Message to All Faculty from Interim Provost Brie Gertler

Update from Interim Provost Brie Gertler to the Faculty, March 2026 

Dear Faculty Colleagues, 

It is a busy season at the University. I hope that those of you who teach found time to relax over spring break, amidst grading and your many other responsibilities. Work did not slow down for many of you during that week, especially those who work in clinics or labs. Despite the day-to-day demands, I find that the start of daylight savings time and the blooming of daffodils and forsythia bring a sense of renewal to Grounds. 

It has now been a year since I stepped in as interim executive vice president and provost. The last twelve months have been eventful for the University. Throughout this time, my priority has been to sustain and strengthen the University’s core academic mission, working alongside dedicated colleagues on the executive leadership team including a remarkable group of accomplished and institutionally minded deans. I have endeavored in this work to be accessible and transparent, and I have valued the opportunity to collaborate closely with the Faculty Senate.  

Dean Bourne 

Last week we shared the sad news of the passing of Phil Bourne, the founding dean of UVA’s School of Data Science. A bold leader and accomplished scholar, Phil was a friend and colleague to many across the University as the dean of the “school without walls.” He encouraged senior leadership to keep our eyes on the University’s future, and he inspired us to be daring in envisioning that future and in imagining what the University could be. I will miss our frequent conversations, and I know that many of you will also miss him. There will be a memorial service for family, friends, and colleagues at the School of Data Science this afternoon at 4:00 pm. The service will be livestreamed.  

Jeffrey Blume is serving as interim dean of Data Science, and I will meet with faculty and staff at the School to hear their thoughts about a search for Dean Bourne’s successor. Searches are underway now for deans of the School of Architecture and the Darden School of Business, with a goal of having new deans in place before the start of the fall semester. 

Support for Those Affected by War in the Middle East 

Many members of the UVA community are closely monitoring news from the Middle East. Dean of Students Nicole Hall and Vice Provost for Global Affairs Steve Mull sent messages of support to more than a hundred students hailing from eight countries most directly affected by the current conflict. If you have students who may need support because of the war or for other reasons, please let them know that they can find resources through the Student Health and Wellness site. Support for faculty and staff is available through FEAP.  

The International Studies Office (ISO) is tracking key decision dates related to summer study abroad programs, with an eye on the evolving situation in the Middle East. ISO has contacted all students who have been accepted to summer programs abroad and will continue to share information with them. 

Research Hubs 

There was a tremendous response – more than 90 submissions – to a request for proposals for Research Hubs from the Office of the Vice President for Research. Research Hubs bring together researchers with shared or complementary interests for interdisciplinary collaborations, with special emphasis on enhancing UVA’s readiness to respond to opportunities from federal and other extramural funding agencies, philanthropic entities, and industry. Reviewers consolidated overlapping or interrelated proposals to create 15 Research Hubs and, in some cases, connected faculty members who submitted proposals with existing resources related to the proposed topic. To learn more about research at UVA, subscribe to the UVA Research newsletter.  

Carnegie Community Engagement Classification 

The University was recently awarded the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, a national recognition of institutions that have forged deep, reciprocal partnerships with their local, regional, national, and global communities. 

This designation reflects the work of numerous faculty, staff, and community members who have led or contributed to academic programs, data and research collaborations across the region, and place-based initiatives designed to improve health, education, housing, and economic mobility. I am grateful to all of them and to Vice Provost for Academic Outreach Louis Nelson and his team, who put significant effort into making the case for this designation. 

Disagree with a Professor 

Think Again is preparing to launch a podcast in partnership with Virginia Public Media (VPM) based on a series of Disagree with a Professor live events in which UVA professors and students engage in a low-stakes debate over lunch. Each professor brings statements of their own creation that they are willing to defend, and students are invited to disagree with them. Statements can be serious, related to their discipline, or offbeat and humorous. They have ranged from “all political offices should be filled by random selection” to “washing one’s hair is a waste of time” to “college is the best four years of your life.” The conversations aim to model healthy disagreement and are characterized by levity, curiosity, and an openness to opposing viewpoints. If you would like to participate in either the podcast or an upcoming live event, please contact Mary Kate Cary.  

Resources and Other Timely Information  

• Faculty and staff across Grounds are investing substantial time and effort to make sure that digital materials meet new federal and state requirements for accessibility. Visit UVA’s Digital Accessibility website for more information and resources. The Faculty Support Pathways page includes self-guided learning and workshops, and information about support networks for faculty and instructors.  
• The University continues to update Federal Information FAQs to share information about the impact of federal policy changes on the University. The most recent updates concern immigration and international travel. 
• My office has launched a standing committee on AI in teaching and learning, to develop recommendations and provide advice. The committee is co-chaired by Christian McMillen and Michael Palmer, with subcommittees focused on Academic Integrity (chaired by Alison Booth), Learning and Cognition (chaired by Jamie Jirout), Tools and Infrastructure (chaired by Matt Hedstrom), and Work and the Curriculum (chaired by Reza Mousavi). 

Finally, you received an invitation last week from Vice President Kevin McDonald and me to a Celebration of Faculty Excellence on Monday, April 6 from 5 to 7 pm in the Pavilion Grand Ballroom at Boar’s Head Resort. Please register here by March 27. I hope you will join us to celebrate our faculty’s expansive and diverse contributions to the University’s mission through your teaching, research, clinical care, and service across a broad array of disciplines. Thank you for all that you do to make the University of Virginia a vibrant and welcoming academic community.