2026 State of the University address

Good afternoon, fellow Tigers!

Welcome to the beginning of another academic year. 

I can’t believe that it has been more than a year since I joined you. I’m still as optimistic as my first day, and I can tell you that the more I learn about RIT and the Rochester community, the more I know that I have found a home here.

This has been a memorable first year for Emily and me. We've had the opportunity to spend time in classrooms and labs; attend performances and athletic events; meet with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners; get to know board of trustee members and learn more about what makes RIT distinctive.

And we've come away with a simple conclusion:

RIT is extraordinary because of the people who choose to be part of it.

Thank you for welcoming us into your community. 

Let me begin by saying I have great confidence in our future. I see it in our students, faculty, and staff and in the outcomes of your work. 

Today, I’d like to focus on what I have learned during my first year, the opportunities and challenges ahead, and the outcomes that I believe RIT should focus its attention on.

Those outcomes belong to all of us.

As you listen today, I ask you to think not only about the work happening in your own area, but about the outcomes that we will create together across the university.

I'd first like to thank those who have already shared remarks: our Provost; the leaders of Faculty Senate, Staff Council, and Student Government; and our Vice President for Access, Engagement and Success. 

I would also like to thank all that help guide this university — and that includes all of you!

I deeply appreciate your partnership and service. Let’s have a round of applause to thank everyone who helps make this university a better place!

Each fall, new students arrive. New colleagues join us. Leaders step into new roles, and others conclude years of dedicated service.

That ongoing renewal is one of the things that keeps RIT strong. This year, we're joined by several new senior leaders.

Please stand as you are called:

Let’s start with Hassan Aziz, our new dean of the College of Health Sciences and Technology. Hassan joins us from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, where he served as dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Albina Balidemaj-Basha, who is the new president of RIT Kosovo. Albina previously served as the Dean of Faculty at RIT Kosovo. I know she is watching our live stream.

Amit Batabyal, the Arthur J. Gosnell Professor of Economics in our College of Liberal Arts, who is serving as the interim director of the Golisano Institute for Sustainability.

Flavia S. Fleischer, who is the new dean at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Flavia, who is the first Deaf woman to serve as NTID dean, most recently was chair and professor of the Department of Deaf Studies at California State University, Northridge.

Chris Regis, who is our senior vice president and chief financial officer. Chris joined RIT from Southern Methodist University, where she served for nearly two decades as senior vice president for business and finance and CFO.

And finally, Iyonka Strawn-Valcy, who will be our new Associate Provost for International Education and Global Programs. Iyonka most recently served as Associate Vice Provost for International Initiatives at Georgia Tech and will start on Sept. 21.

These leaders are joining us at a time when the work ahead is changing. Their experience will help shape how we chart our path forward.

I'd also like to recognize and thank those who have recently concluded their service in leadership roles:

Gary Behm, for his service as Interim Dean of NITD.

Jim Myers, for his service as Associate Provost, International Education and Global Programs.

Nabil Nasr, for his service as the Director of the Golisano Institute for Sustainability. 

Yong Tai Wang, for his service as dean of the College of Health Sciences and Technology.

Jim Watters, for his service as Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer.

Let’s give a round of applause for those who have magnificently led RIT, as well as a welcome to our new leaders.

As I thought about today's conversation, I found myself asking:

How should we talk about where RIT is headed?

I believe this moment calls for us to look broadly at the questions people are asking about higher education and what those questions mean for RIT.

There are real challenges facing higher education. But today’s environment also creates opportunities.

The questions that the public is asking invite us to proudly declare who we are, why our mission is more relevant than ever, and where we should focus our investments to prepare the next generation of leaders and create innovations and knowledge that will improve the world.

This Moment in Time

To set the stage, consider that:

Many people today are questioning whether a college education is worth the investment.

Artificial intelligence is changing how people learn and work.

Employers are reconsidering the capabilities graduates need.

Universities are facing rising costs and difficult questions about how resources should be invested.

All universities are operating under greater public scrutiny.

These challenges are emblematic of those facing higher education today, and they're changing what students, families, employers, and communities expect from us.

I've found it helpful to think about those expectations through four questions:

• Will going to college pay off?
• Can universities still make a meaningful positive impact?
• What should universities do to truly support their students?
• Which universities stand out in today's world?

These are fair questions, and all universities should be prepared to answer them.

For many universities, answering these questions represents a turning point and a call for reinvention. 

But there's an important difference for us. 

For RIT, I believe they point toward a rediscovery and proclamation of strengths that have defined us for generations.

