Good afternoon brothers and sisters. On behalf of the Faculty Association, I am grateful for the opportunity to welcome President Gilbert and his family back to Brigham Young University-Idaho.
One purpose of the Faculty Association is to facilitate constructive communication and collaboration between the university administration and the faculty.
In our first meeting with you, President Gilbert, one goal of the executive board was to address that purpose. However, you arrived with a different aim. After extending your smile and hand in an enthusiastic greeting, you looked each of us in the eye and asked to learn about us, individually. Moreover, you expressed a genuine concern for the faculty as a whole. Your dedication to the faculty was shown in both word and action as our twenty-minute meeting stretched on for nearly an hour while your assistant kindly attempted to move you on to other tasks.
Through your example, we were reminded that as faculty, we are not here merely to teach classes, but to love individuals.
As Walt Whitman wrote, “The whole theory of the universe is directed unerringly to one single individual.”[1]
President Gilbert, we support you in a shared purpose to expand the universe of BYU-Idaho, both collectively and individually. We look forward to working with you to increase the professional engagement of our faculty while inspiring students with immutable spiritual, cultural, and scientific truths.
Please accept our warmest welcome. We are ready to follow your lead.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Walt Whitman. Leaves of Grass. (1855)