November 7, 2023

Dear Firebird Community,

As we settle into the fall semester, I hope each of you – student, faculty, staff member, alum or a member of our greater UDC community – is connecting with your home here at UDC.

I would like to provide a brief update on how I’ve been working to serve you during my first 90 days in office. Since joining the University this August, I have hit the ground running to familiarize myself with your needs and help crystallize and promote our top priorities. Here are some of the highlights:

• Conducted a Presidential Listening and Learning Tour, including meetings with students, faculty, staff, alumni, the UDC Board of Trustees and the UDC Foundation Board members, as well as 30-plus meetings with external stakeholders, who include DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and DC government officials, business leaders and community members.
• Shared my emerging vision for the University and solicited feedback on “One UDC” – a vision for the University in which students, faculty, staff and the greater UDC community are all aligned toward the common goal of elevating our institution.
• Worked to raise the profile of the University, including promoting our many pathways to excellence in The Washington Post and attending meetings, events and receptions around the city to build relationships that drive future partnerships and collaboration.
• Advanced our Strategic Plan, a new roadmap for the University that defines our top priorities and is now approaching completion. We are completing Phase 2 of a three-phase process, actively engaging with internal stakeholders and aligning our Strategic Plan framework with our new vision and priorities. During Phase 3, we will work to introduce and implement the new Strategic Plan university-wide by early 2024.
• Assessed and restructured our leadership team, including an expanded executive senior leadership team that broadens participation in our decision-making processes and includes new faces with proven track records of achieving results in higher education. We welcomed Dr. Kelly McMurray as Chief of Staff and Senior Vice President; Dr. Ruthie Little-Berry as Chief Student Development and Success Officer; Dr. April Massey as Interim Chief Academic Officer; SaFiya Hoskins as Director of State and Local Affairs; and Althia Henry as Special Assistant to the President. Additionally, Dr. Jeffery Fleming serves as Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. We would also like to extend our gratitude to Dr. Trelaunda Beckett-Jones for serving as the Interim Chief of Student Development and Success.
• Prepared budgets and plans for Fiscal Year 2025, collaborating with the UDC Board of Trustees, UDC unit leaders and the Mayor’s Office to identify key priorities.
• Engaged with students at various campus events, including the New Student Orientation, the Student Leader Installation, the Law School Pinning Ceremony and Spirit Wednesdays. As I hope the photo demonstrates above, getting to know and supporting UDC students is always my top priority.

In the coming weeks and months, I plan to implement my vision for the University further and leverage my role as an ambassador for the mission of UDC. We will be developing the tactics necessary to implement our new strategic plan, including assisting unit leaders with creating their own strategies. We will also work toward finalizing our budget, enhancing the beauty and functionality of our campuses, and further elevating the profile of the University, both on the local and national stage.

I am genuinely inspired by all the hard work, dedication and pride I have witnessed over these past 90 days. Your energy and commitment drive my resolve to promote this University as a living, breathing testament to the transformational power of education – a UDC credential truly changes lives. I look forward to learning more about each of your UDC journeys and sharing these stories with the greater community.

In service,

Maurice D. Edington, Ph.D.
President
University of the District of Columbia