Dear Colleagues,
Another successful fall semester is nearing completion with Thanksgiving, final exams and commencement fast approaching. While it seems that time accelerates once the time changes, I know we are all looking forward to a well-deserved break in a few short weeks.
In October we advanced several faculty initiatives and programs, starting with our search for an interim dean for the College of Agriculture and director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES). Following Dean Patterson’s announcement to step down from his role as dean of the College of Agriculture and director of the AAES at the end of this year, we promptly began an internal search for an interim dean. On behalf of all of us, I extend my gratitude to Dean Patterson for his many years of dedicated leadership as a faculty member, associate dean and dean. His efforts have been pivotal in advancing the College’s faculty and student success, innovative research and meaningful community engagement across our state. We will announce an interim dean in the coming days
and initiate a national search by the end of the year, with both processes being led by Dean Mario Eden.
Following the launch of our Strategic Plan last month, my office is actively advancing several key action items, including the comprehensive analysis of faculty compensation, workload and productivity. While our shared goal is to maintain competitive compensation practices that are crucial for attracting and retaining top faculty, we are also identifying areas for improvement that will ensure our faculty can focus on delivering high-quality instruction and research and scholarship, thereby strengthening our commitment to excellence. To support this effort, we have established two ad-hoc working groups
to oversee this analysis and provide recommendations to the university’s leadership. Together, these groups include more than 25 faculty, staff and administrators representing each of the colleges and other key units.
As I mentioned during last month’s General Faculty Meeting, we have completed the competitive funding process for the university’s Mission Enhancement Fund. We received 33 proposals from all 12 colleges and five central units, requesting a total of $14.7 million. After a thorough review, I am pleased that we have funded 25 proposals, totaling just over $6 million. These awards support programs in 11 academic colleges and five central units, with each project aligning with our strategic goals. Additionally, our Strategic Plan calls for enhancing the quality and lifespan of our campus facilities through ongoing renovation and replacement efforts, which is a separate funding process. As we prepare for this month’s Board of Trustees meeting, the members will review and
consider the approval of two significant academic facility projects: the renovation of Comer Hall and the development of a new facility for the College of Human Sciences.
We are also launching key initiatives to support our goal of providing an Exceptional Student Experience, including a comprehensive review of our Core Curriculum. For decades, Auburn’s Core Curriculum has been pivotal in contributing to our undergraduate students’ learning outcomes and their overarching academic experiences. Despite expanding course offerings in recent years, we have not conducted a holistic review of our Core Curriculum recently that reflects broad perspectives and ideas. This multi-year faculty-driven review, led by Associate Provost Chase Bringardner, will evaluate our current sequence, structure, and offerings while addressing both current and emerging educational needs. I look forward to updating you on this process as Dr. Bringardner assembles a series
of working groups in the new year.
Fall is a time to celebrate the achievements of our colleagues from the previous academic year with our annual Faculty Awards
and Endowed Faculty Recognition ceremonies. I want to extend my gratitude to everyone who nominated and supported our colleagues. My plan is to continue recognizing the contributions of our faculty throughout the year and to expand how we acknowledge faculty at all levels. In addition to individual faculty, it is crucial that we also recognize programs and units that demonstrate excellence. A recent example is our College of Nursing, which, alongside record student enrollment, saw its BS in Nursing program improve in the USNWR rankings to be among the top 8% of programs in the country. On a different note, please remember that the deadline to nominate faculty for this year’s
SEC Professor of the Year is November 15, and application submissions for the 2025-26 Professional Improvement Leave will close on November 22.
As we prepare for our fall commencement ceremonies on December 14, we are pleased to welcome Auburn alumnus Gerald Pouncey, a 1982 chemical engineering graduate and prominent environmental lawyer to deliver the commencement address during our ceremonies. We will also present an Honorary Doctor of Science to one of our university’s most distinguished alumni, Charles E. Gavin III. The honor recognizes Gavin's lifelong contributions to engineering innovation and education, entrepreneurship, societal impact and philanthropy.
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving later this month, I want to express my gratitude to you all. The dedication and hard work of Auburn’s faculty are what continue to move our institution forward, and I am especially thankful to be part of a community so committed to enhancing the lives of others. |
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