1. What most surprised you about Carleton?
 
2. What special projects have you begun this year and where do you see
them going?
 
3. What do you think Carleton, as a community, needs to work on?
 
This year and semester have flown by at the speed of light! I have been impressed by the warmth and caring of this university community. In writing the strategic plan, I asked students, faculty, staff and people from the Ottawa region, to indicate what set Carleton apart. They said Carleton is innovative. It is located in the nation’s capital where faculty and students dedicate themselves to solving real-world problems. They also said Carleton is a wonderful community. I have learned that they were right. Students, staff and faculty regularly volunteer in the Ottawa region and around the world. The First-Year Experience program, which brings students to Mexico is a fine illustration of this. In addition, the journalism program in Rwanda and the School of Public Policy in Russia are but two examples of this generous spirit of volunteerism, which thrives at Carleton. Caring service is another important factor in defining the community. People get immediate attention to questions and requests. People are eager to assist and in a way, the tunnels symbolize the community: open, accessible and friendly. 
 
This year I worked a good deal on the strategic plan, on making the good news about Carleton heard in the world, on helping people obtain the resources necessary to support the fine teaching, learning and research programs here. This effort is ongoing as there are so many excellent ideas and a great number of needs which need to be met. Space is the top item on nearly everyone’s list.
 
We all need to work together on these projects. Together we can realize our dreams and make the campus a welcoming environment with sufficient and appropriate facilities for students, staff and faculty alike. We can make the innovative programs here accessible. We can offer our students the support they need to succeed, our staff the tools they need to be effective and efficient and the faculty the resources required to be the best teachers and researchers possible.