Dean's Corner
Welcome to the fall semester and the new academic year. It is always exciting to begin a new academic year and see and feel the energy around campus. This year, we return to campus with things feeling more “normal” than they have in some time, which is welcome.
Nearly every type of event that was once held in person is, once again, being held in person, and that is wonderful to see. I encourage you to check out our robust calendar of events, which grows with new additions every month.
To start the year, and throughout it as well, it is important to reflect on our collegiate purpose, mission, and values. The CLA Constitution states: “The purpose of the College of Liberal Arts is to advance a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and engaged society through its three-fold mission: to create new knowledge and artistic expression and develop the next generation of scholars; to educate graduate and undergraduate students and prepare them for a productive life of intellectual curiosity, cultural appreciation, and continuous learning; and to engage with our community to achieve the land grant promise of a university in service to the community. The core values of the College of Liberal Arts include freedom of thought and expression; respect, diversity, and social justice; excellence in all we do; and efficiency and adaptability in the achievement of our mission."
This statement of why we do what we do is an important touchstone by which we measure our work. Through our purpose, mission, and values we seek to do the most good we can do for others. We are in the business of helping people to transform their lives through a culture of pursuing excellence, promoting opportunity, and providing support. It’s a noble cause, and I am grateful to you, our alumni and friends, for helping us elevate our work in all three respects. Thank you for enabling us to work with more impact.
You can always reach me at coleman@umn.edu about any of the above or anything else, and you can find me on Twitter, the Web, or my blog. My best wishes to you for an enjoyable autumn.
John Coleman
Dean, College of Liberal Arts
