I write with mixed emotions to share with you that I have accepted the position of President of Penn State University.

The decision to embark on a new chapter in my professional journey was not an easy one. I will miss our students, our faculty, our staff, our retirees, our alumni and our supporters, and I will miss my senior leadership team. All of you are among the best in the nation and are the heart and soul of our institution. 

Michael Wade Smith, vice president for university relations and chief of staff, will join my team at Penn State.

Leaders of great institutions are simply temporary stewards called to take great care of the mission and the people and to leave them better than they found them. Together, we have accomplished much, advancing the University of Louisville on several fronts. The academic profile of our incoming students has never been stronger; our research funding never higher; our Foundation never more stable; our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion never more robust; our facility transformations never more noticeable; our new brand and online presence never more impactful; our UofL Health system never better staffed, funded and appreciated; our work to improve our community, the Commonwealth and the world never more evident. And we have done it all during an unprecedented worldwide pandemic and through the painful tragedies of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.

I have complete confidence this important work will continue and that the University of Louisville will rise to greater heights.

This is not goodbye. Over the next days and weeks, I will work closely with the Board of Trustees to ensure a smooth transition. I will always carry Louisville and the Cardinals in my heart.

Go Cards!

Sincerely,

Neeli Bendapudi

Michael Wade Smith, vice president for external affairs and chief of staff, informed senators of the university’s continuing commitment to providing fair compensation for faculty and staff. The identified the equitable compensation of employees as a critical aspect of institutional success. To honor the university’s commitment, Human Resources will lead two university-wide over the next several months. The studies will assess employee wages and Total Rewards, which include all available benefits such as health insurance, retirement and tuition remission.

“We are trying to increase compensation in spite of the limited resources that we do have and the turbulent time that we’re in,” Smith said. “We have our larger university-wide effort that’s underway; that’s going to take some time. But in addition to that, we are trying to make incremental gains wherever we can.”

Smith further acknowledged that the university’s compensation initiative contributed to the recent improvements in employee wages. In addition to the 1% salary increase that went into effect earlier this year, UofL staff and faculty also received a $1,000 bonus in August. 

Executive Vice President and University Provost Lori Gonzalez provided senators with her insight on the current student enrollment figures. Both Smith and Gonzalez reported an increase in graduate school enrollment by 232 graduate students, but a decline of 194 undergraduate students. Gonzalez reported that universities nationwide are experiencing a decline in undergraduate enrollment due to COVID-19 and highlighted the impact of the enrollment efforts made by UofL employees.

“I want to point out that we started out at about 750 students down. We are now only 194 students down. This was a Herculean lift from our enrollment management team and the Cardinal family, and now this year we will be focused on retaining those students,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez also encouraged senators and their constituents to contribute to the Cardinal community of care by vaccinating for the upcoming flu season. UofL will offer flu shot clinics on both the Health Science Campus and the Belknap Campus until Friday, Oct. 1. Dates, locations and hours of operation for the clinic can be found on the .

“When we talk about a community of care, the one thing that people can do to make sure this a safe campus is to get vaccinated,” Gonzalez said. “Now in addition to COVID-19, we are getting ready to move into flu season. Just like we’re encouraging you to get your COVID-19 vaccine, please get your flu shot as well.”

Brian Buford, executive director of university culture and employee success, presented an overview of UofL’s reimagined employee onboarding experience. Launching in January 2022, the improved onboarding process aims to address issues that were identified through numerous focus groups and interviews conducted by the Employee Success Center.

New aspects of the process will include a full year of onboarding support through the Employee Success Center, increased onboarding support at the departmental level, a revamped new employee orientation, as well as a welcome gift during the first week of employment and again on the one-year employment anniversary.

Buford also announced that each department will have a designated liaison known as an onboarding navigator. As the point-of-contact for onboarding employees, navigators will strive to create a spirit of welcome for new hires within their department. Those interested in serving as onboarding navigators for their departments will have the opportunity to volunteer and receive training in the coming months.

Committee reports and a of the virtual meeting can be found on the . The next Staff Senate meeting will be held on Oct. 11 via Microsoft Teams.

The Web Improvement Project is focused on enhancing the daily lives of students, faculty and staff by modernizing and improving all university web-based experiences, as well as the processes behind developing and maintaining them. This digital overhaul will allow the university to attract great new students while fostering a stronger relationship with the community.

Due to the complexity and breadth of the project, it has been divided into three main phases with overlapping timelines. This phased approach will allow for the quick transformation of the highest traffic sites and ensure that all websites at UofL will be revamped for their appropriate audiences.

The project is currently in Phase 1, which focuses on how the university interacts with audiences externally, measurably closing the gap between expectation and experience on our web properties. By identifying the needs and building necessary pathways for our external audiences, prospective students, parents and community members will be more prepared to take meaningful action. The second phase will address the needs of current students to be informed and engaged, to further support their paths to academic success. Improving the digital workflow, creating processes and promoting collaboration between departments will be the focus of the final phase, impacting the platforms university employees use on a daily basis.

Overseeing this project is the Executive Committee, which is comprised of members from the President’s Office, Information Technology Services, Enrollment Management, Compliance and the Office of Communications and Marketing. The Executive Committee provides vision, direction and scope for the initiative while ensuring that improvements align with the university’s mission and values.

The Executive Committee is led by Michael Wade Smith, chief of staff and vice president for external affairs.

“The web is the first stop on many, maybe most, journeys with UofL. The outcome of this project will be a university website that increases the value of our UofL brand, quickly drives visitors to the information they seek, and makes it easy for those wanting to more deeply engage with UofL – by applying, donating, partnering and more – to do so,” Smith stated.

Recommendations to the Executive Committee on the topics of tools, support, processes, governance and change management across all three phases are generated by the Steering Committee. This committee has provided an avenue for open and honest conversations with the university community about our digital environment and facilitated necessary workgroups throughout the multi-year project. These groups have created the opportunity for more in-depth discussion and collaboration around various digital topics, helping us leverage the expertise spread across the university in a way that benefits all of our organization.

Co-leading the Steering Committee and the progress of the project overall are Amber Peter of the Office of Communications and Marketing and Brad Andersen of Information Technology Services.

“We’ve been really intentional, ensuring this project not just be about the replacement of an enterprise technology system, but a change in the way we work in this space. Even more important to our success than the system that is chosen, is the environment around that system. Providing everyone with the resources, training and support they need to accomplish their goals in this digital environment is paramount to the success of this project,” Andersen stated.

In addition to addressing the system and the resources available, woven throughout this project has been continual campus involvement. According to Peter, “From the beginning, we set out to get as many varied perspectives on this topic as possible, and that has not only helped keep our recommendations balanced, but has also provided an invaluable reminder of the cascading impact decisions such as these carry.”

To-date, surveys, committees and workgroups have been the most tangible ways campus has been able to engage with the project. Employees have also been encouraged to get involved by contacting members of the Steering Committee to share concerns or questions or through requesting involvement in . There will even be an opportunity in the coming months for campus community members to provide feedback regarding final CMS selection. Faculty and staff members can stay informed about the project through multiple channels, including UofL Today, UofL News, the as well as communications from leadership as significant milestones are achieved.

The Bingham Fellows program is facilitated by the Leadership Louisville Center and brings together about 40 leaders in the city every year to address one of the region’s most critical issues. The cohort of professional peers meet with topic experts and local stakeholders and form project teams to take action.

This year’s class is focused on the topic, “Belonging: Building a Culture of Inclusivity.” , Bingham Fellows will gather leaders from every sector in the city to examine racism and bias that has led to income and wealth inequality, social segregation and lack of diversity in leadership positions.

A BetterUp study from September 2019 finds that companies experience a 56% increase in job performance when employees feel like they belong, as well as a 50% drop in turnover risk and a 75% reduction in sick days.

The cohort’s project launch event is scheduled for January 20, 2022.

Dawson-Edwards and Smith join a long list of UofL participants in the Bingham Fellows program, illustrating the university’s commitment to community engagement and leadership. Last year, for example, CEHD Dean Amy Lingo was part of the program, while in 2019, Brandeis School of Law Dean Colin Crawford was a Bingham Fellow.

Other UofL representatives, including Anita Barbee, Eugene Krentsel, Suzanne Bergmeister, Karan Chavis, Monique Ingram, Dave Simpson, Karen Newton, Mitchell Payne, Jenny Sawyer, Patrick Piuma and Dr. Gordon Strauss, have been part of the program throughout the past 10 years.

Past projects have included the West Louisville community development organization OneWest, regular Café Louie conversations with elected officials at Louisville Free Public Library locations and a sustainable model for neighborhood “Little Free Libraries.”

Bingham Fellows was created in 1988 through a $500,000 endowment from Mary and Barry Bingham Sr.