Dear Members of the George Washington University Community,
Earlier this week, President Granberg sent a video and message welcoming the GW community to the new academic year. Even amidst challenges, there is much to celebrate as new and returning students, faculty and staff affirm their dedication to GW’s preeminent education, transformative research, and “Only at GW” experience.
It is a great privilege to serve as interim provost this academic year and lead the advancement of our academic and research mission. Since beginning my role in July, I have become even prouder of the work we do together to make progress in our aspirations as a community—it is clear that in all areas of GW, we are committed to offering a welcoming and supportive environment for individuals and groups from a range of perspectives and identities so that all can succeed and thrive. We provide space for civil discourse and constructive dialogue so that we can strengthen our community and advance knowledge that will improve the world. This is part of our very DNA as a university.
The continued pursuit of these aspirations will enable us to advance not only our personal goals of learning, teaching and working to our fullest potential, but also our university mission, with excellence and with great pride. Working together, we will see GW reach even greater heights.
As interim provost, I look forward to supporting you this year in the countless ways you contribute to our community, and as President Granberg stated in her message, I encourage you to support each other as well. I wish you a happy and healthy fall semester full of discovery and accomplishment.
Sincerely,
John Lach
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Faculty Resources
Faculty FAQs
The Faculty FAQs page is a great resource for GW policies, classroom expectations, syllabus guidelines, and other essential information.
Faculty Affairs Resources and Guidance
Visit the Faculty Affairs website for information for full-time and part-time faculty at all stages of the faculty life cycle.
Academic Calendar
The academic calendar outlines important dates for the semester, such as holidays and exam periods. As previously shared, Friday, January 2, 2026 has been designated as a special day off for all faculty and staff, extending this year’s Winter Break and New Year’s Day university holidays by an additional day.
Faculty Handbook
The Faculty Handbook was updated over the summer and serves as a valuable resource for GW faculty.
Instructional Continuity
We encourage all faculty to ensure they have instructional continuity plans in place in case of weather-related or other unscheduled closures. Guidance is available on the Campus Advisories website.
Religious Observance Policy and Calendar
While the religious observance policy as approved by the Faculty Senate will continue to live on the Office of the Provost website, the religious observance calendar will be located on the Center for Interfaith & Spiritual Life website moving forward. The 2025-26 religious observance calendar is available here.
International Student Support
International students are a crucial part of the GW community. The International Service Office website provides many resources that we encourage you to share with your international students.
Conflict Education & Student Accountability (CESA) Workshops
Conflict management skills are essential for success in many settings at and beyond GW. Every Friday afternoon during the school year, CESA will host interactive leadership and development workshops on a rotating set of topics. Several workshops will address managing academic integrity. Faculty can also request that CESA come and do a pre-developed or custom workshop for their course, department, or other group. Visit the CESA website for more information.