Why RIT is Built for this Moment

So, what are those strengths? A good place to start is with our vision and mission.

RIT’s vision is to shape the future and improve the world through creativity and innovation. 

Our mission is to leverage the power of technology, the arts, and design for the greater good.

Even as the world around us changes, our vision and mission remain appropriate. 

And, we can see them expressed in how RIT responds to each of the questions I just asked.

First, will going to college pay off? 

Students want to know that their education will lead to meaningful career opportunities.

RIT has spent generations developing an educational model built for this moment.

Through applied learning, cooperative education, internships, global experiences, and employer partnerships, student learning creates career opportunities and develops critical thinking skills that prepares students to be leaders, participating in and inventing the future of work.

Second, can universities still make a meaningful positive impact? 

At RIT, education and research are deeply connected to the world around us.

Our students are sought by employers for co-ops and employment upon graduation: 4,149 of our students had co-ops last year, and 92.8% of our graduates secured a meaningful first destination within 6 months after graduation, including employment (85.8%), graduate school (5.9%), and volunteering or serving in the military (1.1%).

Our faculty and students also work across disciplines and alongside industry and community partners to innovate, create knowledge, solve problems, and improve lives.

Next, what should universities do to truly support their students?

In today's competitive environment, students are looking for more than strong academic programs.

They want to know they will have the support they need to make the most of their education.

At RIT, that means helping students navigate challenges, reducing barriers, and connecting them with the people, resources, and experiences that allow them to become engaged and participate fully in their university experience.

Demonstrating that kind of support gives students a compelling reason to choose RIT.

Finally, which universities stand out in today’s world?

RIT does, and the reason isn’t because of a single program or ranking.

It’s because of the combination of strengths we’ve developed over generations with creativity and innovation, accessibility and opportunity, experiential learning, applied research, and deep connections with industry.

Those connections extend well beyond our campuses, through partnerships and relationships around the world.

Together, these strengths help explain why RIT is well positioned in this fast-changing world.

What Guides Us

We won't be able to predict every challenge, but our mission acts as our compass and keeps us oriented when the path ahead changes.

That's also why we intentionally adopted a new Strategic Framework last February, rather than a traditional strategic plan.

The framework gives us direction without assuming we can map out every step in advance. It identifies where we need to focus while preserving the flexibility to adapt.

Our Strategic Framework identifies four strategic goals:

• Transformative Student Experiences and Success, focusing on creating the environment and support that helps students succeed.
• World-Changing Research, advancing discovery and innovating to make a difference.
• A Culture of Well-Being and Belonging, creating an environment where people are supported, connected, and able to thrive.
• A Global Reach and Mindset, extending RIT's learning, partnerships, and impact beyond our Rochester campus.

The next question is: How should we measure progress?

Some success indicators can be measured quantitatively, such as student graduation and persistence rates, and we will set numeric targets for them.

For the framework’s strategic goals and actions, I think it’s most helpful to use qualitative measures, using shared outcomes that provide proof points of our progress toward our goals.

Let me highlight some recent examples of shared outcomes for each strategic goal.

Transformative Student Experiences and Success

Our first strategic goal is Transformative Student Experiences and Success.

The shared outcome I would like to highlight is Student Success.

We awarded a record 5,420 degrees this spring.

And this fall, we welcomed nearly 4,000 incoming first-year, transfer, and new graduate students. I hope to see them walking across the commencement stage in the years ahead and launching successful careers of their own.

Also this year, Forbes recognized RIT among the nation's Top 15 Colleges for Launching Careers. And, The Princeton Review included RIT among its 50 Colleges That Create Great Futures, recognizing institutions that excel in academics, experiential learning, and career preparation.

We have earned that reputation together.

Student success at RIT is built on learning by doing. 

As I said earlier, more than 4,000 students complete co-ops each year with employers across the country and around the world, with 96 percent of employers surveyed saying they would hire their RIT co-op student for a full-time position.

And we're expanding learning by doing beyond co-op through internship for credit, research, entrepreneurship, special courses, like engineering’s KGCOE 488, and other experiential opportunities.

Furthermore, nearly 93 percent of our graduates are employed or continue their education within six months. Undergraduate degree recipients report an average starting salary of $78,600, $10,000 above the national average, and the average starting salary for graduate students is $91,900.

That's an important part of the value students and families expect from a college education.

More examples from this year: Nearly 3,000 students showcased their work at Imagine RIT. This is an example of how students create, perform, compete, conduct research, serve their communities, and pursue opportunities beyond the classroom.

We also have important work ahead of us.

New initiatives have been started that will help us better understand where students encounter barriers and how to provide the right support at the right time, so that more of them persist and graduate in a timely manner.

And we're working to expand experiential education opportunities, like the new National Science Foundation Research Traineeship program CMOS+X, that prepare students for impactful and meaningful careers.

World-Changing Research

Our second strategic goal is World-Changing Research.

The shared outcome I would like to highlight is increased applied research activity.

RIT continues to increase our research activity that makes a positive impact on the world. 

For example, our longstanding expertise is helping open new frontiers in laser technology, through the award in July of the $15M NSF STELLAR Engine, matched by $16M in New York State support, together with the University of Rochester and other partners.

Another example of our leadership in applied research is RIT’s participation in the new $37 million NSF-funded Quantum Leap Challenge Institute announced this August. 

RIT will manage center-wide professional development for undergraduates; manage exchange programs within the center; and conduct education for research and lead curriculum development related to the quantum error correction and the societal benefits of quantum technology.

Furthermore, more than 40 years after RIT pioneered education in microelectronic engineering, we continue to lead by being a key partner in UPWARDS — the U.S.-Japan University Partnership for Workforce Advancement and Research & Development in Semiconductors for the Future — hosting the convening of its six partner universities at RIT in April.

But increasing use-inspired research activity is only part of the story. How we apply that research matters, too.

For example, our researchers are using results from imaging science, our first doctoral program, to help preserve cultural heritage, revealing and documenting works that might otherwise be lost.

In addition, last May, RIT was selected by the United States Department of the Army to establish and lead the Army STEM Education Consortium, a national research initiative aimed at strengthening the country’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics workforce pipeline. 

This new consortium will oversee a nationwide network of academic, nonprofit, government, and private-sector partners tasked with expanding STEM enrichment programs, internships, competitions, educator training, and career pathways aligned with national security.

And we're continuing to build our research capacity:

We opened a new research building expanding our capacity for discovery and collaboration.

More research proposals were submitted last year than ever before by our faculty.

And we had our strongest August ever for new research awards as federal agencies began moving more funding out the door.

We're also launching a university-wide AI Institute that builds on successful work across multiple colleges. A national search for an executive director will be announced in the next few weeks.

We are also planning to launch a university-wide institute at the intersection of health and technology, expanding interdisciplinary work in these areas.

Culture of Well-Being and Belonging

Our third strategic goal is the Culture of Well-Being and Belonging.

The shared outcome I would like to highlight is Building Community.

Building community means increasing participation, creating opportunities for people to engage with one another, and reducing barriers to the RIT experience.  

We see that happening in many ways among our students. 

Nearly one in four RIT students is the first in their family to attend college. We're strengthening advising, mentorship, and other pathways to help first-generation students navigate RIT, become engaged in the university, and persist toward graduation.

Nearly 14,000 Tigers, 81 percent of our undergraduates, participate in extracurricular activities or organizations. They participate through hundreds of organizations, teams, cultural and creative activities, and service opportunities.

Dr. Jenkins spoke earlier about some of this work. I personally want to reaffirm my commitment to it and find practical ways to broaden participation across RIT.

A supportive community also includes a supportive environment for our faculty and staff. The people who teach, mentor, advise, and support our students need an environment where they can grow, too.

Looking ahead, we want to better understand which forms of engagement contribute most to persistence, and how we can connect more students with the experiences and support that help them stay on track toward graduation. 

Global Reach and Mindset

Our fourth strategic goal is Global Reach and Mindset.

The shared outcome I’d like to highlight is Global Impact and Connectedness.

To start, our experiential learning model now extends globally, with RIT students completing co-ops in 32 countries.

Across our campuses in Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo, we're seeing that reach continue to grow. In Dubai, a major expansion will more than double the campus's capacity to approximately 4,500 students by 2028, adding new academic, laboratory, research, and innovation spaces.

I especially want to recognize our colleagues in Dubai, who have continued to work while navigating a challenging environment in the Gulf and are open for in-person instruction this fall.

Also, faculty and students in Rochester and Croatia recently worked together across three departments to develop a shared game-design project using AI and the Unreal Engine, an example of how our global locations can connect students, faculty, and disciplines.

And, in Kosovo, we’ve formed a new partnership between the American University in Kosovo and the Harry Fultz Foundation in Albania.

Our opportunities include expanding our work, building more partnerships, and connecting what RIT does especially well with what the world increasingly needs.

Together, these outcomes help us see progress in our Strategic Framework.

And there's something else worth noticing.

