Advancing Our Academic Mission Together

Dear Colleagues, 

As we approach the midpoint of the semester, I hope you are finding time to celebrate the progress you have made and the connections you have fostered along the way. As always, thank you for the dedication, expertise and leadership you bring to our academic mission. 

The Office of the Provost is focused on continuing to bring us all together to advance our shared mission of academic excellence. A cornerstone of this work is the Faculty 100 Initiative, which is designed to increase the vibrancy of our intellectual community. As of Jan. 1, we have welcomed 62 exceptional faculty members, with two additional hires confirmed for future start dates—strengthening research, teaching, and mentoring across disciplines. 

We are also investing in interdisciplinary discovery through the Breaking Boundaries Initiative, including the new Breaking Boundaries Seed Grants that support collaborative research teams with strong potential for major external funding. Please note that proposals are due March 1 for this program. To help further interdisciplinary discovery, I will also be visiting departments across campus to learn firsthand about their impact and to make new connections. I will also host small faculty dinners to encourage informal conversations and foster connections across disciplines and units.  

We continue to advance the thoughtful and innovative use of AI in Education. This spring, students can explore AI through more than 100 courses that you have developed in response to rapid technological advancements and shifting societal needs. Students can also add the new Applied AI minor, which works with any undergraduate major. These opportunities are supported by expanded access to Grow with Google, which offers learning certificates for faculty, staff, and students, plus new microgrants that promote AI innovation. 

We also know that meaningful discussion and debate are essential to learning. Therefore, we have designed workshops to support faculty in managing classroom disruptions that may arise. We are also building on faculty input to develop future sessions aimed at advancing the use of the classroom to teach civil engagement skills. Our interactive Civil Classrooms workshops are designed to equip faculty with tools and strategies needed to foster productive and respectful discourse. 

This semester, Academic and Faculty Affairs teams are advancing campuswide improvements to academic and faculty systems—including SIS, Stellic, FIS, Interfolio, and the General Bulletin. These upgrades streamline processes, strengthen data quality, and deliver more intuitive tools, helping to simplify daily work and creating more time for teaching, research, and mentorship of our students and we are always open to your suggestions on ways to improve. 

We are proud to advance our commitment to mental health through the leadership of the Moll Institute and its executive director, Professor Norah Feeny. In partnership with the College of Arts and Sciences’ Psychology Clinic, the Moll Institute is expanding clinical services and enhancing graduate student training. This collaboration will increase access to mental health care for Cleveland communities and support important research. Additionally, in response to a recommendation from the Faculty Senate, Vice President Travis Apgar is convening the CWRU Taskforce on the Effects of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Student Mental Health. This strategic action group is charged with identifying and addressing the psychosocial impacts these rapidly emerging technologies have on student well-being. 

As always, we continue to provide opportunities to connect through dialogue, scholarship, and community. I hope you will save the date for these important events: 

• Feb. 19 — Creating a Civil Classroom Workshop: Preventions
• March 3 — Creating a Civil Classroom Workshop: Interventions
• March 4 — Critical Conversation: Roles of Federal Judges
• March 19 — Breaking Boundaries Forum: Science and Practice of Well-Being and Resilience 
• April 9 — Breaking Boundaries Forum: Energy and the Environment

Thank you for all you do to advance research, teaching and student success at CWRU. I look forward to seeing you on campus this spring, as we await some warmth ahead.  

With great appreciation, 

Joy K. Ward 
Provost and Executive Vice President