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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><img width="623" height="129" style="width:6.4916in;height:1.3416in" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image001.png@01DC946A.69210C50"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="pdq2pgselectionanchorcontainer"><strong><span style="font-weight:normal">Dear Faculty, </span></strong><b><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">As we move into the first few weeks of a new academic year at East Texas A&M University, I want to thank you for the work you have already done to welcome our students and get the fall semester
underway.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">As I shared during my recent visits with our colleges, while we are in a period of leadership transition,
<strong><span style="font-weight:normal">our mission is not in transition</span></strong>. Every day, students come to East Texas A&M with aspirations for themselves, their families, and their futures. Our responsibility is to help turn those aspirations into
opportunities. <strong><span style="font-weight:normal">The work of transforming lives through education continues.</span></strong><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">As Acting Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, my commitment is to provide stability and continuity while ensuring that we maintain our momentum. Work already underway—including
faculty workload and evaluation, transformative learning, competency-based education, career-connected learning, undergraduate research, and other student-success initiatives—remains a priority.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Becoming a Student-Ready University<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">You will hear me talk frequently this year about becoming a
<strong>student-ready university</strong>. For me, that means moving beyond asking whether students are prepared for us and asking whether
<strong>we are prepared for the students we serve</strong>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Are we removing unnecessary barriers? Are we proactive when students need support? Do our programs provide clear pathways to completion and meaningful careers? Are we connecting classroom
learning with experiences that prepare students for what comes next?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Becoming student-ready is not the responsibility of one office or division.
<strong>It requires all of us.</strong><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Moving Forward Together<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">We have much to build upon. Our university has made significant progress in expanding academic opportunities, strengthening student success, supporting faculty development, and creating more
opportunities for high-impact and experiential learning. In her final Provost message Dr. Vacha-Haase highlighted many of these accomplishments, along with the importance of continuing the work already underway.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">As we settle into the semester, I encourage each of us to remember our
<strong><i>why</i></strong>. Behind every enrollment number, retention statistic, and degree awarded is a student whose life—and often the trajectory of a family—can be changed by what happens at East Texas A&M.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Thank you for the energy and commitment you have already brought to this academic year and for what you will continue to do each day to support our students and one another.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Leadership may be in transition. Our mission is not. The work continues, and together, we will continue transforming lives.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I wish you a successful and rewarding fall semester.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Andrea<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Andrea Graham, Ph.D.</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><br>
Acting Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs<br>
East Texas A&M University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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