Dear AU Community,

Summer at AU is a time of energy and activity on campus. While there’s maybe not quite the same buzz as a beautiful fall or spring afternoon when the quad is full, conferences, summer classes, visits from prospectives students, and work on numerous institutional priorities create a feeling of excitement and progress. As we enjoy the warm days, I write to share an update on some key focus areas that will help to shape our future.

Strategic Plan––Thank you to the phase 1 working groups who produced thoughtful “big bet” ideas for our next strategic plan. The group submissions are available on the strategic plan website and comments can be submitted to strategicplan2025@american.edu. We are now in phase 2 of the planning process, reviewing the submitted ideas, conducting further research, and identifying opportunities for collaboration, alignment, and integration among the proposals. The final plan will have a core set of university-wide priorities. And while not every idea reflected in the submissions will move forward, they all contribute to the framework and the creativity that will help us continue to differentiate AU. After we return to campus in the fall, we will share updates on the feedback received and provide additional community engagement in the planning process.

Working at AU––With the VRIP and workforce alignment efforts complete, we are entering a new era of work at AU. The size and shape of our operations are now different. We have important opportunities and both new and ongoing challenges to work through together. Schools, colleges, and units will continue updating their team structures this year to reflect our evolving conditions and improve our services and operations. We are adapting to new realities, including sustained pressures on enrollment and university finances. The work we did this year as a community to achieve more than $80 million in enhanced revenues and cost savings was necessary and effective. Very few universities have achieved this kind of reimagination of work, particularly at a time when higher education is facing intense pressures. And we must continue to evaluate our approach to work and related budgetary issues. There are no immediate new actions or plans, but as we track fall enrollment and its impact on our resources and needs, we will determine additional steps as necessary. We will undertake this work by asking and answering questions as a community and using our established methods for information sharing, engagement, and shared governance to make the new AU workplace a success.

Federal Policy––The federal policy environment continues to move at a rapid pace with multiple ongoing challenges for higher education and AU. The Senate is considering the budget reconciliation legislation, which could make significant negative changes to federal financial aid and create new requirements and costs for universities. We are engaging with members of Congress to advocate for robust student aid and share concerns about some of the policy proposals. We are also working with our colleagues at WAMU to support vital federal funding for public media, which is under threat. Changes to visas and immigration procedures for international students pose yet another concern that could impact future enrollment. We are in regular communication with our international students to provide support and guidance for this evolving and complex space.

This month, we joined an amicus brief with 23 research institutions supporting Harvard University’s litigation to reverse federal research funding cuts. We continue to collaborate with other universities and higher education coalitions in collective action to advance the core principles of academic freedom, inquiry, and access to educational opportunities. Check the Federal Policy Updates page regularly for the latest developments.

Preparing for Fall––Opportunities for community engagement and learning are lining up for the new academic year. We are planning an extensive program over the next year to commemorate the country’s 250^th birthday in American University style. The Civic Life initiative will build on its strong first year to bring more programming, speakers, and constructive dialogue to campus. Stay tuned for more information on these exciting initiatives. We are also working every day on student enrollment and retention, which are fundamental pillars for our future and our budget. As we get to fall census, we will have more information about enrollment, its effects on our budget planning, and how we will continue improving our recruitment and opportunities for student thriving.

I hope your summer is enjoyable and restful.

Sincerely,

Jonathan R. Alger
President, American University