2020 A Letter from the Provost

image of Kivett Bldg

To the faculty and staff of Campbell University: 

When Campbell University closed its campus to students abruptly in March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we asked our faculty to perform the impossible.

Within days, face-to-face instruction — the preferred method of pedagogy, especially for those who thrive in a hands-on learning environment — went remote. Professors and instructors with years of classroom experience had to pivot and adapt their curricula to remote and online learning. Soon, a “few weeks” became the rest of the semester, and our faculty didn’t miss a beat, delivering a quality Campbell University education to the thousands of students who expected nothing less.

And often, they did this while caring for and educating their own families when the world was asked to stay home.

As we enter the fall semester — five full months after the last day of on-campus instruction — uncertainty with the pandemic still looms. But Campbell has worked hard to make the return to Buies Creek and its satellite campuses as safe as possible for its students, faculty and staff.

The University scored high on a recent assessment developed by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which evaluated 11 aspects of university planning — from policies and procedures, to residence halls and dining services, to cleaning and sanitation and much more. It’s important that our faculty return to a safe working environment where they can continue to excel in the classroom, in the laboratory, in the field and in clinical settings. And should the University require a return to remote learning this semester, we’re confident our faculty can transition seamlessly and continue to deliver quality instruction.

We cannot thank our faculty and staff enough for their dedication over the past five months and for their patience as we continue to tread these murky waters.

This annual list of ACCOLADES — which, like your courses in the spring, have moved online this year — is a testament to that dedication. Despite everything, they continued to not only teach, but excel in their respective fields.

Welcome back to Campbell University, and thank you for all that you do.  Ad astra per aspera!

With deepest gratitude,

Dr. Mark L. Hammond
Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost