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Dear faculty and staff,

I was delighted to see so many of you at our beautiful Commencement Ceremony! The Class of 2024, above all, certainly deserved a special send-off, and I want to thank our staff and faculty for helping make this day so special for our graduates and their families. It takes the efforts of our entire community to host a Commencement as special as ours, and I am truly grateful for your many contributions to the day.

I want to share with you the updates and information I provided to the Board of Trustees at their recent meeting. After the Spring Updates below, you’ll notice that much of what I share is organized along our Academic Success Goals (ASG) structure. The ASGs that we revised together (pdf) over this academic year will be effective July 1, 2024.

Before I begin, I want to acknowledge how difficult the ongoing violence in Israel-Palestine has been for our students, faculty, and staff. During this time, we have focused on campus safety, supporting our community, articulating Our Common Ground values and responsibilities, and providing educational opportunities around the conflict. The University has worked closely with students, our Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and our faculty to bring programs to campus that provide various perspectives on the conflict, and specifically Islamophobia and Antisemitism. Like many campuses, we have also experienced a protest that includes tents and temporary structures. I have been in ongoing conversation with students around this complex issue and it is clear to me that the demonstrators and the administration share many of the same interests—the safety and well-being of all students, the value of expression, the need to create space for diverse opinions, an inclusive environment for all identities, to honor the value of human life, and our profound sadness over the loss of human life. We don’t disagree on any of these key points.

Public universities were founded on principles of civil discourse and the debate and dialog necessary to explore and understand complex issues; students are encouraged to speak up and speak out at ����̽̽. With this comes the responsibility to do so within the law and university policy. I am committed to continued, meaningful dialog with all of our students, and to approaching periods of conflict as educational opportunities for all of us. During the recent period of protest on our campus, I had several meetings with small groups of students, and we began some initial thinking about plans for fall and spring symposia next year, and shorter monthly programming to keep students engaged in discussions important to them. Our goals are to provide educational opportunities for our students to learn from one another and from faculty scholars regarding political, religious, social, and economic issues facing our community, nation, and the world. We’ll continue planning over the summer and will issue a call for students, staff, and faculty to participate in the planning early next fall.

SPRING UPDATES

NECHE Five-Year Interim Accreditation Report Response
In January, we submitted our five-year interim report, authored by Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Student Success J. Dickinson, to our regional accreditor, the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Interim reports are required of all NECHE institutions and focus on updates in the five years since the most recent comprehensive review. ����̽̽ was asked to specifically provide updates in the areas of general education, academic and career advising, institutional planning, including the Campus Plan, and support for assessment of student learning outcomes. Our report was accepted, and the Commission commended ����̽̽ for its detailed, reflective interim report and recognized the progress we have made in the five years since our last accreditation.

Enrollment Update
As a result of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) challenges that all universities faced, this was an extremely challenging student recruitment year. Our Student Financial Services and Admissions teams responded admirably to an ongoing series of obstacles. They were innovative and tireless in their efforts to support prospective students and their families, as well as our continuing students, in an environment of significant uncertainty. As a result of their Herculean efforts, we have very nearly met our enrollment goals for the class of 2028, but we’re not quite done and will continue to work with prospective students over the next several months. A big thank you to Jay Jacobs, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, his incredible team of leaders—Moses Murphy, Marie Johnson, Jessie Donovan, Veronika Carter, and Jennifer Payne—and the members of their incredible teams, who have all used their creative thinking and adaptability to bring us an amazing class in the fall. Thank you, too, for the extra efforts by deans, faculty, and student services teams for stepping up during admitted student days, making personal calls, and sending notes to prospective students. I look forward to introducing our newest class of Catamounts to you in August when we have full information on our newest class. Spoiler alert: They are terrific!

Planetary Health
We introduced our Planetary Health Initiative in April. On the Friday of Research Week, April 19, our deans and faculty from across all of our colleges and schools gathered for a lecture by Tom Gillespie, an expert on infectious disease and planetary health, chair of the Department of Environmental Sciences at Emory University and co-director of the Gombe Ecosystem Health Project in Tanzania. His work in emerging infectious diseases in tropical regions provided powerful examples of how the intersection of wildlife, land use change, human population growth, climate stress, and inadequate medical care place the health of people across the planet—and the planet itself—at growing risk. On April 22, Jon Erickson, from the Rubenstein School, led a group of 100+ faculty, staff, and students in a hands-on activity looking for points of connection between planetary systems now in “overshoot” (like climate change, ocean acidification, and loss of biodiversity) and “shortfalls” in the foundations of civilization that allow for human flourishing—like access to clean water. These points of intersection are where planetary health may be most able to be improved and they are where our interconnected research and teaching are most likely to be able to provide leadership and breakthroughs. We are planning for the formal launch of the initiative in October as part of a summit convened by ����̽̽’s Osher Center for Integrative Health. (Academic Success Goal (ASG) 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.3)

