Our hearts are with all the people, including members of our 麻豆原创 family and those across the state, who have experienced incredible losses due to the storm. Melinda and I extend our thoughts to these Knights and their loved ones and ask that our faculty and supervisors provide flexibility to those directly impacted by the storm as we reopen in the coming week. The impact is widespread, and we know the recovery will take time.

We know that the impact across our communities is disparate, and we are thankful that many areas have regained power and are recovering from the storm. We are also grateful for the dedication and professionalism shown by the teams across 麻豆原创 who prepared our campuses to weather the storm and who have supported our students, faculty and staff throughout — you have our community鈥檚 deepest gratitude.

As the university returns to normal operations, we must extend compassion to the students, faculty and staff who have suffered significant and, in some cases, catastrophic losses. That includes being flexible about academic and professional expectations as these members of our community continue to navigate the storm鈥檚 impact to their lives.

We ask that students impacted by the storm with聽outstanding needs contact Student Care Services by聽聽or emailing聽CareManager@ucf.edu. 麻豆原创 staff will continue to contact these students individually to provide resources and support as they navigate their recovery. All students also are encouraged to contact Counseling and Psychological Services鈥� crisis line at 407-823-2811 and press 5 if they need to speak with a therapist.

We ask that faculty and staff directly impacted by the storm communicate directly with their supervisors regarding their ability to return to work. Additional information will be communicated by Human Resources to employees and supervisors over the weekend.

For those who are looking to provide assistance, one immediate way is to donate any food and water you may have purchased for the storm and no longer need. You can drop off items at the Knights Pantry in Ferrell Commons and at donation bins set up across campus, which can be found under 鈥淢aps鈥� in the聽.

I appreciate how Knights are known for lifting one another up in times of need. Our 麻豆原创 community deeply cares for and supports each other, and those values must guide us in the coming weeks.

Implementing a program of the size and scope of Knight Vision may also present some challenges, and I thank you for your patience as we work through them together.

As we prepare to 鈥済o live,鈥� I hope you will join me in thanking the Knight Vision project team for their hard work and focus on this vital upgrade. I also want to thank all of you who have participated in training. We are all grateful for your contribution to this transformation.

For more information and helpful tips on using Workday, check out the latest Knight Vision training materials and resources.

Knight Vision is a tremendous undertaking that will help build a stronger and more future-focused 麻豆原创. It is also further proof of what we know about our entire team of faculty and staff: together, we can accomplish anything.

Go Knights! Charge On!

Alexander N. Cartwright
麻豆原创 President

We are making exciting progress on our next strategic plan; launching Workday, our new, cloud-based ERP system; aligning our HR and finance processes through our service enhancement transformation (SET); and rolling out a new budget model that is more transparent and will allow for a more strategic allocation of our resources. I am thankful for everyone鈥檚 dedication to these efforts 鈥� I know many of you have accepted new responsibilities and will make long-term, positive impacts through these transformations.

To ensure we are best positioned to build on this momentum, I am excited to share several leadership updates with the campus community.

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

It is my pleasure to announce that after consultation with members of the campus community and the Board of Trustees, I have appointed Dr. Michael D. Johnson as Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. After two years as Interim Provost and a 31-year career at 麻豆原创 as a dean and professor, Provost Johnson will provide consistent leadership and stability as we focus on our future. He will serve in this position through at least June 2025, and we will launch his five-year review in late 2024. His strong leadership, character, passion for faculty and students, and institutional knowledge are invaluable. He has been critical to 麻豆原创鈥檚 pandemic response and the success of key strategic initiatives across campus. I congratulate him and consider our institution fortunate to have him at the helm of the Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs.

Research and Graduate Studies

Since arriving in 2016, Dr. Elizabeth Klonoff has served as both Vice President for Research and as Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. Under her leadership, 麻豆原创 saw records set for sponsored research awards five years in a row 鈥� including $212.9 million in the last fiscal year. The profile and ranking of our graduate programs have also soared.

麻豆原创 has reached a point in our research and graduate education endeavors where we cannot expect a single person to lead both areas. For this reason, the provost and I have decided to separate the two positions, and we have asked Dr. Klonoff to continue serving in the role of Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. We will launch a search for a Vice President for Research later this spring. Dr. Klonoff will continue to provide leadership for our research activities until a new Vice President is named. We are thankful for all she has contributed to 麻豆原创 and for her continued leadership and commitment to this institution鈥檚 bright future.

