December 22, 2021

 

My December Blog: “Find Your Own Reason for the Journey”

 

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

 

I spent a good portion of last month holding a series of small, in-person meetings with more than 60 College senior staff. These free-flowing conversations covered a variety of topics—from pressing resource issues and challenges from the past year, to hopes and dreams for the future. These meetings gave me the opportunity to have direct communication with our staff and allowed me to listen and understand their concerns and aspirations. While I appreciate the efficiency of Zoom meetings, I realized from these in-person interactions what is missing in virtual gatherings: the power of connecting with people in the flesh, with their emotions and energies fully present. 

 

Among the common themes that emerged from these conversations was the concern many of these senior managers expressed over the mental health and well-being of their staff. They described a prevailing feeling of mental fatigue, exacerbated by the profound losses and increased workloads of the pandemic, as well as anxiety from an ominous sense of uncertainty for the future.

 

I want to devote part of my year-end blog to acknowledge and express my sincere gratitude for Baruch staff who have shouldered a tremendous burden and persevered, juggling additional job demands with new dimensions and ever-increasing complexity—all while meeting increased expectations, often without new resources. Our staff colleagues were nonetheless able to continually discover ways to manage a constantly shifting environment. 

 

Without minimizing what everyone has experienced, I want to share my own mental journey and identify areas we can work on together to overcome. Please read this month’s post, “Find Your Own Reason for the Journey <https://pmail.baruch.cuny.edu/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=3XgrnrzgnkWojY8CgrNUQg&ref_id=JY0j5oSO-UuVrmkpTGLhdQ> ,” and join the conversation—comment, subscribe, and sign up for notifications. I look forward to hearing from you.  

 

Wishing all members of the Baruch community peace and harmony this holiday season and a refreshed perspective in the new year.

 

Sincerely,

 

S. David Wu

President, Baruch College

 

 



 

 

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