Dear friends:

There is both a sense of excitement and sadness in the air at the College of Arts and Sciences this fall.

We are excited to welcome the largest and most academically gifted class to campus (1,334 students). And with that, CAS has also seen significant growth. We have added 34 faculty this year, more than 70 new faculty over the past five years. So, we are growing, not just in numbers, but in stature and in reputation. By all accounts, we are at the precipice of national greatness — no exaggeration.

Our faculty in CAS have continued to publish in leading academic journals, to publish important books, to create poems, to write plays, and to create art. They have engaged communities as partners, and always engage students in the process of knowledge curation and creation. At our core, CAS has never wavered on its focus on teaching and student impact.

So, as we steady ourselves for the activities that come with our stature — lectures, exhibitions, performances, student research — in more innovative ways and at an increased volume, we are also mindful of our core Jesuit mission in “accompanying youth on a hope filled journey” of formation, as stated in the works of The Superior General of the Society of Jesus.

As much as we are excited and looking forward, the College and University suffered a blow recently, when Assistant Professor of English Matt Tullis, director of our digital journalism program, unexpectedly passed away. Matt, only 46 years old, for those who knew him, embodied the Ignatian spirit. He was always happy, always ready and able to help colleagues and mentor students.  His absence from our community is felt by everyone. I know I express the views of the entire CAS community in sending his family, his friends, and all those whose lives he touched, our heartfelt prayers for peace.

Sincerely yours,

Richard A. Greenwald, PhD
Dean and Professor