To the Faculty, Staff and Postdocs of Case Western Reserve University:
Welcome to a new academic year!
As I reflect on my time in the provost role, I am reminded of the immense responsibility we all share in shaping the future of our university. Over the past year, I recognized the need to realign our structures and strategies to better support President Kaler’s priorities and our extraordinary faculty, staff, postdocs and students. Over the summer, we re-envisioned the Office of the Provost, introducing several new leaders who are working tirelessly to improve our innovation, efficiency, and outreach across the campus.
My team and I have also outlined five strategic pillars to successfully implement the president’s priorities. These pillars will serve as a guide to help us enhance the intellectual vibrancy of our campus, deliver an exceptional education for our students, recruit and retain top-tier faculty, foster inclusion and civil discourse, and become a model of customer service. We will continue to build an environment where the exchange of ideas flourishes, new knowledge is generated, and we produce graduates who are not only knowledgeable, but also prepared to lead in an increasingly complex world.
The initiatives of the Office of the Provost fall squarely under these pillars. Let me highlight a few of them:
- Faculty 100: At the request of President Kaler, we are undertaking a bold initiative to hire 100 net new tenure and tenure-track faculty by 2028, representing a 15% increase beyond retirements and replacements (relative to 2023 at the onset of the initiative). This effort is not just about growth in numbers—but is about fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across our university. The plan for these new hires resulted from a ground-up process, guided by a collaborative effort across the deans, chairs, and faculty. By focusing on strategic synergies—like AI and Ethics, Cancer Prevention and Cures, Sustainable Manufacturing, Mental Health, and more—we are bringing together faculty from diverse disciplines to break down traditional academic silos and address complex problems from multiple perspectives. With 34 new faculty members already on board, we are well on our way to realizing this ambitious goal.
- Enhancing Civility & Connection: As we enter a potentially tenuous year, it remains crucial to foster a learning environment where all members of our community can express their views openly and engage in meaningful debate, while respecting diverse perspectives and differences of opinion. Last spring, our Civil Discourse Advisory Group identified 10 key skills necessary for prioritizing civility. These skills have provided a framework for programming across our campus. Whether it is listening to experts discuss the challenging issues of our time in the Critical Conversations panel series, or practicing civil discourse skills in an informal setting as part of our Hard Conversations, where faculty model civil discourse in a coffee-shop setting, I encourage you to take advantage of the excellent programming and opportunities offered throughout our campus.
- Artificial Intelligence: We remain dedicated to leveraging technology for the betterment of humankind. Last year, an AI in Education Task Force began exploring AI integration in our educational processes, leading to the development of a five-year roadmap. This plan focuses on improving AI literacy, offering trainings for course development, and expanding degree programs. This year, the Task Force will continue AI training and test new programs to improve learning and prepare for an AI-driven future for our students. In addition, our new partnership with Microsoft will further advance AI technology across the university's curriculum, research, and administration.
Please also know that we are working to implement new interdisciplinary initiatives to enhance the intellectual and collaborative engagement across campus, to grow our hands-on courses for students, as well as enhancing and upscaling faculty advancement and postdoctoral support programs. Stay tuned for more information on those initiatives in the coming weeks!
For more information and to stay engaged with our ongoing efforts, I encourage you to visit case.edu/provost. Your dedication and collaboration are vital and appreciated as we work together to grow connections across our campus community throughout this next academic year.
Sincerely,
Joy K. Ward
Provost and Executive Vice President