Blogs

Dear Faculty and Academic Staff, 

Welcome back! I am sure you are as excited and energized as I am about this new academic year. There is nothing quite like the atmosphere on a university campus at the beginning of a new year. As exciting a time as this is for us all, it can be stressful for our newest students, staff, and faculty members. Please keep an eye out for these community members and help them find their ways (both literally and figuratively)! 

Much has happened since last year, and I have a few items you may want to know about. 

Dear Faculty and Academic Staff,

After careful consideration, I am honored to announce interim deans for the Colleges of Engineering and Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Dr. Shengli Fu, chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering, will serve as interim dean of the College of Engineering after Dean Hanchen Huang’s departure on July 15.

Dear Faculty and Academic Staff, 

I am pleased to share with you that this past week, UNT was reaffirmed as an R1 university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education™. Not only have we been reaffirmed, but we also have made positive progress, meeting our goal of moving from the fourth quartile to the third quartile of R1 and solidifying our standing as an R1 university. This progress is only possible because of the successful implementation of our R1 Our Way plans. 

Dear Academic Staff and Faculty,

It is an exciting time of year with final exams, graduation and winter break just around the corner. I want to thank you all for your support as we transitioned this fall back to a more typical UNT experience for our students. We can be thankful that our campus and community health have improved significantly since August. However, we are carefully monitoring the omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus and its potential impact on the spring semester. 

Dear Faculty and Academic Staff,

Providing fair compensation is a long-standing priority for UNT, not only because of its importance in attracting and retaining the exemplary talent that drives our growth as an R1 university, but also because it is a direct reflection of our values as a caring and equitable institution where all faculty and staff are empowered to succeed.

Dear Faculty and Staff,

I am writing today to ask for your help. Many of you may have been following the news from Afghanistan and the evacuation of so many to the United States. UNT has invited five Afghan students to our campus to continue their education. You can learn about their journey in this article from The Chronicle of Higher Education, “I Am Hopeful, and I Am Heartbroken.”

Dear Faculty and Academic Staff,

Dear Academic Staff and Faculty,

As the fall semester approaches, I want to send all faculty and staff a warm welcome. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged us in ways we never thought possible, for much longer than any of us hoped. As we welcome our students back this fall, we are also keeping a watchful eye on what is happening in the community.

Dear Faculty and Academic Staff,

The UNT System Board of Regents met this month and approved UNT’s FY22 operating budget. As you know, it has been a difficult time financially for UNT and every other university in the country. In the face of a challenging fiscal environment, Academic Affairs engaged in strategic budget reductions and reallocations in Fiscal Years 19-20 and 20-21.

Dear Academic Staff and Faculty,

I am reaching out to you to make you aware of changes to our health and safety protocols. We have all been in the midst of continual change over the past 14 months. Today, we are looking forward and preparing for our continued return to our campus.