September 9, 2022

This morning Provost Pardis Mahdavi and I hosted a gathering for faculty and staff where we shared information about the academic framework restructuring that will roll out over the next year. The work Provost Mahdavi is championing will position UM not only for growth, but will distinguish UM as a higher ed institution that is brave and bold.

But as I shared with the Board of Regents during their meeting here last November, our goal is not growth for the sake of growth. Our mission is simple: inclusive prosperity. To fulfill our obligation as Montana's flagship university - and to shape this university as a flagship for the future of this country - we must enable learners from all backgrounds and walks of life to reach their full potential and to flourish as educated, informed participants in our democracy.

To meet this critically important mission, we must be willing to adapt the way we do things, to innovate and to always seek a better way. I am troubled by the growing dissatisfaction and cynicism around higher ed. While some of this criticism may not be warranted, we must take very seriously the decline in public perception of higher ed and of the value of a college degree. For the health of our democracy and for the economic prosperity of our communities, we must be willing to adapt the way we do things and renew the promise of higher education in this country.

Nowhere is the willingness to adapt and innovate more important than our academic enterprise, the very heart of our university. And that is why I was thrilled to welcome Dr. Mahdavi to campus this summer as UM's executive vice president and provost.

Over the course of the summer, Provost Mahdavi has worked closely with the academic leadership on initial ideas for an academic structure that focuses on core pillars desperately needed for the future of our world: Understanding, Building, Conserving and Healing. This new, proposed academic framework is informed by Provost Mahdavi's deep dive into UM's history and from her experience as a faculty member and administrator at several institutions. Equally as important, this new framework aligns with how the academy is called to respond to society's needs and to offer new expectations of higher education.

My expectation for this new structure is that it will:

• Design the academic enterprise to create consistency, accountability and elevate faculty to allow for more agency in their careers.
• Better serve students through the creation of interdisciplinary programs to prepare them for the emerging future.
• Better support faculty through more clearly defined pathways and incentives for collaboration.
• Align the university with its mission of fostering inclusive prosperity and democracy while creating new knowledge and ways of knowing.
• Demonstrate the value of higher education to individuals and to those who allocate resources for UM.
• Position UM for future growth.

We cannot and will not let another year go by without brave and bold action.

There is no doubt that many questions will arise throughout this process. We will communicate frequently and clearly as these plans progress. Watch for more communication on UM channels in the coming weeks and months.

In partnership,

Seth and Pardis