Welcome to Campus - September 12, 2023

Dear Faculty, Staff and Graduate Assistants,

I’d like to officially welcome everyone to campus for the Fall 2023 semester!  Whether you’ve continued to work on campus this summer, are returning after summer break or are new to the University of Arkansas, we are glad you are here.

With the fall semester in full swing, I’m reminded of our land-grant mission to provide Arkansans with the opportunity to pursue higher education.  Student success is critical to our mission as we want to ensure our students fulfill their academic and career goals. Student success also includes fostering belonging and supporting student’s overall well-being to make sure their social, mental and emotional needs are met. We also want to ensure our students succeed after they graduate.  To that end, the Office of Career Connections will be hosting a Career Everywhere Faculty Conference on October 6 to help faculty embed career education into their courses.  I hope you will attend this important event.

Everyone on our campus contributes to student success. While faculty and graduate assistants play a large role in supporting the university’s academic programs, our staff carry out a wide variety of programs that support our students’ overall experience on campus, including student activities, housing, the U of A Cares program, and the ASAP Program.

Our faculty and staff greatly affect a student’s life and even change the trajectory of their career.  This is demonstrated daily, but one story I’d like to highlight that illustrates this is about first-generation college graduate Gerson Fajardo-Brühl. Read more about this remarkable student, who recently earned a degree in biomedical engineering, and how Associate Dean Bryan Hill and Assistant Dean Thomas Carter helped him achieve his goals.   

Because academic success relies on student well-being, the Provost’s Office is looking for ways to strengthen the collaboration between the Student Success Center, the Division of Student Affairs, and the academic colleges across campus. To encourage this collaboration, the Provost’s Office will be creating a committee of Student Success Leaders and include representatives from each of these units to ensure all programs are working collaboratively and best support our student success goals. We believe that this leadership group will help us continue to improve upon the great work we’ve already done.

In addition to furthering our commitment to student success, I want to reinforce that faculty, staff, and graduate assistants’ success is a part of student success.  We will continue to provide opportunities for our faculty, staff, and graduate assistants to grow, engage with other faculty, staff, and university leadership, enhance their scholarship, participate in professional development programs, and strengthen their commitment to excellence in research, teaching, and service to our students and our state.  I look forward to engaging with faculty more on how my office can support faculty in the future—be on the lookout for invitations to Coffee Chats in Arkansas News this semester. 

Finally, I want to thank each of you for your commitment to the University of Arkansas, our land-grant mission and student success. Your work positively impacts the lives of our students every day.

Best regards,

Terry Martin, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Professor of Electrical Engineering