From the Desk of Willie Brown V8N2

As the fall quarter progresses, I'm continually impressed by your dedication to fostering a healthy and supportive environment where our students can thrive and take their first steps into adulthood. After many senior leadership transitions took place over the summer, we are continuing to feel the effects of these changes across our institution. Constant change is not easy, but it is our reality. 

Within our own department, one significant transition is the upcoming retirement of Louis Reynaud, Director of the University Center and Events Center, on Friday, October 31. Lou’s leadership through the challenging COVID years has made a mark on HDAE and the campus community, and we wish him all the best in this next chapter. Additionally, we are underway on the recruitment and selection of the next Director for Transportation & Parking Services and hope to share an update on other senior leadership searches in the coming months. 

Beyond our core mission to provide safe, secure housing for students, HDAE is at the center of campus operations. An example of our teams going above and beyond happened recently when UC Santa Barbara physics professors, John Martinis and Michael Devoret, won the Nobel Prize. We are some of the first to hear the news so we can mobilize catering, parking, furniture services, and more to celebrate this incredible milestone for our campus. While this comes as an interruption to our day-to-day, it serves as an important reminder to us all how lucky we are to be part of an institution where world-changing research happens. 

I'm pleased to share that the San Benito project is well underway and on schedule for opening in Fall 2027. Many of our HDAE staff recently had the chance to visit the construction site with representatives from Student Affairs, Budget & Planning, and Design & Construction Services with the construction and architecture partners Webcor and SOM | Mithun. It's inspiring to see our future taking shape!

HDAE is at the forefront of UCSB’s growth, and it's essential that we plan thoughtfully and remain forward-thinking for the next generation of students who will call our campus home. I'm personally very excited to be working alongside Chancellor Assanis as we prepare for the November UC Regents meeting where plans for the East Campus project will be presented. I look forward to sharing more with you about this presentation at our November Town Hall. 

To increase information sharing, the AVC’s Office and Management Team are actively engaged in strategic planning efforts, which are guided by the results of our McClean Employee Engagement Survey. To ensure we're all aligned and informed, we are actively working to improve communications among staff and enhance transparency as we share important news with you directly or through your supervisors. Your feedback and engagement in this process are invaluable. 

Lastly, I invite you to join us tomorrow for our Spooktacular event, Thursday, October 30 from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Hosted by the WE CARE Committee, this event is a great way to reconnect with colleagues across HDAE. I also look forward to seeing you at our next town hall on Thursday, November 6 at 1 p.m. in Corwin Pavilion.

Thank you for everything you do.  I appreciate you all.

Willie Brown