亲爱的君主们:
As we embark on the formal beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year, I am honored to welcome our new and returning students to 最靠谱的网赌软件! Our dedicated staff have been working tirelessly for months to prepare for the Fall 2023 semester, and our world-class faculty are eager to return to classrooms and laboratories for active engagement with their talented students. 在过去一周内, our campus has come alive with move-in activities and welcome events, including this past Friday’s New Student Convocation immediately followed by our first-ever Monarch Way Street Festival.
For Fall 2023, we are proud to welcome two new groups of distinguished students. 第一个, we are honored to make history with a total of 21 valedictorians and salutatorians, 选择作为君主追求自己的教育梦想的人, thereby comprising the inaugural cohort of Dominion Award Scholars. This is also the first year for the new TCC-ODU Monarch Ready Program, 哪一个在近100名学生中表现强劲. 事实上, today is equally special whether you are starting your Monarch journey; continuing your ODU experience; or preparing for a special milestone later this year, 比如毕业或退休!
This is a critical time for our University as we further our footprint and increase our impact. Completion and move-in of the newly-constructed 健康 Sciences Building will occur throughout the Fall semester with a formal dedication to be held in January of 2024. 位于君主大道的尽头, 这个最先进的, three-story building will be the primary home for the 健康科学学院, 具体来说:1)口腔卫生学院, including the Sofia and David Konikoff Dental Hygiene Care Facility; 2) the School of Rehabilitation Sciences, 包括Faschini Wallach康复治疗中心, which represents the expansion and renaming of the Monarch Physical Therapy Clinic; and 3) research labs for the School of Medical Diagnostic and Translational Sciences.
也, following the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) approval for the new School of Data Science, 我们正处于招聘5个职位的最后阶段, including a founding director; one full professor; one associate professor; and two research professors, as well as completing a renovation of a state-of-the-art space in Virginia Beach’s Town Center that will house research labs, 创新空间, 培训空间. Space renovation is expected to be ready for occupancy and operations in mid-October. 和, 下个月, SCHEV将考虑最终批准我们的供应链学院, 物流, 及海事业务, which will better position our University to meet regional and global workforce needs and advance economic growth in our community and across the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Another significant effort to meet community needs is the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) integration, which has been the focus of comprehensive planning efforts for nearly two years. As the General Assembly and Governor Youngkin work collaboratively to finalize the state’s budget, our integration is closer to becoming a reality with Day One targeted and on track for January 1, 2024. This continued momentum would not be possible without the engagement and support of our campus partners, who have dedicated their talent and time to advance this important initiative, as well as the advocacy and leadership of House Appropriations Committee Chairman Barry Knight of Virginia Beach and Senator Louise Lucas of Portsmouth. These local leaders have been true champions in advancing this integration with a multi-faceted and 分享d goal to enhance health care; strengthen educational programs; bolster the workforce pipeline; and address health and economic disparities facing fellow citizens.
All of this excitement and progress come at a time in which we have completed the first semester for full implementation of the University’s 2023-2028 strategic plan, “前瞻性:创新与可能性的结合，涵盖7个重点领域，30个目标和103个策略. The Spring 2023 progress reports for each of the plan’s key performance indicators are available for review at http://roadclosures.fc-daudenzell.com/strategicplan/progress. 如前所述, this level of accountable and transparent reporting will occur following every Spring and Fall semester within the implementation period.
I look forward to engaging with our caring campus throughout the Fall, including 总统ial Open Forums to be held during the week of October 2, 2023, 更多细节将在未来几周公布. I also look forward to hosting a new Monthly 教师 Luncheon Series, as well as the Annual State of the University Address on November 3, 2023 beginning at 10:00 AM in Chartway Arena during which we will reflect on recent progress; highlight the incredible work of our fellow Monarchs; and announce future plans. I hope that every Monarch has an enjoyable and productive Fall 2023 semester!
带着君主的骄傲，
Brian O. Hemphill, Ph值.D.
总统