Welcome to 2023 and welcome to a new semester. I want to take this opportunity to thank each of you for your day-to-day efforts within our Division.  You make a difference! You empower, engage and guide students and each of you share in their success. 

We are facing some changes in the near future. Chancellor Arvizu’s contract expires in the end of June, and the Board of Regents has begun a search for a new Chancellor.  Many of you are also aware that NMSU is interviewing prospective Provost candidates this month.  For both of these searches, I encourage you to be involved in open forums and provide your feedback to the search committees through the surveys offered.  Our leaders set the tone at the university, and we need to ensure that Student Success voices are represented in these conversations.

Leadership changes can be unsettling, and I can assure you that leadership within the Division of Student Success remains.  The DSS mission to empower, engage, and guide our students remains the same no matter who is Provost or Chancellor.  I have seen many leadership changes over my 34-plus year career and I remain optimistic that all will be fine. 

The record of the Division of Student Success is strong. We have been successful in our efforts to grow enrollment, improve student retention, and increase graduation rates.  I encourage you to remain confident and continue to focus on the important mission of supporting our students.