.070 --> 00:36:34.290
graduate college of you a little bit longer.
849
00:36:34.290 --> 00:36:36.990
And a quick note that Larner College of Medicine
850
00:36:36.990 --> 00:36:39.600
will continue to have their ceremony at Ira Chapel
851
00:36:39.600 --> 00:36:41.376
for a number of reasons.
852
00:36:41.376 --> 00:36:43.260
Every ceremony will be ticketed
853
00:36:43.260 --> 00:36:46.290
and each student will receive tick six tickets each
854
00:36:46.290 --> 00:36:48.420
with the possibility of more.
855
00:36:48.420 --> 00:36:51.330
We've created a mock schedule of how things could look.
856
00:36:51.330 --> 00:36:52.410
This is not final.
857
00:36:52.410 --> 00:36:54.177
It has some tightening up
858
00:36:54.177 --> 00:36:57.330
and some shifting that we need to do, but it's an example.
859
00:36:57.330 --> 00:36:59.430
We've allotted an hour for doors open,
860
00:36:59.430 --> 00:37:00.390
and lineup time,
861
00:37:00.390 --> 00:37:02.610
arrivals and departures would be staggered
862
00:37:02.610 --> 00:37:04.500
for each ceremony and group.
863
00:37:04.500 --> 00:37:06.600
So each college school has a ceremony
864
00:37:06.600 --> 00:37:09.540
and CAS will actually have three ceremonies.
865
00:37:09.540 --> 00:37:11.370
These would be replicated ceremonies
866
00:37:11.370 --> 00:37:13.890
that would be split up by academic program.
867
00:37:13.890 --> 00:37:16.440
So faculty and students would be invited
868
00:37:16.440 --> 00:37:19.503
to participate in a ceremony where their program is.
869
00:37:21.360 --> 00:37:24.120
So there are two event spaces at the expo for ceremonies
870
00:37:24.120 --> 00:37:26.160
and additional space for lineup.
871
00:37:26.160 --> 00:37:30.030
Expo South has a capacity of 3,720 people
872
00:37:30.030 --> 00:37:33.180
and Expo North 2,976.
873
00:37:33.180 --> 00:37:34.170
Blue Ribbon Pavilion
874
00:37:34.170 --> 00:37:36.990
would be designated as a lineup location.
875
00:37:36.990 --> 00:37:38.220
For comparison's sake,
876
00:37:38.220 --> 00:37:40.980
our current commencement venue capacities are as follows.
877
00:37:40.980 --> 00:37:44.970
Patrick Gym holds an absolute maximum of 3,200 people,
878
00:37:44.970 --> 00:37:47.730
but this is tight and people would be sitting
879
00:37:47.730 --> 00:37:49.380
beyond the stage.
880
00:37:49.380 --> 00:37:52.230
Gutterson holds a max of 2,400 people
881
00:37:52.230 --> 00:37:55.893
and the Flynn holds a maximum of 1,411.
882
00:37:57.630 --> 00:37:59.700
The ceremonies would be staggered through Saturday
883
00:37:59.700 --> 00:38:01.950
and Sunday in both Expo North and South.
884
00:38:01.950 --> 00:38:04.470
Here's some photos of what the space looks like.
885
00:38:04.470 --> 00:38:06.450
There's the burgers up there, those aren't permanent.
886
00:38:06.450 --> 00:38:08.160
That's just to show that you can do all sorts
887
00:38:08.160 --> 00:38:11.317
of fun decals just so we can really outfit it in UVM,
888
00:38:12.210 --> 00:38:15.630
this is an exterior view and overhead of Expo North
889
00:38:15.630 --> 00:38:18.690
and South and their shared courtyard.
890
00:38:18.690 --> 00:38:21.180
This slide shows some photos of what the empty space
891
00:38:21.180 --> 00:38:22.890
of Expo North looks like.
892
00:38:22.890 --> 00:38:26.670
It has its own concessions area, bathrooms, water outlets,
893
00:38:26.670 --> 00:38:28.170
as well as entrance.
894
00:38:28.170 --> 00:38:30.093
This is the same for Expo South.
895
00:38:31.140 --> 00:38:34.020
All spaces in the facility are fully air conditioned
896
00:38:34.020 --> 00:38:35.280
and there is also parking
897
00:38:35.280 --> 00:38:38.340
and lots of it right next to the Expo Center.
898
00:38:38.340 --> 00:38:41.100
The facility is accessible one level, no stairs
899
00:38:41.100 --> 00:38:43.770
and will allow for staging with ramps on both sides
900
00:38:43.770 --> 00:38:46.830
of the stage in both Expo North and South.
901
00:38:46.830 --> 00:38:49.680
This will ensure every graduate will be able to enter
902
00:38:49.680 --> 00:38:51.843
and exit the stage the same way.
903
00:38:52.875 --> 00:38:56.130
We have so many options on how we can transform the space.
904
00:38:56.130 --> 00:38:59.730
This is a super simple AutoCAD rendering we put together
905
00:38:59.730 --> 00:39:02.940
to show how it could look with some backdrops and lighting.
906
00:39:02.940 --> 00:39:04.500
We can do a ton more than this,
907
00:39:04.500 --> 00:39:07.020
but this is just to give you an idea and sense of space.
908
00:39:07.020 --> 00:39:09.090
And I do love that our acting provost
909
00:39:09.090 --> 00:39:10.790
is the one who's up on the screen.
910
00:39:12.300 --> 00:39:13.470
Next slide.
911
00:39:13.470 --> 00:39:14.670
So before I take questions,
912
00:39:14.670 --> 00:39:16.290
I wanna note the steps we've taken
913
00:39:16.290 --> 00:39:20.010
to get to this point in sharing this proposal with you.
914
00:39:20.010 --> 00:39:21.180
We met or presented to
915
00:39:21.180 --> 00:39:23.370
or had conversations starting this summer
916
00:39:23.370 --> 00:39:25.050
with university leaders,
917
00:39:25.050 --> 00:39:27.960
college school commencement coordinators, the university
918
00:39:27.960 --> 00:39:30.060
and services professional staff, provost,
919
00:39:30.060 --> 00:39:30.893
leadership team,
920
00:39:30.893 --> 00:39:32.970
deans and their staff in small group meetings,
921
00:39:32.970 --> 00:39:33.990
Registrar's Office,
922
00:39:33.990 --> 00:39:37.230
faculty senate, CAS faculty, SGA, senators
923
00:39:37.230 --> 00:39:38.880
and Leadership, GSS, President
924
00:39:38.880 --> 00:39:41.730
and Vice President, Strategic Communications, Foundation,
925
00:39:41.730 --> 00:39:44.040
vendors today, staff council.
926
00:39:44.040 --> 00:39:45.870
And we continue to have many discussions
927
00:39:45.870 --> 00:39:46.950
with campus partners
928
00:39:46.950 --> 00:39:48.870
and will continue to have conversations
929
00:39:48.870 --> 00:39:50.430
with partners like transportation
930
00:39:50.430 --> 00:39:54.090
and parking, police services, ETS, custodial, Physical Plan,
931
00:39:54.090 --> 00:39:57.690
print mail bookstore, Davis Center, UVM, dining and more.
932
00:39:57.690 --> 00:40:00.510
Since I presented to the Student Government Association,
933
00:40:00.510 --> 00:40:02.757
we've received some very strong feedback from students
934
00:40:02.757 --> 00:40:05.640
and their families and we're taking this feedback seriously
935
00:40:05.640 --> 00:40:08.520
and working on next appropriate steps to fully recognize
936
00:40:08.520 --> 00:40:11.790
and understand the collective feelings of students on campus
937
00:40:11.790 --> 00:40:13.770
regarding what they need and want.
938
00:40:13.770 --> 00:40:16.890
This includes a survey to students with senior standing
939
00:40:16.890 --> 00:40:19.500
and our summer grads who are part of this cohort
940
00:40:19.500 --> 00:40:21.060
that was actually launched this morning
941
00:40:21.060 --> 00:40:22.890
and will be open for a week.
942
00:40:22.890 --> 00:40:24.847
I must stress this process is ongoing
943
00:40:24.847 --> 00:40:27.090
that will continue to evolve.
944
00:40:27.090 --> 00:40:29.370
However, we recognize that families need to plan
945
00:40:29.370 --> 00:40:30.840
or adjust plans already made.
946
00:40:30.840 --> 00:40:34.110
So moving as quickly as possible to finalize our proposal
947
00:40:34.110 --> 00:40:37.180
for final review will happen within the next few weeks.
948
00:40:37.180 --> 00:40:38.340
Yeah, yeah.
949
00:40:38.340 --> 00:40:40.350
In team, in the team that plans
950
00:40:40.350 --> 00:40:41.970
and implements commencement at UVM
951
00:40:41.970 --> 00:40:44.520
didn't come up with this proposal arbitrarily.
