Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023

Dear UNT faculty and staff,

This spring semester is off to a great start, and I’ve been glad to see so many students bustling around campus as they head to classes, the Union, or dining halls to grab a bite. Even on these chilly days, the excitement of our students warms the heart. Our student enrollment is expected to be up again this spring from the last, which is an important positive as we’re still in a legislative base year.

I am excited for what we will achieve for our students this spring, but I also want to take this opportunity to remind each of you about two incredibly important initiatives – our wellness campaign and our systemwide implementation of a set of shared values that will make all of our institutions stronger.

Our Mean Green family prides itself on being a caring community, and I encourage you to always look for ways to care for each other and our students. This is an integral part of our wellbeing campaign. You can find valuable resources and information online about key wellness topics including emotional, creative, intellectual, occupational, environmental, spiritual, financial, physical and social health. You also can watch a short video from me emphasizing my hope that each of you take the time to care for each other and yourselves. And I encourage supervisors to allow staff time to attend Wellbeing @ Work activities as they are able.

Also, to officially launch our shared values, this Thursday, Jan. 26, our campus community will have the opportunity to learn more about the meaning of each value and hear firsthand from our November workshop participants who helped create and adopt our shared values. In addition to snacks and prizes, many of our colleagues will share their personal experience in helping define what the values mean to them and to our university. Please join me at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 26 in the University Union Ballroom, Room 314.

As you plan for the spring, here are a few more can’t-miss campus events:

Moving forward together this spring, I know we will help our students keep their dreams at the forefront. Thank you for all you do!

UNT Proud,
Neal Smatresk
President