Dean’s Message – February 2026
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This past month our SPHHS community marveled in the beauty of winter and exhibited resiliency in the face of a brutal snowstorm. I am deeply grateful for the staff in UMass facilities who clean our parking lots and sidewalks, allowing us to resume our normal business safely. It also amazes me how the students embrace their playful sides on campus while still showing up for their classes. And I am grateful to our faculty and staff, many of whom have their own children at home due to “snow days” (by the way, one of my favorite movies), yet they still come in to teach their courses and continue with research and mentorship of students. Thank you to the many individuals who keep UMass running during this beautiful and challenging weather. Now, as we go into March, can we please have warmer weather?
As a school we continue to discuss how to use GenAI in our teaching and research activities, which is a timely and hot topic. We began the academic year with a retreat to orient the faculty on a new UMass platform that can be utilized for specific purposes, and discussed best practices in higher education for teaching students when and how to use it for their course work, if appropriate. The associate deans have led other workshops on the topic, have arranged for a one-credit online seminar with practitioners who have developed a toolbox for using it in the field, and have held in-depth discussions on developing a school-wide policy on the use of GenAI. All this to say – we are on top of this ever-evolving topic and will prepare our students for the workforce of the future while maintaining scientific integrity in their academic work.
Now that our new building is open for classroom instruction, seminars, and collaborative work, I challenge all students, faculty, and staff to work with me in re-establishing a culture of “showing up.” Show up to your classes. Show up to the seminars being offered by esteemed faculty. Show up to the workshops being offered by student advising and career planning. Show up to the Public Health and Health Professions Career Fair on March 4th. And show up to the many other events we’ll be holding throughout the rest of the spring semester and beyond.
Showing up creates social connections, enhances our learning from one another, and allows respectful dialogues that helps everyone to extend their growth mindset. I look forward to seeing you there.