2020 State of the University
University of North Texas President Neal Smatresk delivered his seventh annual State of the University address in a virtual format Sept. 24, 2020 on the UNT YouTube channel. In addition to celebrating UNT's resiliency during higher education's most tumultuous year and highlighting those who made significant impacts in response to COVID-19, the president outlined UNT's plans and goals moving forward.
Messages to the UNT community
Fall 2020
- New safety guidelines as we head toward Thanksgiving - A Message from the President (to faculty and staff) — Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020
- New safety guidelines as we head toward Thanksgiving - A Message from the President (to students) — Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020
- A chance to win big prizes for getting tested for COVID-19 – A Message from the President — Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020
- Homecoming 2020 celebrates our Fabulous North Texas – A Message from the President — Monday, Nov. 2, 2020
- Please stay safe this Halloween – A Message from the President — Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020 (to students)
- Protecting yourself from scams – An Administrative Announcement from UNT — Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020 (to students)
- Fall commencement to include in-person ceremonies at Apogee Stadium – An Official Notice from the President — Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020 (to students)
- Fall commencement to include in-person ceremonies at Apogee Stadium – An Official Notice from the President — Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020 (to faculty/staff)
- UNT celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day – A Message from the President — Monday, Oct. 12, 2020
- Slow the spread of COVID-19 – COVID Update Video from the President — Friday, Oct. 9, 2020
- Remain vigilant in following COVID-19 safety procedures – An Official Notice from the President — Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020
- SECC giving campaign runs through Oct. 31 – A Message from the President — Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020
- Changes to the Spring 2021 Schedule – An Official Notice from the President — Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020
- We are moving forward together – An Official Notice from the President — Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020
- Founder’s Day marks UNT’s 130th anniversary – A Message from the President — Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020
- Your input needed in the 2020 Gallup survey – A Message from the President — Monday, Sept. 14, 2020 (to faculty and staff)
- Student organization events and keeping safe message – A Message from the President — Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020
- UNT here to help those impacted by Hurricane Laura – A Message from the President — Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020
- Welcome back – A Message from the President to students — Monday, Aug. 24, 2020
- Welcome back – A Message from the President to faculty and staff — Monday, Aug. 24, 2020
Summer 2020
- President Smatresk’s Reopening Update Town Hall for Parents and Students – Video and Transcript Posted — Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020
- Join us as we celebrate your graduation – A Message from the President — Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020 (to May and August graduates)
- President Smatresk’s Reopening Update Town Hall for Faculty and Staff – Video and Transcript Posted — Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020
- Reminder: Reopening Update Town Hall at 2 p.m. — Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020
- Thank you for the hard work as we move toward fall – A Message from the President — Thursday, July 23, 2020
- UNT to celebrate Spring and Summer 2020 graduates Aug. 18-21 – A Message from the President — Friday, July 17, 2020 (to students, faculty and staff)
- UNT to celebrate Spring and Summer 2020 graduates Aug. 18-21 – A Message from the President — Friday, July 17, 2020 (to May and August graduates)
- Great news for our international community and UNT – An Official Notice from the President — Wednesday, July 15, 2020
- Fall class options to support our students’ academic needs – An Official Notice from the President — Monday, July 13, 2020
- Fall class options to support your academic needs — An Official Notice from the President — Friday, July 10, 2020
- Providing guidance and help to our international students – An Official Notice from the President — Friday, July 10, 2020
- Supporting faculty and staff in the return to campus work – An Official Notice from the President — Thursday, July 9, 2020
- Reopening campus with safety guidelines in place (Faculty and Staff letter) – An Official Notice from the President — Wednesday, July 1, 2020
- Reopening campus with safety guidelines in place (Student and Parents letter) – An Official Notice from the President — Wednesday, July 1, 2020
- Requiring masks to help keep our community safe – An Official Notice from the President — Thursday, June 25, 2020
- President’s Reopening and Safety Town Hall – Video and Transcript Posted — Monday, June 22, 2020
- Moving Forward and Living Our Values as a Diverse, Inclusive Community – An Official Notice from the President — Wednesday, June 17, 2020
- Celebrating Juneteenth – An Official Notice from the President — Monday, June 15, 2020
- Moving Forward Together – An Official Notice from the President — Wednesday, June 10, 2020
- Updated link for Black Lives Matter President's Town Hall — Sunday, June 7, 2020
- Changes to Fall 2020 course schedules — An Official Notice from the President — Thursday, June 4, 2020
- We Must Stand Together – An Official Notice from the President — Monday, June 1, 2020
- Graduates, please provide feedback – A Message from the President — Friday, May 29, 2020
Spring 2020
- Congratulations, UNT Class of 2020 — A Video Message from President Smatresk — Thursday, May 7, 2020
- UNT’s path forward – A recap of the COVID-19 Town Hall — Wednesday, May 6
- Planning for our return to campus — A Message from the President to Faculty and Staff — Thursday, April 30, 2020
- Planning to be together again on our beautiful campus — A Message from the President to Students — Thursday, April 30, 2020
- Help so you can succeed – A Message from the President — Wednesday, April 15, 2020
- Summer courses mostly online, financial relief coming — A Message from the President — Friday, April 10, 2020
- UNT Official Message: Providing undergraduate students with a Pass/No Pass grading option — Thursday, April 2, 2020
- UNT's resilient, caring community pulls together — A Message from the President — Thursday, April 2, 2020
- COVID-19 Update to Student Employees — A Message from the President — Wednesday, April 1, 2020
- COVID-19 Update: Meeting your needs while you stay at home — An Official Notice from the President — Wednesday, March 25, 2020
- COVID-19 Update: Working together through this change — An Official Notice from the President — Tuesday, March 24, 2020
- COVID-19 Update: Your safety is our priority — An Official Notice from the President – Sunday, March 22, 2020
- COVID-19 Update: Begin moving to essential personnel only on-campus – Sunday, March 22, 2020
- COVID-19 Update: Commencement Postponed — Friday, March 20, 2020
- For specific questions, visit Commencement Postponement FAQs for Spring 2020.
