To the Faculty, Staff and Postdocs of Case Western Reserve University:
Over the past several weeks, it has been wonderful to welcome students back into our community, as they add so much life and energy to our campus. I enjoyed meeting many of our new students during move-in day and Discover Week. I encourage you to get to know the class of 2027 through sports events, student performances and by supporting them in the classroom and beyond.
These last few weeks have reminded me of what it means to be a member of a dedicated campus community, and this means engaging in all our university has to offer. This may include attending a lecture or concert at the Maltz Performing Arts Center, cheering on the Spartans at an athletic event, and making the most of the rich history and vibrant culture in University Circle. If you’re looking for some additional inspiration, please join me at one of these upcoming events!
I’ve also been struck by all that we have accomplished:
- We have instituted new unified general education requirements that are common to all undergraduate students;
- We have improved our undergraduate student advising structures to include four-year advisors and pre-major advisors (students met with both advisors during orientation); and
- We have co-located many of our key student-facing offices in the Sears Building, with more supports to come.
The changes we have made to create a “front door” to the Division of Student Affairs have simplified our structures and elevated our student experience. I am very proud of all of these outcomes that were made possible through true teamwork. Pre-major advisors prepared for their roles in August with training sessions that were well-received, and viewed as both informative and well structured. We simply could not have done this without the collaboration, leadership and flat-out ingenuity of our remarkable faculty and staff.
Our employees at all levels came together to make these changes happen. Your commitment to our students is remarkable and will shape the next generation of leaders and innovators that will help solve some of the largest challenges in our world.
I am incredibly grateful to all of you.
Sincerely,
Joy K. Ward
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President