University Manual
During the 2023–24 academic year, a working group conducted a comprehensive review of the 2016 edition of the University Manual (pdf). The review process included consultation with (1) subject matter experts for each Manual section, (2) the deans regarding proposed revisions with material academic unit impact, and (3) the Faculty Senate Executive Council, which was provided with all proposed line edits. Additionally, on behalf of the Executive Council, Faculty Senate President Thomas Borchert attended several committee meetings to share valuable feedback that helped refine edits in a number of cases.

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Solar Eclipse Day
Thanks to the efforts of our incredible Eclipse Day team, we experienced a magical day on April 8 as we gathered in groups around campus and with our neighbors and scores of visitors to Burlington and watched in awe the unfolding of an astronomical event that for most of us will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We enjoyed fascinating pre-eclipse and Eclipse Day lectures, an Eclipse Day scavenger hunt, telescope viewing stations, and an outstanding keynote just before the eclipse by Dr. Lisa Kaltenegger of Cornell’s Department of Astronomy and the Carl Sagan Institute to Search for Life in the Cosmos. The day’s programming included something for everyone and it was a privilege to experience the eclipse as a community. The students in Richard Watts’s Sustainable Vermont class made a mini-documentary, celebrating the event, produced by Trish Denton; for a sense of what the day was like in Burlington. I want to extend my special thanks to Chip Cole, Ellen Brennan, and Helen Read for making this wonderful yearlong experience possible for all of us. (ASG 1.1)

Global Learning—����̽̽ GO and “����̽̽ Semester In” Programs
Building on the success of its launch in summer 2023, the lottery/registration process for summer 2024 ����̽̽ GO trips is in full swing! This year’s international trip locations include Iceland, Costa Rica, Montreal, and Vancouver. The cities trip locations include Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. The lottery for the local programs centered on Learning Community themes will open once students have been assigned to their Learning Communities (there is a delay resulting from the FAFSA challenges). ����̽̽ GO focuses on global learning, developing intercultural knowledge and skills, and building community. Each experience allows students to develop their awareness of global issues and make connections in their community and beyond. I’m so grateful to the many faculty and staff who have reached out with trip and program ideas and support. The momentum this program has established in such a short time is a tribute to our commitment to student success.

We are also on the verge of expanding our roster of “����̽̽ Semester In” (e.g., ����̽̽ Semester in Galway) programs abroad that currently includes Ireland and New Zealand by adding Barbados, South Korea, and other locations over the next 18 or so months. Our ����̽̽ Semester In programs allow students to study abroad as part of a cohort, enroll in an online ����̽̽ class aimed at amplifying learning and engagement while abroad, and retain their federal financial aid and ����̽̽ scholarship and grants to increase access and affordability of study abroad. (ASG 1.1, 1.2, 3.3)

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Over the spring semester a working group from across the campus has met to discuss current AI-related activities across various university areas—with a focus on advanced machine learning, large language models, and natural language processing. While some work has been undertaken at ����̽̽, some key needs were identified to allow ����̽̽ to remain current with these emerging technologies:

• Greater access to information about, and specific expertise on, emerging technologies and their impact on higher education broadly and within specific university domains (ranging from classrooms to admissions to research integrity)
• Information sharing across university domains that will allow for mutual awareness, coordination, and planning
• An understanding of how emerging technologies are likely to impact ����̽̽ policy and operating procedures
• Engagement with emerging technologies at the level of university decision-makers and overall strategy development and implementation

Plans to address these needs will be guided by two primary considerations:

• Generative AI is growing and evolving quickly, so our AI practices and structure must be re-examined regularly and updated frequently—our response must be flexible.
• Engagement with AI includes opportunities as well as risks—we need to seize emerging opportunities and be cognizant of related limitations.

The working group has recommended the creation of an ongoing AI Task Force that will develop plans for identifying AI best practices, opportunities, and risks in key university business domains (e.g., admissions, libraries, research protections) and identifying necessary actions, policies, and risk management activities. The working group also recommended the establishment of an AI Strategy Group to discuss emergent technology, overall industry dynamics, and the university’s response. We are considering these recommendations and how best to structure and charge these groups.

