Good afternoon, and War Eagle! Thank you for having me today. It’s a privilege to be here. Because of committed leaders like you, Auburn is on the move.
This semester got off to a great start last week. We welcomed roughly 4,800 new freshmen, which shows the demand for Auburn University is high. This week was terrific, and it has set the tone for an outstanding academic year.
Before I get started, I want to thank Governor Kay Ivey for her efforts to bring much needed changes to in-state travel reimbursement. These improvements have streamlined the pre-approval and reimbursement process so it’s more user-friendly, straightforward and efficient. And the changes make it easier for you to do your jobs.
The faculty is at the core of our land-grant mission. You teach and mentor our students, you lead our groundbreaking research efforts, and your innovations bring visibility to our great institution. I am grateful for your commitment to Auburn. And please know I am committed to ensuring you have the resources and support you need to keep moving Auburn forward.
To move Auburn forward, we must have a roadmap. Our strategic planning process is underway. Our statewide listening sessions kicked off yesterday, and I’m confident that this series of discussions will focus us on the key directions and goals that will take Auburn to the next level. We want to learn from those inside and outside of the Auburn Family where we can make the biggest impact.
Your colleagues, Beth Guertal and Bruce Tatarchuk, are doing an extraordinary job leading this important process. Our strategic plan is essentially a framework for our future. Auburn has a bright future, so we must be intentional and strategic. We must maximize the momentum of a university on the move. We will present a final draft of this plan to the Board of Trustees in February 2019, and I am looking forward to working with the faculty as we put our plan into action.
My hope is that this strategic plan will help us to achieve our goal of elevating Auburn’s national visibility. Our goal is to position Auburn as a world-class institution for instruction, research and outreach. We’re diligently working toward this goal.
I’m happy to report that the 11 teams that are part of the Presidential Awards for Interdisciplinary Research initiative, or PAIR, are hard at work and hitting their stride. They’re boosted by $5 million in seed money, and they’re working to secure external funding and build a reputation with potential partners. This will enable Auburn to make an even more meaningful impact on our state, our nation and our world.
We want everyone aware of the caliber of work done here at Auburn. We are working to raise our profile, so others view Auburn as an institution synonymous with solutions. Will this be easy to accomplish? No. Are we going to do everything in our power to make it happen? Yes.
The last time we were together I mentioned some big changes to our central administration. I’m happy to report these key leaders are hitting their stride. As chief operating officer, Ron Burgess’ insight and leadership experience is tremendously beneficial. Jamie Hammer brings significant expertise as our new general counsel. Bill Hardgrave is exceeding expectations as provost. Bobby Woodard is excelling as senior vice president of student affairs. And we couldn’t have asked for a better ambassador and leader than athletics director Allen Greene.
We’re planning to bring even more fresh perspectives and seasoned leaders to Auburn. We’re currently engaged in national searches for a Chief of Staff and Vice President for Economic Development, a Vice President for Enrollment Services, and a Vice President for Research. We hope to extend offers to exceptional candidates by the end of the year.
With your help, Auburn is going from great to greater. Thank you for the chance to speak with you. And thanks even more for everything you do for Auburn. You are the best examples of the commitment to Auburn excellence.
War Eagle! And I’m happy to respond to any questions.