Jan. 11, 2021
All students will be required to sign the Wildcat Pledge to follow COVID safety precautions if they want to be on campus, and staff and faculty members are encouraged to sign as well, according to an update on the spring semester from President Dean and Provost Jones. The update also introduces new in-person student activities for spring, and invites everyone to join a virtual town hall on Jan. 19 about the semester.
Jan. 8, 2021
President Dean shares important updates for the spring semester, which call for in-person classes to start Feb. 1 in Durham and Manchester and Jan. 20 at the law school. Community members are urged to continue watching their UNH emails closely for updates, including important steps for those who plan to return to campus.
Jan. 7, 2021
"We all watched in horror yesterday as extremists launched an historic assault on our democracy and the U.S. Capitol," President Dean wrote in a message to the UNH community today. "It was painful to watch and I know it is difficult to process these events. I categorically condemn the violence and the attempt to interrupt the peaceful transfer of power. "
Read the president's full statement
Dec. 18, 2020
President Dean announces the State of the University address on Feb. 9 on Zoom, when he will report on the impact of COVID-19 on our campuses and offer an update on The Future of UNH and its four strategic priorities. He also announces a decision on the name of the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law. In addition to offering a book recommendation, the president is inviting the university community to read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Leadership: In Turbulent Times, and join him for an online discussion along with Paul College Dean Deborah Merrill-Sands and UNH History Professor Jason Sokol.
Dec. 10, 2020
University leaders congratulate faculty, staff and students for following testing and public health guidelines to keep campuses open through Thanksgiving, and they urge continued vigilance. As the spring semester approaches, they encourage everyone to stay up to date on campus modes of operation along with travel guidelines from the NH Department and Health and Human Services.
Nov. 23, 2020
We did it! When we started the fall semester, we had a goal of conducting in-person instruction through November 20. President Dean marks the transition to remote instruction for the balance of the fall semester with a message of appreciation to the UNH community, an update on the strategic plan, great news about the university's sustainability ranking and a reminder of the Social Venture Innovation Challenge, which features his Dec. 1 online conversation with Anne Finucane ’74, vice chairman of Bank of America and UNH's 2020 Social Innovator of the Year.
Nov. 11, 2020
President Dean and Director of Athletics Marty Scarano announce that student athletes will be allowed to return to play with continued strict adherence to all CDC, state and university COVID-19 guidelines. This means seasons and travel will be limited and there will be no spectators at any home games.
Nov. 6, 2020
President Dean and Senior Vice Provost for Student Life Ken Holmes share an important video message about rising cases of COVID-19 and the critical importance of being vigilant about following public health guidelines to keep everyone healthy and safe, and our campuses open.
Oct. 29, 2020
President Dean congratualtes the UNH community for successfully keeping COVID-19 cases low and its continued vigilance in following public health guidelines. He also shares updates on Spaulding Hall, the record breaking year for competitive research funding, Election Day, monthly office hours on Zoom and a new TikTok video. Finally, two interesting books about women appear on his monthly reading list.
Oct. 13, 2020
The president and UNH leaders shared updates and took questions from the university community on a wide range of issues, including COVID-19, new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives, commencement planning for the classes of 2020 and 2021, planning for the spring semester and the UNH budget situtation. Video links below.
Oct. 8, 2020
The university community is encouraged to join one of two virtual town meetings when President Dean and other UNH leaders will discuss the spring semester, commencement for the class of 2020, fall and winter sports, our budget, and our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Oct. 5, 2020
President Dean and Associate Vice President for Community, Equity and Diversity Nadine Petty share a message with the university community about allegations on social media involving a faculty member.
Oct. 2, 2020
President Dean and Provost Jones outline the university's policies around academic freedom and freedom of speech, and encourage community members to take an active role in supporting candidates and policies of their choice. They also promote three students voter registration days, when students can register to vote, request an absentee ballot and complete and return that ballot at the same time.
Sept. 30, 2020
President Dean urges the university community to remain vigilant in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and shares an update on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives and upcomign events.
Sept. 23, 2020
President Dean leads an online town hall forum to discuss new initiatives outlined by the President's Leadership Council to address diversity, equity and inclusion.
Sept. 18, 2020
At the request of President Dean and fellow University System of New Hampshire presidents, the USNH Board of Trustees have unanimously agreed to add Juneteenth as a recognized holiday in the university’s schedule.
Sept. 10, 2020
President Dean and Associate Vice President for Community, Equity, and Diversity Nadine Petty share new university-wide initiatives and invite staff, faculty and students to a series of online town meetings.
Sept. 6, 2020
In a letter to the UNH community, President Dean condemns a party of more than 100 people at the Theta Chi fraternity, including 11 positive cases traced to the party.
Aug. 31, 2020
President Dean welcomes our campus communities to the fall semester, stressing COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, updating plans to address racism and promoting the virtual University Day on Sept. 2.
