Dear Colleagues,
I wanted to share with you a communication we sent today to Lehigh students and families regarding an overview of our plans for the spring semester. Our experiences this fall have informed and will continue to inform our decisions about spring, and this plan is, of course, subject to changes due to the spread of the virus and external factors. We will be sharing more specific information in the coming days and weeks regarding our plan.
Your efforts across all areas of our university community have helped us reach this point. Please know that I am thankful for everything you have done this semester and for all you’ll do moving forward.
Having reached the halfway point of my first semester at Lehigh, I have enjoyed meeting many of you—most virtually, but some in person. I’ve appreciated the welcome you have extended and your willingness to share with me information about your experiences and your perspectives on Lehigh. Each interaction has provided me with a deeper understanding of this community and the talents and commitment of its members. But I’ve also come to understand Lehigh through those of you I haven’t yet had the opportunity to meet—those of you whose contributions can be seen in the successes we’ve had this semester, in the support felt by our students and colleagues, in the large and small things that keep this university going, even in these difficult times. The dedication and work ethic of our faculty and staff have helped us make the most of a challenging semester. Thank you.
Spring 2021 likely will present its own set of obstacles, but I’m confident that we will deliver to our students the best Lehigh experience we possibly can—especially now, knowing what I do about this community. I am proud to be part of it.
Sincerely,
Nathan Urban
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs