Dear Colleagues,
It’s hard to believe that that midsemester is next week. It always seems that, by the time we reach this point in the term, there is much more to do than the time remaining allows. Between exams, assignments, projects, and advising students for spring semester, I know everyone is looking forward to fall break in the coming weeks.
Earlier this month, we conducted the official university census to provide a snapshot of our current enrollment which stands at just over 33,000, our highest ever. Most of our academic colleges increased their enrollment from last year, and we welcomed 5,935 first-year students, 1,221 new transfer students, and 1,674 new graduate and professional students. These enrollment figures demonstrate the continuing demand for an Auburn education, something I directly attribute to the quality of our academic programs and the talents of our faculty.
Tracking enrollment and other key performance indicators, such as student retention, graduation rates, and research and scholarly productivity, are critical to achieving many of our strategic goals. As we begin our work on the university’s next strategic plan, one of our first objectives is for our faculty, staff, and students to identify and define our strengths and opportunities relative to our current and future goals.
During October, the strategic planning steering committee will host a series of listening sessions to engage campus community members. Centered around several key themes, these small group sessions are an opportunity to collaboratively share your ideas and thoughts on Auburn’s future and identify new directions to support our mission. I strongly encourage you to visit the Strategic Planning website
and register to participate in a listening session. Campus members are also invited to submit white papers that present a strategic idea or interdisciplinary/cross-functional opportunity you would like the steering committee to consider. Whether it is participating in a listening session, submitting feedback directly to the committee, or through a white paper, I encourage you to be active in the process and look forward to updating you on its progress.
Next week, my office will begin accepting applications for 2024-25 Professional Improvement Leave, or PIL. This is a wonderful opportunity for faculty to engage in professional development that advances their research, scholarship, and creative endeavors. I encourage eligible faculty members to consider applying for the competitive funds.
In my last email, I included a list of resources for faculty that included campus contacts and referral information for students needing additional support or resources. Midsemester is often a challenging time for our students as they balance competing academic demands and, as a result, encounter burnout from extended studying and coursework. As educators and mental health advocates, our colleagues in the Division of Student Affairs have created a guide for faculty to recognize and support students who may be struggling. I have included a link to this guide in this message.
As we close out September, we continue to monitor the possibility of a partial government shutdown in the coming days. In addition to the impact a shutdown could have on millions of federal employees and potential operational cuts across various agencies, a potential funding gap could impact many of our institution’s processes, from our research grants to our services provided to international students and veterans. While a short-term shutdown would likely have a minimal impact on our campus, a longer-term shutdown could present additional challenges, including our work with federal agencies. As we continue to engage in conversations with our stakeholders, we will share guidance as we receive it.
War Eagle, | | |
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