952
00:40:44.520 --> 00:40:47.370
We spent several months in discussion exploration
953
00:40:47.370 --> 00:40:49.260
and by brainstorming to come up with a plan
954
00:40:49.260 --> 00:40:50.790
that would allow each graduate
955
00:40:50.790 --> 00:40:53.280
to ensure a commencement that they have earned.
956
00:40:53.280 --> 00:40:55.920
We recognize this is a big change for many of us,
957
00:40:55.920 --> 00:40:57.810
but we believe a necessary one.
958
00:40:57.810 --> 00:41:00.450
And I think if we continue to work together as a community,
959
00:41:00.450 --> 00:41:02.490
we can create an exceptional experience
960
00:41:02.490 --> 00:41:05.430
for our student graduates as their last experiences
961
00:41:05.430 --> 00:41:07.470
as UVM students.
962
00:41:07.470 --> 00:41:10.173
That's it. I'm happy to take anyone's questions.
963
00:41:11.220 --> 00:41:12.270
Yes.
964
00:41:12.270 --> 00:41:17.270
Is it still gonna be broken up graduate degrees on Saturday
965
00:41:17.340 --> 00:41:20.340
and undergrad and Sunday? It seemed like a-
966
00:41:20.340 --> 00:41:23.460
Yeah, so they'll have to be ceremonies on both Saturday
967
00:41:23.460 --> 00:41:24.293
and Sunday.
968
00:41:24.293 --> 00:41:26.910
So to a transfer of undergrad graduate. Yeah.
969
00:41:26.910 --> 00:41:28.950
Well graduate has one ceremony.
970
00:41:28.950 --> 00:41:31.080
So they would continue to be on Saturday
971
00:41:31.080 --> 00:41:34.170
and Larner College of Medicine would be on Sunday.
972
00:41:34.170 --> 00:41:37.500
And so those would typically be commencement ceremonies
973
00:41:37.500 --> 00:41:40.458
where they would have their degrees converted there too.
974
00:41:40.458 --> 00:41:41.790
But some undergrads will have on Saturday,
975
00:41:41.790 --> 00:41:43.240
and some will have on Sunday.
976
00:41:44.115 --> 00:41:47.640
Yes, it's gonna be basically a mix of both days.
977
00:41:47.640 --> 00:41:49.470
And a lot of those 2020 grads
978
00:41:49.470 --> 00:41:52.170
that graduated this past year have their ceremony
979
00:41:52.170 --> 00:41:53.700
at Champlain Expo.
980
00:41:53.700 --> 00:41:57.180
They did a wonderful job but it was outside, inside.
981
00:41:57.180 --> 00:41:58.500
Yeah, yeah, yeah. They were all in cars.
982
00:41:58.500 --> 00:41:59.333
Yes.
983
00:41:59.333 --> 00:42:01.830
Yep. They gotta go across the table. They did.
984
00:42:01.830 --> 00:42:04.020
Yeah. It's different. I think it's good.
985
00:42:04.020 --> 00:42:05.700
Yeah, I mean I think the challenge
986
00:42:05.700 --> 00:42:08.640
with it is that it's really different from what we do now
987
00:42:08.640 --> 00:42:11.580
and you know, there was criticism
988
00:42:11.580 --> 00:42:15.000
that we didn't survey this particular group of students,
989
00:42:15.000 --> 00:42:16.650
which it's a broad list.
990
00:42:16.650 --> 00:42:17.790
Like I don't have a list.
991
00:42:17.790 --> 00:42:19.350
We just basically send it to anyone
992
00:42:19.350 --> 00:42:21.000
who has a specific number of credits.
993
00:42:21.000 --> 00:42:22.850
So they may or may not be graduating.
994
00:42:24.150 --> 00:42:27.870
You know, my driver is that I wanna make sure everybody
995
00:42:27.870 --> 00:42:29.070
has a commencement experience,
996
00:42:29.070 --> 00:42:31.200
and the CAS plan right now in the event
997
00:42:31.200 --> 00:42:33.210
of severe weather is a real nightmare.
998
00:42:33.210 --> 00:42:35.520
Like it's hard when you're like,
999
00:42:35.520 --> 00:42:37.260
I wanna have this thing on the Green
1000
00:42:37.260 --> 00:42:39.840
and you're envisioning perfect weather to think about,
1001
00:42:39.840 --> 00:42:42.510
and the fact that there may be a downpour or it's canceled
1002
00:42:42.510 --> 00:42:44.190
'cause of thunder lightning
1003
00:42:44.190 --> 00:42:45.023
and to be like,
1004
00:42:45.023 --> 00:42:47.430
"What I really don't want is what we're proposing."
1005
00:42:47.430 --> 00:42:50.250
But if we got there that day they'd be very upset.
1006
00:42:50.250 --> 00:42:53.249
Right. So it's a tough thing to explain
1007
00:42:53.249 --> 00:42:55.770
and also it's like it's a gamble, right?
1008
00:42:55.770 --> 00:42:57.450
Like every year it's a gamble
1009
00:42:57.450 --> 00:42:59.470
and people don't always recognize that.
1010
00:42:59.470 --> 00:43:02.100
'Cause we've had incredibly good luck with the weather
1011
00:43:02.100 --> 00:43:03.363
for many years now.
1012
00:43:05.340 --> 00:43:09.840
But I remember having to get was Heather before you?
1013
00:43:09.840 --> 00:43:11.970
Heather come from Water, from Costco.
1014
00:43:11.970 --> 00:43:13.230
Oh yeah.
All the Water runs.
1015
00:43:13.230 --> 00:43:15.624
Well we aren't even allowed to do that.
1016
00:43:15.624 --> 00:43:18.540
Like, that was emergency situations because in 20,
1017
00:43:18.540 --> 00:43:21.270
Jen Mainelli or Jen Maine mailed us,
1018
00:43:21.270 --> 00:43:23.910
but when we were at Virtue Field for 2021,
1019
00:43:23.910 --> 00:43:26.430
which is one of the years, we didn't have it on the Green
1020
00:43:26.430 --> 00:43:28.830
'cause that was technically our COVID commencement
1021
00:43:28.830 --> 00:43:30.480
and it looked very different.
1022
00:43:30.480 --> 00:43:31.650
But we were in Virtue Field
1023
00:43:31.650 --> 00:43:36.120
and it was the hottest place in the United States of America
1024
00:43:36.120 --> 00:43:39.450
in May on one of the two days that we did it.
1025
00:43:39.450 --> 00:43:41.910
And it was absolutely miserable.
1026
00:43:41.910 --> 00:43:44.370
And then you're talking about 300 students
1027
00:43:44.370 --> 00:43:47.168
at 10 different ceremonies in Polyester Grounds
1028
00:43:47.168 --> 00:43:50.100
that are made out of recycled plastic.
1029
00:43:50.100 --> 00:43:51.617
You know, it was like someone did a thing,
1030
00:43:51.617 --> 00:43:54.210
it was like on the turf, which is plastic.
1031
00:43:54.210 --> 00:43:56.280
It was like 140 degrees.
1032
00:43:56.280 --> 00:44:00.210
So like, like that's a real, those are real concerns for us.
1033
00:44:00.210 --> 00:44:02.700
And it doesn't feel like it's getting cooler.
1034
00:44:02.700 --> 00:44:03.533
Huh?
1035
00:44:04.920 --> 00:44:06.780
Yes. Would you still have like the golf cart?
1036
00:44:06.780 --> 00:44:09.253
'Cause I mean even though there's a lot of parking,
1037
00:44:09.253 --> 00:44:11.220
like it's large scale.
1038
00:44:11.220 --> 00:44:14.610
Absolutely. Like you know, people drive to campus now,
1039
00:44:14.610 --> 00:44:16.350
so the thought is that they would drive
1040
00:44:16.350 --> 00:44:18.000
directly to the Expo.
1041
00:44:18.000 --> 00:44:20.310
We also recognize some people don't have cars,
1042
00:44:20.310 --> 00:44:21.780
whether they'd be students or guests
1043
00:44:21.780 --> 00:44:23.550
and they're staying Downtown.
1044
00:44:23.550 --> 00:44:26.219
So you know, we'll be talking about devising
1045
00:44:26.219 --> 00:44:29.610
to have some buses providing service from Downtown
1046
00:44:29.610 --> 00:44:33.507
and campus to the Expo and back. Yeah.
1047
00:44:33.507 --> 00:44:36.633
And then you talked about those boards,
1048
00:44:37.560 --> 00:44:39.330
outside of the Expo,
1049
00:44:39.330 --> 00:44:41.640
South and North where you could put art.
1050
00:44:41.640 --> 00:44:44.190
Oh yeah. Yeah. So would the idea be to kind
1051
00:44:44.190 --> 00:44:46.530
of create a UVM like atmosphere?
1052
00:44:46.530 --> 00:44:51.480
Like around UVM Centric inside like coming into it?
1053
00:44:51.480 --> 00:44:53.220
And then inside too.
1054
00:44:53.220 --> 00:44:57.090
I mean it's hard if you've been there for like the fair
1055
00:44:57.090 --> 00:44:59.965
to be like, oh this is a glorious location,
1056
00:44:59.965 --> 00:45:03.660
but like truly it is an event center, right?
1057
00:45:03.660 --> 00:45:06.360
Like that's the whole point is that it is a concrete shell
1058
00:45:06.360 --> 00:45:08.546
that you can do so much with.
1059
00:45:08.546 --> 00:45:12.120
So I think that with this team is super creative,
1060
00:45:12.120 --> 00:45:16.980
we can make it look amazing, very celebratory and fun.
1061
00:45:16.980 --> 00:45:18.977
It'll look better than Patrick Gym
1062
00:45:18.977 --> 00:45:21.720
and Gutterson can tell you that much.
1063
00:45:21.720 --> 00:45:24.663
Is there a big cost differential doing it?
1064
00:45:26.010 --> 00:45:28.260
Not that I have seen yet.
1065
00:45:28.260 --> 00:45:30.990
You know, the Green is extremely expensive
1066
00:45:30.990 --> 00:45:34.140
because you're basically creating an event in a place
1067
00:45:34.140 --> 00:45:36.270
that has absolutely zero infrastructure
1068
00:45:36.270 --> 00:45:37.950
to support a large event, right?
1069
00:45:37.950 --> 00:45:39.300
So we have to bring in the power,
1070
00:45:39.300 --> 00:45:40.650
we have to bring in the water,
1071
00:45:40.650 --> 00:45:43.680
we have to set 8,000 shares out unevenly on ground.
1072
00:45:43.680 --> 00:45:45.750
And the labor to do that, it's challenging
1073
00:45:45.750 --> 00:45:47.865
'cause every rail is a different number.
1074
00:45:47.865 --> 00:45:50.700
You know, you've gotta bring a stage in and set it up
1075
00:45:50.700 --> 00:45:54.540
and close off entrances and exits and bring the power out.
1076
00:45:54.540 --> 00:45:56.550
I mean, even internet, we have to put boosters
1077
00:45:56.550 --> 00:45:58.410
out because we're live streaming this event.
1078
00:45:58.410 --> 00:46:00.720
So there's an incredible cost to that.
1079
00:46:00.720 --> 00:46:03.840
I think that this first year at the expo will be,
1080
00:46:03.840 --> 00:46:05.940
there'll be expenses involved
1081
00:46:05.940 --> 00:46:08.730
in it to get it to where it needs to be.
1082
00:46:08.730 --> 00:46:12.030
And some of those things can be reused after that year.
1083
00:46:12.030 --> 00:46:13.560
So I think that this year
1084
00:46:13.560 --> 00:46:16.260
it will not really be a cost savings,
1085
00:46:16.260 --> 00:46:17.800
but I don't think that like
1086
00:46:18.780 --> 00:46:21.060
it will be like, it's not the driver.
1087
00:46:21.060 --> 00:46:24.420
But I do think in the long run when we're not creating
1088
00:46:24.420 --> 00:46:26.130
an event out there is no infrastructure,
1089
00:46:26.130 --> 00:46:28.020
we will see some savings.
1090
00:46:28.020 --> 00:46:32.280
Colleges will also, he spends a lot of money on food
1091
00:46:32.280 --> 00:46:33.600
for our receptions.
1092
00:46:33.600 --> 00:46:36.500
So I mean I don't know if you're taking money from us yet,
1093
00:46:38.755 --> 00:46:40.230
but it could be for colleges-
1094
00:46:40.230 --> 00:46:41.063
Start offering.
1095
00:46:41.063 --> 00:46:42.480
Yeah. Yeah. Your right.
1096
00:46:42.480 --> 00:46:44.790
I didn't mean to put any ideas in your head
1097
00:46:44.790 --> 00:46:47.490
but, well I mean even the receptions are problematic
1098
00:46:47.490 --> 00:46:50.580
because as Jen can attest to the fact
1099
00:46:50.580 --> 00:46:53.610
that the Harris Mill isn't big enough
1100
00:46:53.610 --> 00:46:56.400
and so there is a line wrapped around the building
1101
00:46:56.400 --> 00:46:58.440
and food ran out in 30 minutes.
1102
00:46:58.440 --> 00:47:02.010
So it's like are we really serving everyone the best
1103
00:47:02.010 --> 00:47:03.600
way in this way?
1104
00:47:03.600 --> 00:47:06.450
So the biggest issue is that like our spaces
1105
00:47:06.450 --> 00:47:07.740
aren't working for us anymore.
1106
00:47:07.740 --> 00:47:08.850
Like our current model
1107
00:47:08.850 --> 00:47:12.120
with how we're doing things is not working
1108
00:47:12.120 --> 00:47:16.320
and we can't, we physically can't do it the same this year.
1109
00:47:16.320 --> 00:47:18.450
So we have to make some decisions.
1110
00:47:18.450 --> 00:47:19.950
I think it'll be interesting to see
1111
00:47:19.950 --> 00:47:21.660
what we get back from the student survey
1112
00:47:21.660 --> 00:47:23.730
about what's truly important to them.
1113
00:47:23.730 --> 00:47:26.610
This has evolved numerous times since we started talking
1114
00:47:26.610 --> 00:47:28.620
about it several months ago.
1115
00:47:28.620 --> 00:47:31.470
And I'm sure it will continue to evolve.
1116
00:47:31.470 --> 00:47:35.070
Like I think it has to, my biggest concern now is timing.
1117
00:47:35.070 --> 00:47:36.840
We have families who are already very upset
1118
00:47:36.840 --> 00:47:38.550
that there might be a change for May
1119
00:47:38.550 --> 00:47:40.260
because they've already booked hotels
1120
00:47:40.260 --> 00:47:42.000
or done travel plans.
1121
00:47:42.000 --> 00:47:45.060
So we wanna make sure we're giving people ample time
1122
00:47:45.060 --> 00:47:46.620
to either make their travel
1123
00:47:46.620 --> 00:47:49.470
or change it with this new model.
1124
00:47:49.470 --> 00:47:50.303
It's the same weekend,
1125
00:47:50.303 --> 00:47:52.020
it's just that they might have around a certain day.
1126
00:47:52.020 --> 00:47:53.070
Yeah, I mean a lot of people
1127
00:47:53.070 --> 00:47:54.720
are here for the weekend already,
1128
00:47:54.720 --> 00:47:57.660
but there are some people who may drive up that morning,
1129
00:47:57.660 --> 00:47:59.877
you know, so we wanna be sensitive to that.
1130
00:47:59.877 --> 00:48:02.460
And we do offer on campus family housing
1131
00:48:02.460 --> 00:48:04.080
and we'll continue to do that.
1132
00:48:04.080 --> 00:48:06.300
And that's at University North Heights.
1133
00:48:06.300 --> 00:48:10.140
So it's air conditioned and we'll you know,
1134
00:48:10.140 --> 00:48:14.910
likely expand it as as much as we can. Yes.
1135
00:48:14.910 --> 00:48:18.390
Do you have the ability to livestream the event
1136
00:48:18.390 --> 00:48:20.367
behind the stadium?
1137
00:48:20.367 --> 00:48:23.490
And the reason I ask because that is a flat surface.
1138
00:48:23.490 --> 00:48:26.310
So when you have the whole crowd sitting,
1139
00:48:26.310 --> 00:48:27.600
like you're not gonna see.
1140
00:48:27.600 --> 00:48:30.210
Yeah, everything, every ceremony,
1141
00:48:30.210 --> 00:48:32.760
even now everything we do is live streamed.
1142
00:48:32.760 --> 00:48:35.100
So all 11 ceremonies are live streamed
1143
00:48:35.100 --> 00:48:36.450
and then in the expo
1144
00:48:36.450 --> 00:48:38.880
what will happen is there will be video screens
1145
00:48:38.880 --> 00:48:41.820
that hang down from the ceiling like halfway
1146
00:48:41.820 --> 00:48:43.500
back for people to see.
1147
00:48:43.500 --> 00:48:46.710
So like we have so much we can do if we wanna outfit
1148
00:48:46.710 --> 00:48:48.870
it in video screens and video walls.
1149
00:48:48.870 --> 00:48:50.963
Certainly accessibility. Yeah.
1150
00:48:51.913 --> 00:48:55.505
Corrine, do you have a question?
1151
00:48:55.505 --> 00:48:59.580
Yes. I'm curious what the concerns
1152
00:48:59.580 --> 00:49:01.500
are that you mentioned.
1153
00:49:01.500 --> 00:49:05.010
If it's just, if it's the change in location in general
1154
00:49:05.010 --> 00:49:07.290
or if there's something more specific.
1155
00:49:07.290 --> 00:49:11.610
I'm also wondering if the change in location would mean
1156
00:49:11.610 --> 00:49:15.600
that fewer volunteers are needed or the same amount
1157
00:49:15.600 --> 00:49:18.060
and if it's UVM security
1158
00:49:18.060 --> 00:49:21.240
that would also be needed at the other location in addition
1159
00:49:21.240 --> 00:49:22.620
to on campus.
1160
00:49:22.620 --> 00:49:23.453
Yeah,
1161
00:49:23.453 --> 00:49:27.950
so we will definitely need staff volunteers,
1162
00:49:28.830 --> 00:49:30.990
but it's really like we don't have volunteers anymore.
1163
00:49:30.990 --> 00:49:32.700
We pay everyone that works commencement
1164
00:49:32.700 --> 00:49:34.230
unless it's a part of their job.
1165
00:49:34.230 --> 00:49:35.340
So there will most definitely
1166
00:49:35.340 --> 00:49:37.203
still be a call going out for that.
1167
00:49:37.203 --> 00:49:39.420
It's an over two day period of time.
1168
00:49:39.420 --> 00:49:42.180
So I can't tell you if it's the exact same number
1169
00:49:42.180 --> 00:49:44.100
of people we'll need, but we are definitely gonna need
1170
00:49:44.100 --> 00:49:46.956
a workforce so that won't go away.
1171
00:49:46.956 --> 00:49:51.660
We always work with ADA for security.
1172
00:49:51.660 --> 00:49:54.720
I'm not sure who's contracted over at the expo.
1173
00:49:54.720 --> 00:49:57.090
There would still be a security company involved like
1174
00:49:57.090 --> 00:49:58.467
we have every year and UVM
1175
00:49:58.467 --> 00:50:00.720
and police services would still be involved
1176
00:50:00.720 --> 00:50:02.373
as it is a university event.
1177
00:50:04.170 --> 00:50:05.310
I don't think I answered
1178
00:50:05.310 --> 00:50:07.503
all of them though about the concerns.
1179
00:50:08.520 --> 00:50:12.100
I think that the concerns are definitely like
1180
00:50:13.111 --> 00:50:14.970
the schedule, right?
1181
00:50:14.970 --> 00:50:16.860
'Cause people look back at previous years
1182
00:50:16.860 --> 00:50:18.330
and they're like, "Well Sims was then."
1183
00:50:18.330 --> 00:50:20.640
So that's when they'll be now even though we don't publish
1184
00:50:20.640 --> 00:50:21.870
the schedule on purpose
1185
00:50:21.870 --> 00:50:24.630
'cause we don't actually know when they're going,
1186
00:50:24.630 --> 00:50:27.330
but people make assumptions so people have made plans.
1187
00:50:27.330 --> 00:50:29.280
I think that's one of the biggest concerns people
1188
00:50:29.280 --> 00:50:31.350
have that we're hearing from.
1189
00:50:31.350 --> 00:50:34.320
Our students feel a connection to the University Green
1190
00:50:34.320 --> 00:50:36.540
and they've expressed their discontent
1191
00:50:36.540 --> 00:50:39.648
with potentially not having a main ceremony there.
1192
00:50:39.648 --> 00:50:44.640
And but that is also what we're trying to create on Friday.
1193
00:50:44.640 --> 00:50:45.540
It's like what we're hearing
1194
00:50:45.540 --> 00:50:47.100
is that students wanna celebrate
1195
00:50:47.100 --> 00:50:49.800
with their friends across college school,
1196
00:50:49.800 --> 00:50:51.420
which we don't actually currently do.
1197
00:50:51.420 --> 00:50:54.030
Right now it's very college, school specific
1198
00:50:54.030 --> 00:50:56.670
and they want to be on the Green.
1199
00:50:56.670 --> 00:50:58.650
So we're trying to create an opportunity
1200
00:50:58.650 --> 00:51:01.978
that would be meaningful for them to have that there
1201
00:51:01.978 --> 00:51:04.473
and they will all be here on Friday. So.
1202
00:51:06.811 --> 00:51:08.520
And yes Jen.
1203
00:51:08.520 --> 00:51:10.260
Have you thought about options
1204
00:51:10.260 --> 00:51:14.160
for family activities for Saturday in the event
1205
00:51:14.160 --> 00:51:16.740
that your ceremony is on Sunday?
1206
00:51:16.740 --> 00:51:20.550
Yes. No, I mean as in I think a lot
1207
00:51:20.550 --> 00:51:22.530
of families make their own plans.
1208
00:51:22.530 --> 00:51:25.170
Like they have their parties at their house,
1209
00:51:25.170 --> 00:51:26.550
they go out to dinner,
1210
00:51:26.550 --> 00:51:29.220
they have their own celebratory events specifically
1211
00:51:29.220 --> 00:51:30.570
with their friends
1212
00:51:30.570 --> 00:51:33.639
who they're not necessarily in the same college with.
1213
00:51:33.639 --> 00:51:35.894
So yes,
1214
00:51:35.894 --> 00:51:39.120
there's a gap there from Friday to Sunday.
1215
00:51:39.120 --> 00:51:42.060
Oh. But a lot of people are here already.
1216
00:51:42.060 --> 00:51:43.980
Yeah.
Doing their thing.
1217
00:51:43.980 --> 00:51:46.110
I mean every like restaurant in Burlington
1218
00:51:46.110 --> 00:51:48.120
is booked solid for the weekend.
1219
00:51:48.120 --> 00:51:50.670
So they're celebrating, they're doing their things.
1220
00:51:52.140 --> 00:51:54.390
We haven't really received any feedback
1221
00:51:54.390 --> 00:51:56.580
about that piece so far.
1222
00:51:56.580 --> 00:52:00.013
I know you're putting me on Sunday, that's why I'm say
1223
00:52:00.013 --> 00:52:02.043
you I know nothing, you never know.
1224
00:52:03.060 --> 00:52:08.060
So no central celebration, just college specific.
1225
00:52:08.220 --> 00:52:10.380
Yes. Like they essentially
1226
00:52:10.380 --> 00:52:12.490
all become commencement ceremonies
1227
00:52:13.680 --> 00:52:17.550
and the interim president would be all of them
1228
00:52:17.550 --> 00:52:19.320
or a president.
1229
00:52:19.320 --> 00:52:20.733
Wow. The plan.
1230
00:52:28.920 --> 00:52:30.660
You mentioned honorary degrees.
1231
00:52:30.660 --> 00:52:31.984
Yes.
1232
00:52:31.984 --> 00:52:33.000
How are you gonna split those up?
1233
00:52:33.000 --> 00:52:35.610
I'm not, they're gonna be at the graduate college.
1234
00:52:35.610 --> 00:52:37.982
Oh, you must have said that. Okay.
1235
00:52:37.982 --> 00:52:40.200
Yeah, so that'll be a bit of an elevated ceremony.
1236
00:52:40.200 --> 00:52:42.420
They're looked at as advanced degrees.
1237
00:52:42.420 --> 00:52:46.237
So they take place at the graduate college.
1238
00:52:46.237 --> 00:52:47.087
That's amazing.
1239
00:52:49.290 --> 00:52:51.720
And I did note like no commencement speaker
1240
00:52:51.720 --> 00:52:54.300
for like there's no university wide,
1241
00:52:54.300 --> 00:52:56.490
but all the college schools typically
1242
00:52:56.490 --> 00:52:57.630
have commencement speakers.
1243
00:52:57.630 --> 00:53:01.110
CAS does not, but most of the others do have a speaker
1244
00:53:01.110 --> 00:53:02.190
that they bring in already
1245
00:53:02.190 --> 00:53:03.420
and that's actually very important
1246
00:53:03.420 --> 00:53:05.373
to their college school identities.
1247
00:53:13.530 --> 00:53:16.800
Just for my own understanding,
1248
00:53:16.800 --> 00:53:19.500
you mentioned a couple times that there's concessions.
1249
00:53:19.500 --> 00:53:22.140
I should just, it alarms me a little bit
1250
00:53:22.140 --> 00:53:25.434
but are, would you offer concessions?
1251
00:53:25.434 --> 00:53:26.428
Yeah.
You would?
1252
00:53:26.428 --> 00:53:27.261
Yes.
1253
00:53:27.261 --> 00:53:30.630
So like Sodexo would be there offering more options
1254
00:53:30.630 --> 00:53:33.900
than they do now because they have two full kitchens.
1255
00:53:33.900 --> 00:53:36.060
Can you eat inside the-
1256
00:53:36.060 --> 00:53:38.022
Yeah. So that's cleanup.
1257
00:53:38.022 --> 00:53:38.883
Okay.
1258
00:53:41.430 --> 00:53:44.640
But there's also outdoor space two,
1259
00:53:44.640 --> 00:53:46.975
we're talking about putting a tent up outside.
1260
00:53:46.975 --> 00:53:48.226
Okay.
1261
00:53:48.226 --> 00:53:51.030
To mainly partially to block
1262
00:53:51.030 --> 00:53:53.790
some of the ugly because I know it's like it's not,
1263
00:53:53.790 --> 00:53:54.840
it isn't beautiful there,
1264
00:53:54.840 --> 00:53:57.630
but we're not there for the like for the affair.
1265
00:53:57.630 --> 00:53:59.343
We're in a specific area.
1266
00:54:01.500 --> 00:54:02.333
Yeah.
1267
00:54:02.333 --> 00:54:03.270
But deep fried area.
