Good people + good work = good day!

Here's why today was an exceptionally good day at North Carolina's urban research university, despite being busier than ever, stretched almost to breaking and beset by uncertainty.

It started this morning with the Charlotte Housing Authority Scholarship Fund breakfast uptown. UNC Charlotte was one of many sponsors because we believe so thoroughly in this awesome resource for disadvantaged youth. The fund provides scholarships for promising young people who live in CHA homes. Some of these scholars attend UNC Charlotte, and many of the CHA scholars achieve truly great things. This year's keynote alum, Robert Wingate, is a high-achieving educator with an incredible record of success and a strong, exuberant message of motivation, faith and gratitude. The fund, founded by John Crawford, is a truly special endeavor. I walked away on a cloud, energized and grateful. And committed to lending my personal support.

At noontime I sat in on a meeting that dealt with the University's response to the continuing budget pressures that grow out of the state's financial crunch and the nation's long recession (which perhaps is slowly on the mend). This is a topic that involves a lot of uncertainty, but it's very clear that the University has smart, thoughtful, responsible professionals doing their best to operate a great university with fairness for all in the campus community.

By mid-afternoon I gathered with several colleagues for a very fruitful, highly collaborative work session that is helping further organize and streamline our communication work internally and externally -- getting more value and more impact than ever before, thanks to the willingness of associates working more closely together. There's uncertainty surrounding this work as well, but we are making great progress; I know our work will prove valuable for each of us and for the University.

Finally, by late afternoon it became clear that we'll reach a new milestone in our main internal communication channel: Campus News. On Oct. 13 we'll launch an interactive new version of this Web publication. Developing this new generation publication has ben a challenge and a stretch for our team, and the process has been far from perfect. But it's an achievement, and one that will grow in value as we provide more opportunity for building community.

So, it's been a good day, thanks to good people and good work at a great University.