Dear Colleagues:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I hope you found time to rest and recharge this summer. As students return to campus and we finalize preparations for our new academic year, I wanted to share some successes from our collective efforts \u2013 giving us momentum to build on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These accomplishments reflect your work \u2013 in research and teaching, in developing new programs, and in advising a record number of incoming students this summer. Thank you.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There is important work ahead and much still to come. We have critical ABET accreditation visits this fall. We must continue our upward trajectory in research and enrollment to stabilize our budget and begin making reinvestments in key growth opportunities. Marketplace shifts and federal immigration policies are injecting significant uncertainty and are impacting our graduate student population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through all of this, it is imperative to find innovative ways to engage and retain our growing student body and help students connect what they learn with their career aspirations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That begins with creating a strong sense of connection and belonging right from the start.<\/strong> To that end, I encourage you to join our students at fall welcome activities happening across campus, but especially our college\u2019s fall welcome:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have real momentum. Now we have the opportunity to turn it into lasting progress.<\/strong> Every interaction with a student, every new idea you test, every research proposal you submit and every contribution to our college matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you for all you have done to bring us to this point \u2013 and for your continued efforts as we advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I wish you an excellent start to the academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Best,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brett<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n