During the first week of the fall semester, I had the privilege of sitting in on several classes. It was great to be back in the classroom, and even better to be back in the role of a student. I want to share what I learned.

First, there was the content: I learned that the word “cell” was coined in 1665 by scientist Robert Hooke because the compartments of a piece of cork seen under a microscope reminded him of monastic rooms called “cellulae;” I learned about a website for tracking investigations and outbreaks of recalled food; I learned about arbitrage and the law of one price; and I re-learned that yes, indeed, Edgar Allen Poe was a master at crafting tales of torment and torture as evidenced by The Pit and the Pendulum.

Second, there was our faculty. I know from hiring and promotion packets how excellent our faculty are, but there is nothing like bearing witness by joining students on a journey through a class to put an exclamation point (or three !!!) on it.

Third, there was the power of the relationship between professor and student, even at that earliest stage of the semester when everyone is still getting to know each other. Professors are learning names, taking time to talk through technology how-to's, and quite simply in every sentence and every action, showing how much they care – about the topic, about the students, and about the students learning the topics. In every classroom I visited – and I am certain all over campus – faculty embody our educational mission and the primacy – and love – of learning. I admire you, and I thank you for your dedication.

Here's the latest from around the Beat:

I hope that you will be able to attend an upcoming Becoming OneUD town hall and/or send in your ideas around who we are, how we work and what we do. You can find all the information on the President’s page. These campus conversations will help form the basis of our joint work on Campus Culture and Engagement and to align our priorities and resources accordingly.

I am excited to meet next week with students on the President’s Student Advisory Council. In addition to serving as a conduit for sharing information and feedback between students and administration, this year we will together select projects to work on jointly throughout the year.

Open to all, start your morning with exercise and community by joining the Prez Run. Starting Sept. 11, we will meet every Thursday at 7 a.m. at Mentor's Circle on the south side of Hullihen Hall. No sign-up is needed; just come when you can. We will run to the UD track at the Athletic complex, do a lap and run back to Hullihen. The distance is about 3 miles total, and all paces are welcome.

As campus tours ramp up heading into the Blue and Golden open houses later this fall, I hear over and over from prospective students and their families that they fall in love with UD as soon as they set foot on campus, a testimony to the dedicated work of our custodial and grounds staff; please join me and take a moment to thank them for all they do to keep our campus so beautiful. And take a moment yourselves to stroll around the Greens and let nature do its restorative work.