A Message from the Provost: Week of 1.19.26

January 22 | 2026
 

Dear Colleagues, 
Classes started on Tuesday, and it’s exciting to see our classrooms, labs, and studios come alive again. There’s a renewed sense of purpose that comes with returning to the shared work of learning, discovery, and connection that defines the University of Wyoming. I want to warmly welcome back our students and sincerely thank our faculty and staff.

 

As the semester gets underway, I encourage you to take a moment to review both the academic calendar and the academic administrative calendar maintained by Academic Affairs. These calendars offer important guidance on instructional dates and key administrative deadlines that support our collective planning and help ensure a smooth semester for students and colleagues alike. You can find both of them here. 

 

I also want to share an important update from the School of Graduate Education as part of our ongoing efforts to modernize and simplify academic processes. A new digital Graduate Committee Change Form is now available through WyoRecords, replacing the previous PDF-based submission process. Students can access the form by signing into WyoRecords and going to the Forms and Petitions page under Quick Links. This page acts as a central hub for graduate student forms and will continue to grow as more processes move online. While previously submitted PDF committee change forms are still being accepted and processed, all new submissions must now be made using the digital form. A big thank you to Dean Pepper and her staff in SGE for making this happen!

 

Finally, I want to share highlights from this week’s Board of Trustees meeting, specifically from the Committee on Academic and Student Affairs. Earlier this afternoon, the Board approved new graduate and undergraduate certificates in Global Environmental Futures through the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as an undergraduate certificate in Subsurface Energy developed in collaboration between the School of Energy Resources and the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. I want to thank the faculty involved in these programs for their thoughtful, collaborative work in bringing forward innovative and career-relevant academic options that expand opportunities for our students.

 

The Trustees also discussed the Wyoming Community College Commission’s new administrative rule that allows community colleges to offer Applied Baccalaureate degrees without a numeric cap. University leadership described a draft internal review process designed to ensure UW receives timely notice of proposed programs and conducts a coordinated assessment of potential duplication, transferability, workforce alignment, and upper-division coursework. This process has not yet been officially adopted and will go through standard campus approval channels this spring. We will continue to update the Board and campus as this work progresses.

Thank you for all you do to support our students and one another as we begin the semester. I’m grateful for this community and hopeful for the months ahead.

 

Warmly,

Anne
 

 
Email: provost@uwyo.edu | Phone: (307) 766-6476