1268
00:54:04.841 --> 00:54:06.406
What your real question
1269
00:54:06.406 --> 00:54:07.406
Is or candy.
1270
00:54:09.780 --> 00:54:11.193
Open up the Maple part.
1271
00:54:13.740 --> 00:54:15.600
That's right next door.
1272
00:54:15.600 --> 00:54:18.300
That would be cute. Yeah, it's very good mind. Yeah.
1273
00:54:22.350 --> 00:54:24.570
What are some of the trends
1274
00:54:24.570 --> 00:54:26.490
that you got at the conference?
1275
00:54:26.490 --> 00:54:29.520
People are doing like crazy new things.
1276
00:54:29.520 --> 00:54:31.413
So for an example,
1277
00:54:32.880 --> 00:54:34.560
one school has done it really well
1278
00:54:34.560 --> 00:54:35.760
and they're now in their third year
1279
00:54:35.760 --> 00:54:40.050
of doing it as University of Albany did away
1280
00:54:40.050 --> 00:54:43.380
with their individual college school ceremonies completely.
1281
00:54:43.380 --> 00:54:44.790
And on Thursday
1282
00:54:44.790 --> 00:54:48.540
and Friday students sign up for a 45 minute time slot
1283
00:54:48.540 --> 00:54:52.380
and they go to their large building on campus,
1284
00:54:52.380 --> 00:54:55.770
which has been completely transformed and outfitted
1285
00:54:55.770 --> 00:54:58.603
and all these different photo opportunities.
1286
00:54:58.603 --> 00:55:01.050
And and people are there,
1287
00:55:01.050 --> 00:55:03.693
like faculty are there taking pictures with them.
1288
00:55:04.830 --> 00:55:06.930
And like they have like some examples would be,
1289
00:55:06.930 --> 00:55:11.010
they have like the plant wall that's like their colors
1290
00:55:11.010 --> 00:55:15.390
of orange or it's yellow and purple and shimmer walls
1291
00:55:15.390 --> 00:55:18.450
and they have like a big poster sign that's like, thank you.
1292
00:55:18.450 --> 00:55:19.680
And every language
1293
00:55:19.680 --> 00:55:23.580
and the shape of the world map,
1294
00:55:23.580 --> 00:55:27.480
they have a really cool magazine plexiglass thing they made
1295
00:55:27.480 --> 00:55:29.310
that said like U Albany magazine.
1296
00:55:29.310 --> 00:55:33.360
And like you can go in behind it and like do a pose
1297
00:55:33.360 --> 00:55:36.180
and then it ends with a stage
1298
00:55:36.180 --> 00:55:40.020
and on the stages when someone calls their name
1299
00:55:40.020 --> 00:55:42.330
and they have the picture with their diploma.
1300
00:55:42.330 --> 00:55:44.940
So it's like a mimicking moment of crossing the stage
1301
00:55:44.940 --> 00:55:47.640
and hearing your name called and having your photo taken
1302
00:55:47.640 --> 00:55:49.050
and your family and friends are there.
1303
00:55:49.050 --> 00:55:52.080
But you have like many minutes so you're able
1304
00:55:52.080 --> 00:55:54.330
to take pictures with your family on stage
1305
00:55:54.330 --> 00:55:56.160
and with whoever's there
1306
00:55:56.160 --> 00:55:59.040
and there's like a million photographers everywhere.
1307
00:55:59.040 --> 00:56:01.050
And so they're just getting all these photographs
1308
00:56:01.050 --> 00:56:02.400
and where you're with your family
1309
00:56:02.400 --> 00:56:05.190
and you're going through this experience together.
1310
00:56:05.190 --> 00:56:07.470
And then they still have a main ceremony
1311
00:56:07.470 --> 00:56:09.393
on Sunday morning that's outside.
1312
00:56:10.500 --> 00:56:13.263
I don't know if they have a backup plan, probably not.
1313
00:56:14.520 --> 00:56:15.990
But that's what they started doing.
1314
00:56:15.990 --> 00:56:17.790
I mean I think that their feedback was,
1315
00:56:17.790 --> 00:56:19.560
there are some people who certainly would prefer
1316
00:56:19.560 --> 00:56:21.750
to have a more traditional experience,
1317
00:56:21.750 --> 00:56:23.670
but they've also gotten really good feedback.
1318
00:56:23.670 --> 00:56:26.040
'Cause otherwise they wouldn't keep doing it. Right.
1319
00:56:26.040 --> 00:56:28.800
They did. So that was kind of a radical thing
1320
00:56:28.800 --> 00:56:33.210
that I've found also Case Western,
1321
00:56:33.210 --> 00:56:34.410
which is a higher number
1322
00:56:34.410 --> 00:56:36.810
of graduate students in undergrad, but they still have both.
1323
00:56:36.810 --> 00:56:39.660
It's kind of like, it's kind of a flip flop from us.
1324
00:56:39.660 --> 00:56:43.350
They have many issues with their facilities as well,
1325
00:56:43.350 --> 00:56:46.680
not being air conditioned or not big enough or whatever.
1326
00:56:46.680 --> 00:56:49.020
They have kind of a disastrous commencement experience
1327
00:56:49.020 --> 00:56:50.370
a few years ago.
1328
00:56:50.370 --> 00:56:54.390
So they now have a student only ceremony on Thursday
1329
00:56:54.390 --> 00:56:56.610
afternoon or Wednesday, I can't remember.
1330
00:56:56.610 --> 00:56:57.900
And like they wear T-shirts.
1331
00:56:57.900 --> 00:57:00.060
But it is essentially their main ceremony
1332
00:57:00.060 --> 00:57:02.490
where they do honorary degree, have a commencement speaker,
1333
00:57:02.490 --> 00:57:05.583
student awards, a million different people speak.
1334
00:57:06.720 --> 00:57:09.960
And that's on I think Wednesday or Thursday.
1335
00:57:09.960 --> 00:57:11.280
And then on Friday, Saturday
1336
00:57:11.280 --> 00:57:15.660
and Sunday they have smaller school college ceremonies.
1337
00:57:15.660 --> 00:57:18.990
But there's no like university wide where there are guests.
1338
00:57:18.990 --> 00:57:20.670
It's like a student only thing.
1339
00:57:20.670 --> 00:57:22.530
And then the smaller college school things
1340
00:57:22.530 --> 00:57:25.440
where they cross the stage and get diplomas.
1341
00:57:25.440 --> 00:57:28.680
So has your feedback been around not having that kind
1342
00:57:28.680 --> 00:57:30.453
of singular event?
1343
00:57:31.680 --> 00:57:32.513
Well, yes.
1344
00:57:32.513 --> 00:57:35.790
So, far I've really only heard back from about 75 people.
1345
00:57:35.790 --> 00:57:37.397
So when you think about 3,400 graduates
1346
00:57:37.397 --> 00:57:40.830
and 15,000 people, that's not a huge number. Right.
1347
00:57:40.830 --> 00:57:43.860
But what we are hearing is pretty themed
1348
00:57:43.860 --> 00:57:45.539
and that they're feeling like
1349
00:57:45.539 --> 00:57:48.120
they need a main ceremony on the Green
1350
00:57:48.120 --> 00:57:51.030
or something of significance on the University Green
1351
00:57:51.030 --> 00:57:52.730
where they can celebrate together.
1352
00:57:53.700 --> 00:57:55.140
There's a misinformation, right.
1353
00:57:55.140 --> 00:57:57.030
'Cause they're, I wanna celebrate with my friends.
1354
00:57:57.030 --> 00:57:58.740
Well you're still organized by college
1355
00:57:58.740 --> 00:58:00.340
and school at the main ceremony.
1356
00:58:01.320 --> 00:58:02.910
So there's like
1357
00:58:02.910 --> 00:58:05.820
that I can't give you when I have an organized,
1358
00:58:05.820 --> 00:58:08.726
not chaotic experience for everybody.
1359
00:58:08.726 --> 00:58:12.180
So that's really the most of it is the most of the feedback
1360
00:58:12.180 --> 00:58:13.620
that we're getting with that.
1361
00:58:13.620 --> 00:58:15.960
And I think people really don't like change.
1362
00:58:15.960 --> 00:58:18.420
Like we all know that. Right. It's really hard.
1363
00:58:18.420 --> 00:58:21.210
I think when you, for the people who it's important to,
1364
00:58:21.210 --> 00:58:24.540
when you envision something for so long being a certain way
1365
00:58:24.540 --> 00:58:26.520
to have someone tell you that that's not gonna
1366
00:58:26.520 --> 00:58:29.130
be that way specifically for this event
1367
00:58:29.130 --> 00:58:31.020
as they experienced during COVID.
1368
00:58:31.020 --> 00:58:33.120
It's like you're taking something fundamental away
1369
00:58:33.120 --> 00:58:33.953
from them.
1370
00:58:34.890 --> 00:58:37.500
And I recognize that it is really hard to think about this.
