A Message from the Provost: Week of 1.12.26
January 15 | 2026
Dear Colleagues,
As we start a new year and semester, many of us hope for a fresh beginning and renewed energy. However, this past week has brought understandable anxiety due to recent legislative discussions and the Joint Appropriations Committee’s vote to propose a significant cut to the University’s state block grant.
President Seidel delivered a thoughtful and steady message to the campus today, outlining the current status of the legislative process and how University leadership is actively advocating on UW’s behalf. While the proposal is concerning, it’s important to remember, as the President emphasized, that this is the first step in a long, fluid process.
In times like these, it is important to remind ourselves of what has always defined the University of Wyoming: our purpose, our people, and our impact. This university matters to our students, to the state, and to Wyoming's future. The work that takes place in our classrooms, laboratories, studios, offices, and communities every day is deeply meaningful. It prepares students not only for jobs but for lives of leadership, service, curiosity, and resilience. That effort continues despite uncertainty, and it remains our strongest statement of value.
As the spring semester nears, I want to thank you for keeping students at the center of your work. Even amid broader discussions, our core mission remains unchanged: students are eager to learn, and we are here to teach, mentor, and guide the leaders of tomorrow.
This is also a good time to celebrate and invest in leadership development for both our current students and those who came before them. I encourage you to consider nominating a student for the next cohort of the UW Leadership Academy, an immersive program that has already made a meaningful impact on students and Wyoming communities. You can find the link to nominate a student here. Likewise, I hope you will take a moment to reflect on the alumni who continue to carry UW’s values into the world. Nominations are now open for the Distinguished Alumni Award and the Medallion Service Award, honoring individuals whose lives and service reflect the enduring value of a UW education. More information on these awards is available here.
Uncertainty can be unsettling, but it also sharpens our sense of purpose. What we do here: teaching, discovery, service, and caring for one another, has always mattered, and it continues to do so now. Thank you for showing up for our students, for each other, for this institution, and for this state.
With gratitude,
Anne
Email: provost@uwyo.edu | Phone: (307) 766-6476
University of Wyoming
1000 East University Avenue Laramie, WY, 82071
