Dear Members of the UAlbany Community,
The semester is more than half over and we have so many accomplishments to celebrate. I am immensely proud to be a part of this community.
During my Fall Address, I shared my thoughts on what it means to be a part of the UAlbany community. I hope you will take a moment to watch this video about our community.
We are a diverse community with many varied and strongly held beliefs. But that is a sign of our strength, not a weakness. Together, we are responsible for ensuring that our community is inclusive and welcoming.
So far this semester, we have seen peaceful protests, solemn memorials, and joyful celebrations on campus. We have seen the best of our community in the most difficult of times, and I am so proud of the work each of you does to make this community shine.
Some of the highlights of our busy semester include:
- Opening The Well at Colonial, a unique space for group exercise and wellness. If you haven’t checked it out yet, I strongly encourage you to make a visit – take a class in dance, spin, or yoga, or check out the personal training opportunities.
- Opening our new Esports arena, a space where casual and competitive gamers can connect and access the latest gaming technology.
- Launching the new College of Integrated Health Sciences, the new home for our School of Public Health, School of Social Welfare, and the Nursing program. This new college will enable interdisciplinary work and will expand academic and research opportunities for students and researchers.
- Unveiling our new AI Supercomputer, one of the most advanced AI computers on any college campus in the country. This new supercomputer is the next step in our AI Plus initiative and will enable students, faculty, and researchers to leverage AI to answer questions from across disciplines.
- Connecting with each other through our Great Dane Dialogue campaign. The latest component of Great Dane Dialogue, “Talking Traditions,” will feature videos about traditions, holidays, and identities from members of our community throughout the rest of the year.
- Honoring this year’s winners of the President’s Awards of Exemplary Public Engagement for their commitment to research and scholarship that is grounded in engagement and service.
This is just a small sampling of the countless exciting developments on our campus this semester.
Finally, make sure you have a plan to vote on or before Election Day, next Tuesday, November 5. Visit the UAlbany Votes page for more information and to find resources.
Thank you for all that you do for our institution. This is what makes our community great.
Wishing you all the best for the end of a very successful semester.
Go Great Danes!
Sincerely,
Havidán Rodríguez
President