System Financial Investment in UMD

Dear UMD Colleagues:

In case you have not heard, I am extremely pleased to share with you the announcement President Joan Gabel made Friday morning during the Board of Regents meeting.  President Gabel announced that she is allocating over the next two years approximately $6.8 million in one-time funds to eliminate our sequestered deficit. The sequestered deficit is the negative balance which was created over the past few years by the annual structural imbalances of our O&M budget. The actions we have taken recently on campus will eliminate UMD’s current structural imbalance by the end of Fiscal Year 2021, and President Gabel’s actions will also eliminate the sequestered deficit by the end of Fiscal Year 2021.  

Elimination of these deficits puts UMD on a much firmer financial foundation and positions us to respond with more creativity and innovation to the financial challenges we will likely face in the future. However, our work is not done. Tuition revenues and state funding are critical to our ongoing success, and we must be diligent in our focus on recruitment and retention. In addition, we will continue to partner with President Gabel, Senior Vice President Burnett, members of the Board of Regents, and our elected officials to advocate for additional state funding coming to UMD. As we have done in the past, we will work with the UMD Strategic Planning and Budget Committee to help us refine our plans and strategies for the future. 

President Gabel has indicated over the past few months that she will partner with UMD to address our budget challenges. Her actions Friday are a major step forward in this process, and her statements indicate her tremendous empathy for what we are experiencing and her commitment to UMD as a core part of the University of Minnesota System. We appreciate her commitment to UMD and the support we are receiving from Senior Vice President Burnett, other System leaders, and the Board of Regents.

Please contact me or one of the UMD Vice Chancellors if you have questions or would like additional information.

Sincerely,
 

Chancellor Black

New Financial Investment in UMD

Colleagues,

Our budget situation at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) has few easy answers. Structural change, as you are experiencing, is extremely difficult, and I have tremendous empathy for what you are going through, both professionally and personally.

Duluth has been front of mind for me since becoming President on July 1. UMD is a core part of our mission. I believe in what you’re doing, and I'm grateful for the tremendous value you bring to the table for all Minnesotans. With the budget reductions announced last week, UMD has taken difficult but necessary steps to balance the annual structural imbalance. It is therefore important to me that the structural changes you are undertaking receive support from decisions the System can make to strengthen Duluth and accelerate future success.

Accordingly, I have asked that the System, over the next two years, contribute approximately $6.8 million in one time dollars to eliminate UMD’s current sequestered debt, which has accumulated over the last few years. I don't make this decision lightly. Eliminating this debt allows for new investments and next chapters to truly focus on the future.

Chancellor Black will follow-up with additional details. We need UMD to be successful and believe strongly that this investment will help the UMD community move forward.

Warm regards,

Joan Gabel

Wishing You an Enjoyable Semester Break

Good afternoon,   Thank you to all who were able to join us at the end of semester buffet. Your contributions brought in $518.95 for the Union Gospel Mission, 196 pounds of food plus a monetary donation for Champ’s Cupboard, and 197 pounds of food for the CHUM food shelf. Your generosity is sincerely appreciated!   I hope you enjoy the attached video featuring a light-hearted look at Dr. Arshia Khan’s robots, which are created to conduct serious research in helping people deal with significant life issues, like dementia and elder care.    You have my best wishes for a well-deserved break between semesters. We’re working in difficult times, and this has been a challenging semester. However, I am impressed with the outstanding accomplishments this fall of our students, faculty, and staff. Thank you for all you do for UMD.

Sincerely,   Chancellor Black

Campus Budget Reductions

Dear Colleagues, 

Over the last few months, the vice chancellors and I have worked with deans and directors across campus to identify $5.2 million in recurring funding reductions. As you may recall from my October budget update to campus, we are working to start our new fiscal year on July 1, 2020 with a balanced budget. In order to do this, we need to reduce O&M (operations and maintenance) expenditures by $5.2 million to cover the $4 million annual imbalance and a required $1.2 million systemwide reduction. 

This is difficult. While there are solid financial reasons for doing this work, it does not reduce the pain that our employees will feel and the concern from our students and community. These are tough decisions and reflect the challenges that universities across the nation face.

We are committed to:

• Minimizing the impact to students.
• Preserving academic programs and student support as much as possible.
• Providing support and resources for those individuals directly affected. 