1371
00:58:37.500 --> 00:58:38.910
I've also had months
1372
00:58:38.910 --> 00:58:41.610
to work on mourning this thing on the Green
1373
00:58:41.610 --> 00:58:43.320
like many months.
1374
00:58:43.320 --> 00:58:44.880
And I'm kind of over it. Right.
1375
00:58:44.880 --> 00:58:46.590
At this point I'm ready to like move on
1376
00:58:46.590 --> 00:58:48.000
and be like, "Let's make this other thing
1377
00:58:48.000 --> 00:58:49.400
great if we're gonna do it."
1378
00:58:50.340 --> 00:58:54.090
It's really cool though that you are going to take
1379
00:58:54.090 --> 00:58:56.010
their first year experience
1380
00:58:56.010 --> 00:58:59.848
and Yeah, close it out with their last year experience,
1381
00:58:59.848 --> 00:59:02.100
and have them both be at Twilight Center.
1382
00:59:02.100 --> 00:59:04.140
I don't know if everyone knows about that though.
1383
00:59:04.140 --> 00:59:07.680
So like our first year students when they come here
1384
00:59:07.680 --> 00:59:10.260
after their, they arrive like Wednesday, Thursday
1385
00:59:10.260 --> 00:59:13.230
and they go through this kind of whole orientation process.
1386
00:59:13.230 --> 00:59:16.380
And then traditionally and historically the night
1387
00:59:16.380 --> 00:59:19.980
before class starts, we have this thing called convocation,
1388
00:59:19.980 --> 00:59:21.480
which is to welcome our first year
1389
00:59:21.480 --> 00:59:23.070
and is for first years only.
1390
00:59:23.070 --> 00:59:26.220
It now takes place on the Davis Center Green
1391
00:59:26.220 --> 00:59:29.130
in Andrew Harris Common Green at the amphitheater there.
1392
00:59:29.130 --> 00:59:31.290
And it's a very brief 15 minute ceremony.
1393
00:59:31.290 --> 00:59:33.000
And then the entire class
1394
00:59:33.000 --> 00:59:36.840
of first years processes down university place that's closed
1395
00:59:36.840 --> 00:59:38.340
to the University Green.
1396
00:59:38.340 --> 00:59:40.380
And they have a twilight induction ceremony
1397
00:59:40.380 --> 00:59:42.150
where they read the, our common ground pledge
1398
00:59:42.150 --> 00:59:45.090
and become inducted members of the UVM community.
1399
00:59:45.090 --> 00:59:48.360
And it's a candlelight vigil and it's really lovely
1400
00:59:48.360 --> 00:59:50.310
and beautiful and like you're right.
1401
00:59:50.310 --> 00:59:51.930
Like that's their first moment
1402
00:59:51.930 --> 00:59:54.017
and then four years later they come and they bookend it.
1403
00:59:54.017 --> 00:59:56.310
And so we wanna make that Friday thing
1404
00:59:56.310 --> 00:59:59.820
and our proposal is special and as that is right.
1405
00:59:59.820 --> 01:00:01.830
Meaningful as that experience of,
1406
01:00:01.830 --> 01:00:03.120
I think it has to be the same.
1407
01:00:03.120 --> 01:00:04.560
It doesn't have to mimic it,
1408
01:00:04.560 --> 01:00:07.353
but I think it is like kind of a bookend to it all.
1409
01:00:13.619 --> 01:00:15.427
Is there anything we can help with? Like-
1410
01:00:15.427 --> 01:00:18.810
I mean, I think being positive about the potential changes
1411
01:00:18.810 --> 01:00:21.540
and understanding that they're being driven by care
1412
01:00:21.540 --> 01:00:24.900
and concern that our students, all of them, every single one
1413
01:00:24.900 --> 01:00:27.267
of them have an experience that is good for them
1414
01:00:27.267 --> 01:00:28.980
and that they get it right.
1415
01:00:28.980 --> 01:00:31.440
Like I get, I get really worried about CAS,
1416
01:00:31.440 --> 01:00:32.610
our largest college schools.
1417
01:00:32.610 --> 01:00:35.370
It's like almost half of our student population.
1418
01:00:35.370 --> 01:00:37.680
And what would happen if their ceremony got canceled
1419
01:00:37.680 --> 01:00:40.590
on the Green and we used to be able to ticket
1420
01:00:40.590 --> 01:00:43.470
at it was four tickets per graduate
1421
01:00:43.470 --> 01:00:46.290
and then it became two tickets per graduate in the event
1422
01:00:46.290 --> 01:00:47.667
of severe weather where we'd move it there.
1423
01:00:47.667 --> 01:00:49.593
But we can't do that anymore.
1424
01:00:50.640 --> 01:00:52.200
We can't, like we can give them like one ticket
1425
01:00:52.200 --> 01:00:54.360
and that's like not a real thing.
1426
01:00:54.360 --> 01:00:57.360
So I think that's my driver.
1427
01:00:57.360 --> 01:00:59.430
It's just making sure that people get the experience
1428
01:00:59.430 --> 01:01:00.810
that they do deserve.
1429
01:01:00.810 --> 01:01:04.470
Even if it looks different from what it has been.
1430
01:01:04.470 --> 01:01:07.410
And I think also the accessibility piece is super important.
1431
01:01:07.410 --> 01:01:10.290
All we see our accessibility needs getting
1432
01:01:10.290 --> 01:01:11.910
greater every year, right?
1433
01:01:11.910 --> 01:01:14.430
Like our parking lots are spilling over
1434
01:01:14.430 --> 01:01:18.219
and we're like, we used to just have to use behind
1435
01:01:18.219 --> 01:01:19.680
Peer Spalding house.
1436
01:01:19.680 --> 01:01:23.640
Like the college visitors street lot was all we needed
1437
01:01:23.640 --> 01:01:26.451
and now we need part of Waterman two.
1438
01:01:26.451 --> 01:01:31.140
And you know, it's using wheelchairs
1439
01:01:31.140 --> 01:01:34.023
to take people across the green doesn't feel great.
1440
01:01:35.790 --> 01:01:37.650
We always get complaints about audio
1441
01:01:37.650 --> 01:01:40.560
'cause those buildings just bounce sound off.
1442
01:01:40.560 --> 01:01:45.560
It's like this cavern of audio challenges.
1443
01:01:46.230 --> 01:01:48.858
I mean there's a lot of things like there's a lot to it.
1444
01:01:48.858 --> 01:01:49.691
But you know, for me,
1445
01:01:49.691 --> 01:01:51.720
I think it's making sure we give a really great
1446
01:01:51.720 --> 01:01:53.040
experience to our grad students.
1447
01:01:53.040 --> 01:01:54.840
And for me as an event planner,
1448
01:01:54.840 --> 01:01:56.190
what is the best way we can do that
1449
01:01:56.190 --> 01:01:59.490
and meet everybody's needs, not just one specific group.
1450
01:01:59.490 --> 01:02:02.322
Yeah. I have a question.
Yes.
1451
01:02:02.322 --> 01:02:05.319
I have to say I, I went to UVM
1452
01:02:05.319 --> 01:02:08.460
and I didn't go to the ceremony in Green,
1453
01:02:08.460 --> 01:02:10.500
but I did go to my college one
1454
01:02:10.500 --> 01:02:12.810
and then I had two graduate degrees that were in,
1455
01:02:12.810 --> 01:02:14.010
you know, industrial spaces.
1456
01:02:14.010 --> 01:02:16.653
It was really fun, you know, so, I only happen,
1457
01:02:18.300 --> 01:02:21.810
but is a finite number of like,
1458
01:02:21.810 --> 01:02:23.670
will the school continue to grow?
1459
01:02:23.670 --> 01:02:25.470
Will we need to go through this exercise again
1460
01:02:25.470 --> 01:02:26.610
to find a bigger space?
1461
01:02:26.610 --> 01:02:29.220
You know, I think the, the sort of.
1462
01:02:29.220 --> 01:02:32.910
I think that we have room to grow with the expo,
1463
01:02:32.910 --> 01:02:34.620
which I think is good.
1464
01:02:34.620 --> 01:02:38.043
I think things may shift, right?
1465
01:02:38.043 --> 01:02:39.270
Like gross small school business
1466
01:02:39.270 --> 01:02:41.937
and Sims specifically in CALS are hot right now.
1467
01:02:41.937 --> 01:02:44.217
And I think it just depends on where the programs are
1468
01:02:44.217 --> 01:02:46.140
and the interest is.
1469
01:02:46.140 --> 01:02:48.690
I think that in this event, if we're able
1470
01:02:48.690 --> 01:02:51.270
to spread it over two days, we're gonna be good for years
1471
01:02:51.270 --> 01:02:54.660
to come until someone builds me our new reading, our stadium
1472
01:02:54.660 --> 01:02:58.470
that meets my needs, which I believe will never happen
1473
01:02:58.470 --> 01:02:59.850
because we don't live in a place
1474
01:02:59.850 --> 01:03:02.100
that even has a million people the entire State.
