Message From the Provost: October 2021
Off to an Exciting Start
What an amazing first month it has been!
I arrived at Stevens about a month-and-a-half ago and it’s been a whirlwind. So many wonderful things are happening on campus, and it’s been a privilege and pleasure to jump right in and be part of it all. I have been getting to know new people, a new university and a new hometown – Hoboken.
Since my arrival, I have had the opportunity to help welcome our students, faculty and staff back to campus after a difficult period. I am impressed with the dedication you showed to enabling Stevens to continue fulfilling its mission during the pandemic and I am proud to be working alongside so many talented and dedicated colleagues and committed students.
In September, I was delighted to participate in Convocation and other events for our incoming students as we welcomed a record-breaking class for undergraduate and graduate students. Thanks to an influx of talented and accomplished students, our enrollment numbers have reached record levels, surpassing 4,000 undergraduates, 4,000 graduate students and 8,000 total students on campus, all for the first time. I pledge to work with our faculty and staff to provide world-class instruction and support to all our students.
Strengthening Our Faculty
We also welcomed 27 new faculty members to campus (including me!). Stevens’ commitment to building and supporting a world-class faculty is fundamental to its mission and I am excited that so many gifted and promising teachers and researchers have chosen to join us.
In addition, we had the opportunity to join together at the Illumination Ceremony to celebrate Stevens’ future at the unveiling of the sign atop the new University Center complex. This sign is a landmark in both the physical sense and in terms of Stevens’ recognition as a premier student-centric research institution.
Speaking of research, I’m pleased to report that Stevens has set a new high-water mark for research funding. In fiscal year 2021, awards to Stevens totaled $50.6 million, surpassing the previous year's mark by more than $4 million. This continues a long upward trend and I look forward to working with our faculty and administration to help continue this trajectory.
Strategic Vision
Significantly, we took important steps toward securing Stevens’ future with the launch of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee. I am honored to chair this committee, which will bring together voices from across the university community to articulate a vision for Stevens and a plan to help the university thrive in a fast-changing higher education landscape. The new strategic plan will be finalized and prepared for endorsement by the Board of Trustees by June 30, 2022.
Most importantly, I have been meeting with colleagues from across the academic enterprise to learn as much as I can about Stevens. I am energized by the passion for Stevens that I am finding among our faculty, administration, staff and students, and I look forward to the exciting things we will accomplish together.
Best wishes for a successful fall semester.