Best Wishes for the New Academic Year
Dear Faculty and Staff,
I hope you had an opportunity for some well-earned rest and renewal this summer. As we begin a new academic year at the University of West Georgia, I am excited to welcome our students back to campus and to begin another year together.
The beginning of a new semester always brings a new sense of energy and purpose to our campuses. We welcome a new class of first-time freshmen students to UWG – currently projected to be 1,750 Wolves strong – while also greeting thousands of returning students who continue to pursue their educational goals with us. Their success is made possible by your commitment, dedication, and service, and I am grateful for the important role each of you plays in advancing our mission.
As we begin the semester, I would like to share a few updates and reminders.
Strong Momentum for the Year Ahead
UWG continues to build momentum as we welcome students back for the fall semester. As Georgia's fastest-growing public university, we are seeing strong interest from prospective students and families who recognize the value of a UWG education. While official enrollment figures will not be finalized until after the drop/add period and our Fall Census date, current trends point to another successful year for enrollment and student recruitment.
Many of you participated in our New Student Orientation sessions this summer, and your impact was clear. Orientation attendance increased by nearly 20% compared to last year, with more than 1,500 incoming students participating. We are also seeing encouraging results across new student enrollment, undergraduate retention and persistence, and graduate student enrollment.
These early indicators reflect the outstanding work being done across the university to attract, support, and retain students. Whether through recruitment, teaching, advising, mentoring, student support services, or countless other contributions, your dedication continues to make a difference in the lives of our students and the strength of our institution.
I am encouraged by the enthusiasm and engagement we are seeing as students return to campus.
UWG Next: Help Shape the Future
The development of our next strategic plan, UWG Next, is well underway.
Throughout this process, we are engaging faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners to help define the university's priorities and aspirations for the year ahead. Over the coming weeks, we will host approximately 30 listening sessions with faculty and staff across the university to gather input, hear new ideas, and better understand the opportunities and challenges ahead. An online input form is also available for anyone who would like to share feedback and help shape UWG's future.
Your experience, expertise, and perspective are invaluable as we chart the future of the University of West Georgia. I encourage you to participate and help us build a shared vision for the next chapter of UWG's success.
UWG Culture and Community Survey
As we continue the work of UWG Next, it is equally important that we listen carefully to the people who make this institution possible every day. Later this month, we will launch the UWG Culture and Community Survey, a confidential opportunity for faculty and staff to share feedback about their experiences and help us better understand our strengths, challenges, and opportunities for growth. Your perspectives will help inform future planning, decision-making, and action as we continue building a stronger university community together.
To ensure confidentiality and transparency, UWG has partnered with Rankin Climate, a firm with extensive experience conducting higher education climate assessments. When the survey opens on Tuesday, August 18, I encourage you to take a few minutes to participate. Every response matters, and your voice will help shape the future of the University of West Georgia.
Pack Cards
This year, we are introducing Pack Cards – an exciting new initiative designed to encourage student engagement across campus.
Research consistently shows that engaged students are more likely to persist and succeed. Students will collect and trade cards featuring UWG landmarks, traditions, leaders, alumni, signature events, and campus resources throughout the academic year. The initiative is designed to encourage exploration across campus while strengthening school spirit and connection to the university.
I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the program and help promote it to students. Your support can help students discover new opportunities and strengthen their connection to UWG.
Wolves Red Fridays
Thank you to everyone who has embraced Wolves Red Fridays. What began as a simple opportunity to showcase school pride has become a visible symbol of our connection to one another and to the university we serve.
As the semester begins, I encourage you to continue wearing red on Fridays and inviting others to join in the tradition.
Faculty Ambassadors
This fall, we are also launching a new Faculty Ambassadors initiative designed to strengthen first-year student engagement and connection to UWG. Faculty members who work closest with our newest students have volunteered to serve as ambassadors for the university, helping introduce students to the traditions, experiences, and opportunities that define life as a member of the Pack.
These ambassadors will play an important role in encouraging school spirit, fostering a sense of belonging, and helping students build meaningful connections to the university from their first day on campus. Thank you to the faculty who have volunteered to support this effort and to everyone across the university who contributes to helping our students stay engaged, persist, and achieve their goal of graduation.
Support Student Scholarships Through the UWG License Plate Program
I am pleased to share that the UWG license plate program has been relaunched.
Purchasing a UWG license plate is a visible way to show your Wolf Pack pride while also supporting student scholarships. If you've been waiting for an opportunity to display your UWG spirit on the road, now is the perfect time.
To learn more about how you can order your plate, visit westga.edu/tag.
Athletics and School Spirit
There is nothing quite like the energy and excitement of a new year in UWG Athletics, and I hope you'll join us in supporting the student-athletes who represent UWG in NCAA Division I competition.
Women's Soccer is already underway, with the next home match scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 16. Wolves Football kicks off its season with a Thursday night home game on Aug. 27 at home against Chattanooga, and Volleyball opens its season the next day, Aug. 28.
I encourage you to come out and support our student-athletes whenever possible. Athletics provides meaningful opportunities to connect with our students, celebrate institutional pride, and strengthen our sense of community.
Thank You
As students return to campus, I want to express my sincere appreciation for everything you do. Every interaction, every lesson, every act of service, and every moment of support contributes to the success of our students and the strength of our university.
Thank you for your dedication to UWG and to the students we serve. I look forward to seeing the great things we will accomplish together throughout the year.
I wish you a successful and rewarding semester ahead.
Go Wolves!
Mike