From the President, re: Operational Updates

August 15, 2025

Dear Faculty and Staff,

I hope you’ve had a restful and restorative summer. As I begin my role as interim president, I want to thank you for the warm welcome and the thoughtful conversations I’ve shared with many of you. This summer has been a valuable time to listen, learn, and reflect on how we can better support one another in our shared mission.

A clear theme has emerged for me—both from these conversations and from my years of service as a faculty member and dean: Southern faculty and staff are deeply committed to our students and the work we do together. Across campus, I see strong partnerships, innovative ideas taking shape, and an expanding network of workforce connections that enhance our academic programs and career pathways. I want to ensure these initiatives receive the administration’s full attention and investment.

Over the next two years, my focus will be on addressing barriers to effective operations so that our people and programs can thrive. This means enhancing employee support, streamlining processes, and aligning organizational structures in ways that strengthen our ability to serve our communities and achieve our institutional goals. To begin, we are implementing two operational changes, developed in close collaboration with the employees most directly impacted.

The first involves aligning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Human Resources (HR) functions to enhance collaboration and support for employees—from recruitment, hiring and onboarding all the way through retirement. Several DEI staff involved in employee mediation, compliance, and faculty hiring will join HR, where they will continue these essential functions alongside colleagues with complementary responsibilities. At the same time, DEI will continue its vital work advancing equity, inclusion, and belonging for our students, with a sharpened focus on the student experience and successful outcomes. All student centers and programs will continue unchanged and accessible to anyone seeking connection.

The second operational change involves transitioning Information Technology to the Division of Finance and Administration. This alignment will help as we invest strategically in tools that reduce administrative burdens, improve communication, and strengthen campus operations, including procurement and accounts payable functions, invoice processing time, and workflow automation. These upgrades will make our systems more efficient, easier to use, and better aligned with best practices in higher education. They are significant investments in the future of Southern, ensuring we have the right tools to support teaching, learning, and operations.

These changes occur during a time of fiscal constraints and a hiring freeze, making it especially important to strike a balance between resource efficiency and care for our employees. By moving forward with these operational adjustments, we are putting in place the structure and resources needed to sustain our work, meet our commitments, and deliver results for our students and the communities we serve. More updates will be made available as this work progresses.

Sincerely,

Dr. Sandy Bulmer
Interim President