Dear faculty and staff,

While I love summer and all the outdoor options it offers, there is something very special about the start of the academic year. I don’t know if it is my attachment to a more fixed schedule or the promise of the impact on students, but it is part of the rhythms of my life that seem to satisfy my soul. I’m sure you are also excited to welcome our students, and to continue your good work helping them learn and grow. 
 
In addition to welcoming our students, we welcome Dr. Marlene Tromp to UVM’s presidency. If you haven’t yet seen it yet, I hope you’ll take a moment to look at this introductory message from our new president. Many of us heard Dr. Tromp’s talk at the campus-wide faculty event on August 18, where she spoke on Faculty Responsibility in an Era of Higher Education Transformation. Despite ideological divides and other challenges facing higher education, she shared a message of hope and optimism, and also of the hard work ahead to rebuild trust, better communicate the value of what we do, and reduce barriers for students.

I share her optimism. Despite many challenges, we are in a special place of opportunity (and I don’t say that tritely). We have a new president, we have a strong commitment to our Our Common Ground values, we have dedicated and talented staff, we have faculty committed to excellence in teaching and research, and we have passionate students. I know that we are a community that can be creative and nimble, and as we confront AI, the federal landscape, shifting public opinion, and the world’s grand challenges, we will need to adjust, evolve, and transform—sometimes very quickly—to thrive. We can do this.
 
We’ve had a busy summer preparing for what I know will be a productive academic year. I hope the following updates and information will be helpful to you (including the quick reminders at the end), and that you’ll engage in our efforts to strengthen our community and what we do.

Letters of Support for Employees and Students Traveling Internationally for UVM Purposes

As part of its Operations Teams work, the university has recently developed a process for providing letters to employees and students traveling internationally on UVM business. The letters articulate the purpose of the travel and will include business cards with UVM emergency contact information. This may be helpful to some UVM travelers whose circumstances would benefit from additional explanation as to the purpose of the travel. Visit the International Partnerships and Programs website for information on how to request a letter.

AI and Our Curriculum and the Code of Academic Integrity
 
The impact AI is having on our world and on our work is undeniable. We must work together to determine how we embrace, integrate, and also establish boundaries around AI. AI literacy and competency are important skills that all of our students need to have. They need to be able to use AI effectively and also understand its limitations and the ethical questions surrounding it. For most of our faculty—including me—AI is new. We need to learn its merits and pitfalls and how best to use AI to support education and research. 
 
Last week, a group of about 15 faculty and staff members participated in an AI workshop planned by Susanmarie Harrington (CAS), Gary Atwood (Libraries), Mike Austin (ETS),  Clayton Cafiero (CEMS), Stephen Everse (LCOM), Deanna Garrett-Ostermiller (Center for Student Conduct), and Ian Grimmer (PLHC). The workshop’s goals included: identification or development of an AI ethics module, a set of guiding principles for faculty—to be reviewed by the Faculty Senate—on the use of AI in the classroom, and a Brightspace “course” where faculty can add modules illustrating their use of AI and explore what other faculty members are doing in the AI space. More to come on all of this soon.
 
In addition, two faculty AI groups will be part of the university-wide AI Steering Committee led by Chief Information Officer Kellie Campbell. One, led by Susanmarie Harrington (CAS), will continue to work on faculty support for the use of AI. The second group, led by Priyantha Wijesinghe (CEMS), will consider the mechanisms by which we might embed or require AI in the curriculum.

Finally, the Code of Academic Integrity has been updated to include specific information regarding student use of artificial intelligence. Within the policy, Standard 4: Cheating has been updated to include the following: “Students may not claim as their own work any portion of academic work that was not created by the student. Work generated by artificial intelligence is not considered to be created by the student and is not permitted unless expressly stated by the instructor.” I encourage you to review the full Code of Academic Integrity online and update language in your syllabus as needed.

Building a Culture of Pedagogical Innovation
 
AI has made clear the need to strengthen and grow our culture of pedagogical innovation so we’re at the forefront of change rather than simply responding to it. Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Jane Okech will be facilitating this conversation among our faculty who have won our university’s teaching awards, and I encourage you, too, to discuss this in your departments and with your colleagues. Together, I hope that we will identify the incentives and conditions necessary to ensure we continue to thrive and foster a sustained culture of pedagogical innovation at UVM.

An Integrated Model for Student Services and Supports
 
The needs of our students are changing. Their experience of the pandemic, their developing sense of who they are in a world of more politicized, intersectional fluid identities, and the emergence of AI are some of the many factors that contribute to how our students show up, and how they expect us to show up for them.
 
In keeping with trends in higher education over the last half decade, we need to develop a more current, comprehensive, and integrated model for connecting students to services that:

• Is responsive to current students’ wants and needs and is easy to find and navigate;
• Supports student success across multiple dimensions (academic, belonging and involvement, health and well-being, career development, and more);
• Reflects the principles of inclusive design;
• Is innovative, flexible, adaptable, and responsive to change; and,
• Leverages and maximizes university resources and expertise.

This fall, I’ll be seeking your input on a “one-stop shop”—a central hub, or helpdesk, for students. This is a physical and digital approach to making it easier for students to get the academic success, involvement, health, and career readiness information and support they need. Think Apple Store combined with tailored digital support and our excellent student service providers. I’ll be visiting with the governance groups, the student services collaborative, a number of leadership groups, and a variety of student service providers to gather feedback and ideas. Deans will also be discussing this within the colleges. The goal is for a spring 2026 small pilot and full implementation in fall 2026.

