8/16/2019 of Southern Mall Update from Wanda Austln

Update from President Wanda M. Austin
1 message

 

 

Presidents onlos  Wed,0m10,2018 at 1:41 PM
Reply-Ta' Presidents 
To:

 

Dear usc Communlty,

It is already the middle of the fall semester and a good tlme for me to provide a brief update on our progress In recent
weeks, I attended listening sessions for the presidential seareh on both eainpuses, and met privately with a range of
groups, ineluding the Aeademie Senate In smaller settings 1 met widi deans and faeuliy, boards ufeouneilors,
undergraduate and graduate student leadership, leadership of the staff senate, and gadierings ufuniversity departments
and units I have also had some very insightful eonversations with student, staff, and alumni groups and eommuniiy
leaders Many ofyou have provided feedback via digital media These interactions have provided oritieal insights into
the range ufperspeetives on a number ofimportant issues

Listening is erueial ifwe hope to etfeet change, as is deeply eonsidering ulhers' perspeetives Overall we
are aligned regarding the Importance ufliving our values Our eoininitinent to excellence, trust, and transpareney is
foundational to our success We will eneourage everyone on our eampuses to strengthen our eulture by being
eollaborative, being better listeners, and being pan ofthe solution

I have also completed a number of media interviews, ivhieh have provided the opportunity to answer tough questions
from those outside of our cummunlly Many of those questions focused on what went wrong and what we are doing to
fix things But they also older the opportunity to share infonnation regarding the amazlng researeh, innovative faculty,
and outstanding students who enable our phenomenal aehievements

I previously wrote to you about some initial changes at the university that are intended to address our most urgent
needs I am pleased to report that the Office of meesstonallsm and ls established, the USC Office omebuds
Servtees has a presenee on both campuses, and the President's Campus Culture Commission is engaged You can
follow our at change.u5c.edu

We have a lot of work to do, but we have ample Trajan ereativity, intelleet, and eoininitinent to get the yob done
Thank you for the confidence, enoouragement, and support you provide every day

right ()nl

Wanda Auslln

lnlenm President

Hmall people 1/2