Leaders across campus have received approval for their budget reductions and are working to communicate and implement them as appropriate. In summary:

• Around 29 faculty and staff are directly affected through either full lay-off or reduction in contracts; plus 13 graduate teaching assistant positions. This equates to 24.7 full-time equivalents. 
• Leadership was able to lessen the impact by utilizing alternative funding, open positions, and retirements, a total of about 30 full-time equivalents.
• Zero academic programs are completely eliminated. Jazz studies will change from a standalone major to a concentration. Early childhood studies (unified early childhood studies dual licensure and early childhood studies non-licensure) will be temporarily suspended and positioned for a successful relaunch.
• Masters in English will suspend new admissions to the program for the next two years.
• The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning will be eliminated; however, leadership will continue to offer faculty development in partnership with the Twin Cities’ Center for Educational Innovation and other administrative units at UMD.
• The College of Liberal Arts and the School of Fine Arts will merge allowing us to realize operational and administrative efficiencies while also preserving and optimizing program offerings. 
• Facilities Management decreased their repair and renovation budget by $225,000.

I want to address recent conversation around the value of the fine and liberal arts at UMD. Let me assure you that both the fine arts and liberal arts are critical components to UMD and will continue to be central to our mission, as well as our artistic and academic experiences. As someone with a theater background, I know first-hand the positive impact that the arts can have on a person, a campus, and a community. There are indeed many career opportunities for arts and liberal arts graduates, and these disciplines provide invaluable skills and enrichment regardless of one one’s career path. Merging CLA and SFA not only helps to preserve programs and faculty lines, but it may bring further collaboration and opportunities for students, faculty, and staff. 

Ultimately, these budget decisions will strengthen UMD’s financial position and are necessary steps to best position UMD for an outstanding future. I ask for your support as we navigate these difficult times. Please be assured that while we are moving ahead with these reductions, I continue to advocate for additional resources for UMD both within system leadership and at the state Capitol. I appreciate your advocacy and passion for UMD.

Sincerely,
 
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Thank you for participating in the Employee Engagement Survey

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you to everyone who took time to complete this year’s Employee Engagement Survey. Overall, our UMD response rate was 75%, with 61% of faculty and instructional P&A and 83% of staff participating in the survey. The last time we completed the survey was in 2017 and our overall response rate was 74% with 67% of faculty and 78% of staff participating.

The Vice Chancellors and I appreciate you sharing your feedback on our workplace and we look forward to working with you to review and discuss our results and work together to develop and execute our action plans. Your contributions to UMD are vital and we look forward to working together to create a workplace where people are connected and feel supported in their success.

Thanks again and enjoy the final stretch of the semester.

Sincerely,
 
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

2019-20 Break

Dear Campus Community,  

This year, the period from Monday, December 23, 2019 until Thursday, January 2, 2020, includes 4 holidays, 2 weekend days and 4 regular work days.  Wherever possible, departments are encouraged to allow staff to have the 12 consecutive days off, by utilizing 4 days of vacation.  As in past years, this decision is entirely voluntary for both employees and departments, but strongly encouraged for sustainability reasons. We recognize and are grateful for dedicated employees that do not have this option. 

As in recent years, this break provides an opportunity for the campus to reduce energy costs and prove its commitment to sustainability.  To reduce energy consumption and our campus carbon footprint, UMD will operate campus buildings at temperatures lower than usual (62 degrees F) with limited ventilation during this campus break period.  If you have an adjustable thermostat in your office, you are asked to turn down the temperature to 62 degrees but no lower than 60 degrees. 

Facilities Management intends to provide minimal staffing dependent on campus needs.  Please contact Facilities Management at facmgt@d.umn.edu if you plan to close or have events planned that will require our custodial (staff and/or door opening) services during this period.  In order to meet your needs, please respond as soon as possible. 

Thank you for your continued support of UMD sustainability initiatives. 

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor 

Balancing UMD's Budget

Dear Colleagues, 

Over the past several years, we have made much progress addressing UMD’s budget challenges. However, we have reached a point in time where our structural imbalance has stalled at about $4 million and has not improved over the last three years. Although it is difficult and painful, we must make tough decisions now to resolve our budget deficits and move forward in ways that strengthen UMD’s excellence, as we build a stronger financial foundation for the future. This is not an easy conversation or process for any of us, and I want you to be as informed as possible about the steps we are taking to resolve UMD’s structural imbalance and to strengthen what is already an outstanding university.  

So, I am sharing with you today a brief overview of where we are now and the process we will use to resolve our structural imbalance.

• UMD ended Fiscal Year 2019 (July 2018 - June 2019) with a recurring structural imbalance of $3.9 million in our O&M budget, which consists of expenses and revenues funded by tuition and state allocations.
• Based upon the allocation letter I recently shared with you, we expect to end the current Fiscal Year 2020 (July 2019 - June 2020) with an O&M structural imbalance of $4 million.
• In addition, we are expecting another required systemwide reallocation in FY 2021 of at least $1.2 million creating a UMD budget imbalance of about $5.2 million. 
• In order to resolve this structural imbalance, the vice chancellors and I have initiated plans for our campus to reduce our recurring expenses by $5.2 million effective in the 2021 fiscal year, beginning on July 1, 2020.

