by Travis Hendryx, Office of Public Relations
ALPINE, Texas- In a first of its kind, the Sul Ross State University Strategic Planning Leadership Committee (SPLC) conducted a one-day workshop Friday focusing on leadership and communication.
A group of fifteen participants from Sul Ross Alpine and Middle Rio Grande Campuses took part in Friday’s workshop.
“We came together a few years ago to develop a program that recognizes emerging leaders at Sul Ross,” said Dr. Sally Roche, Professor of English at Sul Ross Middle Rio Grande’s Del Rio campus.
“Creating a workshop like this was difficult in the beginning because we were starting with a blank page,” Roche said. “But the SPLC was tireless and supportive in its effort to develop a workshop like what we have today.”
Roche added that Friday’s workshop is the first in a sequence with the next workshop scheduled for the spring semester tentatively scheduled for one of the three Middle Rio Grande Campuses.
“Today served as a pilot so we can assess what worked and didn’t work in planning future workshops,” she said.
Highlights of the workshop included interactive presentations from Dr. Jim McDonald, President of Value Point Management Firm and Dr. Jim Case, Professor of Political Science and Public Administration.
Following opening remarks from President Bill Kibler, McDonald led a discussion with the group on leadership styles, healthy communication and conflict resolution.
Case then presented hypothetical scenarios leading to open discussion of how certain situations could be approached.
“This workshop begins the first of ongoing workshops for both the fall and spring semesters that will enhance opportunities for development of faculty and staff going forward,” Kibler said.
“This is just another example of the Strategic Planning Committee working hard to assure that we are fulfilling the strategies and goals we identified when we launched this plan two years ago.”
At the conclusion of the workshop, the committee recognized Dr. Case with the dedication of a Mexican Red Bud tree planted on the University Mall.
The tree was donated by the Biology, Geology and Physical Sciences Departments along with the Native Plant Propagation Center.