Dear Colleagues,
Happy New Year! I trust your holiday break was enjoyable and that each of you was able to recharge as we prepare for a new semester. As we transition into a new semester and calendar year, I offer best wishes for a year characterized by positivity, continued success, and an even greater connection to one another.
Tomorrow (January 4th) marks an important milestone in our institution’s history as we ring the Samford Hall Clock Tower chimes at 2:20 pm, symbolizing the moment Dr. Harold Franklin officially registered as our university’s first African American student. In honoring this singular moment, we also recognize its immeasurable impact on past, present, and future generations of Auburn faculty, students, and staff. In reflecting on the many influential leaders, meaningful traditions, and key moments that have defined our campus in the six decades since that historic afternoon in 1964, I am reminded of Dr. Franklin’s belief in the power of education to transform lives by combining opportunity with excellence. Next Tuesday (January 9th), we will formally recognize the
60th anniversary of Auburn’s integration at an official celebration ceremony in the Mell Classroom Building/RBD Library at 4 pm. I encourage all faculty to attend.
As I mentioned last month, 2023 was a year filled with noteworthy achievements, resulting in considerable momentum that will carry Auburn forward in 2024. While many of our goals build on our progress last year, we will continue to develop data-informed decisions and empower faculty to seize institutional opportunities that align with our priorities and values. I remain grateful to each of you for your continued efforts to identify areas of both challenge and opportunity to strengthen faculty success and further enhance our campus culture. I look forward to expanding our existing dialogue in the coming months through continued conversations and new occasions to celebrate your contributions to our campus.
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In assessing those areas of strategic opportunity, key considerations surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) remain at the forefront of our campus as we continue to integrate this technology into our work - at what often seems like an unprecedented pace. On January 25th, several units will host an “AI Day” for those interested in AI-related training and additional educational opportunities. If you or your students are interested in learning more about available AI resources, I encourage you to register for this free, daylong event.
Finally, I want to highlight a member of our academic community recently recognized with a prestigious award. During last month’s National Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition, Shivaprasad Nageswaran, Director of the ARC Program at the AU RFID Lab and a spring 2023 Ph.D. graduate from the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, received the top award. This national competition allows doctoral students across the US to develop and showcase their research communication skills by presenting their thesis or dissertation in three minutes. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Nageswaran.
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| As always, I thank you for all you do and look forward to another productive semester and year. |
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