1475
01:03:02.100 --> 01:03:03.030
If you think about it like
1476
01:03:03.030 --> 01:03:05.220
that is the challenge of Vermont
1477
01:03:05.220 --> 01:03:09.420
is that we don't have a space to do these large events
1478
01:03:09.420 --> 01:03:12.543
that we don't have to have a backup weather plan for.
1479
01:03:13.680 --> 01:03:16.110
And you know, so that's a disadvantage for us compared
1480
01:03:16.110 --> 01:03:19.080
to some of the other schools in the Northeast that are close
1481
01:03:19.080 --> 01:03:22.414
to large cities where they can have it at, you know,
1482
01:03:22.414 --> 01:03:26.670
like correct for Fenway Park,
1483
01:03:26.670 --> 01:03:28.230
which is where some people have it,
1484
01:03:28.230 --> 01:03:32.310
you know, so Madison Square Garden, like we don't have that.
1485
01:03:32.310 --> 01:03:33.720
So we have the expo though
1486
01:03:33.720 --> 01:03:35.470
and I'm actually grateful for that.
1487
01:03:36.330 --> 01:03:39.660
What's the largest attendance group you mentioned Cass?
1488
01:03:39.660 --> 01:03:43.170
Yeah so that's, they have three ceremonies. Oh.
1489
01:03:43.170 --> 01:03:46.500
Because they already exceed the limit of those pavilions.
1490
01:03:46.500 --> 01:03:49.080
Yeah. Like we couldn't have one ceremony
1491
01:03:49.080 --> 01:03:50.760
for the whole group.
1492
01:03:50.760 --> 01:03:53.970
Yeah. Which is not an uncommon thing.
1493
01:03:53.970 --> 01:03:56.370
Schools do that all over the country
1494
01:03:56.370 --> 01:04:00.780
where they will split a school into different programs.
1495
01:04:00.780 --> 01:04:02.370
Then how do you do that by like-
1496
01:04:02.370 --> 01:04:03.203
They already did it.
1497
01:04:03.203 --> 01:04:04.230
They already figured it out.
1498
01:04:04.230 --> 01:04:07.800
So like they just looked at their numbers of senior standing
1499
01:04:07.800 --> 01:04:11.316
and said, "Okay, here's where we think we divided up."
1500
01:04:11.316 --> 01:04:12.149
Yeah.
1501
01:04:15.660 --> 01:04:17.010
Thank you.
1502
01:04:17.010 --> 01:04:17.843
Thanks for having me.
1503
01:04:17.843 --> 01:04:20.913
I feel like I took way more time than it's allotted.
1504
01:04:25.776 --> 01:04:28.380
But you can do, Monica is be positive about it.
1505
01:04:28.380 --> 01:04:32.700
And say the team is doing the work to make sure that you
1506
01:04:32.700 --> 01:04:34.290
and your family or your family
1507
01:04:34.290 --> 01:04:37.050
and your child get the best commencement experience.
1508
01:04:37.050 --> 01:04:39.450
Like wherever it's going to be,
1509
01:04:39.450 --> 01:04:41.350
we are committed to making it awesome.
1510
01:04:43.290 --> 01:04:44.943
That would be the theme that.
1511
01:04:46.140 --> 01:04:47.340
I think we can do that.
1512
01:04:47.340 --> 01:04:48.180
Thank you.
1513
01:04:48.180 --> 01:04:49.994
Thanks for having me.
1514
01:04:49.994 --> 01:04:51.837
Okay. It's great. Sure.
1515
01:04:51.837 --> 01:04:53.790
For the nice honor.
1516
01:04:53.790 --> 01:04:55.240
Yeah, it's beautiful there.
1517
01:04:59.370 --> 01:05:00.273
Interesting.
1518
01:05:05.490 --> 01:05:09.843
My big arrow is that's where we're, but I don't know.
1519
01:05:12.480 --> 01:05:15.870
All right, we have three agenda items left.
1520
01:05:15.870 --> 01:05:18.870
So committee updates, officer updates,
1521
01:05:18.870 --> 01:05:21.630
council member concerns and comments.
1522
01:05:21.630 --> 01:05:23.580
And we have four minutes.
1523
01:05:23.580 --> 01:05:27.870
So what, what do you guys think you wanna hear about?
1524
01:05:27.870 --> 01:05:29.343
What's most important to you?
1525
01:05:31.080 --> 01:05:32.945
Probably the officer.
1526
01:05:32.945 --> 01:05:33.778
Okay.
1527
01:05:35.587 --> 01:05:37.260
What was the last one, Mike?
1528
01:05:37.260 --> 01:05:39.843
Concerns? Council member concerns?
1529
01:05:41.310 --> 01:05:44.583
Right. So council updates,
1530
01:05:45.960 --> 01:05:50.850
the biggest update I think we can all just make
1531
01:05:50.850 --> 01:05:52.890
sure that everyone has a really good understanding
1532
01:05:52.890 --> 01:05:56.703
about is the benefits fair and open enrollment.
1533
01:05:58.800 --> 01:06:02.490
It is what we call an active enrollment.
1534
01:06:02.490 --> 01:06:05.530
This is a huge change at UVM
1535
01:06:06.420 --> 01:06:10.770
where once you got hired, you just never looked at it again
1536
01:06:10.770 --> 01:06:12.210
for your benefits
1537
01:06:12.210 --> 01:06:16.290
and moving forward, including this year,
1538
01:06:16.290 --> 01:06:17.850
you have to log in,
1539
01:06:17.850 --> 01:06:20.370
you have to assess every benefit you have,
1540
01:06:20.370 --> 01:06:23.100
whether you wanna keep it, whether you wanna drop it,
1541
01:06:23.100 --> 01:06:24.393
whether you wanna add it.
1542
01:06:26.100 --> 01:06:28.530
Some of those benefits have new
1543
01:06:28.530 --> 01:06:31.920
and different offerings for different populations.
1544
01:06:31.920 --> 01:06:35.088
Most specifically the health insurance,
1545
01:06:35.088 --> 01:06:40.088
non-represented staff will have a choice of four plans.
1546
01:06:41.490 --> 01:06:43.560
And if you know people
1547
01:06:43.560 --> 01:06:48.480
or are a person who has a choice on those plans,
1548
01:06:48.480 --> 01:06:49.950
I think the most important message
1549
01:06:49.950 --> 01:06:54.390
we can get at there is meet with somebody to discuss
1550
01:06:54.390 --> 01:06:56.790
what those plan changes would look like
1551
01:06:56.790 --> 01:06:59.220
and how they would impact your paycheck
1552
01:06:59.220 --> 01:07:01.590
and how they would impact your family
1553
01:07:01.590 --> 01:07:03.720
and how they would impact your visit.
1554
01:07:03.720 --> 01:07:06.000
Because those plans are very different
1555
01:07:06.000 --> 01:07:07.653
than what we have right now.
1556
01:07:08.980 --> 01:07:11.460
And my greatest concern is just that people
1557
01:07:11.460 --> 01:07:13.860
who have been under the current plan,
1558
01:07:13.860 --> 01:07:15.570
if they're interested in making a change,
1559
01:07:15.570 --> 01:07:18.000
that they are truly informed
1560
01:07:18.000 --> 01:07:20.550
about what that change would look like.
1561
01:07:20.550 --> 01:07:23.437
I don't want anybody showing up at the doctor's office like,
1562
01:07:23.437 --> 01:07:27.247
"Oh my God, I didn't know that was gonna be my copay."
1563
01:07:27.247 --> 01:07:30.867
"Oh my God, how do I build this deductible base?"
1564
01:07:31.800 --> 01:07:34.590
And in all fairness, I think that HR has expressed
1565
01:07:34.590 --> 01:07:39.590
to us that their expectation is just start creating options.
1566
01:07:39.840 --> 01:07:42.360
They don't really expect a lot of transition
1567
01:07:42.360 --> 01:07:46.080
because they do understand that people need time
1568
01:07:46.080 --> 01:07:49.380
and they're actually working on creating different models
1569
01:07:49.380 --> 01:07:53.370
so that people can, you know, play What's it like
1570
01:07:53.370 --> 01:07:56.763
to have plan A, what's it like to have plan B?
1571
01:07:58.800 --> 01:08:00.660
The other update that I think is really important
1572
01:08:00.660 --> 01:08:03.390
to share is that we have a couple senior leadership
1573
01:08:03.390 --> 01:08:04.410
positions open.
1574
01:08:04.410 --> 01:08:06.600
So the CIO search
1575
01:08:06.600 --> 01:08:08.550
and most recently spoke with Jonathan
1576
01:08:08.550 --> 01:08:10.503
about in our last meeting.
1577
01:08:12.360 --> 01:08:16.556
That has been challenging for the university.
1578
01:08:16.556 --> 01:08:20.220
IT is a very, very competitive market.
1579
01:08:20.220 --> 01:08:23.130
People outside of university settings get 80
1580
01:08:23.130 --> 01:08:27.063
what of money to work in those jobs.
