Dear alumni & friends,
I am always energized by the start of the academic year. There is something special about the return of students and faculty and the remarkable traditions of gathering at the Terrace or enjoying a beautiful fall Saturday afternoon at Camp Randall. Just a few weeks ago we welcomed the Class of 2027 to campus, and I encouraged our new L&S students – nearly 5,500 strong – to seek connections and new experiences with their peers, and to take advantage of the amazing opportunities available in L&S.
As you may know, I had the privilege of serving as the interim provost this summer, working with Chancellor Mnookin and her leadership team. I am thrilled to welcome Charles Lee Isbell Jr. to campus as our new provost. Charles is a national leader in computer science and artificial intelligence — both of which students can explore right here in L&S — and he previously led the Georgia Institute of Technology’s College of Computing. I look forward to working with him in the coming years to advance the mission of Letters & Science and of public higher education here in Wisconsin.
Speaking of our mission, I am incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made to improve our students' learning experience. Last spring, we officially broke ground on our new home for the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences, and this fall we’ll take the first steps towards constructing Irving & Dorothy Levy Hall, our new humanities building. Both facilities place student learning at the center of their design, with state-of-the-art classrooms and informal spaces that will foster the types of casual scholarly conversations that make the college experience so rewarding. We’ve also expanded the Teaching & Learning Administration office which supports L&S departments, faculty, staff and instructors as they create the student-centered educational practices that advance our pursuit of teaching and learning excellence. So much of the great work for which we are very proud is a result of your support. Thank you!
Finally, I hope you’ll join me this year as we celebrate UW–Madison’s 175th anniversary. Throughout this academic year, the UW will celebrate the ideas that changed the world, many of which started right here in Letters & Science, from developing the framework for Social Security to discovering Homo naledi, a new species of hominid.
Help us celebrate this incredible milestone by supporting the College of Letters & Science today at supportuw.org/giveto/LSFall23. Your gift will ensure that L&S maintains its tradition of educational and research excellence for the next 175 years.
Thank you, and On, Wisconsin!
Eric M. Wilcots, Dean
Mary C. Jacoby Professor of Astronomy
College of Letters & Science
University of Wisconsin-Madison