Weekly Wisdom Interview with University of Utah President Taylor Randall

As a third generation faculty member, President Taylor Randall has always been passionate about the University of Utah. President Randall served as a professor for over 10 years and Dean for over 12, before becoming the university's President last year. While making that transition, President Randall said he tried to assume that he didn’t know as much as he thought he did, and focused on listening. This strategy enabled him to tap into the heart, soul, and values of the campus. President Randall says coming into the presidency on the tail end of Covid wasn’t easy, but it taught him to communicate and empathize differently. It also reinforced the role of a leader in identifying and focusing the attention of the institution toward an optimistic future. President Randall was able to give staff and students the facts, while still keeping them moving towards the light. He says it’s all about balancing optimism and transparency.

President Randall was able to position the University of Utah for inclusion in the University Innovation Alliance. Through this partnership, the University of Utah will collaboratively work to increase student success and improve outcomes for graduates. President Randall believes we are at a point where we need to redefine what it means to be a public institution. We have to redefine our obligations to stakeholders; state, public, and most importantly, students.   President Randall's goal is for the student experience to be one that creates extreme passion and confidence among graduates.

What You’ll Learn:

• What it means to be a member of the University Innovation Alliance.

• What University of Utah students value.

• What Dean’s need to understand about being President.

• How the transition from Covid has been. 

Favorite Quote:

“We’re irrationally passionate about the University of Utah.” -Taylor Randall

How to Connect with President Randall:

Email

LinkedIn

Learn more about the UIA by visiting:

Website

LinkedIn

Twitter

YouTube

Facebook

This week's episode is sponsored by Mainstay, a student retention and engagement tool where you can increase student and staff engagement with the only platform consistently proven to boost engagement, retention, and wellbeing. To learn more about Mainstay, click here.