Amid the tensions at Saint Louis University last fall, an air of uncertainty seemed to settle over campus concerning the future of our university. Some feared that the university would not alter its course in response to the concerns of the faculty and students; others feared that unwise changes might be made in haste, or that partisan struggles would preclude the possibility of progress.

Much of this uncertainty was due to the fact that the body most capable of effecting change, the Board of Trustees, operates at some remove from students, faculty, staff, and the day-to-day affairs of the university. Thankfully, the actions taken by the trustees last month seem to indicate a willingness to work with the university community in addressing our shared problems, and a desire to bridge the gap between the board and students, faculty and staff.

New channels of communication have been opened between the trustees and faculty and students. Henceforth, the president of the Student Government Association will have the opportunity to present an annual report to the Board, as will the president of the Faculty Senate. As communication is essential to both bringing problems to light and in finding ways to resolve them, we believe that this dialogue will strengthen the university and go a long way towards addressing concerns about the balance of power in the university leadership.

Moreover, we hope that Ellen Harshman will foster this spirit of cooperation and communication as she serves as Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs. We respect Manoj Patankar’s decision to step down from that position, and look forward to working with him once again as a member of SLU’s faculty.

All of these changes have transformed the sense of uncertainty on campus to one of optimism. The board’s efforts in particular are a promising sign that the trustees are truly dedicated to serving every element of the university community, and their plans to work with faculty and students seem to set a positive course for our institution.

But as any student with a daily planner can tell you, a plan is meaningless unless it is carried out. The task of sustaining and improving Saint Louis University is not the work of a day; it is the work of every day. We look forward to carrying out this project in the days ahead, one step at a time.