After a Year of Anxiety, What Can We Expect from the Year of the Ox in 2021? While few people were sorry to see the end of 2020, a year characterized by the global COVID-19 pandemic, for those who follow the Chinese new year, Feb. 12 marks the beginning of the Year of the Ox, the second animal of the Chinese zodiac. The ox denotes fundamental characteristics of hard work, positivity and honesty, which is especially timely in that as a Division these core attributes will need to be manifested in all of us in the coming months. And, I might add, we’ve already kicked off the new year with proactive progress showcasing not only our resilience as a Division, but most importantly, our responsiveness as you’ll read about in this month’s highlights. From the newly installed COVID-19 testing kiosk to the latest sanitization stations, spring video update of contactless enhancements at the UH Dining Commons, and just-in-time virtual professional development training --- these are fundamental ways we are responding day in and day out throughout this dynamic and every-changing situation. It is through our responsiveness that we will continue to be successful, but it will take each of us in our daily roles, continuing to persevere --- with patience and positivity, in efficient, pragmatic and productive ways. I am especially thankful for the individual and collective efforts of all of you in support of our University community and I want to hear from you about your stories of Resilience and Responsiveness, collectively or individually, for the opportunity to celebrate them in an upcoming issue of the Division newsletter. Send me a note at mailto:cfo@central.uh.edu. Much as we welcome the signs of strength and perseverance symbolic of the grounded and steady ox, may we also continue to embody this resilient and responsive nature in support of customer service excellence and student success at UH. Stay Safe and Stay Healthy. Happy New Year.
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