The Hispanic Educational Telecommunications System has undergone several important changes through this semester, starting with the departing of its seven year-long Executive Director, Dr. Nitza Hernández. Dr. Hernández decided to take on a new professional challenge, accepting a new position as Director of the Graduate School of Sciences and Technology at the University of Puerto Rico.
Her expertise with HETS has led her to a position in which she will be able to keep impacting Puerto Rican graduate students. For more information, access http://egcti.upr.edu/noticias_egcti/noticias.html
In order to keep on track with all the Consortium’s priorities for this semester, the HETS Executive Committee designated Yubelkys Montalvo as the Interim Executive Director. Mrs. Montalvo had been performing as the HETS Executive Assistant and Public Relations Specialist for seven years, demonstrating to be a leader in member relations, project management, event coordination, administration, and communications. Strategically well-prepared, Montalvo not only has followed up thoroughly on all pending projects, but has also taken on new opportunities of great benefit to the Consortium and its stakeholders.
Throughout the rest of the year, HETS will be focusing on diverse important strategies that will keep the Consortium up and running, as well as open new doors towards the enhancement of its image and the strengthening of its mission. The First Hispanic Virtual Congress, the enhancement of the HETS website, fundraising strategies for the sustainability of HETS, membership outreach campaign, and the growth of internal communication initiatives are some of the most important efforts to be implemented over the following months. This last strategy includes the launching of the Consortium’s first members-only newsletter: The HETS Connection.
In the meantime, the Executive Committee has selected a Search Committee to look for potential candidates to fill up the position. This Search Committee will be in charge of evaluating the candidates and making recommendations to the Board of Directors. A new Executive Director is expected to be selected during the January 2006 Board Meeting, to take place in San Germán, Puerto Rico.
Other administrative changes include the transfer of HETS’s fiscal account, as a direct result of last June’s Board elections process. HETS funds will be administered by the Ana G. Méndez University System, member institution of the appointed Treasurer of the Board of Directors and President of the institution, Mr. José F. Méndez.
For more information on these and other news, as well as other HETS projects and initiatives, access www.hets.org, or call (787) 766-1912, extension 2221.