Dear Members of the Faculty and Staff,

As we are moving through the summer, I wanted to write and talk about starting our new academic year

Last Spring the University Senate sent me a memo entitled "A Call for Conversation." The title of the document itself is helpful and has led me to think about how we might foster conversation as we move forward.

Recently I have had a chance to talk with a number of people about how best to get the year started. I have sought advice from faculty members, staff members, deans, and others in administration. In light of those discussions this year, I would like to start the year by circulating to the University community a state of the University paper in lieu of our normal fall convocation. I'll circulate it by email and post it on the web. I hope to have this done and posted the week of 21 August. I will work with the Deans so that Provost Harris and I can meet with the faculties of each of the Colleges. I hope that these meetings will allow conversation on my report and about moving forward. We will work to schedule those meeting so that they are completed by early in September. I will also work with the Administrative Senate to develop ways to meet with staff members of the University for their input and questions. My hope is that people will have had time to look at what I have written and get their own schedules in order so that we can have meaningful conversation. If all goes well, I hope we will be able to have these first conversations completed mid-September.

As soon as it can be arranged, after the University Senate has elected its award winners, my office will host an awards ceremony to acknowledge those who have served the University for so many years and to announce the awards from the University Senate. This will give us an opportunity to celebrate some of the people who have been so important to Loyola University.

In the meantime I would like to invite all members of the faculty and staff to a recption on 21 August to welcome people back and to begin the new year. I know that we have been through an extraordinary year and I am deeply grateful to everyone for their work, sacrifice, and commitment. We have challenges ahead, but I do believe we have reached a level of stability and the challenges we face are those of how to strengthen and improve Loyola.

With prayers and best wishes,

Kevin Wm. Wildes, S.J. 9 August 2006