Aug. 27, 2020
President Dean shares a message from Senior Vice Provost for Student Life Kenneth Holmes with details about how violations of health and safety protocols can be reported and will be handled.
Aug. 17, 2020
President Dean announces new mode of operation and discusses the campus opening condition.
Aug. 5, 2020
President Dean shares a message of support from the USNH Board of Trustees to reopen campuses this fall.
July 17, 2020
UNH is postponing the fall sports season in conjunction with our league partners, the America East Conference and the Colonial Athletic Association.
July 8, 2020
President Dean emphasizes UNH's strong and continued support for its international students following new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies that he called "incredibly unfair and harmful."
June 23, 2020
President Dean and Provost Jones hosted town hall webinars for students and parents, addressing plans for returning to in-person classes for the fall semester.
Watch the webinar for students
June 17, 2020
President Dean and Provost Jones hosted town hall video forums for staff and faculty on June 16, addressing three big challenges the university is addressing: racism, COVID-19 and financial issues.
Watch the forum for staff (speakers begin at 10:45 into the video)
June 17, 2020
UNH has hired Nadine Petty, executive director of the Center for Diversity and Enrichment at the University of Iowa, as its next chief diversity officer and associate vice president for community, equity and diversity. Petty will start at UNH on August 10.
June 15, 2020
President Dean outlines steps to ensure the continued financial strength of the university, including an additional incentive to early retirement benefits.
June 10, 2020
In a letter to the UNH community, President Dean outlines steps the university will take to address racism and intolerance, increase education about racism and create opportunities for everyone to become antiracist.
May 27, 2020
The president congratulates the Class of 2020, shares his gratitude to the UNH community and outlines the planning process for reopening our campuses for the fall semester. He also provides a round-up of some great recent news for the community.
May 13, 2020
Jay Calhoun, a leader in higher education finance and adminstration, has been named interim CFO at UNH. He most recently served as CFO and treasurer at Brown University, where he was responsible for financial planning and analysis, accounts payable and procurement.
May 8, 2020
President Dean announces plans for opening UNH campuses to in-person instruction for the fall semester, with important measures that will be taken to ensure the health and safety of students, faculty, staff and the community.
May 1, 2020
President Dean and Provost Jones promote virtual events that feature innovative student research projects: the Undergraduate Research Confernece, Graduate Research Conference and Holloway Prize Competition.
April 27, 2020
President Dean thanks the UNH community for its graceful response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and shares updates on non-COVID news, including the awarding of a Truman Scholarship and the signing of a call to action to accelerate climate solutions in higher education in honor of Earth Day. He also reviews two books he read recently.
April 22, 2020
President Dean shares important information about resources and policy changes that are designed to support employees and the university's financial health through the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 21, 2020
President Dean and Provost Jones talk about how the university is managing COVID-19 and the work that is happening behind the scenes to plan for the future.
April 1, 2020
University leaders discuss the budget implications of COVID-19 and share important measures that are being taken to help UNH through the global pandemic.
March 30, 2020
The president expresses his gratitude to the Wildcat community for its continued hard work, support and understanding during the COVID-19 crisis, and shares an update on the impact that global pandemic is having on Commencement acitivities and the university's operating budget.
March 25, 2020
UNH announces vital contributions to support NH's response to COVID-19. Working closely with Gov. Chris Sununu and the NH Department of Health and Human Services, UNH is preparing facilities at the Durham campus, sharing resources for drive-through testing and is donating a large collection of gloves, surgical masks, protective gowns, respirators and other resources.
March 23, 2020
President Dean offers an update on UNH's COVID-19 response, including ongoing moves out of on-campus housing, the closure of campus buildings, resources for students, faculty and staff for online learning and remote work and expanded student support services.
March 18, 2020
President Dean announces that UNH will suspend all in-person classes for the remainder of the spring semester, extending our previously announced two-week transition to non-face-to-face, remote learning.
March 15, 2020
President Dean updates the university community with important new information regarding the COVID-19 virus.
March 12, 2020
An update to the university community details important new guidelines in response to the COVID-19 virus.
March 12, 2020
The president shares an update on UNH's respose to the COVID-19 virus, including a link to a comprehensive UNH webpage with the latest news, information and resources related to the virus.
February 27, 2020
President Dean's monthly update reviews recent town meetings on the Huron report, gatherings with alumni and state lawmakers, updates on the searches for several leadership positions and some of his favorite books related to Black History Month.
February 4, 2020
President Dean and university leaders shared a one-year progress report on the university's strategic plan, The Future of UNH, at the 2020 State of the University address at the Hamel Rec Center.
January 27, 2020
President Dean provides an update on the university-wide Huron financial review, the search for a chief diversity officer and the upcoming State of the University address on Feb. 4. He also shares the most recent books he's read, and recommendations for children's books sent to him from people across the UNH community.
January 23, 2020
A newly-appointed search committee for the Chief Diversity Officer position includes members from across the UNH community.
January 14, 2020
The president announced the final report from Huron Consulting, the group hired last fall to conduct a comprehensive review of UNH-wide finances, which support one of the university's top strategic priorities: building financial strength.
Dec. 18, 2019
President Dean details his visits to New Hampshire high schools and one of the state's largest businesses, offers an update on the Huron financial assessment and shares a selection of children's books that he and Jan have recently read to their grandchildren.
Dec. 10, 2019
As New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary approaches, President James W. Dean Jr. and Provost Wayne Jones share guidance regarding political activity and public advocacy on campus.
Nov. 25, 2019
President Dean shares details on continued work across UNH related to improving campus climate, and he shares his apprecation for Professor Monica Chiu, who has served as interim vice president (AVP) for community, equity and diversity. Chiu is stepping down to return to teaching and scholarship in the English department. The president also writes updates on recent visits with alumni across the country, and with New Hampshire high school students. Finally, he announces the State of the University address on Feb. 4, and offers insights on the most recent book he's read, Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children.
Nov. 20, 2019
Although higher education institutions across the country, including UNH, continue to face increasing financial constraints, UNH leadership has announced a salary increase for all eligible, non-union employees, effective March 1, 2020.
Nov. 1, 2019
Over the past six weeks, the Huron Consulting Group has met individually with more than 100 members of the UNH community, interacted with various committees, analyzed over 200 data sets and reviewed hundreds of policy and organizational documents. Last week, the Steering Committee met to evaluate the initial opportunities identified by Huron and recommended nine areas for in-depth assessments.
Oct. 29, 2019
In his monthly update to the campus community, President Dean reports on his visit with high school students at Fall Mountain Regional High School, encourages UNH students and friends to cheer on the Wildcats' football team against Villanova at home on Saturday, promotes a performance of The Odyssey by UNH Threatre and Dance and offers an update on the Huron study of UNH revenues and expenses. Book lovers will enjoy the president's review of a book he recently finished, Quichotte, by Salman Rushdie.
Oct. 23, 2019
President Dean and Provost Jones provide important UNH resources that protect academic freedom and freedom of speech.
Sept. 30, 2019
A new state budget provides a $12 million increase to USNH over the next two years, following five years of flat funding. The increase will allow UNH to freeze in-state tuition for next year, and to continue important outreach programs across New Hampshire. In his 13th update to campus, President Dean also offers updates on state support for Spaulding Hall renovations, the results of the Campus Climate Study, the reorganization of the UNH leadership team, the Huron financial report and Homecoming. In addition to sharing a recent book he's read, he also shares news about a just-published book that he wrote with Deborah Y. Clarke, The Insider's Guid to Working with Universities.
Sept. 5, 2019
Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,
I hope your semester is off to a great start and that you enjoyed some time off over the holiday weekend. On Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 3:30-5 p.m. in the MUB Strafford Room, the results of the campus climate survey will be shared and discussed. Please take some time to review the executive summary and then join us at the forum, either in person or via live stream , to learn about the findings in more detail and provide feedback on the next steps we will identify.
We all play a role in ensuring our community is open, fair and equally accessible for all students, staff and faculty. Thank you for everything you already do and will do to help ensure our campus climate is welcoming and inclusive.
Sincerely,
James W. Dean Jr.
President
Sept. 3, 2019
To help UNH be a national leader in financial strength, one of the university's four strategic priorities, President Dean and Provost Jones announce a new partnership with the Huron Consulting Group to conduct an in-depth financial analysis across all academic and administrative areas. Huron's work will begin Sept. 9, with a final report expected by mid-December.
Aug. 29, 2019
As the fall semester begins, President Dean encourages students to get involved in university activties, clubs and organizations, and to learn about them at University Day on Sept. 10. He also invites the community to hear about the results of the Campus Climate Survey on Sept. 11, in the Strafford Room of the MUB. Finally, he shares his thoughts about the lastest book on his summer reading list.
Aug. 9, 2019
President Dean announces the appointment of Bill Poirier as the new chief information officer for both UNH and USNH. Highly regarded for his IT leadership for the state of Minnesota, he was the unanimous choice of the search committee, comprised of representatives from all four USNH institutions and the USNH Administrative Board.
Aug. 6, 2019
President Dean and Provost Jones offer condolences and share links with resources for those needing support following mass shootings in Texas and Ohio.
July 30, 2019
This month, I’m trying something new for my update to the community: a podcast interview with The UNH Podcats, looking back on my first year at UNH and ahead to the new academic year. Of course, I also review the books on my summer reading list.
July 9, 2019
President Dean encourages the UNH community to set aside time on Sept. 11 for a forum to discuss the results of a campus climate survey.
