Campus updates: System, Enrollment, Oct 30 Save the Date

Dear colleagues,  HAPPY HOMECOMING! I hope the semester is going well for you thus far. While I haven’t been able to get to everything, I have enjoyed concerts, cultural celebrations, football and soccer, gallery openings, and cardboard boat races in the pond at Bagley. It has been a great start to the fall semester and I look forward to all the events in the days and weeks ahead.  I have a few updates for you today.  U of M System I continue to engage with our system leaders and partners regularly. I am encouraged by what seems to be a renewed appreciation for the U of M System and continuing to leverage how we work together across it. The work includes regular meetings, presentations at the Board of Regents, appointment to systemwide work groups, and planned efforts to find synergies and implement collaborations.  Last week, I was also honored to be part of a UMD contingent who participated in the inauguration for President Rebecca Cunningham. Her inauguration was a celebration of her leadership and the U of M’s service and commitment to the entire state of Minnesota. Throughout the day, she emphasized her focus on the health and wellbeing of the university and the citizens of Minnesota. It was a meaningful event with UMD presence, recognition, and even Champ and the UMD fight song.  For those of you who are wondering, we are working through the early stages of planning for my inauguration at the start of the fall 2025 semester. It is not uncommon for Chancellor inaugurations to occur roughly one year into the role. I also see it as a great opportunity to wrap up our current strategic plan and launch our campus efforts around our future strategic priorities.  Enrollment As the semester is now in full swing, I also wanted to provide you with an update on our enrollment. I am pleased to say that UMD continues to see a high level of interest from prospective students, with a record number of applications this past year (up 4% from the previous year). Our new undergraduate student count is up 2.5% and lands at 2196 (compared to 2140 last year). This is primarily due to a 16% increase in our new transfer student population.  We continue to see increasing racial and ethnic diversity among our incoming students, with 17% of our incoming student class being BIPOC, an 18% increase from last year.  We also continue to see improvements in the success of our students. Unofficial first-year retention numbers are up for the second year in a row, rising to 81%. This is the highest first-to-second year retention rate of the previous 16 years. Please note that these enrollment numbers are based on first day enrollment data and there will be slight differences when we get the official data. It often takes into early October before we have final enrollment data.  While these statistics are promising, I want to emphasize the importance of our continued focus and work around student success and enrollment. I am grateful for the efforts from those in the enrollment team and their partners across campus who have played a part in this success.  Save the Date Please mark your calendars for an all campus conversation on Wednesday, October 30 from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. in the Kirby Ballroom. At this gathering, in partnership with campus leadership, I plan to share an update after my first four months. More to come, but please save the date.  Thank you,

Charles Nies Chancellor

Welcome to Fall Semester

 

Hello students, faculty, and staff, Welcome to the first day of classes! The start of the fall semester has always been a highlight for me as everyone returns to campus with renewed energy and enthusiasm. This year is particularly special as I begin my first year here at UMD. I had a blast welcoming new students last week and am excited to join you in this campus community. Watch this short video to be inspired by the sights and sounds of move-in last week.  To all of our new students, welcome and thank you for choosing UMD. To our returning students, welcome back to campus and Duluth. The UMD faculty and staff are here to support you wherever you are on your educational journey. Please seek out resources and support; we have designed them to enrich your Bulldog experience! And to our faculty and staff, thank you for your efforts to make the start of this year a success. We join a university environment because we value the transformation that education provides as we learn, discover, and grow, being fully present in the moment and preparing for a bright future. We do that when the environment is both welcoming and inclusive. College is a place where open discussions in a civil and respectful environment are essential to our growth, even when those discussions can be uncomfortable. Lean into that discomfort, ask questions, and embrace curiosity so that together we can create an inclusive community in which we all live, learn, play, and work.  I wish you all a great start to the academic year and look forward to seeing you around campus.

Charles Nies Chancellor

Student Success and Brand Refresh

Dear colleagues, 

This week we are one week out from the start of classes and I am looking forward to welcoming our students to campus. 

During the time I have been on campus, it is clear that at the forefront of our work is a focus on the success of our student scholars. Their shared goal will be marked by graduation. In between is the educational journey that we intentionally facilitate – challenging them to explore, ask questions, and experience new perspectives. Each of you has an integral role in helping our students succeed and I am grateful for the time and energy you put into delivering our mission. 