Analytics and Integrated Planning

As we focus on our future, it will be vital for 麻豆原创 to be data-driven and to operate in a fully data-enabled environment where analytics help to guide our decisions and improve our operations. To this end, I have appointed Dr. Paige Borden 鈥�95MBA 鈥�00EdD, our current Associate Provost and Chief Analytics Officer for Academic Affairs, to serve on my cabinet as the university鈥檚 Chief Analytics Officer. 麻豆原创鈥檚 Analytics and Integrated Planning team, led by Dr. Borden, has already provided powerful insights and direction that have enhanced our decision-making, outcomes improvements, and efficiencies; I look forward to broadening their impact across the institution.

I could not be more enthusiastic about the future of this university and the team we are building. I also look forward to completing the searches for our Sr. Vice President for Advancement and Partnerships and Sr. Vice President for Student Success before the end of the fiscal year.

I am inspired every day by the amazing work and devotion I see from each of you and our students. We are working to enhance our operations and align our leadership to create the best possible outcomes for all of Knight Nation.

Go Knights. Charge On!
Alexander N. Cartwright
麻豆原创 President聽

We know for certain that our successes would not be possible without you 鈥� our faculty and staff. Your compassion for our students and dedication to the work we do here make us a better institution. I am very proud that we have continued our forward momentum and that we look to the future with a commitment to compassion and care.

Because of your efforts, we are building a strong foundation for our future and we have so much to celebrate.

The excellence you have helped shape was recognized in big ways this year:

• • The Seal of Excelencia for our efforts to serve our Hispanic and Latina/o/x students;
  • The largest gift in 麻豆原创鈥檚 history 鈥� $40 million 鈥� to fuel student success;
  • And the invitation to join the Big 12 athletic conference.

And, as always, you continued to create and innovate. This year, faculty:

• • Pushed the limits of supersonic flight with a new propulsion system;
  • Used artificial intelligence to detect sarcasm in social media;
  • And worked to solve one of the ocean鈥檚 most curious sea turtle mysteries.

Because of accomplishments like these, our rankings continue to rise, jumping 12 spots for overall academic excellence this year 鈥� one of only three universities to improve its national ranking each of the last five years, according to U.S. News & World Report. We also were again recognized as one of the Most Innovative Schools in the country and as a rising leader in social mobility.

I am grateful to each of you who are committed to the transformational work we do here, and I am grateful to those who matched that commitment with the hard work and dedication that is pushing us to even greater heights. As we work toward building the university for the future, we must ensure we have not only the tools to be exceptional but also the climate and culture that positions us all to look forward with great anticipation to 2022.

Thank you for all that you do. I hope you use the upcoming time off to spend time with your families, recharge, and celebrate all we have accomplished. You have definitely earned it.

Melinda and I wish you the best for a joyous holiday season and for health and happiness in the New Year.

With Gratitude,

Alexander N. Cartwright
麻豆原创 President

You make 麻豆原创 an incredible institution with amazing potential. I am honored to work alongside you because of the compassion you show for your colleagues, the genuine interest you take in the success of our students, and how far you go out of your way to make a difference in our community. All 麻豆原创 has accomplished, and all it will accomplish, is because of our incredible people.

Investing in Our People

Earlier this year, we created the with contributions from the colleges and administrative units to invest in our academic excellence and support our vision to become the world鈥檚 leading public metropolitan research university. Central to achieving that vision is investing in our people, which is why we have allocated over half of the program鈥檚 funds to provide wage increases for our employees.

All eligible faculty and A&P and USPS staff who are not represented by labor unions and who have an annual salary of more than $48,500 will receive a 2.5% salary increase, and those with an annual salary of $48,500 or less will receive a 3.5% salary increase, effective October 15, 2021. You can expect to see these increases on your November 5 paychecks. Please visit the聽Human Resources website聽for additional information, including eligibility requirements.

Salary increases for all in-unit employees, or those represented by a union, must be collectively bargained. This salary program is separate from the ongoing assessment of the classification and compensation project. Updates will be shared as soon as they are available.

Winter Holidays

The added challenges of this year have weighed heavily on many of us. To help ensure you have time to celebrate, recharge, and connect with family and friends, we are happy to announce that 麻豆原创 will observe an extended winter break.

I have approved eight paid days off in December in addition to the state holidays on December 25 and January 1. The university will be closed for official business starting Monday, December 20, through Friday, December 31. Eligible employees will be paid for those days. Please talk with your supervisor for more details about how these paid days off apply to you.

麻豆原创鈥檚 first president, Charles N. Millican, once said, 鈥淚f we would reach the stars, we must first reference to true north.鈥� As we continue to navigate into the next chapter for 麻豆原创, we will strive to keep our compass set to north, maintaining the culture of compassion that makes our university so special.

On behalf of the university鈥檚 leadership team, our students and our community 鈥� thank you.

