Dear Roosevelt Students, Faculty and Staff,

Wishing you a happy holiday season and new year. This time of year, I am reminded of how grateful I am for our community and the opportunities this past year brought us, in spite of our many challenges. Together Roosevelt is stronger in many ways, and this coming year brings with it hope for the months ahead to be merry and bright.

Thank you for your continued good work, collaboration and dedication to Roosevelt University. May you enjoy the winter break with family and loved ones and return in January safe and healthy.

With warm regards,
Ali R. Malekzadeh, Ph.D.
President

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As we begin the internal search process for an interim provost, I encourage you to apply or nominate your colleagues for this important position. The position description can be found here. Interested candidates should submit a current CV and a letter explaining how they meet the qualifications of this role to Human Resources at ruinterimprovost@roosevelt.edu, no later than March 4.

The following members have agreed to serve on the search committee:

1. Cami McBride, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (chair of the search committee)
2. Trustee Bob Paddock, chair of the Board of Trustees Academic Affairs Committee
3. Lilly Pribish, Student Government Association president, and Ani Pond, student trustee
4. Toyia K. Stewart, vice president of human resources
5. Professors Bob Tenuta, faculty trustee, and Tom Kernan, University Senate chair
6. Erin O’Neill, Administrative Assembly chair, and Jacquie Butzen, assembly member

Tom Kernan has also asked each college’s academic council to elect their faculty representative no later than Friday, February 26.

The approximate dates of the process are as follows:

March 8: The search committee will review applications.
March 11/12: The search committee will interview applicants.
March 15: The search committee will meet for a final time (if needed) and forward recommendations to the president.
March 19: The president will decide and negotiate hire; the interim provost will have one week to prepare for the Higher Learning Commission visit on March 29/30.

I would like to emphasize that the RPT process and other important work of the Office of Academic Affairs will continue without interruption.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this search, don’t hesitate to contact Dean McBride, Tom Kernan or me.

With warm regards,

Ali R. Malekzadeh, Ph.D.
President

Dear Roosevelt Community,

Today, I write to share the news of Provost Lois Becker’s retirement after over 34 years of working in higher education.

Provost Becker joined the Roosevelt community in July 2016 and since that time has contributed in many meaningful ways towards the success of the University. Provost Becker has been a valued colleague, friend and sounding board for me over the past four and a half years. She has high standards for the academy and has made sure that everyone keeps the best interests of the students in mind. I am personally grateful for her commitment and dedication to Roosevelt’s students, faculty and staff.

Since joining Roosevelt, Provost Becker has partnered closely with University academic leadership to transform teaching and learning opportunities for faculty and students. She has overseen the development of new degree and certificate programs and worked tirelessly to develop pipelines of students from area community colleges. Most recently, Provost Becker oversaw the creation of our new College of Science, Health and Pharmacy, putting Roosevelt’s distinguished physical and chemical science programs under one umbrella. She also was central in the successful integration of Robert Morris and Roosevelt.

During her tenure, Provost Becker helped create numerous initiatives to strengthen the student and faculty experience at Roosevelt. She created the offices of student success, student research, faculty success, the Learning Commons, the McNair Scholars program, the Student Support Services STEM program and various other grant-funded programs. She focused on developing rigor in the Honors program and various graduate school preparation programs.

Provost Becker championed the work of academic advisors, encouraged faculty to connect students with support services early in the semester, implemented the use of new technology platforms such as EAB, and collaborated with other executive council members to remove barriers to student success. As a result, she increased the first-year retention rate by more than 12% in the past five years, and Roosevelt University experienced the highest known first-year retention rate in University history.

In addition, under her leadership, the University has applied for over $34 million in grants and contracts since 2017, receiving more than $19 million to support faculty research, innovation and high-quality academic and student success programming. In the 2020-2021 academic year, the office has been awarded $4.4 million in grants and contracts, including a recent grant from the Chicago Community Trust supporting a new Equity Teaching Academy that will support and train faculty in inclusionary pedagogy beginning summer 2021.

Under Provost Becker’s appointment, a team of faculty from each college created an identifiably Roosevelt competency-based undergraduate general education curriculum with an emphasis on experiential learning, which is leading students to successful careers and graduate education. Provost Becker helped implement the Online Teaching Academy as a resource for faculty in our transition to remote and online learning. Working with IT, these efforts helped us to successfully navigate the shift to remote and online modalities during the pandemic.

Trustee Robert Paddock Jr. shared, “As the trustees’ academic affairs committee chair, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Provost Becker. She demonstrates the best of educational leadership — high standards, hard work, creativity, effective leadership and a keen focus on the good of our University and the education of our students. I will miss her skill, insights and friendship. We sincerely thank Lois and wish her and her husband, Felix, happiness and well-being in this next phase of their lives.”

