President Cockett Welcomes Students Back for Fall 2022

Editor’s note: Utah State University President Noelle E. Cockett welcomed students back for the fall 2022 semester with these written and video messages.

Welcome, students!

I hope you are as excited and energized as I am to be at Utah State University for fall 2022. Whether you are a new or returning student, we all have so much to look forward to this year.

There are several new deans at USU this year who will oversee the academic programs within their college: Michelle Baker in the College of Science, Linda Nagel in the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources, and Jennifer Duncan in USU Libraries. Nick Morrison has also been named interim dean in the Caine College of the Arts.

We also welcome Blair Barfuss as our new chief of USU Police. In this role, he plans to focus on transparency, student engagement, and community outreach.

Here at Utah State, community is our core. All of you who are new to USU will soon understand how special it is to be a part of our Aggie family – and that feeling will stay with you forever.

To strengthen and sustain this community, Utah State has hired its first-ever vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Jane Irungu joined us in July and will oversee programs, expand collaboration, and lead university-wide efforts to help every person at USU feel they belong and are valued.

You can also play a big role in these efforts. Whether you are at one of our residential campuses, a statewide campus or center, or studying online, I encourage you to uphold USU’s principles of community:

• Diversity: We celebrate differences in values and beliefs, backgrounds, cultures, and identities and strive to provide a sense of belonging in our campus communities where all Aggies can thrive.
• Human dignity: We affirm the inherent dignity and value of each individual in our university community and are committed to freedom of expression and respectful dialogue.
• Social responsibility: We are each responsible to be Upstanders, who create a healthy and inclusive campus community through advocacy, service, civic engagement, and sustainable practices.

Exposure to different viewpoints is one of the fundamental experiences of attending college and growing both academically and personally. As Aggies, we interact with respect – even when we disagree – and we practice compassion and empathy for others.

No matter if you are new to USU or entering your senior year, I encourage you to spend time this fall exploring our incredible community and making connections through the variety of activities, organizations, and events we offer. Discover a different interest. Meet new people. Challenge yourself!

This promises to be a great year at USU. I look forward to sharing it with you all.

Sincerely,

Noelle E. Cockett
President