Dear UVM community,

As you know, it was announced that I have accepted a new role as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Arizona. I will have an opportunity to support the University of Arizona—with its scale of more than 53,000 students and 22 schools and colleges—in meeting its full potential. I will be joining former UVM president Suresh Garimella’s staff on May 19. I wanted to be sure to be here through Commencement so that we can celebrate our graduates, and their accomplishments, together. 

While this new opportunity is truly exciting to me—especially the chance to spend more time with my grandkids in Scottsdale, Arizona—it will be bittersweet for me to leave UVM. I have dedicated the past 30 years of my life to service to this institution, and I have made innumerable connections with colleagues and students who are dear to me. I will forever treasure my time here and all that we accomplished together. UVM will always have a special place in my heart.

Importantly, it has been an honor and privilege to lead this university as interim president these past six months and I will continue my deep commitment to our beloved institution in the coming weeks through Commencement. I know UVM will continue to thrive because of the incredible faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and students who are the heartbeat of our community. 

In the meantime, work continues in response to federal actions and their potential impact on the university. Our Operations Teams for Federal Response are responding to recent questions by helping to craft additional guidance on academic freedom and freedom of expression, and new resources such as an FAQ on immigration issues are being posted on our website. An initiative is also in motion to further promote the value of research as a public good, to help people better understand and appreciate the positive impact the university’s work has on the world. 

Please know that I value dearly the efforts of everyone on campus to keep UVM on its upward trajectory of accomplishment and success. It has been said that difficult times show us who we really are, and the collective character we have shown over the past few months should be a point of pride for all of us. 

Warmly,

Patricia Prelock 
Interim President