Over the past academic year Utah Campus Compact (UCC) has advanced in meaningful ways through the strategic planning process and year-one of the plan’s implementation. The emergence of the statewide higher education goal of access and success has provided interested member institutions the opportunity to use civic engagement as a strategy for addressing some of our most pressing higher education needs. Other Compacts around the nation are now beginning to take notice of what Utah has begun, and understand the impact that can come from this collective issue-based focus.

Additionally, through intentional partnerships and securing grant funds, UCC was able to expand member services through bringing on a full-time program coordinator, launching our first multiple day statewide conference for faculty, staff, community partners, and students--with a Request for Proposal process, in addition to offering mini grants to enhance campus-based programs and training. Furthermore, with the creation and implementation of the UCC Steering Committee and their meetings that were held this year, there has been increased network communication and member institutional support in the development of UCC.

As a result of Utah Campus Compact’s ongoing appropriation being cut during the 2009 Legislative session, as well as reorganization with the Office of the Commissioner that resulted in removing of the .5 FTE salary/benefit split for the UCC Executive Director, the Board of Directors at its annual meeting on May 12, 2009 voted to streamline UCCs centralized operations and member services. Given the loss of revenue streams the Board elected to move forward with limited operations.

At this time, it is with mixed emotions that UCC announces the resignation of the Executive Director, Melissa Miller Kincart. Melissa is leaving this role with the Compact to assume the newly created position of Assistant Commissioner for Outreach and Access in the Office of the Commissioner within the Utah System of Higher Education. Her last day of employment with the Compact will be June 30, 2009.

Melissa served as Executive Director of Utah Campus Compact beginning in December 2006 and continuing through June 2009. When Melissa joined the Compact in 2006, she was charged with immediately developing sustainability plans for the future existence of the Compact as well as with driving a committee to establish a 5 year strategic plan for the expansion of the overarching goals and objectives of the Compact. Melissa was integral in creating solid partnerships with The Commissioner of Higher Education in order to secure a hosting agreement as well as substantial financial support for the Compact. Melissa played a key role in developing a new state initiative for higher education of access and success. Melissa will continue to develop her passion for this initiative in her new role. She is grateful for the support and dedication of members in this great network and is appreciative of the work that member institutions do on each campus to support students and embed civic engagement into the fabric of your institutions. If you wish to reach Melissa, please submit comments, feedback or letters of gratitude below. This opportunity will be available until August, 30, 2009.

Additionally, Kellie Mieremet who has worked as UCCs Program Coordinator over the past nine months and who has helped to build greater capacity around UCCs programmatic offerings will also be moving on to an exciting opportunity as a Be Ready Utah AmeriCorps VISTA member, serving as a Volunteer Coordinator with the American Red Cross, Great Salt Lake Area Chapter. Her last day with UCC will also be June 30th. This is a great loss for UCC, but we are excited for Kellie’s new adventure.  If you wish to reach Kellie, please submit comments, feedback or letters of gratitude below. This opportunity will be available until August, 30, 2009.

At this time, TRacy Healey who has been a dedicated and constant member of the UCC staff team for three years now will remain with the Compact until a new centralized staff is hired. TRacy began working with UCC as a student assistant and since then has graduated from the University of Utah and is finishing her process in becoming a teacher. She has been instrumental in assisting and supporting programming and has taken on the challenge of creating and launching this new Utah Campus Compact website over the past six months. 

As a result of these changes and the centralized staff transition period that will follow, we hope that you will continue to stay connected with Utah Campus Compact network.  In the interim period, contact Betsy Ward for questions and network issues or Linda Dunn for fiscal affairs. We can’t thank these two enough for assisting the Compact during this period.

Betsy Ward, Salt Lake Community College
Director, Thayne Center for Service & Learning
betsy.ward@slcc.edu
801-957-4689

 

Linda Dunn, University of Utah
Director, Lowell Bennion Community Service Center
ldunn@sa.utah.edu
801-585-7826

Send comments, feedback or letters of gratitude to Melissa here.     Send comments, feedback or letters of gratitude to Kellie here.