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Hello Buff families!

As we start the academic year, I want to offer a heartfelt welcome and congratulate each of you for helping your student arrive at this point in their lives and academic careers. Whether they’re entering their first year at ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ or their last, I hope you feel a sense of pride in their accomplishments and excitement for their futures.

If my name is new to you, it’s because I’m a new Buff, too! I started as chancellor in July, and I’m excited to be joining a university community that is vibrant, innovative and transformative. Along with my leadership team, faculty members, and staff, we’re committed to making sure each student is equipped to thrive as both a student and graduate of ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ.

Although your student may have flown the nest, they will likely still need your guidance and support in the years ahead. Amplifying and reinforcing what they’re hearing from the campus can help drive home the important points. To that end, here are a few of the messages I’ll be sharing with your students throughout this school year:

1. You belong. Each student accepted to ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ is here because they demonstrated that they’re prepared for academic success and equipped to make a positive impact on the world. Experimentation, reassessment and even failure are all part of the process. This campus is a place with a wide range of interests and communities, where folks from all backgrounds and perspectives are welcomed.
2. Try something new. Every opportunity I get, I encourage students to join a club or try an extracurricular activity unlike anything they’ve done before, even if they don’t expect to like it. Worst case scenario, they confirm that they do not enjoy that activity. But in many cases, they’ll find a new favorite hobby, meet friends they wouldn’t have encountered otherwise, and gain the confidence that comes from trying new things.
3. Practice finding common ground. We encourage individuals to engage with people with different perspectives and to develop mutual respect. In an election year, it’s especially important that students learn to explore their personal biases, approach differing perspectives with curiosity, and use their voices to persuade, rather than vilify. For those who are U.S citizens, we also want to support them as they prepare to vote in an election (perhaps for the first time!)

I hope you’ll keep the lines of communication open with your students. I understand this can be a challenge – but it’s my goal to ensure that each student feels supported in a holistic way, from campus to home and beyond.

Finally, I hope you know that you also belong as a valuable part of the Buffs community. Keep up with campus happenings by following the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ social media channels, finding me on Linkedin or making plans to visit for Family Weekend on Oct. 24-27.

Thank you for your support of ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ and for entrusting us with educating your students. It’s a privilege we do not take for granted.

Go Buffs!

Chancellor Justin Schwartz