In Provost Becker’s own words, “I have come to love Roosevelt. I believe in Roosevelt. We do so much for our students and they know it. And despite the strong teaching load, there is serious and important research going on. I will continue to live in Chicago. Please say hello when you see me at performances and lectures.”

Pat Harris, Board of Trustees chair, added, “It was a joy working with Provost Lois Becker. She was a great contributor and committed to Roosevelt University. I also enjoyed her wit and humor! She will be greatly missed!”

Provost Becker’s last day will be Friday, February 26. A search committee will be formed to appoint an interim provost for the remainder of the semester, and more information will be forthcoming.

I, personally, will miss Provost Becker’s hard work, dedication and sense of humor. I have had the pleasure of working with numerous provosts throughout my career, and she has been by far the most effective. Please join me in wishing her all the best in retirement.

With Warm Regards,

Ali R. Malekzadeh, Ph.D.
President

Dear Roosevelt Students,

Maintaining a safe, healthy and inclusive campus community is essential to Roosevelt University. As we prepare for the spring 2021 semester, we know that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over and last week’s political violence has added further threats to individuals and institutions. As the public health crisis continues and the potential for violent and seditious acts remains, especially in state capitols and major cities, we ask all students to stay vigilant.

If you have concerns for the physical safety of yourself or others while on campus, or see the potential for damage to University property, please contact campus security at 312-341-2020 (Chicago Campus) or 847-619-8989 (Schaumburg Campus).

If you have concerns about potential cybersecurity breaches, please contact cybersecurity@roosevelt.edu.

If you test positive for COVID-19 or if you have pandemic-related concerns, please contact covid19info@roosevelt.edu.

If you require the support of our student counseling services, please contact the Virtual Care Group.

The days between January 17 and January 20 are already circulating as a period for extremists to attempt further government disruptions and public violence. If Roosevelt University learns of information specific to our campuses, cities or region, we will provide notices to the full community.

Sincerely,

Ali R. Malekzadeh, Ph.D.
President

Yesterday, like many of you, I watched with horror as pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to block the final electoral count. The violence was a shameful assault on the electoral process and the peaceful transfer of power, which are the cornerstones of our democracy. Congress certified the election results early today.

Yesterday’s insurrection was a direct product of the politicians, including Donald Trump, who incited violence and cast doubt on a free and fair election.  We also saw a clear and disturbing difference between how White people and Black people are treated by the police in our country. This emphasizes a continued need to address the concerns and recommendations raised over the summer by Black Lives Matter protesters.

Yesterday’s events show that our democracy is a work in progress that demands efforts from all of us to succeed. Our role, as a University, is to continue to ask the difficult questions, encourage the respectful exchange of ideas, and remain committed to the pursuit of social justice.

Roosevelt University is carefully monitoring the situation and is prepared to respond, should the violence or protests spread to other cities such as Chicago. If you are feeling scared or overwhelmed, please take advantage of our virtual counseling services.

Dear Roosevelt Community,

Today is a long-awaited day: finally, a declared winner for the 2020 election. President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in as this nation’s 46th president, and Kamala Harris will make history as vice president elect. With this victory, I am once again hopeful for the future of our country, democracy and the promise of the American dream for all people living within its borders. This election reinforces our core values as Americans and demonstrates to other nations that democracy is a powerful tool for social and political change.

I am proud of our community for coming together to show that our voices matter by registering and showing up to vote. Many of you also spent time volunteering in your communities to ensure the integrity of voting facilities, driving those without transportation to their polling place, and advocating for change by working to elect politicians who align with your beliefs. I am grateful for your activism and proud to lead an institution that produces such civic-minded individuals.

This marks a new beginning for us as a country and an opportunity for our Roosevelt community to continue to create positive changes in our society. We have witnessed from events over these past few years and prior that meaningful work needs to take place to address systemic racism, oppression of marginalized groups, poverty, immigration and access to the American dream. And this is just a short list of the social issues our country continues to face.

I look forward to President-elect Biden’s plans as a leader for all Americans, and I hope that his administration will bring our nation and community together to deal with the challenges ahead. I encourage all of us to embrace this opportunity — get involved, let your voices be heard and be a meaningful part of a solution for real change. This is our mission at Roosevelt, to be socially conscious citizens who are leaders in their communities.

Together, I am confident that we will make a difference at Roosevelt University and in our communities.

With Warm Regards,

Ali R. Malekzadeh, Ph.D.
President