Over the past few years, I have heard things like, “it is hard to be innovative in challenging times” and “how can we be innovative when resources are scarce”, so I want to flip this kind of thinking on innovation. Instead of letting these challenges limit our innovation, why not use those challenges to our advantage – these challenges of budget, scarce resources, and time are simply a test of our innovative abilities.
Within FAS there are many great minds, creating an enormous potential for innovative thinking. One of the greatest ways in which we can show our value of supporting student success is by finding creative solutions and innovative ideas to address not only the problems that exist but to also streamline and enhance our processes and make us more efficient. We must overcome the obstacles in front of us and push the envelope of progress toward a more innovative university.
I look to you for your creativity and expertise because you are the ones who utilize the processes – ask yourself:
- how we may improve what we’re already doing;
- how we may cut unnecessary or repetitive steps out of our daily work;
- how we may better serve our campus community
