Provost’s Corner: January 2017

Dear faculty and staff,

Welcome to the spring semester! We hope that 2017 marks a productive year of teaching, research and service for you.

We’re almost six years into “The Pathway to the Future: NC State’s 2011-2020 Strategic Plan,” and currently in the second implementation phase. This year, we’re starting to look at the creation of the final three-year implementation plan, deciding what high-impact practices will help propel our university the farthest.

We do this all in the face of uncertain times and certain financial and cultural challenges ahead. Because of your hard work and dedication to academia and our students, we will most certainly come out stronger. After all, our vision drives the creation of solutions to society’s grand challenges, as well as our own.

What makes NC State great is our ability to proactively face these challenges and remain focused on our core mission – high-quality higher education — regardless of the circumstances. We’ve reached some of our greatest accomplishments in the face of challenging budgetary years by strategically applying resources.

In the coming year, we’ll be challenged to meet enrollment targets in the face of international graduate applications trending downward nationwide. We’re also, in part, a victim of our own success due to the fact that we’re graduating students in shorter amounts of time at all levels. We’ll work together to address enrollment trends on campus, and strengthen our ability to make progress in key strategic areas.

We will also need to continue to build upon our work to improve the cultural and social climate on campus, in order to ensure that every single member of the NC State community feels safe, welcomed and valued. When one of us feels threatened and unsettled, this impacts us all.

I am honored to be part of such an excellent community of scholars and leaders. I have full faith that our work, our progress on our strategic plan, and our sense of community will make us an example of what is right in higher education and society.

Here’s to the new year, and to meeting challenges head-on with leadership, knowledge and compassion.

To keep up with all academic and faculty/staff-related developments, follow @NCStateProvost on Twitter.

Until next time,

Warwick Arden
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost