President Rosenberg: 'Welcome to Spring semester 2022 at FIU'

Happy New Year, Panthers, and welcome to Spring semester at FIU! To those of you joining us for the first time, we’re glad to have you. It’s a very exciting time to be part of the FIU family, and I’m looking forward to what’s ahead for our university in 2022.

This new year – and new semester – is the perfect time to set new goals, get our Panther pride in motion and celebrate all that our FIU has to offer.

As Panthers, we love showing off our Blue and Gold pride, drawing inspiration from our students, our peers and our community as we continue our ascent in rankings and other important measures of success. In that spirit, this semester we’re kicking off our “Blue and GOALS” campaign, and I’m counting on each of you to set goals for yourself and for our university. Together, we can aim high and ensure 2022 at FIU is our best year yet.

If you need some motivation, all it takes is a look back at 2021 and FIU’s many achievements:

• Rose significantly in the rankings – largest leap for a Very High Research university in the last five years – to No. 78 in U.S. News and World Report among public universities
• Received a transformational $40 million gift from MacKenzie Scott and her husband Dan Jewett
• Earned the #1 spot in the nation’s top-ranked state university system, according to Board of Governors performance metrics
• Ranked Top 3 young university by Times Higher Ed
• Graduated almost 18,000 students and hosted 14 commencement ceremonies

 Panthers, we’re on our way to the top, and we’re only getting started.

 This year, expect some excitement around our student-athletes, led by our new Athletic Director, Scott Carr. We also welcomed our new football coach, Mike MacIntyre. FIU Basketball is off to an amazing start this season, breaking the program’s single-season record against non-league competition.

In addition, we’re going to see a new state-of-the-art building rise on the northeast corner of MMC that will house our College of Engineering and Computing, with classrooms and lab space that will prepare our students to respond to the demands of the growing tech sector in Miami. At the Green School of International and Public Affairs, which last year was named a full member of the prestigious Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA), a new 80,000-square-foot, multi-story facility will provide additional space for faculty and students to collaborate. In the fall, we’ll be opening the doors to Tamiami Hall at MMC, adding 700 new beds as we continue to expand on-campus residential options.

While we appreciate the blessings of the past year, we also recognize the challenges brought on by this extended period of uncertainty, caution and sickness. Omicron is worrisome given its rapid spread, and we understand that our university community has questions and concerns about our return to campus.

At FIU, we are doing all that we can to ensure the return to our campuses is safe and successful. But we need your help. Here’s what you can do:

• Wear a face covering. At FIU face coverings are highly encouraged. Health officials say the best masks are those that cover your nose and mouth completely and fit snugly to avoid any gaps along the sides of your face. Vending machines and other distribution points at MMC, BBC, Engineering Center and FIU@ I-75 have been restocked with masks and are available for students free of charge by swiping the One Card.
•  Get tested. There are several options for getting tested on campus. Please visit our Panthers Protecting Panthers website for information on testing site locations and hours. Testing is also widely available in our community. 
•  Get vaccinated and boosted. Vaccines remain the most powerful tool against the spread of COVID-19. On-campus vaccinations resume today, Monday, Jan. 10 at the Student Health centers and the FIU Health Clinic. For a list of off-site Miami-Dade County vaccination locations, you can visit FIU’s Panthers Protecting Panthers website. Vaccines are also widely available at pharmacies, usually by appointment. 
• Complete the P3 app questionnaire before the start of each day on campus. The P3 app has been modified to align with the new CDC guidelines. Please make sure you read each question closely. 

 To address your questions and concerns, we have developed an FAQ using guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the State University System and the Florida Board of Governors, and our own FIU health experts. Please take some time to review this FAQ as you start the semester.

 As we kick-start 2022, all that we do will be driven by our commitment to real impact through our research endeavors while staying true to our mission of providing learning opportunities for eligible students who hunger for knowledge in our community. That is our goal.

What are your “Blue and Goals” for 2022? Share them with us today, Monday, Jan. 10 on FIU’s Instagram stories. Also, be sure to check out our Week of Welcome events on campus.

As we begin this new chapter at our university, if you find yourself in need of assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out. At FIU we have resources available to support our students through our Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) as well as our faculty and staff through our Office of Employee Assistance. As always, all services are offered in the strictest confidentiality. 

I wish each of you a successful 2022. Let’s do this!

Sincerely,

Mark B. Rosenberg

President