With Gratitude,

Alexander N. Cartwright
麻豆原创 President

Scott Carr, deputy athletics director for brand activation, is now serving as interim director of athletics. The 麻豆原创 football team’s defensive coordinator Randy Shannon聽will serve as interim head football coach following the departure of聽Josh Heupel to the University of Tennessee.

麻豆原创 will move quickly to hire a director of athletics, whose first job will then be to hire a head football coach. The university anticipates finalizing the selection of a search firm this week to help to identify and recruit the best candidates for director of athletics. The search process will include input from coaches, athletics staff and student-athletes.

“With our two vacancies, we have an opportunity to define the future of 麻豆原创 Athletics,” President Alexander N. Cartwright says. “When we had a similar opportunity five years ago, 麻豆原创 made many hires that quickly elevated the national profile of our athletics programs. I look forward to working with all of our coaches, student-athletes, athletics staff and fans to continue building on our momentum.”

Interim Director of Athletics

Carr, whom Danny White hired shortly after his arrival, is a 25-year veteran of intercollegiate athletics. During his time at 麻豆原创, he has overseen all of 麻豆原创 Athletics’ external units, including Ticket Sales & Operations, Corporate Partnerships, the Annual Fund, Brand Advancement, Strategic Communications, Video Services and the Game Day Experience. He works closely with 麻豆原创’s coaches, including as head sports administrator for men’s basketball, men’s soccer, and women’s track and field.

“I am thankful for the outstanding contributions all of our coaches and athletics staff have made to strengthen our athletics program, the success of our student-athletes inside the classroom and in competition, and our university’s national reputation,” Cartwright says. “Scott has been an exceptional leader alongside Danny, and his team has enjoyed great success growing the size and enthusiasm of Knight Nation and 麻豆原创’s reputation.”

“I am honored to be appointed by President Cartwright as interim director of athletics at the 麻豆原创,” Carr says. “After five years of meaningful service here, I am grateful to serve at this moment of major opportunity.”

Interim Football Head Coach

Shannon has been the 麻豆原创 defensive coordinator and linebackers coach since 2018. He previously was head coach at the University of Miami (2007-10) and has been an assistant coach at TCU, Arkansas, Florida and with the Miami Dolphins. He also聽served as interim聽head聽coach at聽Florida in 2017. His 麻豆原创 defenses led the nation in tackles for loss in 2019 and in fumble recoveries in 2020.

Coach Heupel let the football team know Wednesday morning that he would be leaving for Tennessee.

“We would like to thank Coach Heupel for his contributions to 麻豆原创, and we wish Josh, Dawn, Hannah and Jace the best in their new endeavor,” Carr says. “We are a perennial top-25 program with a very talented team returning for the 2021 season. We have achieved tremendous success in the classroom and in our graduation rates. The future of 麻豆原创 athletics is very bright with the hard work and dedication of our student-athletes, the passion of Knight Nation, our talented staff and coaches, and the leadership of President Cartwright. We are confident that we will find the right head coach to lead our football program.”

麻豆原创 will immediately begin a national search for a new vice president and director of athletics.

鈥淚 will personally miss working closely with Danny,”聽says President Alex N. Cartwright. 鈥淒anny will leave 麻豆原创 with incredible momentum and a strong foundation for success, including a culture of innovation and winning with integrity and strengthening 麻豆原创鈥檚 national reputation well beyond the sports world. I am committed to working with all of you to build on our momentum to achieve sustained excellence in competition, in the classroom and beyond.

鈥淚 am certain that we will attract premier candidates who are eager to work alongside our talented coaches and athletics staff and who share our commitment to our student-athletes鈥� success in the classroom and preparing them well for careers after they graduate.鈥� 鈥� President Alexander N. Cartwright

鈥淚 am certain that we will attract premier candidates who are eager to work alongside our talented coaches and athletics staff and who share our commitment to our student-athletes鈥� success in the classroom and preparing them well for careers after they graduate. And I know they will also be excited about joining our fans in Knight Nation, just as I was when I became president.鈥�

Among 麻豆原创鈥檚 accomplishments during the past five years:

• 麻豆原创鈥檚 student-athletes have earned an overall GPA of at least 3.2 for eight consecutive semesters and at least 3.0 for 26 consecutive semesters. A record 302 student-athletes from 麻豆原创 were selected to the 2019-20 American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.

• Every 麻豆原创 team competing in head-to-head sports posted a winning record the past three seasons. We are the only program in the country to accomplish that feat. 麻豆原创鈥檚 football team won a national championship and played in two New Year鈥檚 Six bowls. The men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball teams earned NCAA tournament bids in 2019, and every team has been ranked in the top 25 at some point during the past five years.

