Sept. 12, 2006 issue
Why not? It's a great place! Terrific people! Beautiful campus! Good
environment! In any job, it's people that make the difference.
It's important for us to have the right attitude, and to
think positively.
Prior to EMU, I worked in the business world for several years. In 1973,
our family transferred from Rockford, Illinois, to Michigan, where my
career began with Bechtel Power Corporation, Ann Arbor Power Division.
Former provost Ron Collins hired me in fall 1996. I was with the provost's
office until transferring to Extended Programs in 2001, where I worked
with Don Loppnow, associate vice president for Extended Programs, and
assistant to the president for strategic planning. These were busy times,
both for Extended Programs and strategic planning, as we were in the process
of introducing our first strategic plan for the University. A year later,
the Strategic Planning and Continuous Improvement office was organized.
Working in this office, as administrative secretary, is a super job;
never a dull moment. There's always scheduling of appointments, organizing
meetings, focus groups, conferences and workshops, as well as keeping
minutes for the Continuous Improvement Advisory Committee, the University
Strategic Planning Committee (2001-2004) and the Student Retention Task
Force.
AQIP (Academic Quality Improvement Program) is an integral part
for continuous improvement and involves our four action
projects: General Education Program assessment, customer
focused service, review/assessment of undergraduate academic
advising, and establishment of a balanced scorecard management
process. Continuous improvement is a team effort and important
for student retention.
One rewarding phase of this particular position is getting to know and
communicate with faculty, students and administrators.
EMU truly has dedicated individuals, and for a very worthwhile cause.
I'm glad to be at EMU!
