Dear Colleagues,
As June draws to a close, we find ourselves at the midpoint of the semester—a clear sign of how quickly the summer is flying by. Despite the record temperatures in recent weeks, our campus remains active and full of energy. From Camp War Eagle and youth programs to academic courses and ongoing construction projects, there’s no shortage of momentum. While more definitive data is expected next week, early reports indicate that nearly 13,000 students are participating in summer classes, internships, co-ops, and study abroad experiences, putting us on track for a record-breaking summer enrollment.
In parallel with our campus activities, the Board of Trustees held their annual summer meeting earlier this month, where they reviewed several academic updates. Among them were renaming programs and options in Biomedical Sciences, Special Education, Applied Mathematics, and Geospatial Information Science. These changes better reflect each program’s focus, align with peer institutions, and provide greater clarity for our students and other stakeholders. The Board also approved the demolition of Spidle Hall, which is scheduled for this fall. Faculty and staff in the College of Human Sciences have already relocated to Haley Center, where they will remain for the next two years. They are joined by colleagues from the College of Agriculture, who are also temporarily housed in Haley during the renovation of Comer Hall.
Looking ahead to the fall semester, we are preparing for a leadership transition and other important events—beginning with a change in the Graduate School. After more than 17 years as dean of the Graduate School, Dr. George Flowers will step down from this role on October 1 to become chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Throughout his tenure, Dr. Flowers has made meaningful contributions to graduate education at Auburn, and I thank him for his dedicated and impactful service. Information regarding the leadership of the Graduate School is forthcoming.
Additionally, several units—including the Office of Accessibility, the Biggio Center, and the Office of Audit, Compliance & Privacy—are actively preparing for the April 2026 compliance deadline under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Final Rule on Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. As you may know, these efforts aim to ensure our instructional digital content meets the new federal accessibility standards. While initiatives such as auto-captioning videos and embedding accessibility tools in Canvas are underway, a key priority is understanding how these requirements apply to all course materials, regardless of format or source. More information and support will be shared in the coming weeks, and additional updates will be posted on the Office of Accessibility website.
Earlier this month, we opened nominations for Auburn’s annual Faculty Awards, with submissions accepted through September 19th. Several awards feature updated criteria this year, and I encourage you to nominate colleagues whose work reflects excellence across our academic mission. My office also worked with units across campus to develop and launch a peer-centric institutional report last month to highlight areas of Auburn’s impact—led by our faculty and students—across Alabama, the nation, and beyond. Shared with colleagues and academic leaders at peer and aspirant institutions, this document showcases Auburn’s strengths in teaching and learning, research and creative scholarship, service, and athletics. This report will also serve as a baseline for monitoring and reporting annual updates related to our AU Strategic Plan 2035: Grounded & Groundbreaking.
I’m pleased to recognize recent faculty honors that reflect Auburn’s continued impact and academic excellence. Dean Ed Thomas recently received the Star Dust Award from the International Dusty Plasma Community for three decades of pioneering research and leadership. Also, Dr. Richard Burt, head of the McWhorter School of Building Science, was recently elected to the National Academy of Construction—one of just 37 new members this year—in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the construction industry. Additionally, we recently learned that Dr. Krystyna Kuperberg, professor emerita in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, was elected as a Foreign Member of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences. Please join me in congratulating our colleagues.
We are currently preparing to celebrate our graduates during summer commencement on August 9th. I’m delighted to share that Dr. Neil Lamb, president of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and a 1992 COSAM alumnus, will deliver the commencement address. A nationally recognized leader in genomics and science education, Dr. Lamb embodies the spirit of innovation and perseverance we strive to instill in our graduates.
As we savor the remaining weeks of summer and look forward to the Fourth of July holiday, I express my heartfelt appreciation to each of you for your continued dedication to our students and to our shared mission. Thank you for all you do. |
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