• 麻豆原创 Athletics raised more than $35.5 million in gift commitments and $17.4 million in cash gifts during the 2019-20 year. Both numbers were records and, more importantly, a testament to the generosity of 麻豆原创 donors.

White said that when he was hired at 麻豆原创 in November 2015, 鈥渙ur goal was to become one of the nation鈥檚 premier destinations鈥� for coaches and student-athletes. I also had a goal to excite our student body, staff and faculty, alumni and the Central Florida community. With the tremendous support of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, donors, students and all of Knight Nation, we certainly accomplished those goals.鈥�

White added that under President Cartwright鈥檚 leadership, 鈥渢he future is very bright at 麻豆原创. It was extremely difficult to tell Alex that I was leaving as he is a tremendous leader and friend. 麻豆原创 is definitely in great hands, and I look forward to watching the continued success of this phenomenal university. The White family will always be Knight fans!鈥�

We want to acknowledge in a tangible way the remarkable work of our faculty and staff this year and all you will continue to do in the year to come.

Because our financial position does not let us offer raises, we have approved a one-time payment of $1,200 for all eligible faculty and staff members.

Since one-time payments must be collectively bargained for all in-unit employees, we are happy to announce that 麻豆原创 has reached agreement with PBA and AFSCME. These in-unit employees, as well as eligible out-of-unit employees, will have this one-time payment included in paychecks on January 29. Updates regarding UFF will be shared as soon as available.

Out-of-unit A&P employees and out-of-unit faculty employees who have an administrative title (chairs, deans and other positions of leadership) with a salary of $200,000 or more will not be eligible for this one-time payment.

Please visit the Human Resources website for information about eligibility requirements.

Every day at 麻豆原创 reaffirms our belief that it is our people who make this an amazing place and fill it with limitless potential. It has been inspiring to see you innovate and help our students excel. We hope you have a wonderful and restful winter break, and we look forward to opportunities to connect with more of you in 2021.

With gratitude,

Alexander N. Cartwright, 麻豆原创 president

Michael D. Johnson, interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs聽

“The university will be closed for official business starting Monday, December 21, through Friday, January 1. Eligible employees will be paid for those days.”

Every day you make a difference. And I hope you are also taking care of yourselves by taking the time you need to rest and recharge.

To make sure you have this time, and to recognize you for your incredible contributions this year, I have approved eight paid days off in December. These eight paid days off are in addition to state holidays on December 25 and January 1. This will mean the university will be closed for official business starting Monday, December 21, through Friday, January 1. Eligible employees will be paid for those days.

Please talk with your supervisor for more details about how these paid days off apply to you.

Our Compassionate Community

Since arriving at 麻豆原创, I have said that we should strive to not only be the university 鈥渙f鈥� a place, but the university 鈥渇or鈥� our community. Together, we have an opportunity to be that bright spot in higher education.

As we enter this season of giving, those of us who are able to do so can give back to our community in many ways, including through philanthropy and volunteering 鈥� with worthy organizations who appreciate our generosity now more than ever.

One such organization is the . Each year, 麻豆原创鈥檚 faculty, staff and students come together to support the amazing services the United Way provides our region, including neonatal care, early childhood and adult literacy education, affordable housing, emergency services, and more. During this unprecedented time, the assistance provided is critical to so many.

You can also directly support members of our university community through , which offer assistance to Knights who are facing hardships. For our students, donations to these funds have the potential to remove financial barriers to their academic success.

麻豆原创 is a very special place for Melinda and me 鈥� thank you for being a part of it and for all you do to make a difference at 麻豆原创 and beyond.

With Gratitude,

Alexander N. Cartwright
麻豆原创 President聽

Our , including limiting the size and number of in-person classes and gatherings and requiring facial coverings, are for the well-being of each other and our loved ones.

It will take all of us working together to . Like Student Government President Sabrina La Rosa and others across campus, I have pledged to Armor Up to take care of our community. I encourage you to take the Armor Up Pledge and follow the new rules and procedures in place to help us achieve a successful fall semester together.

Since joining 麻豆原创, I have been so impressed by our students 鈥� your compassion for each other, commitment to your scholarship and the 鈥渃an-do鈥� attitude that exemplifies being a Knight. Getting to know many of you has been the highlight of my summer.

Although our campus and your experience will look different for a time, we will continue to work together to find new ways to build communities and grow as individuals, even while we are in different places.

One way is this week鈥檚 , 麻豆原创鈥檚 official welcome week of activities. This year will combine physically distanced in-person events with virtual opportunities to celebrate the start of the semester, connect with each other and learn about campus.

It was terrific with so many of you on Sunday evening. I hope to see you at other events during the week and look forward to helping you Charge On in the year ahead.

Go Knights!
鈥�President Alexander N. Cartwright