The vice chancellors and I are working with our deans, associate vice chancellors, and directors to identify budget reductions over the next few weeks, and hope to have plans for these reductions by mid November. We will then work with the Department of Human Resources, talk with system administration, and inform the individuals and areas directly affected. At the same time, we are requesting additional resource allocations from President Gabel and Senior Vice President Burnett, but we are aware that their options are limited this fiscal year.

This process will be challenging, but I have seen this campus rise up to meet challenges in a number of areas. If we keep our focus on enrollment, retention, student success, and excellence, I am confident we will grow even stronger as we move forward.  

I want to express my sincere gratitude for the passion and dedication I see in our faculty and staff every day, and I want to stress the critical importance you have in helping our students reach their aspirations.

Sincerely, 

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

UMD Land Acknowledgment Event - October 22nd

You are invited to the recognition of the UMD Land Acknowledgment on Tuesday, October 22,
2019 at 3:00 p.m. in the UMD Kirby Ballroom.
 
Please join us for a special event to share UMD’s new Land Acknowledgment. A Land
Acknowledgment is a formal recognition of the unique and enduring relationship that exists
between American Indians and their territories. This acknowledgment is an opportunity for the
entire University community to increase their awareness of the history of the land on which
UMD resides. By offering this land acknowledgment, we affirm tribal sovereignty and will work
to hold the University of Minnesota Duluth accountable to American Indian peoples and
nations.
 
Please see the invitation for more details.

Supporting You in Your Work at UMD - Upcoming Engagement Survey

Dear Colleagues,

The University of Minnesota will conduct its fifth systemwide employee engagement survey this fall, and in early 2020 we will begin a new cycle of discussing the results and possible actions based on these results. It is important to me and to the UMD leadership team that we receive your meaningful feedback on your work experiences at UMD. This year, a survey report will be available to supervisors who have at least five faculty or staff complete surveys in their respective units, which should provide more options for local action in smaller workgroups.

When you take the survey, you’ll find two open-ended questions which are very helpful to your supervisors and to UMD leadership, especially for those of us who may not be aware of your day-to-day work experiences. Open-ended responses are redacted by the vendor Korn Ferry so no personally identifiable information is shared. Your responses provide important ideas for improvement at UMD. The questions are, “What is one thing that has been done to help you to be more successful in your work?” and “What one thing, if changed, would enable you to be more successful in your work?” I look forward to your responses for how our recent efforts have made an impact and your ideas about ongoing action.

Please continue to watch your email for a link to take the survey starting Monday, October 14.

If you have any questions, please reach out to me or to your vice chancellor.

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Submit Your Questions for the October 1, Town Hall with President Gabel

As a reminder, Chancellor Lynn Black cordially invites you to a town hall with President Joan T.A. Gabel on Tuesday, October 1, from 1:00-2:00 p.m., in the Kirby Ballroom. President Gabel will open with remarks on the Systemwide Strategic Plan, followed by Q&A and a short reception at the end. Please join us as your schedule allows.
 

We will have a tight schedule, so to help move things along we are asking for questions to be submitted ahead of time. If you have a question you'd like asked, please add your question to this google doc by the end of the day on Friday, September 27.

Thank you.

UMD FY20 Budget Allocation

Dear Colleagues,
 
Each fiscal year, our campus receives a budget allocation letter from University of Minnesota System administration that provides information about our financial resources. We have received our UMD Budget Allocation Letter for FY20 (July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020). Here is a brief summary of the key take-aways:

• Overall, we are holding steady with a slight increase in our structural imbalance. We ended FY19 with a $3.9 million structural imbalance. We are expecting to end FY20 with no greater than a $4.1 million imbalance.
• We received an increase of $3,250,849 in Operations & Maintenance (O&M) funding from tuition revenues and state funds.
• Our additional tuition revenue for FY20 is estimated to be $986,785 (undergraduate tuition increased 1.5% and graduate tuition increased 3%).
• UMD’s share of the system wide reallocations was $1,273,000, which require budget cuts that UMD has already built into the FY20 annual budget.
• Budgeted expense increases from the System are for the compensation increases awarded in June, cost pool adjustments, HCAMS operating expenses, campus utilities increases, and compensation adjustments for UMDPD and athletics.  
  • $3,980,232 - compensation
  • $179,080 - cost pools
  • $566,814 - conversion of waivers to scholarships
  • $451,700 - HCAMS operating and campus utilities
  • $147,849 - compensation agreement and competitive market adjustments for UMDPD and athletics

Overall, we received less than we requested, therefore we still have difficult work ahead of us.  For example, we need to determine reductions for Fiscal Year 2020 - 2021 soon, because our academic offerings need to be prepared about a year in advance. These cuts will be painful, but it is best to eliminate our structural imbalance as soon as possible and to move forward without these deficits holding us back. Our annual expenses are going to continue to increase, state funding is unpredictable but not likely to increase significantly, and enrollment is critically important. Increased compensation costs are a large part of our expenses, but they reflect the importance of you, our workforce, and it is essential to retain top talent and offer competitive salaries. 

