Dear Colleagues,
I am truly delighted to welcome you to a new academic year at UNLV! Today, more than 34,000 students – a new fall semester record – are now part of the UNLV community and more than half will be the first in their family to earn a college degree.
Our students choose UNLV because they believe our university will help transform their lives for the better and set them up for career success. And it does. Universities are the most powerful human potential accelerators ever developed, and I believe that’s especially true here at UNLV.
The key to making it all possible is you: our talented and passionate faculty and staff. Whether through dedicated teaching, research, and mentorship, or those who support this thriving community in myriad ways and keep the university operating, you bring out the best in our students, you serve our community like no one else can, and you advance discoveries that will improve life here in our region and throughout the world.
UNLV is a special place and we have a unique opportunity to make a difference. And as you return to our classrooms, research labs, offices, or creative spaces, I hope you all feel the same renewed energy that I do.
A new academic year comes with exciting opportunities to learn more about our university and take advantage of all it has to offer. I encourage everyone to step outside of your normal routine and attend UNLV lectures, performances, and programming on campus and throughout the community. Cheer on our Rebel student-athletes at a football game at Allegiant Stadium or a soccer or volleyball match on our Maryland Parkway campus. Connect with colleagues who have experiences that differ from your own. Seek out mentors or coaches, and if you are able to, consider becoming one.
Welcoming a New Chief of Staff
As we prepare for the year ahead, I am excited to announce that Dr. Deanna Merino Contino will be joining the President’s Office as the new Chief of Staff, effective Aug. 31. A familiar face to many on campus, Deanna is a tireless advocate for student access, success, and belonging. She most recently served as associate vice president in the Division of Student Affairs where she managed a number of activities related to student life and facilities.
Prior to coming to UNLV three years ago, Deanna served as the vice president and dean of Students at Whittier College in Southern California, where she worked closely with the president. She has also held other student affairs positions at Cal State Fullerton, Miami University, and Ohio State University. Please join me in welcoming Deanna to this new role!
Integrating AI at UNLV
We are continuing our journey to integrate AI tools and resources into all facets of the university, based on our philosophy that AI should be available for everybody, everywhere on our campus. AI is here. We need to embrace that fact and apply it appropriately to our work to maximize efficiency.
The momentum to embrace this technology on our campuses has been building over the past three years and we are at the threshold of realizing how it can fully support and improve the university experience.
This includes expanding opportunities in the AI space for students, faculty, and staff. To that end, I’m pleased to share that we are in the final stages of acquiring a campus-wide enterprise license for Anthropic’s generative AI model, Claude. Over the coming months, you should expect to see expanded access, training, governance, and partnerships.
We need to be leaders in this space, not only in our higher education practices, but also so that our community can learn how this technology can improve the human experience in everyday life.
Looking Ahead
The coming months will undoubtedly bring discoveries, curiosities, accomplishments, and moments that remind us that higher education is an investment, not only for our students, but also our community’s future.
The start of a new academic year is also a time to reaffirm our values and our vision of improving lives and transforming communities through education and engagement. These guiding principles are a point of pride, but they also provide an opportunity for all of us to strive to approach all interactions with civility, kindness, and understanding.
Our thoughts are also with our colleagues and the students at our northern Nevada sister institutions at the University of Nevada, Reno, Truckee Meadows Community College, and at the Desert Research Institute in Reno. I have reached out to the presidents of those institutions in solidarity and to offer any assistance we can provide for them as they navigate the ongoing Hawk Fire and other fires in the region.
Finally, I hope to see you around campus this fall and I invite you to join me and your colleagues at our annual “All Hands” meeting set for 3 p.m. on Sept. 22 in the Student Union for an update on university operations and activities and an opportunity to engage in conversation with campus leadership.
Together, we will continue to advance UNLV's mission of teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity, and service to our community and beyond.
Warm wishes,
Chris Heavey
UNLV Interim President