Hello colleagues! I wanted to first wish you all a Happy New Year, and say how happy I am to be on this side of 2022. Not everyone can say they made it in to this year, and I am grateful to have you all in my life as we tackle the challenges ahead.

I titled this an "open letter" as it is a little longer than my usual reflections. Nonetheless, I want to talk share a few thoughts with you openly and honestly. I am about as tired of this pandemic and all the angst it causes as anyone else. However, I will not let this drag me into the dark places of despair and hopelessness again. I am better than that, and so are you. I am allowed to have bad days, and so are you; but at the end of the day we are bigger than this challenge, and have everything we need to make this year the best year personally and professionally. Our attitude and mindset will determine how painful or prosperous this semester will be.

Given what I just said, I am writing to ask all of us for patience, grace, understanding, and even appreciation as we start yet another semester under the specter of the coronavirus pandemic. I will say more about appreciation below. The leadership of the college is again faced with making decisions that attempt to juggle a number of competing priorities. These priorities include public health and safety, student access, student success, budget constraints, community needs, employee morale and satisfaction, and our own personal well-being to name a few.

I am committing to you that as we try to juggle these priorities, we will do so with as much transparency and openness as possible. We will make decisions collaboratively and in the spirit of shared governance whenever possible. What I cannot promise is that we will make decisions free from mistakes. I cannot promise that we won't make the wrong decision sometimes, and have to pivot in a different direction. I cannot promise that you will agree with decisions that are made. This is the nature of our reality; this is our new normal.

I mentioned appreciation earlier because I believe PSC has been very generous in trying to juggle these priorities. If we honestly reflect on the past two years, it is important to remember that we have kept your health top of mind when trying to meet our goals. This includes but is not limited to: our building access guidelines; on-campus mitigations; transitions to virtual learning; creating virtual opportunities for students and community members; providing technology; creating and adopting a policy for remote/hybrid work; and reducing staffing patterns to keep contacts on-campus minimal. We care, and we are trying. I am pleased with the steps we have taken, and will continue to take, to keep us safe and available for students and our community. I trust the processes that have been put in place, and the people charged with carrying out these processes.

Let us assume positive intent from our colleagues this semester. Let us be optimistic as we discover who and what we will be in the post-pandemic world ahead of us. I am excited about the strategic planning activities ahead of us; proud to welcome over a half dozen new employees in the coming week who will fill critical roles across the institution; fully confident in the many steps we have taken to keep you and the community safe; and encouraged by those of you who share your excitement and optimism with me.

I am so thankful to be your President, and to be a part of this community. Here's to a great semester!

#WeArePSC