June 28, 2019
President Dean announces that UNH's budget for FY20 has been approved by the USNH board of trustees. He also outlines UNH's progress on its "Enhance New Hampshire" strategic priority, including an upcoming survey of the campus community on work in this area. Finally, he shares the latest books from his summer reading list and gives a preview of his upcoming trip to China.
June 6, 2019
Top business leaders from across the state are joining a new UNH partnership led by President Dean, which will advance economic development and increase the state's skilled workforce.
May 30, 2019
President Dean offers his reflections on commencement, along with news about The 603 Challenge, a proposed increase in state support in the Legislature and emerging challenges in student recruitment. He also shares insights about a recent book he read and the next one on his summer reading list.
May 18, 2019
President Dean shares his commement remarks.
April 29, 2019
President Dean offers his support and shares UNH resources for those struggling with pain and fear in the wake of recent acts of terrorism in Sri Lanka and San Diego, along with his admiration for the closeness of the UNH community. He also reports on progress on the university's four strategic priorities, highlighting new initiatives in the areas of Student Success and Well-Being and Embrace New Hampshire.
March 28, 2019
President Dean shares the metrics that will help UNH measure progress toward its overarching strategic goal: to be among the top 25 public universities in the nation in the most important dimensions of academic performance. He also urges the campus community to take the Campus Climate Survey, and join him and Provost Jones in signing up for the UNH 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. The challenge sends participants daily emails with brief messages, videos and prompts that help make social justice part of a daily habit. A kick-off event to promote and celebrate the challenge will be April 1 at 12 p.m. in the Strafford Room of the MUB.
March 22, 2019
Following recent racial incidents in New Zealand and here at home, President Dean and Monica Chiu,
Interim Associate Vice President, Community, Equity and Diversity, share a message to reaffirm the university's core values and to offer support to the university community.
Feb. 28, 2019
President Dean outlines the approach UNH is taking to reach its goal of becoming one of the nation's top 25 public universities in the most important measures of student success. He also reports on recent visits with alumni and shares the latest book he has read.
Feb. 26, 2019
The confindential Campus Climate Survey is now open, and will help our community build a better, stronger UNH.
Feb. 7, 2019
President Dean encourages everyone in the UNH community to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy by taking part in the "Now is the Time" series, and joining these conversations to help build a better UNH.
Jan. 28, 2019
President Dean shares an update about the university's new strategic plan, and a note about a great book from the history department.
Jan. 24, 2019
President Dean addresses the UNH community to announce an overarching goal and four priorities that will inspire UNH's achievements in the coming years. Visit the Future of UNH website for details and a video of his remarks: www.unh.edu/future.
Dec. 17, 2018
President Dean shares a holiday video celebrating 2018, and invites the UNH community to hear him present a plan for the university's future strategic priorities on Jan. 24.
Nov. 21, 2018
President Dean shares a monthly update with the campus community, offering insights on his leadership values and promoting participation in an upcoming UNH Survey Center survey that will be used to shape the university's strategic priorities.
Oct. 30, 2018
President Dean, Interim Provost Wayne Jones , and R. Scott Smith, Chair of the Faculty Senate, and David Bachrach, Co-chair of the Faculty Senate, share a message to the university community following the horrific shootings in Pittsburgh and Louisville.
Oct. 24, 2018
President Dean shares an update about his recent outreach initiatives with the UNH community.
Oct. 12, 2018
President James W. Dean Jr. , the 20th president of the University of New Hampshire, shares his installation ceremony remarks.
Sept. 17, 2018
It’s been a little over two months since Jan and I arrived at UNH. We feel very welcome and are beginning to feel at home; the campus community has been incredibly gracious in reaching out to us. Thanks to your wonderful suggestions, I’ve eaten lots of great food (maybe too much!) and cycled through some beautiful towns and countryside. I’ve begun to discover and appreciate the beauty of the state, from Lake Winnipesaukee to the Isles of Shoals, and look forward to seeing other parts of New Hampshire in the coming months.
Aug 29, 2018
July 9, 2018
I hope you’re enjoying a great summer. I’m thrilled to be here in the beautiful Granite State, settling in to Durham and joining you as a proud UNH Wildcat. It’s a tremendous honor to be UNH’s twentieth president, and I look forward to meeting many of you soon. Since my announcement in April, my youngest daughter was married, my wife and I did a lot of packing and I worked on finishing a book I’m writing about higher education for business leaders. I’ve also been trying to learn how to pronounce “Berlin,” “Plaistow” and “Contoocook,” and other New Hampshire places.
April 4, 2018
After a national search that concluded with a unanimous vote of the University System board of trustees, James W. (“Jim”) Dean Jr. has been appointed the 20th president of the University of New Hampshire effective June 30, 2018.