Welcome Faculty & Staff to Spring 2026!

January 26, 2026

Dear Southern Employees,

At the start of each spring semester, it is our tradition to welcome one another “back” as we come together in community with our work friends, catch up on holiday events, and share our hopes and concerns for the upcoming semester. I thoroughly enjoyed this past week, seeing our campus filled again with the bustle of happy and hopeful faculty, staff, and students.

Operating an institution of this size, scope, and complexity is a year-round endeavor. I appreciate all you have done to ensure a successful start to classes. The winter “break” was filled with quiet work, including repairing our facilities, hiring and supporting staff, preparing course materials, and resolving student issues. We also delivered winter courses, athletic programs, student support services, and co-curricular activities. You will notice physical improvements on our campus, such as new carpet in the Adanti Student Center and the reopening of the Engleman A120 lecture hall, but our Facilities and IT teams completed many other projects that are behind the scenes—inside walls, above ceiling tiles, and in the digital cloud—often under tight deadlines. When you have the opportunity, please thank them for their contributions.

Our Student Affairs team also deserves our gratitude for their work during winter break to sustain residential community functions, support ongoing activities, and care for our campus community, particularly after the tragic loss of Gabe Toppin, a very special student-athlete. Our team managed an incredibly challenging situation with compassion and grace.

Now that students have returned, our calendars will soon fill with classes, meetings, and events, alongside new projects and challenges. We will navigate this academic year by enduring winter weather disruptions, arriving at spring break a bit exhausted, and then preparing to honor and celebrate our students' achievements at one of our most cherished traditions, Commencement. 

Over the past 26 years, I have enjoyed this academic cycle, but I value it even more during these increasingly turbulent and uncertain times in higher education. As we move into the second half of the year, I encourage you to prioritize self-care and make time for strategies that support your mental and physical health. Your dedication and hard work create new opportunities for our students' future careers and lives. May your pride and passion for your chosen profession sustain you in difficult times.

My spring semester will be filled with several priorities, including our current faculty and staff searches, meeting our enrollment and retention goals, accelerating fundraising efforts, and constructing a budget that aligns with our strategic priorities and protects our mission. Your collaboration and support will be crucial to our success.

I am immensely proud of our university and optimistic about our future. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to ensuring that Southern continues to thrive for many years to come. 

Sincerely, 

Sandy

Dr. Sandy Bulmer
Interim President