Our time moving forward together

OUR TIME MOVING FORWARD TOG…TH…R

“Protect the Pack” and “It’s Time” are two phrases we’re hearing a lot on campus these days. The explosion of turmoil, tragedy and change in our world has demanded that we be ready –always – as a university to adapt and provide the best opportunities for students to achieve their educational goals in a safe environment.

“Protect the Pack” refers to the university’s extraordinary efforts this fall-ofCOVID-19 to bring Huskies home to a campus that safeguards the health of all in our community, being mindful of students’ social and emotional as well as their physical well-being. We are doing so with a solid but flexible plan to take good care of our campus community while offering safely modified aspects of a traditional campus experience. “It’s Time” is the strategy St. Cloud State leadership has incorporated to transform the way we operate and solidify our priorities, building on our strengths and reimagining the way we achieve our mission of preparing students for life, work and citizenship in the twenty-first century. “It’s Time” will determine the future success of both our students and our university.

In the past few months, with tremendous collegiality our campus has moved forward in incredible ways, overcoming the unique obstacles of an unprecedented pandemic while reimagining the way we deliver coursework and student services.

All the while, we have been protecting the pack with a firm commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, a commitment that our administrators, faculty, staff and student leadership stepped up in a time of crisis. As we know, COVID-19 wasn’t the only incredible upheaval of these past few months to send shockwaves across the globe and in the hearts of many in our campus community. As we watched George Floyd’s life taken by a violent police action, the ongoing reality of a 400-year-old, deep-rooted racism and bias repeated in the racial profiling experienced by members of our campus’s African American community and other communities of color. We knew this reality isn’t a “Minneapolis problem”; it is the daily lived experience of racism that our friends, colleagues and students of color experience. His death laid bare the on-going pain, anguish and anger of having yet another discussion about how to stay safe. “When will this change?” we asked.

Some in our campus community were called upon to share their insights as leaders among African-American administrators and faculty with media seeking commentary on the complex emotions and actions demonstrated in response to the deaths of George Floyd and countless others whose lives were ended in unnecessary violence.

Others in our campus community provided much-needed special counseling services for students troubled by the unexplainable events of the day. Student leaders of campus organizations provided discussions and forums for students to share their worries and insights about issues related to anti-racism; and they shared the anguish and fear they feel as African-American young adults wary of their safety.

Committed faculty already were working on anti-racism pedagogy, building on a history of efforts to dismantle systemic racism and all forms of discrimination to help others in our community and our state institutions to create a welcoming, nurturing environment that will allow all our students to thrive. Their dedication and their actions are greatly appreciated.

I believe that the troubling issues of the day must be a catalyst for us, as individuals and members of our university, to continue our work for diversity, equity and inclusion. As members of a higher education institution that prides itself in the power of knowledge to change our lives and our world for the better, we have a responsibility to not only educate ourselves about the historical and on-going issues of racism and prejudice but also to act to change this lived reality of people both known and unknown to us.

When we declared “It’s Time” to redefine what a regional comprehensive university is to us, and how we can make St. Cloud State distinctive in order to be competitive in the new landscape of higher education, we pledged that we would do so with a firm commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Adding to this commitment, and moving forward together, we will be recasting what is considered a regional university to a new St. Cloud State University of the future. Our strategy includes expanding recruiting areas to select states and countries. We will become a recognized leader for our academic excellence, and firmly establish the reputations for nationally ranked and recognized degree programs, while growing our masters and doctoral programs. We will integrate the liberal arts education into our student’s academic path with intentional connections to personal and professional growth for all students.

It’s Time to think differently about our institution and how we create an intuition of choice for all learners. We will build on the strong foundation of who we are and the rich traditions of what it means to be part of St. Cloud State. We will promote a world-class education that St. Cloud State has been known for. Our time is now.

We are St. Cloud State University… resilient and ready to continue to protect our pack and take on the meaningful work of becoming an inclusive intellectual center for our students, the region, and beyond. We stand ready to be the first and best choice for students today and in the future.