In line with the President’s strategic action plan, the Provost’s academic excellence goals, and the CAS strategic action plan, we must continue to promote and celebrate the culture of academic excellence in our College and work to grow and sustain this excellence. The landscape of higher education is evolving and we must redouble our efforts to attract, retain and engage the very best undergraduate and graduate students.

It is my belief that we will attract, retain and engage the very best only by focusing on our core value of scholar-teacher-mentor. Only then can we properly consider things such as new collaborative and interdisciplinary scholarship opportunities, new or reimagined majors, minors, graduate programs and certificates, and a more coherent and integrated first year experience.

I have asked the chairs and directors to work with their faculty to consider our many clusters of scholarly excellence and leverage those clusters into new or reimagined majors, minors, graduate programs or certificates that not only reinforce our scholar-teacher mission but also further distinguish the College as an outstanding academic community that is attractive to the most talented undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty.

The CAS Academic Initiatives blog is where we will share ideas and new initiatives.  Some are fully formed and are making their way through the academic approval process.  Others are in the initial planning stages.  All of these ideas and initiatives are faculty led.  If you have an idea or initiative to post, please contact me (william.falls@uvm.edu).

– Bill

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