A Message from the Provost: Week of 6.22.26

June 25 | 2026
 

 
Dear Colleagues, 

 

As we begin preparing for the Fall 2026 semester, I want to thank everyone for the thoughtful planning already underway across our colleges and departments. While summer often provides an opportunity to recharge, it is also an important time to position ourselves for a successful academic year.

 

Academic Affairs has begun reaching out to colleges to encourage everyone to take an early look at fall course enrollments. With the University's current budget constraints and our shared commitment to instructional efficiency, courses with low enrollment will be carefully reviewed this year. We invite colleges to start assessing enrollments now and to collaborate closely with department heads, program leaders, and advising teams. Together, you can identify courses that might need extra outreach to boost enrollments or, when necessary, consider early cancellations. Making these decisions ahead of the semester not only gives students more time to adjust their schedules but also offers departments greater flexibility in planning. We will send reminders later this summer, but in the meantime, we encourage everyone to begin these valuable conversations.

 

This week also brought several personnel updates. Please join me in congratulating Pete Obermueller on his appointment as the new Executive Director of the School of Energy Resources. With extensive leadership experience and a strong grasp of Wyoming's energy sector, Pete is well-equipped for this significant role. We look forward to collaborating with him. Pete will join us on campus starting August 31, the first day of fall classes, a fitting and exciting beginning! 

 

We were also thrilled to officially welcome Dr. Adrienne Freng to the office this week as our new Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs. Adrienne has already hit the ground running and is helping to prepare for a successful academic year, beginning with New Faculty Orientation (NFO) in August. A sneak peek at the NFO agenda is available on our website here. I know many of you will have the opportunity to work with her in the months ahead, and we look forward to a great fall semester and beyond. 

 

Finally, I want to recognize and thank Dr. Nevin Aiken for his excellent leadership and service during his appointment as Special Assistant to the Provost for Experiential Education. Over the past two years, Nevin has worked closely with faculty, staff, and leaders across our colleges, schools, and administrative units to expand experiential learning opportunities and strengthen this important initiative campus-wide. As Nevin concludes this appointment, he will transition to a new role as Co-Director of the Malcolm Wallop Civic Engagement Program with Dr. Jean Garrison. Jean and Nevin make an exceptional team, and I know they will continue to create outstanding opportunities for our students through their work in advancing public service, civic education, and community engagement in the state. 

 

Thank you for your continued partnership as we prepare for another outstanding academic year. I hope you each have a wonderful weekend, and as always—Go Pokes!

 

Anne
 

Email: provost@uwyo.edu | Phone: (307) 766-6476 
University of Wyoming
1000 East University Avenue, Laramie, WY, 82071