Dear members of the Arts and Science community:
As summer comes to a close, and a new academic year is upon us, I am pleased to welcome all of you to our campus. Whether you are returning for another year or joining us for the first time, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some thoughts about the year ahead.
I am honored to serve as the new Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science. Since my arrival in July, I have been reflecting on this wonderful homecoming to NYU: a place of fond and formative memories for me as both a graduate student and a faculty member. I am eager to connect with you about a number of aspirations for our remarkable community of faculty, students, staff, and alumni.
In this spirit, I invite you to consider some of the core values that drive our mission. Arts and Science has always been the academic heart of New York University. As such, it is our shared responsibility to renew our commitment to the centrality of the mission of Arts and Science for the success of our University. By embracing our entrepreneurial spirit, investing in our exceptional faculty, students, and staff, and fostering our unique, holistic approach to education, Arts and Science bolsters the greatness of NYU. In doing so, we proudly sustain our values of excellence, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Together, we educate our students and our local communities through a culture of care and respect. In the service of these values, our commitment to hold one another accountable as stakeholders in our joint endeavor must be unwavering. To this end, you can expect transparency, accountability, and open communication from me.
As we celebrate the many successes of our vibrant community, we also collectively look forward. We take pride in our abundance of excellence in areas of scholarship, teaching, administrative service, mentoring, and outreach. We set high expectations for ourselves in these areas, and I have no doubt we will exceed them. We have before us an incredible opportunity to push the frontiers of knowledge, putting to work our penchant for innovation, creativity, and transformation across fields and units. I encourage you to take risks, be bold in your aspirations, be strategic in your investments, and be willing to stand proudly behind your work and the work of your colleagues. At the same time, we need to be mindful that what we do matters greatly. As the largest academic unit in the largest private university in the nation, we have an opportunity to make a lasting and positive impact.
I feel privileged to serve Arts and Science, and I look forward to working with you to cultivate and strengthen our community.
With warm regards,
Antonio
Antonio M. Merlo
Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science
