April 2020 Provost’s Corner

Dear faculty and staff,

The unprecedented events of the past month have demonstrated the remarkable Think and Do spirit of the entire NC State community. In the midst of an ever-changing situation, your resolve to serve our students and each other remains firm.

I cannot thank all faculty and staff enough for your hard work in moving classes online and continuing to serve our students. In just two weeks, 98 percent of NC State’s more than 4,500 face-to-face classes moved online. That’s an enormous undertaking that we can all be proud of.

In order to better serve faculty, the Provost’s Office, NC State DELTA and the Office of Faculty Development maintain a variety of resources for online instruction. Just as you are there for your students, we all want to be here for you in this busy time.

With these recent moves, I anticipate an increased interest in online instruction. Ten percent of credit hours to date have been available online, and the proportion of classes offered online could increase long term. Regardless of our class structure moving forward, I know that we will be able to continue to provide students with a world-class education.

We’re also in the midst of moving forward with our strategic plan process. Our nine task forces continue to meet virtually. I strongly encourage the university community to participate in these meetings via Zoom, and to provide feedback through the individual task force websites. Your input will help create a plan to move the university forward and better serve faculty, staff and students.

Even though the pattern of our lives has greatly shifted, we’re still hard at work making a difference in the community. Our colleges, units and employees from across the university are helping out in a time of great need. This includes the Wilson College of Textiles and Nonwovens Institute, who have stepped up to use their resources to develop personal protective equipment for those on the front lines of keeping us all safe.

Again, thank you for your commitment to NC State’s mission and vision in light of the changes brought by COVID-19. This is certainly a challenge, but we’ve faced many challenges over the years and emerged from them a better, stronger university.

When we all return to campus, things will certainly be different, but we’ll be a better, more innovative institution for all that has happened. Please stay safe, and I look forward to seeing you all again.

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

Until next time,
Warwick Arden
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost