Dear Colleagues,

On June 19, 1865, over two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on New Years’ Day 1863, the Union army liberated the last community of enslaved Americans in Galveston, Texas.  All people held as slaves in the United States were finally free. Juneteenth was established as a holiday to commemorate this momentous event, and the State of Connecticut recognized this holiday for the first time in June 2023.

While UConn will remain open this coming Juneteenth, and classes can be held as scheduled, we encourage faculty, wherever possible, to exercise flexibility for students who wish to observe the holiday. Consider providing a recording of your lecture, distributing materials for an asynchronous class session, or holding extra office hours in the following week. If you are planning an assessment (i.e., quiz, exam, in-class assignment) to be due that day, consider an extension for those students who are absent.

It is important to note that graduate assistants who are teaching assistants (including IORs) who are assigned to teach on Juneteenth should be working unless they have been told otherwise by their supervisors. If a graduate assistant is assigned to teach on Juneteenth, they should have the option to arrange another day off with their supervisor.

We recognize that certain critical University operations and departments serving our community such as facilities operations, residential life, and ITS will remain open to meet student and instructor needs. We encourage University departments able to do so to close on Juneteenth.

Your attention to these observances and accommodations is an important part of supporting UConn’s commitment to building and maintaining a welcoming and inclusive learning and work environment.

Sincerely,

Anne D’Alleva
Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Jeffrey Hines
Interim Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer

Lakeesha Brown
Interim Chief Human Resources Officer

 

Dear colleagues,

I am pleased to share that I will be holding in-person office hours with my leadership team for all faculty and staff to provide an opportunity for us to connect, discuss any concerns or ideas you may have, and foster open dialogue within our community. Your unique perspectives play an important role in shaping the future of our institution, and I value spending time together to discuss our path forward.

Office hours will be held at each of our multiple campuses as detailed below. Please drop in as you have time.

Waterbury Campus
February 29, 2024

2:30-4:30pm
Student Services Suite 230E

 

UConn Health

March 11, 2024

2:00-4:00pm

Room AM 046B

 

Stamford Campus
March 28, 2024

2:00-4:00pm
Room 105

 

Avery Point Campus
April 16, 2024

2:00-4:00pm
West Room, Branford House 1st Floor

 

Storrs Campus

April 18, 2024

1:30-3:30pm

Student Union Room 324

Law School
April 22, 2024

3:00-5:00pm

Uconn Law School, Room Starr 228

 

Hartford Campus
April 24, 2024

9:00-11:00am

Room HTB 209

 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact provost@uconn.edu.

 

Thank you for your dedication and commitment to our university. I look forward to our conversations and the opportunity to work together towards our shared goals.

 

All best,

Anne

 

 

Anne D’Alleva, PhD

Provost and Executive Vice President

University of Connecticut

Office of the Provost

352 Mansfield Road, U-1086

Storrs CT 06269-1086

Tel. 860-486-4037

 

UConn is a great university.

But it’s more than that. A top-ranked Land Grant research institution, with campuses and staff across Connecticut,  built to inspire the global community that is UConn Nation. UConn’s talented students exceed expectations. Our expert researchers, faculty, and alumni drive Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CIE) for a better tomorrow. We fuel the State’s economy and are committed to inclusion with emotional intelligence in benefiting the greater good. This is UConn.

 

STUDENTS FIRST. UCONN ALWAYS. HUSKIES FOREVER.

 

Dear Colleagues, 

As the start of the new semester comes closer, I wanted to reach out to you all with some timely reminders. These relate to existing Senate or Graduate Faculty Council Bylaws, Rules, and Regulations, academic policies, or other relevant procedures and guidelines. If you will be instructing a course in the coming semester, please be sure to read these reminders carefully.  

Some new policies, procedures, and guidelines have been implemented within the last year, including a new requirement in spring 2024 to provide the last date of academic engagement for students with non-passing grades. Further information can be found at the links provided.  

Reminders for course instructors in spring 2024: 

• Consistent with our course approval processes and to support consistency across course sections syllabi should include:
• Approved course-level learning objectives, which should be shared across all sections of the same course. 
• The course description should quote verbatim the description noted in the undergraduate or graduate catalog. 
• Instructors are expected to include a link to the Academic, Scholarly, and Professional Integrity and Misconduct Policy (Effective as of July 2023) as part of course syllabi or any other academic/scholarly activity and include any additional unit-specific expectations. 
• Note: Refer to the Creating your Syllabus page for additional syllabi information.  
• All courses must be delivered in the modalities as listed in the course schedule. Instructors are not permitted to change the modality in which a course is delivered. If there is a need to change the modality temporarily due to unanticipated circumstances, the course instructor must obtain prior approval from the Department Head and Dean. 
• Per the Bylaws, Rules, and Regulations of the University Senate (E.6, Mid-Semester and Semester Reports), instructors of 1000 and 2000-level courses must submit midterm grades for all students during the mid-semester grading period which spans the sixth through eighth week of the semester. Instructors of all other courses are encouraged to do the same.  Timely submission of midterm grades is an integral part of our student success initiatives, enabling advisors to identify and support students who may need intervention to achieve satisfactory academic progress.
• Effective as of Spring 2024, when submitting final grades for students with non-passing grades, instructors will be required to submit the date of last academic engagement. The collection of this information supports institutional compliance with federal financial aid regulations. Failure to provide this information may result in negative financial consequences for students. Please remember that you can take attendance in classes where feasible. 
• At any time in the semester, students who are not engaging in classes may be in need of support from the Dean of Students Office (Storrs) or Regional Student Services Office (regional campuses). Reach out to dos@uconn.edu or the appropriate regional campus Student Services staff with the name of the student and a brief description of the concern. Staff in those offices will attempt to engage the student in an effort to help get them connected with the appropriate resources.
• Faculty are expected to make themselves available to students for additional instructional support. The common approach is to hold regularly scheduled office hours. When you identify office hours, ideally these will maximize the likelihood that students can attend them by providing multiple options that include different days and different times of the day. 

To support your role as an instructor, I strongly encourage all faculty to make use of resources provided by the Center of Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL). This includes ongoing workshops, ranging from the basics of syllabus and course design through to specialist pedagogical approaches to teaching. A list of current workshops can be found here.  

CETL also provide a range of web-based resources, including tips for grading without utilizing attendance, which may support the documentation of academic engagement. Faculty Development staff in CETL also provide individual teaching enhancement consultations. New and emerging issues in teaching and learning, such as the impact of ChatGPT are also addressed by CETL.  

I wish you all the best for a productive and enjoyable semester with your students. 

Best wishes,  

Gladis Kersaint, PhD 

Vice Provost for Academic Affairs 

 

To the University Community:

As we approach the end of the semester, we are writing to provide you with an update on the progress of our strategic planning efforts. In early November, we hosted three virtual public forums to share the initiatives and areas of focus that had emerged through the last few months. The feedback and insights gathered from university wide surveys, previous forums, and individual meetings with groups of faculty, staff and students has been invaluable and was critical in shaping the direction of our shared goals and initiatives. The steering committee and working groups, led by their co-chairs, worked tirelessly to build a plan that reflects the vision of our community and speaks to who we are and who we want to be as a 21^st century land-grant public research institution.

Throughout this process, we have had touchpoints and meaningful conversations with over 10,000 members of UConn Nation. This is above and beyond the typical input for a university-wide strategic plan. We are immensely proud of the commitment our faculty, staff, students and alumni have to this university and want to express sincere gratitude for the time, energy and effort that each of you have contributed.

We are in the final stages of drafting the plan and it is being shared with university leadership. The draft will be presented to the Board of Trustees in this month for their consideration and input. We will continue to share updates with you as we near the end of this stage of our process.

This does not mean we are finished. In the spring, we will launch into academic planning and developing operational plans to put our plan into action. Strategic planning is a continuous process, and we will need to rely on our people to help us move forward to implement our collective vision for the future of UConn. There will be more to share soon, so we encourage you to visit our strategic planning page for updates as they’re available.

Sincerely,

Anne & Pamir

 

Anne D’Alleva

Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Pamir Alpay

Vice President for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Our Dearest Huskies:

The last eight weeks have been very hard for all of us. Earlier today, President Maric shared a message with the community in regard to the conflict in the Middle East. The violence in Israel and Gaza continues to have a devastating impact on members of the Jewish, Muslim, and Palestinian communities, as well as others, including disturbing acts of violence that have occurred on other campuses and in communities throughout the country.  We are mindful, understanding, and supportive of how this situation has affected many of you, your families, and friends.  Over these past eight weeks, we have been having conversations with our Jewish, Muslim, and Palestinian students. These conversations have been difficult but also helpful, and we are proud of the efforts that UConn students have made to support each other and maintain dialogue at such a difficult time.

A common theme emerging from these discussions has been that some students do not feel safe on our campuses. We want to remind you that UConn is committed to ensuring the safety of our students, our faculty and staff, and any other visitors to our campuses. It is important to us that you proudly wear your hijabs, star of David, or any other aspect of your cultural, faith, and religious identity.

We condemn Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of discrimination. These racist and discriminatory acts are against our student code of conduct and do not have a place at UConn. You have the right to report these acts of discrimination without threat or retaliation. Please use Bias Reporting | Dean of Students Office (uconn.edu).

We recognize that each of you may be experiencing this conflict in your own way. In these challenging times, we must show empathy and compassion for one another and find ways to thrive together.  As you are supporting others, please do ensure that you are getting the care and support you need.  Be mindful of your limits, engage in activities that help to ground you, and seek out opportunities to enhance your understanding of this crisis.

To this end, we want to remind you of the resources available to you:

 

• Dean of Students
• Cultural Centers and Cultural Programs
• Student Health and Wellness (SHaW)
• UConn Recreation Center
• UConn Faith
• University Safety

 

We are here to support all of our UConn students throughout your educational experience and especially in times of crisis. Please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us if you feel you need resources that are not identified here, or with any thoughts, concerns, or suggestions.

Anne D’Alleva, Ph.D.

Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

 

Fany DeJesus Hannon, Ed.D.

Interim Dean of Students

 

Frank Tuitt, Ed.D.

Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer

Dear Colleagues,

As a follow up to our email earlier this week, we are writing with a reminder and some details on the undergraduate survey administration process for next week. Undergraduate students have been emailed a link to the survey which requires NetID sign-in, meaning they can only take the survey once, and it will be tied to their account.

To ensure the broadest possible participation and to make it as convenient as possible for our students at all campuses to provide their feedback, we are asking all faculty and instructors of record to set aside five minutes of class time in all undergraduate classes from September 18th to September 20th to allow students the opportunity to respond to the survey.

Students will be able to respond to the survey using the link distributed to them by email. Whenever possible, instructors should also display the attached QR code for students to scan from their phones to respond. Students may receive multiple opportunities to fill out this survey, but are only able to submit a response once.

We understand that your teaching time is precious, and we greatly appreciate your willingness to support this initiative. Your encouragement and facilitation of this survey process will make a significant difference in the data we gather and, ultimately, in the steps we take to improve our university.

If you have any questions o

r need additional information about the survey administration process, please do not hesitate to contact president@uconn.edu.

Thank you for your dedication to our students and for your support in encouraging them to use their voices to shape the future of UConn.

Sincerely,
Radenka & Anne

Radenka Maric
President

Anne D’Alleva
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dear Colleagues,

We are writing to ask for your help in supporting an important initiative aimed at enhancing the undergraduate student experience at UConn.

Please allow 5 minutes of class time next week for undergraduates to complete a survey!

As part of our commitment to continuously improve the student experience, President Maric will be administering a brief survey to all undergraduate students. This survey aims to gather valuable insights into their experiences, key priorities, and concerns while studying at UConn.

To ensure the broadest possible participation and to make it as convenient as possible for our students at all campuses to provide their feedback, we are asking all faculty and instructors of record to set aside 5 minutes of class time in all undergraduate classes from September 18th to September 20th to allow students the opportunity to respond to the survey.

The survey consists of 7 questions and should take no more than 5 minutes for students to complete. Your support in encouraging your students to participate in this survey will be instrumental in ensuring that we receive a representative and comprehensive range of perspectives. The feedback collected will be invaluable for our university leadership as we work to enhance the undergraduate experience at UConn.

We understand that your teaching time is precious, and we greatly appreciate your willingness to support this initiative. Your encouragement and facilitation of this survey process will make a significant difference in the data we gather and, ultimately, in the steps we take to improve our university.

If you have any questions or need additional information about the survey administration process, please do not hesitate to contact president@uconn.edu.

Thank you for your dedication to our students and for your support in encouraging them to use their voices to shape the future of UConn.

 

Sincerely,
Radenka & Anne

Radenka Maric
President

Anne D’Alleva
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dear Faculty, Staff and Graduate Students,

With mixed emotions, I write to inform you that Kent Holsinger, our esteemed Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School, will be stepping down from his position at the end of this academic year. Kent’s departure marks the end of a remarkable 12-year tenure in this position.

Kent has been an integral part of our university community for over 38 years, and his contributions to graduate education and unwavering commitment to supporting students have left an indelible mark on our institution. Throughout his time as Vice Provost and Dean Kent has displayed exceptional leadership, fostering an environment of academic excellence and inclusivity.

Under Kent’s guidance, our graduate programs have flourished, reflecting his passion for advancing the academic and professional pursuits of our graduate students. His tireless efforts have resulted in innovative programs that empower our students to thrive in their chosen fields. Kent has played an important role in the development of entrepreneurial graduate programs and has spearheaded efforts to bring new graduate programs like Data Science to UConn.

One of Kent’s defining characteristics is his genuine dedication to supporting students. He has worked tirelessly to create resources and initiatives that enhance the graduate student experience, ensuring that they have access to the tools and opportunities needed for success. Many students have benefited from his mentorship, guidance, and advocacy, and his impact will be felt for years to come.

We will be organizing a special event to celebrate Kent’s accomplishments and contributions at the end of the year. In the coming weeks I will share plans for forming a committee to conduct an internal search for Kent’s successor.

Please join me in expressing our deepest gratitude to Kent for his remarkable service as Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School.

Sincerely,
Anne 

Anne D’Alleva, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President
University of Connecticut
Office of the Provost
352 Mansfield Road, U-1086
Storrs CT 06269-1086
Tel. 860-486-4037

UConn is a great university.

But it’s more than that. A top-ranked research institution, with campuses and staff across Connecticut,  built to inspire the global community that is UConn Nation. UConn’s talented students exceed expectations. Our expert researchers, faculty, and alumni drive Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CIE) for a better tomorrow. We fuel the State’s economy and are committed to inclusion in benefiting the greater good. This is UConn.

STUDENTS FIRST, UCONN ALWAYS. HUSKIES FOREVER.