WORK, WORK, WORK

This month has been busy--to say the least--and it doesn't help that I'm awake by 3-4 a.m. thinking about what needs to be done. Occupying my thoughts and time has been the work of our Organizational Design Team (along with Bret Ellis, Steve Tueller, David Lucero, Arapata Meha, and Susan Barton). Lots of hours and considerable stress as we look at how to restructure BYU Hawaii so that it's less costly. We meet about 8 hours/week but are expected to spend 15-20 percent of our time on these activities.

Our Executive Committee (12 members that includes Elder Nelson, Elder Ballard, Sister Beck, Elder Tingey) arrive tomorrow to speak at four firesides on the island and then meet with us all Monday. We had originally been asked to schedule six FHE groups but they were canceled yesterday by the commissioners office. Working with President Wheelwright on the agenda and working with the presenters has kept us busy.

Our WASC accreditation team comes next month--five members will be on campus--which will complete a five year, three phase process. I worked on formatting the 50-page report during the Christmas holidays. Now it's up to the faculty as they meet with the team to share their program outcomes and evidence of student learning.

We have weekly President's Council and President's Advisory Council meetings, as well as monthly University Council meetings; weekly PIRAT (Planning, Institutional Research, Assessment, and Testing) meetings; weekly IR meetings with the student researchers.

I'm team teaching business communications again this semester--it's a highlight for me to be working with the students, twice each week for 90 minutes. The class is totally different from the way I taught it previously with more technology.

I'm also the SIFE advisor and we're preparing for our regional competition the end of March. We have an outstanding president with Al Doan and continued support by alumni and others. Our national conference is in Chicago in May.

Serving as the first counselor in the stake presidency with weekly presidency, twice monthly PEC, monthly bishopric training, and stewardship interviews with each of the Elders Quorum presidents is fulfilling and another highlight. We're preparing for our stake conference that will be held on March 15-16 with Elder Sheldon Childs as our visiting authority.

Serving as a dad (when Megan has time) and to my other favorite daughters is a highlight; Dianna and I always compare notes each day to see if we've heard from them sometime during the day (the "Millennial Generation"). Of course we love our time with Trevor (piano lesson each Thursday), and with Devin and Kyle. Always a lot we could write about.

Dianna and I are looking forward to our travels to Pennsylvania in May and to Australia in July--some fun family events! More as we go along--these are some of the things that keep us busy.