I wish to thank you sincerely for responding to my invitation to attend the general staff meeting held on June 5. That some 70% of full-time staff attended the meeting indicates how welcome the idea of a general staff meeting was. So although time did not allow as lengthy an interchange of ideas as would be desirable, I wish to assure you that there will be additional opportunities for you to share your views and concerns about the University. Indeed, I am committed to a process of regular communication so that we can exchange ideas on how best to serve our students, the nation, the region and you. I also look forward to sharing with you in the next couple of weeks, your candid responses to the questions that were posed at the meeting.
The strategic planning process is one which will involve identification of specific directions for the university between 2007 and 2012 and your contributions will help us determine what these should be. The decision as to these directions will be made by a Steering Committee, headed by the Vice Chancellor, which will consider the inputs of staff, students, alumni and other stakeholders from all three campuses as well as from the other 12 countries whose governments contribute to the University. The strategic directions will point the way, but it will be up to all of us in the university community to ensure that our systems and our work processes are geared towards ensuring that we stay on track and achieve our goals.
I hope that you will take advantage of an invitation at the departmental level to provide inputs into decisions about the way forward for our University. Within the next few weeks you may also be asked to participate in a group activity designed to ensure that each category of staff has the opportunity to influence the university planning process.
By your strong support, you have indicated to me your commitment to this university and to ensuring that it strengthens its position as the leading tertiary institution in the Region. I am heartened by this and anticipate your full involvement not only in the strategic planning process in which we will be engaged over the next several months, but also in the implementation of the plan once it has been developed.