I am encouraged that this letter recognizes that many of the increased expenses over the past several years are out of our control. Some next steps include continuing to work with the System budget office to reverify our budget numbers, utilize data and metrics to guide future decisions, and continue to seek additional contributions from the System to help resolve our budget issues.

Please contact me or one of the vice chancellors if you have questions or would like additional information about UMD’s budget.

Sincerely,
 
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Campus town hall with President Gabel, Tuesday, Oct 1, 1-2 p.m.

Chancellor Lynn Black cordially invites you to a town hall with President Joan T.A. Gabel on Tuesday, October 1st from 1:00-2:00 pm in the Kirby Ballroom.  President Gabel will open with remarks on the systemwide strategic plan and is seeking your ideas and input. There will be time for Q&A as well as a short reception at the end. Please join us as your schedule allows.

Remembering Jacob Lavoie

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:

It is with great sadness that I send you this message today. After almost a week of searching, the Duluth Police Department and St. Louis County Rescue Squad found missing UMD student Jacob Lavoie’s body in the Minnesota Slip area of canal park Friday afternoon.

As much as we try to be prepared for something like this, it's extremely difficult. UMD is such a tight-knit community and we’re concerned for Jacob's family, his friends, and the faculty and staff that knew him. One of the qualities that defines UMD is the strong contentedness that exists among our community. As much as we may mourn individually for Jacob, our strength is in pulling together and leaning on each other to move forward.

We acknowledge the tremendous efforts of our community law enforcement agencies who worked on this search – the Duluth Police Department, UMD Police Department, St. Louis County Sheriff's Office, and St. Louis County Rescue Squad. We are also so grateful to the community for their sincere support.

Last week, Vice Chancellor for Student Life Lisa Erwin sent an email with information about support resources. I have listed those resources here and encourage their use.

Support resources for students:

• Consider talking with a staff or faculty member you trust. Sometimes talking about your feelings with someone who cares can help. A trusted faculty or staff member can also help you connect to others that may be of assistance.
• Contact Counseling Services. Veronica Gaidelis-Langer, our Case Manager in Counseling Services, is a great resource. (x7913)
• Consider attending a UMD Counseling "Let's Talk" session. More about "Let's Talk" may be found here. The times and locations:

Mondays, 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Kirby Student Center 361
Tuesdays, 5 to 7 p.m, Lake Superior Hall 175
Wednesdays, 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Sports and Health Center 193
Thursdays, 1 to 3 p.m., Kirby Student Center 361

• Call the Office of Student Life for assistance. (x8502)

Faculty and staff:

Your representative in Human Resource can assist you with the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This program provides confidential professional consultation and referral services. EAP services at UMD are provided by The Sand Creek Group, Ltd. More information about EAP may be found here.

Most importantly, I’d like to send my deepest condolences to Jacob’s family, friends, and classmates. There is no easy path through something like this, and my hope is that we can support each other to find strength and peace.

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor 

Updates and Priorities for the Start of the Semester

Dear Colleagues,

We are at the cusp of another academic year and the energy on campus is growing. Thank you for those who were able to join us Monday morning for our faculty and staff welcome breakfast. With your help, we collected 282 lbs of food and $61.50 in support of Champ’s Cupboard. Further donations to Champ’s cupboard, which is our free food shelf for students, can be dropped off in the Student Life office.

This email is intended to recap my speech and provide some updates as we enter the new year.

Land Acknowledgment
I am honored to share UMD’s new land acknowledgment with you:

We collectively acknowledge that the University of Minnesota Duluth is located on the traditional, ancestral, and contemporary lands of Indigenous people. The University resides on land that was cared for and called home by the Anishinaabe people, and the Dakota people before them, from time immemorial. Ceded by the Anishinaabe in an 1854 treaty, this land holds great historical, spiritual, and personal significance for its original stewards, the Native nations and peoples of this region. We recognize and continually support and advocate for the sovereignty of the Native nations in this territory and beyond. By offering this land acknowledgment, we affirm tribal sovereignty and will work to hold the University of Minnesota Duluth accountable to American Indian peoples and nations.