Operations Teams
 
As you will recall, last year we established Operations Teams to help inform and guide the university’s decision making and any operational changes necessary as a result of federal actions. The teams met in June and August and will begin meeting regularly again (twice monthly) in September. Here is a snapshot of our progress over the summer:
 
Immigration Team—Most recently, the team has developed a letter, described earlier in this memo, that employees and students who are traveling internationally for UVM business or academic purposes may carry with them.
 
Faculty Affairs Team—This team has developed a set of RPT guideline adjustments to support faculty who may be impacted by the changing federal research landscape. The adjustments have been accepted by United Academics and will be shared in mid-September. This team is also working on a document identifying ways to better support research faculty who may be impacted by federal priority and funding changes.
 
Research Team—This summer, the research team focused on developing a “what can you do” internal Sharepoint site for faculty and staff; it will include resources and information on research resilience, communicating the value of research, and more. They are also considering ways to preserve essential research administrative support as we face contraction and are looking for opportunities to make our research processes more efficient. 
 
Our Common Ground Team—This team is working to inventory/assess Our Common Ground activity across UVM to support the development of an amplified Our Common Ground website that will include a calendar of events and more. They are also considering ways in which we can come together as a community to affirm our commitment to Our Common Ground. 
 
I’m so grateful for the work of the more than 60 faculty and staff who are members of these teams, and I especially appreciate the valuable feedback they have shared with our leadership team.

Reducing Bureaucracy
 
This fall we will be launching a project to reduce bureaucracy at UVM and make it easier to get administrative tasks done more quickly and easily so we can spend time on higher-order thinking and work. We will begin with a deep dive into each unit (administrative and academic) to identify opportunities to simplify processes, digitize, and improve efficiency.
 
You will see small changes initially—increased use of InfoReady for workflow processes (OVPR and the Graduate College have led the way on this) and small changes in policy, but as we move through the year and plan more substantial projects, it will be clear that we are serious about transforming the way we do business. You will hear about this more formally in several weeks.

Presidential Lecture Series
 
This year’s Presidential Lecture Series is particularly timely, and explores the future of higher education. On October 15, Michael Sandel, professor of government at Harvard University and author of The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good will reflect on the proper role of universities in promoting social mobility and the common good. On November 5, Brian Rosenberg, former president of Macalester College, visiting professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and author of the much discussed Whatever It Is, I’m Against It: Resistance to Change in Higher Education, will reflect on how higher education can regain public trust. UVM’s own Brit Williams and Jason Garvey will offer insights from their research on challenges facing universities.

Quick Reminders and Thanks

• Save the date for Dr. Tromp’s installation ceremony the afternoon of September 30, 2025.
• Mark your calendars for Staff Appreciation Week, October 1–9. Each year the university recognizes and thanks our incredible staff members for all of their contributions to our campus and our community. You can look forward to learning more about this year’s events and workshops in future editions of Inside UVM. I hope to see you all at the annual Social on the Green on October 9 from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
• I want to extend my thanks to all of you who were members of the Move-in Crew on August 20 and 21. UVM Move-in is a well-oiled machine thanks to the expertise of our Orientation and Housing and Dining Services teams, as well as the many faculty and staff who volunteer their time (and muscles!) to help make our students’ arrival on campus a positive experience. Your kindness and support is much appreciated.
• Thanks also to those of you who facilitated First-year Read book discussions with our new students.
• Waterman Manor opened on August 25, and will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Manor offers a delicious, seasonally driven menu featuring local Vermont products. It’s an excellent spot for lunch with colleagues and candidates. If we want to keep the Manor open, we have to use it, so please make the Manor your go-to lunch spot. On a related note, congratulations to UVM Dining Services for winning the 2025 Grand Prize for Sustainability by the National Association of College and University Food Services.
• If you know of community members who are seeking off-campus housing, check out UVM's new housing, Catamount Run and University Commons on Market Street in South Burlington. This project includes high-speed internet, heat/hot water, dishwashers, air conditioning, fitness centers, on-site laundry, parking, and 24/7 management, and has varied apartment configurations and lease incentives. This ideal location is within walking distance to several restaurants, stores, and UVM, and a public bus stop is on site. Check out the websites, visit the Open House on Sunday, September 24 from 1–4 p.m., or schedule a private tour!
• Show your Catamount pride by wearing green and gold on Fridays! This is a fun and simple way to build community and school spirit among our faculty, staff, and students. If Rally spots you in your UVM gear, you might just win a prize or a slice of pizza!
• Please review carefully the Inside UVM newsletter that is delivered to your e-mail inbox every Tuesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters (and Tuesdays in the summer). It is full of important and timely information you need to know, as well as updates on events and remarkable achievements of our community members.
• The beginning of the semester is a busy time. Make sure to take care of yourself and connect with Employee Wellness to learn about programs and resources available to support you.

Once again—welcome to the 2025–2026 academic year! May the rhythms of the academic year spark joy, fuel discovery, and bring you deep satisfaction as you impact our students, and the world, for the better. 

With best wishes,
Linda