WKU News

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome back to campus and to the start of the spring semester! I hope your break was restful and renewing. I am especially thankful for the faculty and staff who worked through the break to maintain campus operations and support our students who took winter term classes.

Spring always brings a season of energy and momentum at WKU, and this year is no exception. Additionally, for many of our Hilltoppers, anticipation and uncertainty come with the start of a new term as they settle into their new schedules, internships, student activities and more. I want to underscore the importance of the work you do every day to support our students. This is especially meaningful for those who are beginning their final semester with us before earning their WKU degree in May. Your guidance, encouragement and care make a lasting difference. Thank you for walking alongside our students as they prepare for what comes next.

As we begin the semester, applied learning and student research opportunities continue to differentiate the WKU Experience, and one of the best expressions of this is the WKU Student Scholar Showcase. This event celebrates the research, creative and scholarly work of undergraduate and graduate students from across our institution. I encourage you to invite your students to participate and submit an abstract online by Monday, March 2. This year’s Showcase will take place on Saturday, April 11, in the Downing Student Union. I hope you plan to attend and consider volunteering as a session chair. More information is available at https://www.wku.edu/showcase.

In 2017, WKU engaged the campus and broader community in a comprehensive strategic-planning process that resulted in Climbing to Greater Heights, a decade-long plan guiding the university from 2018-2028. Since that time, we have achieved significant progress, including the highest first-to-second-year retention rate and the highest graduation rate in WKU’s history, reflecting a shared vision and strong campus-wide collaboration.

Given the continuously evolving higher education landscape, it’s both prudent and necessary to pause, reassess and recalibrate our course. To that end, I have assembled a Strategic Planning Committee, chaired by Dean Corinne Murphy and Bryson Davis, charged with conducting a thorough review of Climbing to Greater Heights to determine what should remain unchanged, what we should revise or remove and what new priorities we must consider to ensure a vibrant future for WKU. They will work through the spring semester to focus on advancing WKU as a whole, elevating the WKU Experience for our students and positioning the university for continued effectiveness. The amended strategic plan will conclude in 2031, coinciding with WKU’s 125th anniversary. Please look for additional information, including a website and invitation to a campus open forum, from the committee chairs in the coming days.

Finally, as a reminder, we are pleased to again offer faculty and staff two complimentary tickets and two vouchers for a hot dog and drink (soda or bottled water) for each of the following games:

·Women’s Basketball vs. Liberty – 6:30 p.m., January 22

·Men’s Basketball vs. New Mexico State – 6:30 p.m., February 26

Faculty and staff may pick up tickets with a valid WKU ID at the E.A. Diddle Arena Ticket Office Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. 

Thank you for all you do to make WKU a place where students are supported, challenged and inspired. I am grateful for your dedication and look forward to an outstanding spring semester together.

Go Tops!

Best,

Timothy C. Caboni