Dear Students,
As the new semester begins, I wish you all a great start to the 2026-27 academic year. I hope that you have had time to recharge this summer, and that you are bringing renewed enthusiasm to your studies and extra-curricular commitments.
As I am new to GW, I am going to take this opportunity to offer a longer than usual message, to give you a sense of how I am getting up to speed. Since beginning as GW Provost in July, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the campus and the talented faculty, staff, and students whose dedication and ingenuity make this such a compelling destination for research and education. At summer research poster sessions, First Year Move-In, the Welcome Day of Service, and more, I have received warm welcomes and seen first-hand what motivates GW students in their studies and other activities.
As President Granberg observes in her start of semester message, American higher education continues to face strong headwinds. Those challenges, however, present GW with a generational opportunity to engage with new ideas and collaborate as we adapt to quickly evolving circumstances around student demand, research funding, and the issues confronting the world, the United States, and our neighboring communities.
We will soon be moving to implement the Strategic Framework that GW adopted last year. Be on the lookout for efforts to improve advising and career services, as well as expanded avenues for experiential learning that take full advantage of our location in the nation’s capital. In addition to providing more support around identifying internship opportunities, we want to cultivate more courses that get students undertaking research on issues that matter to external partners, and that foster the capacity for teamwork so important to civic engagement and the evolving world of work. In the meantime, below this message you’ll find links to important Academic and Wellbeing Resources currently available to you.
As we adapt to all the changes around us, students have a crucial role to play and make GW an even more compelling place to get an undergraduate education or pursue an advanced degree. I look forward to engaging with the Student Government Association throughout the year, and SGA President, MJ Childs, has called for more events that allow students to connect informally with faculty and staff. In that vein, the first monthly Pizza with the Provost is coming in early September, and companion ideas are in the works.
I also want to take note of one area where we have been working especially diligently in the last several weeks. After significant engagement with the Educational Policy and Technology Committee of the Faculty Senate, as well as the Deans and their leadership teams, we are updating 2023’s guidance to faculty and students on the use of AI in connection with academic work. The revised guidance responds to extensive requests from faculty and students for clarifications, especially in light of fast-moving technological innovation. You can find the new guidance here.
I am committed to working closely with all GW constituencies as we make the university stronger than ever: a better place to learn, research, engage, work, and equip you all to make a difference as citizens, community members, innovators, and resilient leaders. And I wish you the very best for a productive and fulfilling semester.
Sincerely,
Edward J. Balleisen
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Professor of History
Academic Resources:
Wellbeing Resources: