Messages from the President - 2015

USA President Tony Waldrop’s messages to the University community are posted below and on the University’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/theuniversityofsouthalabama. You can also follow him on Instagram (USA Waldrops).


December 14, 2015

 

Dear USA Employees,

I thank each of you who generously supported the 2015 USA Employee Campaign for the United Way. I am pleased to report that 2,477 employees and retirees contributed more than $261,200 to help Build a Better Community and support our neighbors who need the assistance.

I appreciate the compassion of USA's employees and retirees who give so unselfishly to fund the needs of our community in supporting the campaign each year. Thank you for creating positive, sustainable change for the thousands of citizens who will benefit from your generosity.

Our contributions will assist the United Way and its 50 partner agencies to provide a broad spectrum of human and social services. Your gift will be invested in programs focused on education, health, financial stability, and life's basic essentials through the services of these partner agencies.

I applaud our team of leaders for steering us through another successful campaign: Harvey Ikner, employee campaign chair; Michael Haskins, employee campaign vice-chair; Carol and Steve Kittrell, retiree campaign chairs; and Becky Tate and Jean Tucker, Women's Leadership Council chairs.

Again, thank you to all our employees and retirees who continued our tradition of helping others in need.

Tony G. Waldrop, Ph. D.
President


October 13, 2015

 

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

Today we are announcing the public phase of Upward & Onward, A Campaign for the University of South Alabama.

Upward & Onward is a $150 million comprehensive fundraising campaign that will elevate and accelerate every aspect of USA's mission -- education, research, service, healthcare, economic development, athletics, and the arts and humanities. We intend to achieve this broad vision for the future through the focused priorities that form the components of our strategic vision.

We have been in the quiet phase of this campaign for two years and I'm pleased to tell you that we have already raised more than $73 million. In the public phase, our goal is to raise:

  • $56 million for student access and success,
  • $10 million for the enhancement of research and graduate education,
  • $3 million for global engagement,
  • $18.5 million for excellence in healthcare, and
  • $7.5 million for University-community engagement.

For more details about the campaign, and to watch the campaign video, please visit www.southalabama.edu/campaign.

As you become informed about the campaign, I encourage you to become an ambassador for our fundraising efforts and spread the word about the many ways the Upward & Onward campaign will further enhance our ability to impact and improve the lives and communities of those we serve.

Together we will set a path to attract more outstanding students and exceptional faculty members, help people live longer and healthier lives, and foster research, scholarly activity and creative works that enlighten, transform and inspire.

Together we will move Upward & Onward.

Tony G. Waldrop, Ph.D.
President


September 28, 2015

 

Dear USA Employees and Students,

In the near future, you will receive an email invitation to a series of town hall meetings that will give you an opportunity to provide feedback on the University's strategic plan. These meetings will be held both on the central campus and at our health system locations.

The University of South Alabama operates under a strategic plan that was approved by the Board of Trustees in 2013. The plan is currently under review and is being updated to organize the strategic goals and assessments around our five institutional priorities, which are:

  • student access and success,
  • enhancement of research and graduate education,
  • global engagement,
  • excellence in healthcare, and
  • University-community engagement.

Each of the priorities contained in the updated plan is accompanied by a list of objectives and methods by which we intend to measure those objectives. As part of its review of the updated plan, the University Committee on Planning, Assessment and Finance wants to ensure the plan is focused on, and reflective of, our University community's vision for the future. That is where you come in.

I encourage faculty, staff and students to attend one of the several meetings that are scheduled. At these meetings, you will be able to review and discuss the document in small groups and offer your comments. We will also have a question-and-answer session where I, along with Dr. David Johnson, provost and vice president for academic affairs, will be available to answer any questions you may have. Your feedback will be forwarded to the University Committee on Planning, Assessment and Finance, which will review the comments and further update the strategic plan before sending a proposed plan to the Board of Trustees.

For those who are unable to attend any of the meetings, you will be able to submit feedback online or by calling the Office of Institutional Effectiveness. I encourage you to read the document, participate and help shape the future of our University.

Tony G. Waldrop, Ph.D.
President


September 15, 2015

 

USA Faculty, Administrators and Staff,

It is fall semester, which means in two short weeks we will kickoff our annual USA Employee Campaign for the United Way. I am proud of USA's involvement with the United Way and helping our neighbors in need. This year our campaign will be led by Mr. Harvey Ikner, Associate Administrator, USA Health System, as the University's campaign chair with Mr. Mike Haskins, Executive Director, Marketing and Communications, serving as vice-chair.

The United Way of Southwest Alabama and its 51 partner agencies continue to provide vital services to people in need, making our community a better place to live. Through your financial support, the United Way serves Mobile, Clarke, Washington, and Choctaw counties with programs that are focused on education, health, financial stability, and life's basic essentials.

I ask you to please consider making a gift to be a part of building a better community. I thank you in advance for your support of the 2015 USA Employee Campaign for the United Way.

Tony G. Waldrop, Ph.D.
President
University of South Alabama


July 20, 2015

 

Faculty and Staff,

As we get ready to begin a new academic year, I wanted to remind everyone that our University will go tobacco free beginning August 1 and that we are committed to providing assistance to employees and students trying to quit.

The tobacco-free policy covers all forms of tobacco, including smokeless and e-cigarettes, and anyone on University property - employees, students, vendors and visitors. It was instituted following the unanimous recommendation of the Wellness Initiatives Committee.

 The goal of a tobacco-free campus is to encourage healthy lifestyles, by removing second-hand smoke and giving people an incentive and opportunity to quit. 

Quitting smoking and other tobacco products can be a difficult process. It may take several tries, and I want you to know that the University will offer assistance past the August 1 date.

Since April, the University has been communicating the tobacco-free policy through emails, posters, signage and student orientations.

For employees, we scheduled nearly a dozen small-group sessions that offer tips and tools for cessation. The Employee Assistance Program also offers individual counseling sessions for employees and spouses. All of these options are at no cost to the participant. 

There is an additional free opportunity on Wednesday at the July Med School Cafe, a monthly event sponsored by the USA Physicians Group. Dr. Rachel Seaman, assistant professor of internal medicine and emergency medicine, will discuss the history of tobacco use in the United States, health hazards related to smoking and current treatment options for cessation.

Med School Cafe will take place July 22 at the USA Faculty Club, 6348 Old Shell Road. Lunch will be served at 11:30, and the program begins at noon. Space for this event is limited and reservations are required. For more information or to make reservations, call Kim Partridge at (251) 460-7770 or e-mail kepartridge@health.southalabama.edu.

For more information about our move to a tobacco-free campus, including cessation resources and what you should do if you see someone in violation of the tobacco-free policy, please visit southalabama.edu/tobaccofree.

 Completely removing tobacco from the University, just like quitting smoking, may take some time. I know our employees will be considerate of others as this new policy takes hold. Just as clear as tobacco's harmful effects, however, we know this is a positive direction for our University and one that will yield positive results for our community.

 

Tony G. Waldrop, Ph.D.

President


May 6, 2015

 

Dear USA Community,

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Michael Finan on his appointment as Director of the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute. His appointment follows a national search process and a unanimous recommendation by the search committee.

Dr. Finan will provide strategic direction to MCI and will oversee both clinical and research initiatives, including management of the complex clinical operations. Along with the MCI leadership team, he will work to provide state-of-the-art care for cancer patients in an inviting, patient-centered environment. In addition, he will work closely with the MCI leadership team to nurture the growth of the research programs at MCI.

Prior to being appointed interim director of MCI last October, Dr. Finan served as Associate Director for Clinical Affairs and Chief of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology. A native of New Orleans, he received his undergraduate degree from the University of New Orleans and his medical degree from the LSU Medical Center School of Medicine in Shreveport. He completed both his residency in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at the University of South Florida at Tampa General Hospital and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center.

Dr. Finan joined MCI in 2007 after serving in several leadership roles at Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans. He specializes in a variety of cancers affecting women including cervical, vaginal, endometrial, vulvar and ovarian cancer, as well as gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. He is the first gynecologist in Mobile to perform robotic surgery with the da Vinci Robotic Surgery System, and he is listed in the most recent Top Doctors directory issued by U.S. News and World Report. He is co-investigator on an ovarian screening project funded by a $1.1 million grant and a co-inventor on six patents related to this technology.

I am delighted to have Dr. Finan serve in this role, which highlights his skills as a clinician, researcher and leader.

 

Tony G. Waldrop, Ph.D.

President


April 29, 2015

 

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Dr. Ron Franks will step down as Vice President for Health Sciences, effective June 1. He will continue as acting chair for the Department of Psychiatry, and will dedicate additional time to his clinical practice.

I know you all will join me in thanking Ron for his many years of dedicated service as Vice President. In particular, I have appreciated Ron's assistance in familiarizing myself with the Health Sciences at USA during my first year as president.

In the near future, USA will launch a search for a new combined position of Vice President for Health Sciences and Dean of the College of Medicine. Dr. Sam Strada, who plans to step down as dean of the College of Medicine when this position is filled, will continue his strong leadership of the College during this interim period, and will be instrumental in helping the University make this transition. I will provide the University community with more information as soon as the search process is developed.

In the interim, the deans of the College of Nursing and the Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health Professions will report to Dr. David Johnson, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. The dean of the College of Medicine will, in the interim, report directly to me.

 

Thank you,

Tony G. Waldrop, Ph.D.

President


April 27, 2015

 

I'm pleased to announce the 2015-2016 book selected for the Common Read/Common World program is one written by USA Writer-in-Residence Frye Gaillard.

Gaillard's book, "Cradle of Freedom: Alabama and the Movement that Changed America," notes the University of Alabama Press, "puts a human face on the story of the black American struggle for equality in Alabama during the 1960s. .... It was fueled by the commitment and hard work of thousands of everyday people who decided that the time had come to take a stand."

Gaillard's work details in chronological fashion those events that have shaped Alabama since their occurrence, including the Letter from Birmingham Jail, the Freedom Rides, Bloody Sunday, as well as the Montgomery Bus Boycotts. Gaillard brings these events to life with incredible literary grace.

I encourage you not only to read the book but to search for ways to work the text and its lessons into your curriculum and activities beginning fall semester.

The goals for Common Read/Common World include improving general understanding of differences and commonalities globally, engaging in critical thinking and academic discourse, developing a more sophisticated understanding of values, creating a sense of community among students, faculty and staff, and aiding students in learning how to make an impact on their social environment.

This will be the third year for Common Read/Common World, a joint program between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs. With your participation, it will also be the most successful.

Programs begin in August and will include a series of events, speakers, panel discussions and films.

"Cradle of Freedom" is the winner of the 2005 Lillian Smith Book Award. Gaillard is the author of more than 20 books and is a former Southern Editor of the Charlotte Observer.

For more information about the Common Read/Common World program, visit: https://www.southalabama.edu/departments/commonread/

If you have any questions about the program or want to discuss ways you can incorporate "Cradle of Freedom," please contact Dr. Allan Hillman, associate professor of Philosophy and co-chair of the Common Read/Common World Program for 2015-2016, at commonread@southalabama.edu or 460-6248.

 

Tony G. Waldrop

President


April 16, 2015

 

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students:

I am pleased to tell you that on August 1, 2015, the University of South Alabama will join more than 1,000 colleges and universities nationwide in becoming a 100% tobacco-free campus.

USA has adopted a tobacco-free policy to support the healthiest environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors. The policy is the result of many months of study by USA's Wellness Initiatives Committee, which drafted the policy and recommended its implementation after reviewing the results of separate surveys of students and employees. I commend the committee for its work and extend my thanks to the hundreds of employees and students who responded to the surveys and voiced their opinions.

As part of becoming a tobacco-free campus, the University recognizes its responsibility to offer assistance to employees and students who wish to stop using tobacco products , and we have several free tobacco cessation programs now in place.

You can find out more about the policy and cessation programs at this website: https://www.southalabama.edu/tobaccofree.

Thank you for making USA a safe and healthy campus.

 

Tony G. Waldrop

President


March 19, 2015

 

Dear Colleagues:

The 2015 Employee and Retiree Campaigns for the South Alabama Annual Fund will kick off on March 24, 2015. I look forward to taking an active role in South Alabama's time honored tradition of giving back. This year's campaign will be co-chaired by Dr. Alec Yasinsac, dean of the School of Computing, and Dr. Mary Townsley, associate dean of the College of Medicine, and Dr. Robert "Bob" Barrow, professor emeritus with the College of Arts & Sciences is serving as chair for our retirees.

Julee and I are thrilled to be a part of an institution where the faculty, staff and retirees have so generously and selflessly supported the university for years, truly making a difference in the lives of those we serve. Your commitment to excellence proves that you believe in the difference an education and leading-edge healthcare makes in the lives of all who receive it. The funds raised through this campaign help ensure that South Alabama can continue creating endless possibilities for our students, groundbreaking research, and exceptional healthcare.

Soon a representative from your division will ask you to support this year's campaign. I urge you to join me in making an investment in the future of South Alabama through a gift to the campaign. Thank you for your support. WE ARE SOUTH ALABAMA!

 

Tony G. Waldrop

President