Dear Colleagues,

We have very recently passed the one-year anniversary of transitioning, nearly overnight, into remote operations at UH. Nothing has been normal since, and every day seems to bring new challenges. My executive team in the dean’s office has been discussing the challenges and effects on faculty and staff, and we realized we can communicate with you more consistently about them. 

I recognize that this situation has caused prolonged anxiety and substantial mental, emotional, and physical stress. All of you have been working extremely hard and virtually non-stop for more than 12 months now to keep the departments, college, and university functioning. It has not been easy, but all of you have shown tremendous resilience throughout this time. You continue to serve our students, and they are appreciative. Many of you have also been able to continue your scholarship and research, in some cases adapting your work to the conditions, turning your focus to the pandemic’s many impacts on our community and our world. 

And you have continued to succeed! In March alone, several faculty received prestigious grants, national awards, and UH excellence awards in teaching and research. Staff have continued to go above and beyond to keep things going, demonstrating amazing adaptability, flexibility, and commitment. Our students are also receiving national awards and being recognized for their accomplishments, which is a testament to the quality of education you are providing. Reflecting on the positive achievements and success of our college helps me to stay focused and eases my stress – it shows what we are doing is working and is worth the effort. 

As you know, planning is underway for a return to full on-campus operations in the Fall semester. Safety will remain the top priority. There are still a lot of uncertainties, including the course of the pandemic, although projections suggest things will improve a great deal over the summer as vaccinations continue. We will have new challenges to face, and new stress to manage. You are part of a team. We are all going through this together, and we can rely on each other for support. Please reach out to one another and your supervisors if your stress increases. Offer to be a compassionate ear if you encounter someone who seems to be anxious. We will get through this if we work as a team and support each other as needed. 

Finally, I want to remind you about some services the university provides you at no cost to help manage anxiety and stress. Many of these services can be accessed through the HR “Power UP Employee Wellness” page. Much of the information and programming is available online, including livestream presentations and events. For example, there is a “live” presentation on meditation practice next Tuesday at 4:30 PM. 

I will send another message in a few weeks and provide links to additional resources, and you can contact your supervisor or the dean’s office for guidance as well. Please take care of yourself with some quality rest, enjoyable activities, and nutritious food. Take some time to be “offline.” You are valuable and valued, so please keep well and stay healthy.

Dan