Still a blogging dean

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Last week, I wrote that I’d been debating whether to keep blogging. Thanks to readers who left comments on the blog, emailed or stopped me in the hall or in town. It was great to hear from you! You made me think about the many ways readers get here, for example, RSS feeds and all sorts of search engines and other pathways. Google Analytics only captures some of those. But RSS feeds are an analytics challenge. And, as you pointed out, numbers don’t tell the whole story. They don’t say anything about quality or value.

When I began the blog, I gave several reasons why I became a dean blogger. Here’s a refined list of reasons why I’ll continue.

1. I want to comment about issues in the School and public health that may have interest beyond our walls: budget challenges; diversity; from whom and what I learn; global health; obesity; evidence; innovations; events at the School; and a lot more.
2. I aim to start conversations about difficult topics and issues that face us, and reach out to dean bloggers and others. Check out Bob Gold’s interesting blog; it turned me on to a recent Bill Gates speech. It’s an excellent blog.
3. I will try to convey what it’s like to be dean of a public health school, while reaching beyond our School to a larger audience.
4. I want to connect our global virtual community to the School. That includes friends, faculty, students, alumni and colleagues right here and around the world. I’d love to begin global conversations among us.

I will write at least once a week, with posts on Mondays by end of day. If I am going to miss a week, I’ll let you know. Feel free to tell me what you like or don’t like about this blog and what you want to know. Thanks for reading. Happy Friday! Barbara