I am also excited to share a refresh to UMD’s brand. Driven by input from a variety of stakeholders, which included members of the campus community, this updated brand speaks to the inspiring qualities of our campus and our role within the University of Minnesota. 

Our student scholars come to UMD because of the incredible educational experiences, which are enhanced and supported by our amazing location and the opportunities afforded beyond the classroom. This brand refresh celebrates UMD’s courageous spirit, our natural integration across campus, community and environment, and our student-centric culture. That unique combination encourages growth and exploration for our scholars that yields lasting rewards. 

As with any rebranding process, updates will happen in stages. Watch for updated materials soon. In the meantime, you can watch a one minute video highlighting the new direction here.

I am thankful for the early engagements I have had over the summer and to have learned about the qualities you revealed over the past year during this branding refresh. I am excited to build further connections across campus and fully experience the energy of our community.

I appreciate all that you do to support UMD and our students.

I look forward to seeing you around campus.

Thank you,

Charles Nies Chancellor

UMD Senior Leadership Team

 

Dear colleagues,  As I round out my first month here at UMD, I find myself continuously impressed and filled with anticipation for the upcoming school year. Since relocating to Duluth, my schedule has been filled with opportunities to meet members of our community, greet friends of UMD, and learn from many of you about our remarkable university.  My 30th day on the job reflects so much of what I have come to discover about the collective work being done here. I spent the morning on the Blue Heron as part of the Large Lake Observatory’s Freshwater Discover Day. I joined members of the community at Essentia Health and enjoyed the Canadian Air Force Snowbirds show. I wrapped up the day with visiting undergraduate scholars from Korea and Ireland. It was a day that demonstrated our mission-centered commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and community outreach.  These are just a few of my introductory experiences and I know there is more to come. I have seen many examples of the campus’ commitment to student success, belonging and inclusion, and discovery and inquiry. With your help, I will spend the upcoming months listening, learning, and asking questions that will inform both immediate actions and drive future initiatives around our shared commitments. In addition to your guidance, I look forward to working closely with the campus’ Senior Leadership Team (SLT). In partnership with our new Interim Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Rebecca Ropers, we will engage the campus community as we advance our strategic priorities.  The SLT membership includes: Sue Bosell, Interim Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations  Jason Davis, Strategic Advisor to the Chancellor Trevor Eagle, Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management Forrest Karr, Director of Athletics  Jeremy Leiferman, Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Life and Dean of Students Charles Nies, Chancellor Rebecca Ropers, Interim Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Jan Sickbert, Interim Executive Director of Advancement Carlee Williams, Executive Assistant Lynne Williams, Chief Marketing and Public Relations Officer All members of this team report to me, which includes a shift in Enrollment Management from Academic Affairs to the Chancellor’s Office. To support the PEAK implementation, Human Resources will report to Jason Davis until moving to the VCFO portfolio later this fall when we complete that search.  I look forward to working closely with all of you and this new leadership team to lay the groundwork for the upcoming academic year and a more long-term strategic plan.

Best,

Charles Nies Chancellor

Chancellor's Welcome Breakfast - August 19, 2024

 

Dear colleagues, I invite you to join me the morning of Monday, August 19, as we kick off the 2024-2025 academic year.  Here are the details: Monday, August 19, 2024 10:00 - 11:30 am Kirby Student Lounge Breakfast foods will be available I will give a short welcome around 10:15 a.m. However, I want to spend the majority of the time getting to know all of you and give you time to reconnect with each other. Please come as you are able and I look forward to seeing you there and around campus.  As has been done in the past, we will be collecting nonperishable food and other items for Champ's Cupboard, the UMD Food Shelf located in 245 Kirby Plaza. Unused/unopened/unexpired items specifically needed are: Granola/protein bars Canned tuna and chicken Condiments/cooking items (pasta sauce, ketchup, ranch dressing, vegetable oil, etc.) Organic and Gluten-free Items Soups, noodles, rice Chips, dried fruit, fruit snacks, crackers, nuts Toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste

I look forward to seeing you! Best,

Charles Nies Chancellor Note: if you have disability-related accommodations or dietary requests, please contact Carlee Williams at cwillia1@d.umn.edu or 218-726-6202 at least two weeks prior to the event.

