Dear colleagues,

As we conclude the first week of the semester, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the outstanding efforts each of you has made to ensure a smooth and successful start. I would also like to highlight some significant events from the first week.

Sunday’s First Year Walk, from Pan American Center to Miller Field Gates, was a delightful start to our students’ academic journey. It was inspiring to see our campus leadership team, particularly the Office of Student Services, actively supporting and encouraging our students as they embark on this important chapter. These students are the future presidents, entrepreneurs, business leaders, educators, and researchers who will shape our world.

A special thank you to everyone who attended this semester’s convocation. It was especially wonderful to see many of our new faculty members there. Your participation not only enriches our community but also marks the beginning of what I hope will be a rewarding journey at NMSU for our new faculty members. Additionally, let’s celebrate our award recipients:

• Patricia Christmore Faculty Teaching Award: Shannon Norris-Parish, Agricultural and Extension Education and Paulette Vincent-Ruz, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Donald C. Roush Award for Teaching Excellence: Dwight Kealy, Finance; Young Lee, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; and David Bishop, Mathematics
• Dennis W. Darnall Faculty Achievement Award: Wei Tang, Electrical and Computer Engineering

I am excited to announce a groundbreaking initiative led by Dr. Ann Goodman, marking a significant step in our commitment to health and well-being. NMSU has partnered with TimelyCare to offer 24/7 virtual healthcare services, ensuring that both our on-campus and global students have seamless access to care. This past summer, in collaboration with the Office of Benefits, we expanded these essential services to include our faculty and staff, enhancing the support we provide to everyone in our community. I strongly encourage you to download the TimelyCare app and register for these services.

Last week, the Board of Regents approved a change to NMSU’s insurance premium tiers to better balance the costs between employees and the university. Effective September 1, most employees earning less than $80,000 per year will see a reduction in their premium deductions. I extend my sincere gratitude to our Budget, Payroll, and Human Resources teams for their diligent work in making these adjustments possible.

To our new faculty, staff, and students: These are exciting times to be associated with NMSU, and thank you for joining us. We are NMSU, and we support each other in our efforts to be successful and outstanding in what we do.

Lakshmi N. Reddi
Interim Provost
New Mexico State University