1581
01:08:28.680 --> 01:08:33.330
So attracting talent at what we're willing to offer
1582
01:08:33.330 --> 01:08:37.413
and what we're able is potentially a barrier.
1583
01:08:39.240 --> 01:08:41.650
So that search remains active
1584
01:08:43.536 --> 01:08:45.420
and I think it's important.
1585
01:08:45.420 --> 01:08:46.800
This was really eye-opening
1586
01:08:46.800 --> 01:08:49.110
for myself to kind of have that perspective
1587
01:08:49.110 --> 01:08:50.577
because we hear about the union
1588
01:08:50.577 --> 01:08:52.980
and negotiations and salaries
1589
01:08:52.980 --> 01:08:57.480
and there's a lot of talk about senior leadership positions.
1590
01:08:57.480 --> 01:09:02.480
And what just became really painfully aware to me is that,
1591
01:09:02.850 --> 01:09:05.550
you know, we have senior leadership roles at the university
1592
01:09:05.550 --> 01:09:10.550
that we need to have filled for operational purposes.
1593
01:09:10.650 --> 01:09:15.650
And that because of the larger market on a national scale,
1594
01:09:16.470 --> 01:09:18.630
you know, it's not that UVM necessarily wants
1595
01:09:18.630 --> 01:09:19.890
to pay these high salaries,
1596
01:09:19.890 --> 01:09:22.470
it's just what we have to do to get the people
1597
01:09:22.470 --> 01:09:25.320
here to keep the doors open.
1598
01:09:25.320 --> 01:09:27.887
And that was a little humbling for me.
1599
01:09:29.320 --> 01:09:30.393
Okay. Thank you.
1600
01:09:33.420 --> 01:09:36.480
The senior leadership position
1601
01:09:36.480 --> 01:09:39.600
for communications is open.
1602
01:09:39.600 --> 01:09:41.463
Joel Siegelman is stepping down.
1603
01:09:43.050 --> 01:09:45.990
The plans are, just to use an interim,
1604
01:09:45.990 --> 01:09:48.610
Alex is gonna be served as the interim
1605
01:09:50.100 --> 01:09:54.030
mostly because we are in a presidential search
1606
01:09:54.030 --> 01:09:57.390
and a lot of times these leadership roles are aligned
1607
01:09:57.390 --> 01:09:58.800
with senior leadership
1608
01:09:58.800 --> 01:10:01.510
and also trying to minimize
1609
01:10:02.670 --> 01:10:05.430
the change in within a time period.
1610
01:10:05.430 --> 01:10:07.200
Right spread it out.
1611
01:10:07.200 --> 01:10:10.410
Any other questions based on what we submitted
1612
01:10:10.410 --> 01:10:11.430
in the documents
1613
01:10:11.430 --> 01:10:13.140
or any other topics
1614
01:10:13.140 --> 01:10:17.400
that might come up from senior administration?
1615
01:10:17.400 --> 01:10:21.780
Hope everybody saw the ad for the President
1616
01:10:21.780 --> 01:10:24.600
that Ron Lumbar signed out on Friday.
1617
01:10:24.600 --> 01:10:27.900
The search committee had the opportunity to evaluate
1618
01:10:27.900 --> 01:10:30.300
that document before it went out
1619
01:10:30.300 --> 01:10:33.600
and the information
1620
01:10:33.600 --> 01:10:36.960
that was provided from the individuals who commented
1621
01:10:36.960 --> 01:10:38.070
was included.
1622
01:10:38.070 --> 01:10:42.240
So we have very, very collaborative process.
1623
01:10:42.240 --> 01:10:44.490
So that's just me reporting out as a member
1624
01:10:44.490 --> 01:10:45.360
of the search committee
1625
01:10:45.360 --> 01:10:49.040
that a lot of the ideas about engagement
1626
01:10:49.040 --> 01:10:53.760
and community voice is really being taken to heart.
1627
01:10:53.760 --> 01:10:55.290
This is the second time,
1628
01:10:55.290 --> 01:10:57.240
the first time was in having the survey
1629
01:10:57.240 --> 01:10:59.430
and the listening sessions and now.
1630
01:10:59.430 --> 01:11:02.880
So I feel very confident that the process
1631
01:11:02.880 --> 01:11:05.140
is moving forward in the best possible way
1632
01:11:06.600 --> 01:11:11.550
and keep, keep the comments coming, the surveys still open,
1633
01:11:11.550 --> 01:11:12.930
keep your thoughts open
1634
01:11:12.930 --> 01:11:16.953
about what we can have as agenda items with HR.
1635
01:11:18.750 --> 01:11:23.670
We have governance meetings that are,
1636
01:11:23.670 --> 01:11:26.700
I feel very successful between faculty senate,
1637
01:11:26.700 --> 01:11:27.880
student government
1638
01:11:29.190 --> 01:11:32.940
and graduate students and staff counsel.
1639
01:11:32.940 --> 01:11:35.220
We had a meeting last night, it was just a half an hour,
1640
01:11:35.220 --> 01:11:39.720
but very productive to get those key voices in the same room
1641
01:11:39.720 --> 01:11:43.110
about concerns regarding food insecurity.
1642
01:11:43.110 --> 01:11:44.910
We talked about last night a little bit
1643
01:11:44.910 --> 01:11:47.850
about healthcare options and how that's being played out.
1644
01:11:47.850 --> 01:11:51.210
So please communicate
1645
01:11:51.210 --> 01:11:53.643
with your constituents on, on that.
1646
01:11:53.643 --> 01:11:55.373
I feel like we still have a lot of room
1647
01:11:55.373 --> 01:11:58.953
to work on the whole trickle down and you know,
1648
01:12:00.600 --> 01:12:04.140
and involve larger people.
1649
01:12:04.140 --> 01:12:07.950
So any final thoughts before we close it out?
1650
01:12:07.950 --> 01:12:09.630
Is that meeting you just talked about, will those,
1651
01:12:09.630 --> 01:12:11.940
are those minutes posted anywhere
1652
01:12:11.940 --> 01:12:13.770
or are you just giving a recap here for us?
1653
01:12:13.770 --> 01:12:17.400
You know, I think they kind of started out as,
1654
01:12:17.400 --> 01:12:19.020
we wanna give you a quick update
1655
01:12:19.020 --> 01:12:21.180
because we have this encampment on campus.
1656
01:12:21.180 --> 01:12:22.100
Okay.
1657
01:12:22.100 --> 01:12:24.330
So that's a really excellent suggestion.
1658
01:12:24.330 --> 01:12:27.600
I'm not sure that we have anybody taking minutes.
1659
01:12:27.600 --> 01:12:30.390
So I'll bring that back to the team to find out
1660
01:12:30.390 --> 01:12:32.670
what the best way is to get
1661
01:12:32.670 --> 01:12:34.560
that information out. Thank you.
1662
01:12:34.560 --> 01:12:36.810
And if it's just that you give us the update,
1663
01:12:36.810 --> 01:12:38.385
that's also useful to us.
1664
01:12:38.385 --> 01:12:39.218
Yeah. Yeah.
1665
01:12:39.218 --> 01:12:41.640
But that would just be for staff council, right?
1666
01:12:41.640 --> 01:12:44.340
So those, you know, maybe there's a role
1667
01:12:44.340 --> 01:12:45.990
in having something that communicates
1668
01:12:45.990 --> 01:12:48.300
it to all of those groups.
1669
01:12:48.300 --> 01:12:50.223
So. Excellent suggest.
Thank you.
1670
01:12:52.140 --> 01:12:53.100
I'll just put in a plug
1671
01:12:53.100 --> 01:12:56.880
for signing up for the volunteer links
1672
01:12:56.880 --> 01:12:59.940
that Alan sent out for the Holiday Bazaar
1673
01:12:59.940 --> 01:13:00.773
and then,
1674
01:13:03.690 --> 01:13:05.160
no.
1675
01:13:05.160 --> 01:13:06.000
Oh yeah, that's fine.
1676
01:13:06.000 --> 01:13:09.000
Oh, and then newsy tickets are still left to sell.
1677
01:13:09.000 --> 01:13:10.260
Okay.
1678
01:13:10.260 --> 01:13:11.222
Yeah.
1679
01:13:11.222 --> 01:13:14.700
And just refer to staff line for like actual activities
1680
01:13:14.700 --> 01:13:16.080
that the different communities
1681
01:13:16.080 --> 01:13:18.453
have going since we didn't do an update today.
1682
01:13:19.320 --> 01:13:22.053
And the Wine Tour was turned down by Risk Management.
1683
01:13:25.980 --> 01:13:28.770
Opportunity to find something new. Right?
1684
01:13:28.770 --> 01:13:31.153
Cheer below quorum so the meeting is adjourned.
1685
01:13:31.153 --> 01:13:33.660
I still talk but the meeting is officially adjourned.
1686
01:13:33.660 --> 01:13:35.670
All right. Think so I have 135 or?
1687
01:13:36.960 --> 01:13:38.493
Yeah.
Perfect.
1688
01:13:40.950 --> 01:13:42.730
That was a lost doing out.