This Land Acknowledgment is a formal statement that recognizes the unique and enduring relationship that exists between American Indians and their territories, and this acknowledgment is an opportunity for the entire University community to increase their awareness of the history of the land on which UMD resides.

The acknowledgment was crafted through collaborative processes with our Department of American Indian Studies, the Campus Climate Leadership Team, Campus Climate Change Team, and participants at the 2019 Summit on Equity, Race, & Ethnicity. The statement was endorsed by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council on June 4, 2019. You can find more information and context on the UMD About page.

Campus Priorities
1. Assisting President Joan Gabel in her first year as our new president and working with her to find new ways to further strengthen UMD.

2. Continuing to reinforce our commitment to a diverse and inclusive campus climate and building further on the prevention of sexual misconduct initiative that began last year.
About 140 UMD faculty and staff have completed the Diversity and Inclusion module as a pilot project. After we assess their responses to the training, we will determine next steps towards having others at UMD complete it. In addition, this fall all new UMD students will take the Diversity and Inclusion module developed specifically for students.

Each of us is responsible for creating a healthy work environment and for supporting the retention and success of faculty, staff, and students of color, of diverse cultures, women, LGBTQAI, and all members of the UMD community. We also need to call out bullying when we see it and support those who are bullied.

3. Moving our retention and graduation rates to new levels of success.

4. Expanding UMD’s International Education programs with more international students coming to us and sending more UMD students to meaningful learning abroad experiences.

5. Expanding research and doctoral education. 

6. Expanded exploration of grant support to help sustain programmatic efforts and student access.

7. We will continue to advocate for capital funding to renovate A. B. Anderson and advocate for Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement funds (HEAPR) to renovate the old Chemistry Building and other key areas. 

8. In 2020, we will celebrate UMD’s 125 anniversary.

UMD Highlights
We have a lot to be proud of. This montage of student highlights throughout last year showcases some of the fantastic work from around campus. Swenson College of Science & Engineering, for the second year in a row, earned second place in their division at the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition in New Mexico. Students designed, built and successfully launched their rocket, placing higher than teams who represented entire countries and who had far greater budgets.

The Labovitz School of Business and Economics continues its designation as a 3M Frontline Sales Initiative School, one of only 14 in the country. In June, the Board of Regents approved our new Professional Sales Bachelor of Business Administration program.

Last fall, the School of Fine Arts held its fifth annual Fresh Foundations exhibit at the Tweed Museum of Art. The show is curated by seniors in the Art and Design program and highlights the work of first-year students in the same program. 

This summer, 20 undergraduate students from South Korea studied American environmental writing in the College of Liberal Arts for three weeks. This unique program was a collaboration between CLA’s Department of English, Linguistics, and Writing Studies, UMD’s Department of International Partnerships and Outreach, English as a Second Language International, and Kyung Hee University, in Seoul, South Korea.

UMD Athletics enjoyed another great year including men’s hockey capturing a third NCAA national championship, their second in a row. In addition, our scholar-athletes enjoyed success in the classroom with 44 individuals qualifying for a spot on the NSIC All-Academic Team. Each year, the team with the highest cumulative GPA receives the Chancellor’s Cup. Last spring, the 2019 Chancellor’s Cup went to our women’s volleyball team with a cumulative GPA of 3.74.

In Student Life, our Bulldog Welcome Week program has a new look thanks to the hard work of a number of campus units partnering with Kirby Student Center. The new Bulldog Welcome Week focuses on campus traditions and community engagement and provides students with a more customized exposure to campus resources that will help them be successful.

Facilities Update
Earlier this month, the Heikkila Chemistry and Advanced Materials Science building, HCAMS, had its grand opening. Classes will be held there this fall. It’s beautiful and will serve well our students, faculty, and staff.

The Multicultural Center is undergoing a much-needed renovation. It serves many students, and it’s important that it be a welcoming, comfortable, and well-designed space. The grand opening is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, September 18 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. I hope you can attend, and I hope you will visit the Multicultural Center often.

Ordean Court is undergoing a major renovation. The work is being funded by Facilities Management. We believe the space will be much more inviting and useful for students and everyone on campus to enjoy. The project is currently scheduled to be completed in the middle of September.

We will break ground on a new Residence Hall and an additional Dining Center for students in May of 2020. We are excited to have increased capacity for freshmen to live in a residence hall, and to expand our ability to serve our campus community's dining options. The new facilities are anticipated to be open for fall 2021.

The on-campus Ice Rink renovation project consists of a comprehensive replacement of the building's heating, ventilation and air conditioning system to provide a healthier indoor air quality environment for building occupants. The ice-making system is also being replaced. This project is scheduled to be completed in November.

Enrollment
The quality of our new student class this year is excellent, but as sometimes happens within the cycle of undergraduate enrollment, we are experiencing a decline in new student enrollment this fall. This is projected to impact our overall undergraduate enrollment by approximately two percent or 180 students. The decline in new students is due to a number of factors including greater competition from private and public institutions both within and outside Minnesota and fewer transfer students within the community college pipeline.
 
As we keep our academic standards high and seek to overcome new and recurring enrollment challenges, we need to redouble our efforts on retaining and successfully graduating the nearly 9,000 undergraduate students who are enrolled this fall. We project 674 graduate students this fall and an overall enrollment, which also includes non-degree and professional students, of 10,830. Nothing benefits us more within student recruitment than our positive word-of-mouth reputation. As we welcome over 2,400 first-year and transfer students to campus later this week and welcome back over 6,400 returning undergraduates next Monday, let’s each renew our commitment to supporting their success within this exceptional community of learners, educators, and scholars.

Budget
We have not yet received our budget allocation for this fiscal year. President Gabel told me recently that we will receive it soon. As we have done in the past, I will share the allocation letter with the campus and keep you up-to-date on our budget plans.

See the Google Slides from today’s event if you’d like to see the visual presentation that includes design concepts of Ordean Court and the new Residence Hall.

Please let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to another successful year. Each of you contributes to our success and I thank you for your time, commitment, and dedication to our students and UMD.

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Bulldog Yard Contest | $2000 in Prizes!

Dear UMD Students,

We are excited to have you back on campus for the 2019-2020 school year and to welcome the UMD class of 2023. We hope you all enjoyed your well deserved summer break, had fun, and made lasting memories with your loved ones. We are thrilled to welcome all of you back to a new school year of learning and growing.

One of the most exciting days of the year is move-in day. Not only are newly enrolled students moving into their new home, but current staff and students join hands and welcome them to the UMD family. Though this experience is usually overwhelmingly positive, we know that in the past, the conduct of a few students has sent an unwelcoming message to the UMD and Duluth community.

This year, the UMD Student Association and the Office of Student Life are partnering to host the second annual  "Best Yard Contest". We invite students who live in the areas surrounding campus to decorate their yards with Bulldog pride, and help us welcome our new incoming students. Prizes will be awarded to the best yards, including a grand prize of a $250 gift card to SuperOne. UMD Student Association judges will visit the participating houses between the hours of 11am and 3pm on move-in day.

Learn more about the Best Yard Contest and sign-up to participate. Whether or not you and your roommates choose to participate in this event, we look forward to an exciting, fun, and safe move-in day and Bulldog Welcome Week.


Best Regards,

Neal Bhakta
UMD SA President

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Chancellor's Welcome for All Staff and Faculty 2019

Chancellor's Welcome for All Staff and Faculty 2019

When:    Monday, August 19, 2019

Time:      8:30 - 10:00 a.m.

Where:   Ward Wells Field House (follow the ramp down to the field house on the side where the tennis courts are located)

Chancellor Black invites you to join him in kicking off a new fall semester. A continental breakfast will be served (pastries, fruit, and yogurt).

We will be collecting nonperishable food for Champ's Cupboard, the UMD Food Shelf located in 245 Kirby Plaza. Unused/unopened/unexpired items specifically needed are:

• Canned chicken/tuna
• Boxed noodles, pasta, etc
• Pasta sauce
• Boxed meals and dinner sides
• Canned meals: spaghetti's, ravioli, etc
• Canned fruit
• Peanut butter, jelly, condiments
• Lighter meals/snacks, granola bars, etc
• Miscellaneous toiletries, such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo
• Diapers and laundry detergent

Getting Ready for UMD! Parent Information

  Dear UMD Parents and Family Members:

As the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Chancellor, it is a pleasure for me to welcome you to our outstanding university community.  The faculty, staff, and students of UMD join me in our commitment to making your student’s new university home an intellectually stimulating, enjoyable, and safe place to learn and grow.

We take every part of the UMD experience very seriously, and we are committed to making a difference with our students.  Most of our students excel, but many of them also encounter challenging situations involving alcohol.  Most relationships among students are positive and supportive.  However, there are times when unhealthy relationships appear between students.  When abuse occurs, it is often related to alcohol use.  We've implemented a comprehensive prevention program to help our students make the safest, healthiest decisions possible.

• Our health services and student life staff offer resources and programming designed to heighten student awareness of the dangers of alcohol abuse and underage drinking.  A comprehensive resource page may be found by visiting this website.  
• When violations of university alcohol policies occur we have disciplinary procedures in place to address these issues in a manner focused on education and changing behavior.  The emphasis is on helping students be successful in every aspect of their college experience.
• At UMD, we value our partnership with parents regarding the health and safety of our students.  To that end, we will contact the parents of any UMD student who has been taken to the hospital emergency room or to a local detoxification facility by UMD police for an alcohol-related emergency.  On a case-by-case basis, we may also contact the parents of underage UMD students who have violated the university’s alcohol policy, on or off campus.
• This summer every incoming student will be required to complete AlcoholEdu for College, a 2-3 hour online course that uses the latest prevention techniques and research to educate students about the impact of alcohol on the mind and body.  Whether or not your student drinks alcohol, AlcoholEdu for College will empower your student to make well-informed decisions about alcohol and help them better cope with the drinking behavior of peers.

We also understand that parents are the first line of defense against alcohol misuse and abuse.  There are several things you can do this summer to help your student get ready for the decisions they’ll be making after they get to UMD. We’re providing a brochure to serve as a resource and a guide if you decide to discuss the dangers of underage drinking and excessive alcohol use with your student.

Sexual misconduct is defined at UMD as sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, and relationship violence. The related University of Minnesota policy provides detailed information about our approach to reported sexual misconduct. At UMD, we take these issues very seriously and also have a number of educational programs focused on prevention that are offered during Bulldog Welcome Week and throughout the school year. Minnesota State Law requires that every incoming student must participate in training on sexual assault prevention. One way our students will receive training is through another online course called Sexual Assault Prevention. 

Our partner for providing the AlcoholEdu and Sexual Assault Prevention is a company called EVERFI. (By the way, EVERFI also provides online training required for every UMD employee). We’re providing you with a link to an EVERFI website that has information for parents of college students.  The site includes downloadable resources to support conversations with your student about these important topics. In addition, this UMD website has links to an overview for each of the required courses.

The deadline for completing the AlcoholEdu and Sexual Assault Prevention courses is August 19, 2019. We hope you will encourage your student to meet that deadline.

We are proud of the safe and supportive learning environment at UMD, and we thank you for helping us educate students about the dangers of behaviors that put them at risk and that detract from their academic achievements.

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Progress on Campus Priorities

Dear Colleagues:

Despite remnants of winter weather over the past few weeks, UMD’s summer season is upon us. Not only did our graduates recently cross the finish line, but we also moved many campus initiatives forward this year. At the start of this academic year, I presented six priorities. I am pleased with the progress we made and ask for your continued support as we drive these forward. As a recap of the priorities and progress:

1. Reinforcing our commitment to a healthy campus climate and building on the prevention of sexual misconduct training.
In terms of campus climate, we launched the It’s More Than That campaign, continued training and development programs, and launched a new diversity and inclusion module.

It’s More Than That highlights many of the projects, efforts, and initiatives already underway at UMD. Please take time to explore the It’s More Than That website where you can find more information about the campaign, suggested actions steps, and take your own pledge.

UMD has contracted with Everfi to offer diversity and inclusion online training modules to students, staff, and faculty. Two modules were deployed to campus leaders this spring with a plan for a full campus rollout next fall. In the fall, students will also be invited to complete the Diversity & Inclusion module. The training will provide staff, faculty, and students with important skills and resources to help foster a more inclusive and engaging campus.

In addition, we continue to provide face to face training and development offerings to staff and faculty across campus. For fall term offerings and a link to sign up, go to Campus Climate: Training and Development website.

Related to our efforts to prevent sexual misconduct, we continue to provide online training to new employees. The UMD Sexual Violence Response Team held several follow-up sessions this year where participants were able to meet members of the team, ask questions about the Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct training and/or the University's Administrative Policy: Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Stalking and Relationship Violence, and explore scenarios based on different faculty and staff campus roles. The It Ends Here campaign also brought further awareness to the initiative and will roll into next year.

I am also happy to share that UMD is one of the sponsors to the Zeitgeist Arts Year of the Womxn celebration. The YOTW is a series of programming to recognize and celebrate women and I encourage you to review and participate in the event series.

2. Continue to make progress on the implementation of the UMD strategic plan and coordinate with systemwide strategic planning efforts.
This year, various campus groups were asked to submit ideas for objectives and key performance indicators related to our strategic goals. This summer the leadership team will use these ideas to draft a concise set of objectives with measures that can be tracked over time. The campus will have an opportunity to review these items and provide feedback in the fall. Once finalized, we will provide the information on our strategic planning website and regularly publish progress toward goal attainment.

In terms of systemwide strategic planning efforts, several individuals from UMD are serving on systemwide planning groups and continue to move forward with their efforts.

