Campus Community,
Welcome to the fall 2025 semester! Whether you are one of our more than 2,800 new undergraduate and graduate students or 100 employees joining us for the first time -- or are a longtime member of the UW community (or anywhere in between) -- it is my pleasure to welcome you to our beautiful campus for a new year of learning, service and discovery.
As we enter a new year, it’s important that we are reminded of our commitment to access and engagement and ensuring that all members of our campus community have the resources they need to be successful. Here are just a few of the many activities and resources offered on campus and in Laramie to support you in achieving success and finding community:
-- Half Acre and Campus Recreation offer access to fitness equipment and classes, personal training, outdoor trips and intramural sports. Half Acre Recreation and Wellness Center provides equipment and programs that support physical and mental health.
-- Let’s cheer on our Cowboy and Cowgirl athletes in our best brown and gold! You can find the athletics calendar here.
-- The Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts hosts dozens of special events each semester.
-- The Pokes Center for Community Resources offers support for basic needs to students and employees.
-- From live music to farmers markets to yoga sessions, there are dozens of events happening in the Laramie community each week.
I’d also like to take a moment to thank Brandon McElroy for his service as vice provost for access and engagement during last academic year. Brandon stepped into this leadership role during a critical time of transition for the university, and I am grateful for his dedicated service. The Access and Engagement Working Group will continue its work over the next academic year, and you’ll hear more from them soon. The Office of General Counsel remains available to assist campus partners with compliance issues related to access and engagement.
On Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 3:30-5 p.m., I will host the annual State of the University address in the Wyoming Union ballrooms and via WyoCast. All faculty, staff and students are invited to attend. This address will feature remarks from campus leaders and a social hour from 5-6 p.m. in Pokes Pub. During my address, I’ll share more about my major goals for UW for the year, which include a) reinforcing the foundations of the university, b) strengthening culture and relationships on campus, c) continued planning for a potential comprehensive campaign, and d) enhancing our service to the state of Wyoming.
Under the leadership of Martha McCaughey, our Freedom of Expression Initiative continues to gain momentum. This year, UW has partnered with the Constructive Dialogue Institute to make an online, self-paced micro credential available to everyone in the UW community, free of charge. There’s a training for students and a training for employees. I encourage you to complete this course and consider incorporating it into your classrooms and team activities. Not only is the ability to listen, express oneself and disagree constructively central to the university’s goal of advancing knowledge, but it’s also a skill many employers look for when hiring, according to a study by the American Association of Colleges and Universities.
If you followed the UW news over the summer, you likely saw that I announced my decision not to seek a third term as UW president, and my last day in this role will be June 30, 2026. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as UW president for more than five years, and I assure you I will work hard for all of you and our broader UW community until my very last day. I look forward to working with you over the next academic year to continue strengthening our university and positioning it for success today and tomorrow.
Thanks for all you do to make UW a great place to learn, work and serve.
Go Pokes!
Ed Seidel
