Welcome to Stanford University! On behalf of Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) and in partnership with the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs (VPSA) and the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education (VPUE), we are passionate about creating an exceptional housing and dining experience.

R&DE's vision is to be the best in the business by providing exceptional customer service that is collaborative, student-focused, technologically efficient, and encourages innovation, leadership development and staff recognition in a fiscally responsible manner that supports the academic mission of the University.

We are committed to excellence! To be more responsive and maintain a strong connection with our Stanford students, I began a Student Dinner Discussion series, which I look forward to continuing this year. During these dinner discussions, students have a unique opportunity
to provide feedback and engage me and other senior campus administrators in open dialogue
over dinner to let us know how we can evaluate and further enhance the programs and services we offer. It is an excellent venue to learn more about the University and a great opportunity to find a faculty or staff champion to support new student initiatives.

R&DE is proud to be a leader in sustainability. We are committed to continually implementing policies and practices that preserve our natural resources and reduce our overall impact on the environment. Through partnerships with students and academic departments, R&DE has made a significant positive impact on the awareness and habits of our students. I am pleased to highlight two areas that provide exceptional service resulting in sustainability program successes:
1) Student Housing's Just-Like-Home laundry program which allows students to use state-of-the-art, energy efficient washers and dryers without the hassle of cards or coins. 2) Stanford Dining, a Restaurants & Institutions magazine Ivy Award winner and certified green business, promotes sustainable food harvest with local farmers through its Live Green campaign.

In the wake of the natural disasters of the past year, I want to assure you that the safety of our students is our top priority. We have developed an extensive Emergency Plan that specifically addresses major emergencies. To this end, for your convenience, I have made a personal emergency kit available for purchase on R&DE's e-commerce site, the Cardinal Mall.

At the Cardinal Mall we also offer such new student essentials as bed linens, microwave and mini-fridge rentals, and laundry supplies, as well as services such as housecleaning (a great gift) and storage. In addition, at the Cardinal Mall, instant purchases of Cardinal Dollars can be added to any meal card and used at any of Stanford Dining's student dining and retail café locations.

In R&DE, we believe that "students are never an interruption in our day; they are the reason we are here." So if you see me on campus, come and introduce yourself. I would love to hear how R&DE can further enhance your Stanford experience.

Here's to a great year!

Best,