- UNT community won’t tolerate harassment - An Official Notice from the President — Thursday, March 19, 2020
- Taking care of your academic needs amid COVID-19 crisis – An Official Notice from the President — Thursday, March 19, 2020
- COVID-19 Update — Wednesday, March 18, 2020
- COVID-19 Update from the President, March 17, 2020
- Coronavirus COVID-19 Update for Faculty and Staff — An Official Notice from the President , March 15, 2020
- Coronavirus COVID-19 Announcement — An Official Notice from the President, March 12, 2020
- March 31 President’s Lecture Series to feature chef, food activist Bryant Terry — A Message from the President, March 3, 2020
- Promoting UNT’s ethical reputation and reporting issues — A Message from the President, Feb. 11, 2020
- UNT, Dallas Cowboys partner to offer professional M.B.A., the Cowboys Way — An Official Notice from the President, Feb. 6, 2020
- Our condolences to Texas A&M-Commerce — A Message from the President, Feb. 3, 2020
- Culture of collaboration key to UNT’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan — An Official Notice from the President, Feb. 3, 2020
- Please support each other following last night’s tragedy — A Message from the President, Jan. 21, 2020
- Refreshed brand strategy critical to raising our visibility and enhancing our reputation — A Message from the President, Jan. 16, 2020
- A new decade of opportunity — A Message from the President, Jan. 13, 2020
More messages to the community »
Conversation with Regent, Chancellor and President
UNT System Regent Laura Wright, Chancellor Lesa Roe and UNT President Neal Smatresk spoke with faculty and staff about becoming a "Best Place to Work" and how UNT System Shared Services can better serve the UNT campus during a town hall on Jan. 26, 2018.
Watch the video of UNT’s Conversation with Regent, Chancellor and President
Read a summary of UNT’s Conversation with Regent, Chancellor and President (PDF)
Frisco Town Hall — April 12, 2018
UNT President Neal Smatresk, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jennifer Cowley, and New College at Frisco Dean Wesley Randall hosted a town hall and visioning session regarding UNT's future in Frisco on April 12, 2018.
Watch a recording of the Frisco town hall
President's Notes
Commentary
- Smatresk discusses how technology impacts education with Dallas Innovates
- Smatresk discusses the UNT-Dallas Cowboys partnership with the Dallas Business Journal
- UNT Builds a Modern Workforce, Smatresk's guest column on Dallas Innovates
- UNT Drives Progress as a Top-Tier University, Smatresk's guest column on Dallas Innovates
- Universities, Inc., Smatresk's guest column on Dallas Innovates
- A New Kind of Education, Smatresk's guest column on Dallas Innovates
- Smatresk named to D CEO's, The Dallas 500, a list of the most powerful business leaders in DFW. See what other UNT leaders and alums made the list.
- Smatresk discusses the vision for UNT's New College at Frisco with Frisco Enterprise.
- Smatresk talks with NBC5 about UNT's 125 years of progress and a key milestone in its history.
- Smatresk highlights UNT's progress in a special Denton Record-Chronicle issue commemorating UNT's 125th anniversary.
- Smatresk touts UNT's quality programs and strong career pathways in a Dallas Business Journal story.
- Smatresk talks growth, marketing and reputation for UNT in a Q&A with the NT Daily.
- Smatresk discusses his priorities for UNT in a Q&A with the North Texas Commission.
- Smatresk discusses UNT's opportunities and challenges on KERA's Think program.