To support us in these efforts, this June our senior administrative and academic leaders will participate in an AI workshop delivered by the Educational Advisory Board (EAB). The workshop is designed to help develop an institutional AI strategy by exploring the biggest AI promises in higher education, identifying methods for prioritizing areas for AI implementation, and building a roadmap for AI execution.

We are also participating in a selective EAB AI pilot to develop a chatbot that will give students secure access to support, instructions, and FAQs; create content for strategic advising campaigns; and more easily create and build new reports to interpret student success data. Our goals for the chatbot are to provide general and immediate information to students (e.g., How do I get a parking pass?) and to save staff time spent on routine questions. I want to thank Jennifer Payne, RJ Sweeney, and Andrew Stoops in the Division of Enrollment Management for their work on this special project—it has been quite a learning experience! (ASG 1.1, 1.4, 2.1)

Professional Advising
This year marked a milestone in our efforts to improve the student academic advising experience at ����̽̽. Through the joint efforts of student services professionals in our Student Services Collaborative, our Provost’s Staff Fellow for Professional Advising Kim Hughes from the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office, and Vice Provost J. Dickinson, we offered our first full year of professional development programming for professional academic advisors across the university. The offerings were designed to support success in three main areas: University processes and supports; best practices in advising; and opportunities to network and promote wellness among our academic advising staff. Topics covered included:

• Informative presentations: Advising for the Catamount Core; Supporting Students of Concern; the Interest Group Quiz: What is your Career Interest Group?; OIE: GoAbroad for Advisors
• Workshops: the Educational Advisory Board’s: The Advising Office of the Future; Kristen Swaney and Vanessa Borum from the University of Albany: Introduction to Appreciative Advising
• Networking meetings: meetings throughout the year; Advisor Appreciation Day; Wellness event by the Osher Center

In addition, a Community of Practice on Appreciative Advising has been launched this month as part of the HHMI Driving Change grant; this generated a high level of interest among professional advisors and we look forward to learning more from the participants in this group in the upcoming year. We were particularly pleased to offer our first professional advisor appreciation event, co-sponsored by the Provost’s Office and the Career Center. Planning is already underway for next year’s events, which will include hosting an “insights from the field” event for professional advisors from Vermont institutions in September. Planning for university-wide advising assessment is also being initiated by the Student Services Collaborative in collaboration with the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Student Success and the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. I’m especially grateful to our Student Success Collaborative and our professional and career advisors across campus for their work to help establish our new advising framework, for embracing this year’s professional development opportunities, and for supporting each other.
(ASG 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)

Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Our innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem continues to expand. This spring we hosted the inaugural Vermont Pitch Challenge and the inaugural Joy and Jerry Meyers Cup. The Vermont Pitch Challenge was open to high school students from across the world who pitched innovative business ideas that make a difference in their communities. We received 148 submissions from 27 states and 7 countries. Five finalist teams were invited to campus to pitch their ideas in person and compete for a full scholarship to ����̽̽. The grand prize went to Pippa Scott from Killington, VT with , a non-profit that raises awareness about and provides support to kids and teens struggling with mental health in the actions sports community. Learn about the pitches of our $5,000 and $1,000 prize winners (from St. Croix, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania). On April 25, the Grossman School of Business hosted the presentations of the Joy and Jerry Meyers Cup finalists. Three student teams competed for $212,500 in cash, with additional in-kind services from local organizations to ensure the success of their business. Jake Falanga and Zack Dunn ’23, founders of Painting with Purpose, won the grand prize. (ASG 1.1, 1.3, 3.2)

The Royall Tyler Theatre Turned 50!
On April 12 and 13 we enjoyed the Royall Tyler Theatre 50th Anniversary Celebration, which featured a distinguished alumni panel, faculty-led workshops, an open house, an alumni author book signing, and displays of costumes and other memorabilia from the history of theatre at ����̽̽. The main event was a collaboration between alumni and current students in 50 Years of Royall Tyler Theatre: A Musical Revue, presented on the mainstage, directed by ����̽̽ Theatre professor Dr. Zeina Salame, with musical direction by Broadway Musical Director and Conductor Steven Freeman ’77. The celebration was a wonderful opportunity to welcome all generations of alums back to campus to recognize the enduring legacy of theatre at ����̽̽ and deepen connections between the alumni and the current students. It also provided an important opportunity to reflect on the enduring significance of the arts in modern liberal education.

KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND OUTREACH

Water Resources Institute
The Board of Trustees approved the creation of a new ����̽̽ Water Resources Institute that will be housed in the Office of the Vice President for Research and led by Dr. Beverley Wemple from the department of Geography and Geosciences. There have long been informal conversations about the possibility of a water institute on our campus, but the discussion began in earnest in Fall 2022 and quickly garnered widespread support. The institute will harness our strength in water research, education, and outreach to advance a sustainable water future. Our water expertise includes more than a decade of National Science Foundation-funded capacity-building grants to Vermont EPSCoR on water-related topics; multiple college-level programs that support water or water-related research; partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology; and more than 100 faculty across 6 colleges and schools and 22 departments engaged in water research. The institute’s goals are to (1) enhance the flow of information and ideas among scholars and trainees by establishing a hub of water research at the nexus of natural and social sciences, engineering, and governance, (2) coordinate and develop new water-related programs, equipment, and services on campus, (3) build bridges with external academic, nonprofit, state, federal, and international partners that accelerate the translation of research to practice, and (4) educate the next generation of problem solvers on water issues and water justice. I’m looking forward to witnessing the Planetary Health connections that emerge from this new institute. (ASG 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3)

RISE Summit
The Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships has opened registration for the June 24–25 second annual RISE Summit that brings research, innovation, sustainability, and entrepreneurship together to spur change for a better tomorrow. This year’s theme, “Partners in Place,” will feature keynotes by Tony Pipa, Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Center for Sustainable Development, Brookings Institution, and host and producer of “Reimagining Rural”; and Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics and USDA’s chief scientist. Last year’s Summit was outstanding with more than 900 registered participants. If your work connects with the RISE themes, I hope you’ll attend. (ASG 2.1, 3.1, 3.2)

USASBE Rural Entrepreneurship Symposium
����̽̽ is hosting the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) “High-Tech in Small Towns and Rural Spaces,” June 19–21. The USASBE Rural Entrepreneurship Symposium promotes an integrated approach to better understanding entrepreneurship in rural areas and small towns by annually convening 40 to 60 researchers, teachers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to generate data-driven research, education, policy, and action for the 61% of the U.S. who live in small towns and rural spaces. (ASG 2.1, 3.1, 3.2)

WELLNESS

4/20 Wellness Environment 5K Fun Run/Walk
Our Wellness Environment Learning Community hosted the 9th annual 4/20 5K fun run/walk for wellness. This year’s run was the biggest yet, with over 1,300 registrations. Faculty, staff, students, dogs, babies—we had participants from all across ����̽̽, Vermont, and beyond to celebrate building healthy brains through movement and social connection. I hope you’ll join us next year on Sunday, April 20, for the special 10-year anniversary edition!

Sexual Violence Awareness Month
Our work to prevent sexual violence continues. The Student Affairs team and a talented and dedicated group of Student Government Association senators provided a broad spectrum of programming for April’s Sexual Violence Awareness Month. Their goal was to provide a range of programming that would allow participants to engage at many different levels. Each week of the month focused on a different theme beginning with awareness and ending with healing and restoration. Topics such as community-based accountability, bystander intervention, and trauma healing were presented throughout the month. This year featured some high-visibility passive educational programming—including a digital display projecting words of support for survivors in the stairwell in Davis Center, as well as a "field of flags" display in the Davis Center oval symbolizing students who have experienced sexual violence. New programs included Yoga Therapy, a meeting of the Masculinity Group, and a virtual program about connection, validation, and innovation for survivors, offered in partnership with the organization. Particularly moving was a "What Were You Wearing" Davis Center art exhibit featuring replicated outfits survivors of violence described as wearing during their assaults. Members of our community could also pick up a teal ribbon as a sign of support for sexual violence survivors; decorate a denim square to be sewn into a quilt; or join Hope Works, the local sexual violence agency, for the 50th annual Take Back the Night Burlington rally.

Catamount Safety Awards
I recently attended the ceremony hosted by the Division of Safety and Compliance. The Catamount Safety Awards are designed to acknowledge activism within the ����̽̽ community in the areas of safety, security, health and wellbeing, and promoting a culture of safety on the ����̽̽ campus. This year the division instituted the Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne Award for Safety Innovation in honor of our valued, energetic colleague Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne, who received the award posthumously and will be remembered as an innovator and an ambassador of wellness. On a related note, I’m pleased to announce that we’ll be naming the ����̽̽ Spatial Analysis Lab in Jarlath’s honor this fall.

Be well, and have a wonderful Vermont summer, Catamounts!

Patty