3. Moving our retention and graduation rate to new levels of success.
Improved undergraduate student success rates remain a central priority, and annual benchmark indicators show improvements in both student persistence and four-year graduation. Our campus first-to-second year retention rate for the 2017 entering cohort was 78.7%; up 1.7% compared to the previous year. Our campus four-year graduation rate for the 2014 cohort was 42.5%; up 4.9% compared to the previous year. These improvements are the result of your collective actions to address high DFW rates in gateway courses, implementation of mentorship programs, an expanded emphasis on strengths-based advising and coaching, proactive use of hardship grants to prevent stop-outs, enhanced student debt education, and numerous other initiatives.

Continued improvement of student persistence and graduation remains a priority for the BOR and for all of us. Moreover, enrollment will remain an ongoing challenge as we face increased competition and changing student demographics – making retention of our current students even more important. Whether through interactions with individual students, implementation of large-scale initiatives or delivery of services and facilities, we all have an impact on the success of our students. Many of the joyful stories I heard from recent graduates were about individual staff or faculty connections or opportunities for involvement or leadership roles that made a difference in their lives and persistence to graduation. We will continue to strive for all our students to have these experiences.

4. Expanding UMD's International Education programs and alliances.
UMD has expanded its partnership footprint with exchange, transfer, and training programs in Asia (China, South Korea, Vietnam); the Americas (Canada and Mexico); and Europe (Croatia, Ireland). The university has also invested in securing a dedicated international student recruiter.

5. Expanding UMD's public engagement reach.
UMD spent the last year conducting an inventory on community engagement initiatives and public service activities. We will look to reinforce our position, consistent with the strategic plan, as a key partner to the region via its research, education, and volunteer programs. These collective efforts are also consistent with UMD’s connection to the Association of Public Land-grant Universities’ Economic Development and Community Engagement projects.

6. Expand research and doctoral education.
We continue to make progress and have productive conversations with System administration in regards to doctoral education. We also continue to refine and appropriately expand other graduate education offerings.

Fundraising.
In addition to these six priorities, we continue to have another record-breaking year in UMD fundraising. Our goal for private contributions during fiscal year 2019 is $12 million. As of May 15, 2019 we have raised $12,522,530. Our current campaign total for private contributions is $89,052,079 towards a goal of $100 million, and we still have two years left in the campaign. Our fundraising needs continue to be great, especially in scholarships, so we will continue to work hard to surpass the $100 million goal. I am pleased that 719 UMD faculty and staff have contributed $13,824,562 to the campaign, and I give my most sincere thanks to those who are helping us fund UMD’s most critical needs.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions. I will send a budget campus communication later this summer after the Board of Regents approves the fiscal year 2020 budget. Thank you again for another great year.

Sincerely,


Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Save the Date: Fall 2019 Faculty & Staff Welcome

Dear Colleagues,

As we get ready to send off yet another graduating class of Bulldogs, we are also looking forward to next semester.  Please mark your calendars for the Fall 2019 Faculty & Staff Welcome:

Monday, August 19th from 8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Ward Wells Fieldhouse

Thank you for all of your dedication this year, and best of luck to our graduates.

Lendley Black
Chancellor

It’s More Than That, Campus Climate Campaign

Dear Colleagues,
 

As we continue to take actions to improve our campus climate, it is clear this work is complex and multi-layered. It’s More Than That focuses on the complexities of our strategic plan Goal 2 as we advance equity, diversity, inclusiveness, and social justice within the campus community.

This campaign highlights many of the projects, efforts, and initiatives already underway at UMD. It also challenges us to support the work happening around campus and to find new ways to create a more inclusive, safe, and engaging campus.
 

Through this initiative, we invite all members of the campus community to explore topics of diversity, inclusion, bullying, and more – with greater depth. We often do not understand the full story of someone’s reality, because it’s complex. It’s more than what appears on the surface. It’s More Than That!

In this email we are introducing It’s More Than That to the campus community, raising awareness about campus climate initiatives, and asking for your support.

We invite you to start by exploring the It’s More Than That website where you can find more information about the campaign. We encourage you to explore the suggested actions steps, give them some thought, and take your own pledge indicating “What will I do to further my own growth and action toward Goal 2 at UMD?” This pledge will allow you to coordinate with colleagues across campus for support and to share accountability using the resources provided.

We want to recognize BlackBird Revolt, a Duluth based branding and media design company who are dedicated to promoting social change through conscious creativity, for designing this campaign.

Sincerely,
 

Chancellor Lendley Black

Susana Pelayo-Woodward and Paula J. Pedersen (Campus Climate Co-Chairs)