To: All Faculty & All Academic Professionals & All Civil Service Staff &
           All Undergrad Students & All Grad Students <everybody@illinois.edu> 
    From: "President Joe White" <PresidentWhite@uillinois.edu>

Reply-To: PresidentWhite@uillinois.edu
 Subject: MASSMAIL - A note from President Joe White:




Monday, January 31, 2005

To the University of Illinois Community:

The first day on a new job always gets the adrenalin going. That is 
certainly the case with me on this day, my first as 16th president of the 
University of Illinois. 

My wife, Mary, and I moved into the President's House ten days ago, with 
our dog, Webster - small in stature, big in personality. The house has 
served U of I presidents since the 1930s and it is a privilege to make it 
our home. We look forward to welcoming many of you there, from our three 
campuses, in the years ahead. 

I want you to know how honored I am to serve you and this great 
University as president.  I believe deeply in the transforming power of 
education and research and in the value of a great public university with 
its mission of service. The University of Illinois is one of the world's 
great universities; it has a rich history and an exciting future.  I look 
forward to continuing the University's tradition of longevity in 
presidential leadership.  

In this regard, I want to thank former President Jim Stukel for his deep 
commitment and distinguished contributions to the University of Illinois 
for more than forty years.  Mary and I are grateful to Jim and Joan for 
welcoming us so warmly. And we join the University community in wishing 
them the very best in the years ahead.   

To faculty and staff: thank you for the part you play in the life of the 
University. I know that you have weathered difficult times in recent 
years. I cannot promise they are over but I will do my best to bring in 
the resources we need.

To students: At the top of my agenda is enhancing the quality of your 
education and maximizing the value of your degrees. 

Since my appointment was announced November 2, I have visited our three 
campuses several times, and met students, faculty and staff in Chicago, 
Springfield and Urbana as well as trustees, mayors, legislators, media 
and alumni. This has been a great experience!  Clearly, there is no 
shortage of human energy and interest to tap as we chart the course and 
secure the future of our great University. In my first week I will be 
back to all three campuses, building on and expanding the contacts made 
in the last three months. 

Like you, I hate long e-mail messages, so let me conclude by telling you 
what I hope to accomplish on your behalf as president. I would like to 
look back years from now and say that while I served:
      -	Members of our community thrived professionally and personally.
      -	The world's esteem for and our own pride in the University of 
        Illinois soared.
      -	We helped create a positive future for the people of Illinois 
        through U of I contributions in such vital areas as education
        health care and economic development.
      -	We created a new compact among key stakeholders to ensure proper 
        funding of the University.
      -	We worked with each other every day with integrity, honesty and a 
        sense of humor and perspective and we always treated each other
        with dignity and respect.

I hope these aspirations square with your own.  I welcome your thoughts 
and ideas and look forward to a great future together.  

Yours for Illinois, 
Joe White
PresidentWhite@uillinois.edu


This mailing approved by:
The Office of the President

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