These outcomes align remarkably well with what the public is asking of universities today: 

• Providing an education that delivers a return on investment and value.
• Making a more meaningful positive impact.
• Providing a supportive environment.
• And being relevant in a changing world.

Those are the outcomes we're working toward. And, delivering them requires more than setting goals.

That's why our framework also includes three organizational strategies to build the capacity and alignment we need to deliver on them.

So, let's start with resources.

Grow and Steward our Financial Resources

To Grow and Steward our Financial Resources, we must manage today's realities while creating financial capacity to invest in RIT's future.

Stewardship requires us to be mindful of our financial environment.

As we shared with you in June, our revenue has remained essentially flat while our expenses have increased by approximately $18 million.

Healthcare, energy, debt service, and other costs continue to rise.

Those realities required difficult choices this year, including the decision not to provide merit increases.

I know those decisions affect the well-being of our faculty and staff and their families, and I don't take them lightly.

But we are not accepting those constraints as the new normal. Our framework makes clear that competitive compensation, strong benefits, professional growth, and a culture of connection remain important to attracting and retaining exceptional people. 

So our challenge is to create more capacity to invest in the people, programs, and priorities that will move RIT forward.

That means looking carefully at how we use resources we already have, where we can work differently, and where our investments can have the greatest benefit.

It also means growing our resources through strong enrollment, funded research, strategic partnerships, and philanthropy. 

This past year, RIT secured $58 million in new philanthropic gift commitments.

Those include a new $24 million gift from Jeff Harris and Joyce Pratt to create new endowed professorships and invest in artificial intelligence.

We also surpassed 1,000 members of the Sentinel Society.

And we're now building on that momentum with an ambitious effort to expand undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships as we approach RIT's 200th anniversary in 2029. 

Our goal is to create at least 200 new scholarship and fellowship endowments, supported by a special matching opportunity approved by our Board of Trustees.

Remember that: 200 by 200. These scholarships are an opportunity to invest in RIT's future.

We're also beginning next year's planning and budgeting process earlier, giving ourselves more time to assess our financial environment, set priorities, and make choices about where to invest. 

This isn't simply about reducing expenses.

It's about creating the financial capacity to invest in what matters most while keeping RIT strong for the future.

Enhance Storytelling

Our second organizational strategy is to Enhance Storytelling.

We're expanding RIT's visibility in new markets and becoming more focused and aligned around the stories we tell to share the strengths and priorities that distinguish RIT.

How people find information is changing. Students and families are increasingly turning to AI tools to ask questions about universities, programs, and opportunities.

Focused storytelling thus becomes even more important as AI changes how people discover and evaluate universities. 

Across RIT, we need to understand the questions that students and families are asking about college, align our content around our priorities, and make sure our strengths are well documented in answers people find online.

Increase Velocity and Resilience

Our third organizational strategy is to Increase Velocity and Resilience.

We can't predict every change around us. But we can improve how quickly and effectively RIT responds.

When we're clear about the outcomes that matter most, it gives us the freedom to think differently about how we achieve them.

And we're already beginning to change how we work. This year, units across RIT are aligning their goals and priorities with the goals and actions in our Strategic Framework. 

That will give us a more consistent way to measure progress and identify where we need to adjust. 

We will do that by improving processes, making better use of technology and information, working across organizational boundaries, and making decisions based on results. 

Building Our Future Together

As I think about the work ahead, I'm reminded of something that's changed across our campus.

For many years, construction cranes were part of the RIT skyline.

They represented a remarkable period of growth. Those buildings created extraordinary places to learn, discover, create, and collaborate.

And they've helped transform RIT.

Now, another important building project is ahead of us.

This time, we're strengthening and supporting the people and programs of the university itself.

We can approach that work with confidence. 

We know who we are, we know the strengths that distinguish RIT, and we know that those strengths are increasingly relevant to the world around us.

We also have a Strategic Framework that identifies the outcomes that matter most.

So, the work ahead is turning our framework into concrete changes in how RIT operates.

Over the coming year, we'll set clear priorities, examine how we're organized and how work gets done, improve processes and systems, and make choices about where we focus our efforts and invest our resources. 

Some things are working very well and should be strengthened. Other things will need to change.

We all must make thoughtful decisions about where change can make RIT stronger.

Doing all this means this will be a year of action.

The goal is to strengthen the people and programs that make RIT distinctive, expand opportunity for our students, and ensure RIT can continue delivering on our mission and vision for generations to come. 

That's our next build: strengthening how RIT works so we can deliver the outcomes that matter most.

And that's work that belongs to all of us.

Thank you and Go Tigers!