Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to a new year and a new semester. I hope you enjoyed a restorative winter break and are settling into your classes. Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to visit our Week of Welcome tents to greet students as they returned to campus. Their excitement and anticipation were powerful reminders that our work, while not without its challenges, is deeply meaningful and more important than ever. I look forward to the great things we will accomplish together this year.

Last fall, we launched bold initiatives to foster collaboration, advance student success, and drive transformative impact in our region and beyond, including the Texas Talent Accelerator, the Lab for Engaged, Applied and Public Humanities, and the forthcoming School of Mathematics and Science Foundations. Some of our most innovative work is happening at UNT at Frisco, where we’re partnering with employers, Collin College, and others to create new higher education pathways and drive workforce development in one of the nation’s fastest-growing areas. UNT leapt to No. 34 on U.S. News & World Report’s Top Performers on Social Mobility list, reflecting our commitment to transforming lives through education, and we recently announced our partnership with Braven, a nonprofit dedicated to improving career outcomes for students.

Additionally, UNT closed out 2025 with $55 million in research funding, making us eligible for Level 1 TUF funding that will fuel new opportunities in research and discovery, from providing more competitive support for graduate students and investing in our current research strengths to creating new capabilities in entrepreneurship and community and industry partnerships.

I am incredibly proud of the foundation we’re building to realize the vision of Look North: UNT 2030.

College Implementation Plans
This spring, college and division leaders will engage faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external partners in developing unit-level implementation plans that articulate how their unit will advance the university’s priorities. In March, college leaders will meet with the University Budget Council to present their plans and discuss their resource needs. Budget planning will continue through the spring, with the FY27 budget being finalized later this year. Throughout this process, we are committed to making thoughtful and strategic decisions that prioritize the needs of our students while ensuring efficient allocation of our resources.

Recognizing Faculty Excellence
As President Keller announced in his 2025 State of the University, UNT is broadening faculty recognition to better reflect the full scope of faculty excellence and impact. With support from Faculty Success and the Teaching Hub, academic units are reviewing and updating their promotion and tenure and annual review guidelines to more fully recognize faculty contributions across one or more of the following areas: interdisciplinary collaborations, public and societal impact, community and industry engagement, and innovation and entrepreneurship. Units will have until early September 2026 to complete this work.

One tool we’re already using to recognize faculty excellence is Academic Analytics, which provides data-informed insights about faculty accomplishments as well as strengths and opportunities in our programs and departments. With this data, UNT can make more strategic decisions to expand its research footprint and attract and elevate stellar faculty in all disciplines. If you haven’t already done so, please take a moment to explore the platform and build out your research profile to help us get a better picture of the groundbreaking work being done across our university.

Supporting Student Success
For the first time in UNT history, student-athletes in all 14 athletic programs earned a semester GPA above 3.150. Overall, UNT’s student athletes boasted a record 3.457 GPA. This remarkable accomplishment is a testament to not only the talent and grit that defines our students, but also the countless ways you inspire, challenge, and support them in and outside the classroom.

I encourage you to share your creativity and passion for student success by getting involved with the Learning Ecosystem for Empowering Futures (LEEF), where faculty and staff are working together to transform teaching and learning at UNT. Join one of the Learning Institute’s research communities exploring a broad range of topics in the learning sciences to drive pedagogical innovation. Discover how the Curriculum Connector is building stronger academic and career pathways for students through industry partnerships, interdisciplinary education, and experiential learning. And finally, visit the Teaching Hub’s Spring Open House on January 20 to meet the team and learn about the resources they offer, including teaching consultations and Communities of Practice.

Thank you for the energy, expertise, and care you invest in our students and in our university’s ongoing success. I wish you all a productive and fulfilling semester.

With appreciation,

Michael A. McPherson, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs