A Message from the Provost: Week of 2.09.26

 

 
 
 
 

Leading Together: 
A Message from the Provost

 

February 12 | 2026
 

Dear Colleagues, 

 

As the cold and snow of winter approach Wyoming (maybe?), there is significant momentum across our academic community. Here are several important updates and opportunities as we look ahead: 

 

As I mentioned last week regarding the annual faculty awards, I encourage you to consider nominating a colleague for the University of Wyoming Foundation’s Faculty Stewardship Award. This award recognizes faculty members who excel in building meaningful relationships with donors and demonstrating the impact of philanthropy on our students and programs. Recipients receive $5,000 personally, $2,500 for their college or department, and may direct an additional $2,500 to a university unit or club of their choice. Two faculty members are selected each year, and nominations are due Monday, March 30, 2026. If you know a faculty member whose stewardship efforts have strengthened connections between donors and the university, please consider submitting a nomination here. 

 

I am also pleased to share an update from Vice Provost Matt Griswold regarding online course design. After a year-long pause on new online course design cycle requests while we worked through initial demand, we are now ready to receive new requests beginning with the Fall 2026 course design. Faculty who are interested, or those you feel would benefit from course design support, may express interest by completing the Online Course Design Cycle Request Form here. Please submit new requests by February 27. We appreciate your continued efforts to enhance the quality and reach of our online learning experiences. 

 

In the area of Faculty Affairs, although we are still finalizing the AY 2025–2026 reappointment, tenure, fixed-term, and promotion (RTP) materials for submission to the Board of Trustees in March, and faculty annual reviews are still in process (due to Academic Affairs by March 16, 2026), I want to ensure you have advance notice of key dates for the AY 2026–2027 RTP cycle for planning purposes. Faculty Affairs has distributed the official key dates and procedures. Among the important milestones:

 

  • By May 1, 2026, colleges should prepare internal deadlines and departments should initiate internal processes
  • August 14, 2026, worksheets for all RTP cases are due back to Academic Affairs
  • September 15, 2026, is the recommended deadline for all materials, including external reviews, to be complete and uploaded in WyoFolio
  • January 5, 2027, is the hard deadline for completion of all mid-probationary, tenure, fixed-term rolling contract, and promotion reviews
  • The Board of Trustees will vote on applicable cases at the March 2027 meeting
     

I also want to remind everyone that this coming Monday is Presidents’ Day and a semester break, with no classes scheduled. However, it is not a paid administrative holiday, and the university will remain open for business. Faculty and staff who wish to take the day off are welcome to work with their supervisors to request vacation leave as appropriate. For those who will be on campus, I encourage you to consider registering for the Teaching with AI: Practical Strategies for the UW Classroom mini conference on February 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., offered in person (Coe 506) and via Zoom. As previously announced, this event is designed to move faculty from “inspiration to implementation,” with a focus on thoughtful and ethical integration of AI into teaching and learning. Lunch will be provided for in-person participants, and registration is limited, so please sign up here if you plan to attend.

 

Finally, we look forward to the campus visits for our presidential finalists, scheduled from March 30 to April 1. These visits provide an opportunity to exemplify the university's priorities, values, and commitment to serving students and the state. I encourage you to participate as you can and to stay as flexible as possible during that week, since the schedule will be busy with the candidates. More details about the visits will be forthcoming on the website here. 

 

As we head into the weekend, a lighter reminder as well: Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Whether that means celebrating with family, friends, colleagues, or simply taking a moment for gratitude, I encourage you to spread a little extra kindness and appreciation. Small gestures go a long way in strengthening our community. 

 

With appreciation,

Anne 
 

 
 


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

University of Wyoming
1000 East University Avenue Laramie, WY, 82071