We’re kicking off fall semester at the best university around—and I don’t mean just in my humble opinion. (Seriously, you can see the proof here and here.)
More students than ever want to be here. We’re welcoming the largest first-year class in our history, with more than 5,000 students. We’re also on track for our highest first-year retention rate ever. Students are choosing to come to and stay at UTA because of the learning and support they receive in your classrooms.
Earlier this year, Carnegie named us an Opportunity University for our success at expanding access to higher education while also producing outstanding graduate outcomes. We’re one of just 21 R-1 universities to earn the Opportunity designation, a sure sign that we combine access and academic excellence as well as any university in the country.
I’m especially pleased that this progress comes during our 130th anniversary celebrations. This university started in a wood-framed schoolhouse with six teachers and a few dozen students, thanks to some truly visionary townspeople who knew in their hearts that good schools make good towns. All of us are part of a legacy shaped by bold thinkers, selfless mentors, and people who believed in the power of public education to change lives. Now, it’s our turn.
Networking opportunities
We have a number of upcoming opportunities to celebrate UTA, connect with one another, and chart our future.
Web accessibility
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) is leading a crucial project to ensure all of our digital content—including Canvas course materials, web pages, and mobile apps—are accessible for individuals with disabilities. It’s part of our strategic commitment to increasing accessibility—and it’s mandated by federal law. Universities not in compliance will face significant fines beginning April 24, 2026.
Thanks to exceptional leadership from OIT and collaboration across the University, we are on target to ensure our digital resources and communication are accessible to all audiences. But we will need your help! Please visit the Center for Distance Education (CDE) website, which explains how a new tool called Ally will help faculty and instructors improve and correct accessibility issues within Canvas course files. The site also includes a Canvas Accessibility Training Guide, links to faculty training, and numerous other resources to help ensure your digital course content is accessible.
You can find more information on OIT’s Electronic and Information Resources Accessibility program website, including toolkits and FAQs.
UTA 2030: Shared Dreams, Bright Future
Our UTA 2030 strategic plan is a roadmap to achieving our biggest dreams for this University, and I am heartened by our ongoing progress.
On the student success front, we remain committed to reducing student debt and providing opportunities to Texans regardless of their economic circumstances. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and in combination with our Blaze Forward program, 65% of UTA undergraduate students have their tuition and mandatory fees covered this academic year. We’re launching new degree programs designed to address critical employer needs, with academic programs in hospitality management and entrepreneurship starting today. We’re also preparing to launch a new Academic Transformation Initiative designed to enhance access and affordability, promote timely graduation, and equip students with the knowledge, skills, and resilience they need to achieve their education and career goals. Look for more details in the coming weeks!
As part of our RISE 100 initiative, to date we have hired 91 scholars, including 55 new tenure-system faculty. We recruited in key research areas that included AI, synergies for sustainability, and semiconductors. Our doctoral enrollment for fall 2025 is up more than 5% over the previous year.
I’m sure you’re also seeing our significant infrastructure investments. We’ve deployed standardized technology packages in 109 classrooms, enhancing instructional delivery and student engagement. Our Life Sciences addition and renovation is on track for completion in 2027, capping the transformation of the southern edge of our campus. And Maverick Hall opened last week, which means about 650 more students now live on the west side of campus.
So thank you, sincerely. You probably don’t hear that enough, but I mean it. These gains speak to your extraordinary work across campus to achieve our shared goals. And they are coming at a time of significant uncertainty and new challenges in higher education that make us work harder than ever to safeguard the heart of our mission: student success and academic and research excellence.
We are a strong university because of our people, and we are on the cusp of another terrific academic year. Thank you for all you do to support our students, our mission, and each other.
