Kathy and I returned to Baton Rouge on Sunday following our week-end trip to Birmingham to watch the Bulldogs beat the UAB Blazers. The following day, I had a meeting of the Board of Regents Master Planning Research Advisory Committee. I have continued to Chair that committee as we work through our strategic plans for enhancing the capacity of the State’s research enterprise focused in areas that are of national importance and state education and economic development priorities. Senior research officers from all of Louisiana’s research universities have been working on these plans for a couple of years, and we expect to use them to guide institutions and future state investments. After returning to the office on Tuesday, I had a meeting with AD Tommy McClelland to discuss some of the latest issues facing C-USA and the NCAA, and the future of athletics. We were also able to catch up on a few of the activities related to football as we move toward the end of conference play and approach bowl season as well as plans for the next few weeks as Bulldog and Lady Techster basketball seasons tip off. Later Tuesday, my administrative leadership team and I met with architecture professor Kevin Singh and his students, who had been working all quarter on issues and opportunities for improving the campus focus on sustainability. The students made a great presentation and gave us some good recommendations for institutionalizing sustainability principles. Coincidentally, on Wednesday, I had a visit from Dr. Shawn Trivette and one of his students, who stopped by the office to talk to me about a recycling program which was considered as part of a review on sustainability in their sociology class. I was glad that both of the architecture and sociology students had explored these subjects in their classes and I will look forward to involving broader groups as we address these issues as a campus. On Tuesday and Wednesday, VP Terry McConathy and I continued our visits with the academic college deans and department heads across the campus, this week meeting with both the College of Business and College of Engineering and Science leadership. These meetings have just been intended to keep our communications open across all levels of our institution. It is always beneficial to visit with these teams in their environment and understand more about their activities, goals and challenges. We also had the opportunity to stop by Madison Hall and visit with retired professor Jonathan Donahoo and College of Liberal Arts Dean Don Kacksvinsky to review the Study Abroad office and program. I appreciate the great efforts that Jonathan has made to enhance the opportunities for our students to study abroad. Jonathan is also planning a Tech alumni and friends Paris trip in April 2015. Check it out at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1518139055086078/ On Thursday, I had several meetings with students, faculty and deans. I also enjoyed a stroll over to the Tonk cafeteria to interact with faculty and staff who were enjoying a “Thanksgiving lunch” courtesy of our Food Services partner Aramark. It was a fabulous lunch and a special day when so many of our faculty and staff can come together for fellowship. I took a personal day on Friday to head over to my hometown, Bastrop, to do some final touch-ups on my Mother’s house as we get ready to put it up for sale. Mom has moved into a suite that we recently added onto my brother’s house, and she is already enjoying the company of all of his children and grandchildren who live nearby. Today was a bit solemn as Mom took a last few minutes to reflect on the home where she has spent the past 50 years, raising two sons, and ministering to hundreds of family members and friends. Commencement is Saturday morning, and I look forward to celebrating the day with 300 students and their families who will be in Thomas Assembly Center for the exercises. Congratulations to the Fall Quarter 2014 graduating class!