Greetings from Chancellor Nies

Dear colleagues,

As I kick off my first official day here at UMD, I am pleased to share this greeting with you. Thank you for the warm welcome to Duluth as I settle into this role and new community. I look forward to meeting each of you and learning more about all things UMD.

I hope you are all enjoying your summer thus far and I am looking forward to our work together.

Best,

Charles Nies
Chancellor

Leadership Updates

 

Dear colleagues, In collaboration with Chancellor-Designate Nies, I am writing to provide you with an update about our leadership team. You likely recall in my last message, that after Vice Chancellor for Student Life and Dean of Students Lisa Erwin’s retirement in early July, Jeremy Leiferman will assume the role of interim vice chancellor for student life. Today, I have updates on the other vice chancellor positions and a dean transition. Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Amy Hietapelto has served as our interim executive vice chancellor for academic affairs since June 2021. As interim EVCAA, Amy has been a key part of my leadership team, leading some of the most consequential work of my time here including the APAA launch, UEA negotiations, revamping our enrollment management strategies, and leading efforts around system level partnerships. Dr. Hietapelto first joined UMD in 2011 as the dean of the Labovitz School of Business and Economics and I am pleased to say that she will return to her role as dean of LSBE after a much deserved one-year leave to pursue professional development and research opportunities. Amy stepped into a challenging and critically important academic leadership role in an uncertain and highly dynamic time. She has served our campus admirably and I am grateful she was here when I arrived. I am also pleased to announce that Dr. Rebecca Ropers will join UMD as our interim executive vice chancellor for academic affairs effective July 1. She currently serves as the senior advisor for academic leadership and conflict resolution, a role that reports to both the provost and the vice president for equity and diversity. She has held many leadership roles over her 17 years with the U of M. Before taking on her current role, Rebecca served as the vice provost for faculty and academic affairs. Her experience within the U of M System and depth of strategic leadership in academic affairs will serve this campus well and I am grateful that she is willing to step into this interim role at UMD and support us through our leadership transitions. Chancellor-Designate Nies plans to conduct a search for the permanent EVCAA this next academic year. More information about that will be available in the fall semester. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Ropers and thanking Dr. Hietapelto for her leadership. Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations We will soon begin our search for our permanent vice chancellor for finance and operations. We have contracted with Isaacson, Miller executive search firm to help support us in this important selection process. This position will retain responsibility over the business and controller's office, facilities management, police, and sustainability. Human resources will also be added back into the portfolio. While the search will get underway this summer, the campus community will have a chance to engage with the finalists during the fall semester. I want to thank the following individuals who have agreed to serve on the search committee: Janelle Broesch, Assistant Vice President and Assistant Chief Operating Officer, U of M Office of the Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations (co-chair) Lynne Williams, Chief Marketing and Public Relations Officer (co-chair) Curt Albertson, Director, Office of Budget and Analysis Jannifer David, Associate Dean, LSBE Sean Huls, UMD Chief of Police  Lindsey Klegstad, Co-Director, Human Resources Susana Pelayo-Woodward, Director, Office of Diversity and Inclusion Jackson Poetz, LSBE Senator, Student Government Association John Rashid, Director, Facilities Management Koryn Zewers, Assistant Budget Director, U of M Office of Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations Jean Neibauer from the chancellor’s office will also provide administrative support. We hope to have the position posted soon. I want to extend my sincere thanks to Sue Bosell for serving as the interim vice chancellor for the last four years. You may recall that UMD started this search in early 2020 and then when COVID hit we stopped it. Sue graciously took on this consequential leadership role at the start of an unprecedented pandemic. She has been an invaluable partner in senior leadership here at UMD and I have come to depend on the fiscal and administrative expertise she has built over 33 years of service to this campus. Sue will remain in the interim role until the search is complete and I am extremely grateful for her support, her deep engagement in an array of key initiatives, and her continued dedication to UMD. Interim Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences In other transitions, I am pleased to share that upon Dean Jeremy Youde’s departure later this summer, Jennifer Brady has accepted the role as interim dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. She currently serves as an associate professor of Spanish and has been with UMD since 2013. She was department head of World Languages and Cultures from 2020-2023, chair of the CAHSS assembly council from 2020-2021, and involved with various committees on campus including the liberal education subcommittee. We are grateful to Dr. Brady for her willingness to step into this important leadership role. As always, please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks and take care,

Dave McMillan Interim Chancellor