Public service is going to be defined for us if we don't define it. We are not telling our story with the citizens of Virginia. In Richmond and Northern Virginia some people feel we are not responsive to the needs of the Commonwealth. Part of the charge is to redefine U.Va. U.Va. is extremely decentralized, and that offers some marvelous attributes.
Small groups can make things happen.
Many initiatives can come from the edge and don't have to come from central administration. Great strength, but creates great difficulty if commission is to send cultural message across the institution. You ought to have a working definition to get started, but keep it flexible. Don't lock in to a single definition. You may need different definitions for different applications.