Business and Operations Fall Leadership Meeting Highlights: Safety - Protecting our Communities’ Health and Welfare

On Tuesday, November 2, more than 90 supervisors across Business and Operations’ business units connected in person and virtually to share and gain insights on the University’s public safety initiatives. Dave DeJong, Senior Vice Chancellor for Business and Operations, provided University-wide updates, presented an overview of the strategic plan and explained the vital role of safety within it.

University Speaker Ted Fritz, Vice Chancellor for the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management, highlighted the University’s progress in public safety and emergency management, including Pitt Police, Environmental Health and Safety, Integrated Security and Emergency Management and Planning. Attendees, including Patrick Laughlin, Victoria Lancaster, Will Mitchell, Molly Stitt-Fischer and Bill Santa, also participated in the session by detailing examples of safety in action in their own units.

Looking ahead, Fritz emphasized the continued importance of safety in everything the University does, reinforcing that a safety-first culture can only be successful through unwavering focus and teamwork. He closed by stating that safety must belong to and be driven by everyone - a sign of a well-run organization.

Senior leaders from each Business and Operations unit then took the floor to share notable performance accolades and impact.

Closing out the meeting, DeJong expressed gratitude for staff contributions, with special recognition for the University’s frontline workers, and linked efforts to the united mission of providing foundational strength.

The meeting provided a better understanding of Business and Operations’ strategic initiatives, as well as the critical role each Pitt community member has in keeping the University’s campuses safe.