Greetings everyone,
I hope you are enjoying this beautiful Michigan fall. The changing colors on campus are a wonderful reminder of how much this season symbolizes transformation, which reflects the incredible work happening across our Michigan Technology Community.
We welcomed the largest student body in U-M history this fall, with enrollment surpassing 53,000 students. This milestone is a testament to the continued strength of our institution and the vital role that technology plays in supporting every aspect of university life. Each of you contributes to that success, and I am deeply grateful for all that you do.
Looking ahead, there are several opportunities for professional growth and connection across our community. The ITS Emerging Technology team will continue hosting “Make a Maizey” workshops throughout November and December. These sessions provide faculty and staff with hands-on experience using U-M’s generative AI tools, helping them imagine new ways to teach, research, and serve. If you have not yet attended one, I encourage you to register and explore what these tools can do.
In addition to exploring innovation, I want to highlight an equally important effort that ensures our technologies remain inclusive and accessible to everyone. U-M’s new “Get Started with Digital Accessibility” page offers practical guidance, tools, and training to help our faculty and staff create digital content that is usable by all members of our community. By taking small, intentional steps such as using accessible templates, adding alternative text to images, and checking the readability of our materials, the Michigan Technology Community can collectively make a meaningful difference.
I also want to highlight that planning is well underway for MTech Connect 2025, which will take place on Tuesday, December 9. This annual event depends on the enthusiasm and creativity of volunteers who help make it a success. Volunteering is a wonderful way to meet colleagues from across campus and help foster the sense of collaboration that defines our Michigan Technology Community. If you are interested, please sign up by November 14.
As we close out October, I hope you can take some time to enjoy the beauty of the season and reflect on the meaningful impact you make every day. Your expertise, kindness, and collaboration are what make this community so remarkable. Thank you for everything you do to advance the mission of our great university.
With gratitude,
Ravi
Ravi Pendse PhD
Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer
University of Michigan
rpendse@umich.edu
