Photo by Daryl Marshke, Michigan Photography

September on campus brings many types of welcome, from the sprawling tents of Festifall to the percussive energy of New Student Convocation. This year, the usual buzz is accompanied by the throwing open of doors of remarkable new spaces like the College of Pharmacy, Wolverine Village, and the Hadley Family Recreation & Well-Being Center. These new landmarks sit beside a bevy of resources, programs, and initiatives designed to create a feeling of welcome that will last long after the leaves begin to turn this year. In essence, our campus buildings, our wellness resources, and our orientations are all different versions of the same pledge: while you are at Michigan, we will do everything in our power to help you achieve your goals and become a part of this vibrant community.

For our students, that promise translates to a holistic framework built around the realities of modern life on campus. University Health and Counseling continues to expand its reach, reflecting both a growing need, and a growing willingness, to seek support. Two nascent annual traditions — the second U-M Climate Week starting Sept. 26, and the Michigan Arts Festival, running throughout October — offer students and the Ann Arbor community a full schedule to explore creative expression and our shared responsibility to future generations.

I recently conveyed to our incoming faculty, and it bears repeating here, that Michigan will continue to be a place where faculty are the captains of their own teaching and scholarship. We will continue to defend academic freedom, and we will support and defend faculty who face threats and harassment.

We will also welcome new and returning faculty with resources to help them in the classroom and online. The Center for Research on Learning & Teaching remains a national leader in navigating classroom dynamics and professional development and has resources, workshops, and symposia germane to every manner of academic scenario.

The Center for Academic Innovation is a tremendous resource for navigating the challenges and opportunities of online teaching and generative artificial intelligence in an academic environment.

And I encourage every faculty and staff member to explore the full range of wellness resources available at U-M, from the Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office FASCCO to the health and well-being programs and services under the MHealthy banner.

We have opened a number of doors in recent weeks, and I’m excited to see where they lead this academic year.

Regards,

Laurie