Fall is an exciting time at colleges and universities: from welcoming students back to campus to implementing new strategies and setting sights for future success, the beginning of the fall semester is rich with opportunities for faculty and staff to create meaningful impacts in the lives of everyone they serve. UHD’s employee retreats provide UHD employees an opportunity to invest in themselves at the beginning of each semester as they prepare to serve their communities, and the fall 2023 faculty and staff retreats were no exception. These exciting events featured guest speakers and many opportunities for engagement, setting the stage for UHD’s dedicated employees to connect with one another as well as the University’s strategic vision and goals.
Faculty Retreat - August 16, 2023
The annual fall faculty retreat is one of many ways UHD welcomes faculty back for the new academic year. It is also a chance for new faculty members to network with their colleagues as they learn more about UHD. A guest speaker typically attends and addresses a relevant topic to UHD’s faculty. This year UHD welcomed Dr. Robert Talbert from Grand Valley State University to share about alternative approaches to grading.
In addition to hearing from Dr. Talbert, President Blanchard and Provost Bordelon addressed the faculty assembly and provided an overview of priorities for the institution as well as the important role that faculty play. Other speakers from the division of Student Success and Students Life as well as the Faculty Senate President, Dr. Bernardo Pohl, shared important information about important resources at UHD.
Staff Retreat - September 15, 2023
UHD staff were invited to “Connect the Dots” during the fall staff retreat, which was held in the Jesse H. Jones Building. Almost 300 UHD staff convened to connect with themselves, each other, the University, and our shared goal of student success.
The event opened with a powerful update from President Blanchard, who highlighted the interconnectedness of UHD’s staff’s impact on the University. Following President Blanchard’s update was one of many opportunities for attendees to collaborate with one another. During this exercise staff were challenged to collaboratively create a bridge that would connect the Commerce Street Building to the Shea Street Building, all while infusing elements of UHD’s mission and vision into the structure.
Following the bridge-building exercise Dr. Juan Sorto, a UHD alumnus, delivered a moving keynote detailing the profound impact UHD had on his life. Participants then connected with one another again as they were challenged to brainstorm how different University divisions must collaborate to successfully execute a large-scale University function.
Breakout sessions allowed participants another opportunity connect with one another, and a moderated panel featuring UHD staff closed the event.
Though the fall retreats are over, we take pride in supporting UHD’s dedicated staff and faculty year-round. We look forward to the opportunity to serve your recruitment, onboarding, professional development, benefits, compensation, payroll, and records needs throughout the year. We welcome you to contact us at x8060 or HR@uhd.edu with your requests and inquiries. We are here to help!
Categories: all employees