Office of the Provost

Academic Transformation Update

June 3, 2025

This message was shared with all faculty and staff on June 3rd, 2025.

Dear Colleagues,

The six-month Design Phase of Drexel's Academic Transformation concludes on July 3, setting the stage for full implementation. While the finish line of this first phase is in sight, several critical steps remain, and we encourage you to stay engaged with this important initiative.

What's Next

  • Faculty Senate Meeting on Tuesday, June 3. The co-chairs for Calendar, Core Competencies and Curricular Structure will present their latest sprint reports. The Senate will also have a second reading and vote on the sprint 2 and 3 reports from the Calendar workstream.
  • Sprint Reports & FAQs. Completed sprint reports for all teams have been published, as well as new FAQs on Core Competencies, Calendar, and Curriculum. All can be found on the Academic Transformation SharePoint or accessed on the Employee tab of DrexelOne. Please feel free to submit any questions or comments via the Qualtrics form.

Recent Milestones

  • Semester Calendar Approved. On May 20, the Faculty Senate voted to move Drexel from quarters to semesters, a decision that aligns the University with peer institutions and will facilitate an expansion of our experiential learning portfolio in areas such as student research, civic engagement and international experiences.
  • New undergraduate degree in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning. At its May 6 meeting, Senate approved a new AI/ML program. Launching in Fall 2026, the AI/ML major places Drexel among a small but growing group of top universities offering standalone AI programs. The degree is an early success directly enabled by the integration and collaboration between the College of Engineering (COE) and the College of Computing & Informatics (CCI), demonstrating how breaking down institutional barriers leads to innovative programming.

In the months ahead, we look forward to sustaining the momentum that will lead us to realize the full impact this initiative will have on our students and University.

Sincerely,

Amy Weaver
Vice Provost for Academic Strategy & Communications
Academic Transformation Project Lead

Kevin Owens, PhD
Chair, Faculty Senate
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Academic Transformation Co-Sponsor

Paul E. Jensen, PhD
Executive Vice President
Nina Henderson Provost
Academic Transformation Co-Sponsor