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Thursday, September 20, 2018

Eleanor's update (September 2018)

We’ve recently learned of an initiative that University Relations has been collaboratively working on to develop shared principles and values for a communication strategy and identity/style guide applicable across the University. The key component of this new guidance emphasizes a single University with 5 campuses.

This is a significant change, as over the past few years university language has focused on “system” and "systemwide".  And while this new shift in our terminology is moving forward  there are several ongoing systemwide initiatives and groups that will continue their work, so that systemwide language is still viable.  Given this recent shift in language I would like your ideas to rename this  “System Campus Update” newsletter.  Send them my way.

As the struggle and experimentation with language continues, I challenge all of us to be aware of the power our language has in our relationships, and keep in mind our goal of inclusiveness. At a recent meeting in Duluth, the SRC council spent some time talking about how language can influence and impact our working relationships. The SRC council settled on the usage of “we” in our discussions related to the university as a whole. It’s a work in progress, and as with all change, it will take some time for us to shift our language, but it's a start.

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