To our newest faculty colleagues,
I am pleased to welcome you to The University of Rhode Island (URI). You have just become part of a university with tremendous positive momentum. At a time when higher education is being scrutinized nationally and there is a demographic decline in high school graduation, our applications for admission, our enrollment, student academic profile, student and faculty diversity, and student honors eligibility are at an all-time high. Furthermore, all measures of student success are on the upswing, and our research and scholarly enterprises are growing. This success has fueled the expansion of our faculty with the addition of new faculty positions. Many of you are part of that important investment, and we are very excited that you chose to join us. I hope you will take a moment to read URI’s new Academic Strategic Plan, Innovation with Impact, which paves a path for future opportunities and influence.
Universities are defined by their faculty, and great universities are defined by having engaged teachers and scholars who bring new energy, ideas, perspectives and partnerships to our students, to each other, and to the university. This is your university: I strongly urge you to get involved and bring your ideas and experiences to the forefront at URI.
Please know that we are invested in your success and look forward to the many ways in which you will enhance the academic learning and discovery environment at URI. We offer a great many support systems to assist you; so please do not hesitate to ask for help and advice.
Each of the offices at the “faculty fair” today, along with your mentor and the web links highlighted on this iPad Mini gift represent URI colleagues ready and willing to provide help and support. Your success contributes directly to ensuring a vibrant, dynamic and highly relevant University of Rhode Island for all of us.
Today, you are among the newest members of the URI community — a community joined together by a strong commitment to diversity, respect, inclusion and learning from one another. We are a community where bias and hatred are not tolerated. Become a full, active, and engaged member of the URI community.
I look forward to meeting each of you over the coming months. My office will be reaching out to you during the academic year to set up an informal gathering with Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Laura Beauvais and me, so that we have an opportunity to get to know each other. In the meantime, I wish you the best as you make a smooth transition to URI – thank you again for joining us!
Sincerely,
Don DeHayes
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs