Doctor Nathan's Monthly Faculty Letter October 31, 2025
October 31, 2025
Dear Colleagues,
As we reach the end of October, it’s remarkable how quickly the fall has passed. Many thanks to all of you who attended the recent Senate and General Faculty meetings earlier this month. Both offered valuable opportunities to share updates and engage in thoughtful discussion on topics that continue to shape our academic work.
One of the themes in those meetings was the ongoing need for clarity regarding the implementation of Alabama Act 2024-34 (SB 129) and its implications for our academic courses. To ensure our compliance with SB 129, I recently requested that our deans lead a faculty-driven process for reviewing and affirming the fall 2025 courses offered in the colleges.
In response to the thoughtful questions and feedback many of you have shared, my office has drafted Additional Supplemental Guidance and Suggestions designed to assist you in reviewing syllabi, course descriptions, and instructional materials. As the deans work with faculty to support our ongoing compliance efforts, I hope this additional guidance will be useful. To further support faculty who may have specific questions about their course content and SB 129, the Office of the General Counsel has offered to host a series of open sessions—similar to those held last year—to continue the dialogue, provide additional guidance, and address specific concerns. You can register for one of the Consultative Sessions and Faculty Guidance on SB 129 here.
I am deeply grateful for your professionalism and thoughtful engagement as we navigate these requirements together. Through your ongoing commitment to excellence, integrity, and intellectual curiosity, we continue to strengthen the values that define Auburn and advance our shared mission.
As many of you know, Dr. Norman Godwin has announced his decision to step away as Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs after two years in the role and nearly six years of service in the Provost’s Office. Dr. Godwin has been an exceptional colleague and a trusted resource to our academic community, providing steady leadership on numerous university initiatives, including the ongoing Faculty Compensation Analysis. Dr. Angela Wiley will move from her current role as Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness to lead Faculty Affairs beginning in January. I will oversee the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (IE) on an interim basis while my office launches a national search for the next Associate Provost for IE, supported by the search firm, Isaacson, Miller. Additional details about this search will be shared in the coming months.
On a separate note, last week, the Steering Committee for the Core Curriculum Review announced a series of campuswide Core Curriculum Listening Sessions. These hour-long feedback sessions provide a valuable opportunity for faculty and students to reflect and opine on the Core’s purpose, its connection to our academic programs, and its alignment with our general education outcomes. Faculty sessions are open through November 21, and your participation and feedback are vital as we collaborate to shape the future of Auburn’s Core.
One of the advantages of the Core review is the opportunity to showcase the academic excellence, mentorship, and dedication of our faculty—qualities that elevate Auburn’s reputation across disciplines. Recent examples include the School of Accountancy, ranked #21 nationally among 204 institutions for CPA candidates—its highest standing to date—and the Department of Music, which was recently recognized by Billboard magazine as one of the Top Music Business Schools for the second consecutive year, reflecting the rapid growth and impact of its Commercial Music program.
As Thanksgiving approaches, I express my sincere gratitude for all that you do in support of our mission. It is a privilege to work alongside such a dedicated and talented group of faculty whose teaching, research, scholarship, and service reflect Auburn’s core values each day.
