Published on Aug. 23, 2024
Updated on Aug. 26, 2024
Office Updates
We are excited to welcome Brian Houston as the new associate provost for academic programs. In addition, NaTashua Davis has joined the Office of the Provost as associate vice provost for academic access and leadership development and Shruti Rana will be assistant provost for strategic faculty initiatives. We have two new faculty joining us as faculty fellows for faculty success: Brad Prager, professor of German and Film Studies, and Emily Leary, assistant professor in Orthopedic Surgery. Our two faculty fellows for external awards, David Crespy, professor in the Department of Theatre, and Bill Horner, Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs, will continue in their roles. Thank you to these faculty members for taking on leadership and supporting colleagues across campus. Get to know everyone in our Provost directory.
Office of the Provost Faculty Support and Development Programs
Connection is a faculty support program designed for faculty members (TT and NTT), primarily assistant and early associate level professors, who identify with various intersecting identities and those interested in fostering and inclusive and supportive environment for all faculty. Connection gathers monthly during the academic year for whole group and small group meetings on various topics. It is facilitated by Shruti Rana, assistant provost for strategic faculty. If interested in joining Connection, please contact Brooke Hartman.
The Great Books Program is a program to support mid-career faculty who are writing books. Post-tenured faculty who have an advance contract (or strong letter of interest from a publisher or editor) to publish a book can apply for teaching release for one semester to complete the book. The deadline for the Great Books Program is September 1 for a spring 2025 semester teaching release(s).
Mentoring at Mizzou is a professional development opportunity for Mizzou faculty and staff who mentor graduate students, post docs, and/or faculty. The program uses Entering Mentoring curricula developed by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER). This professional development uses an evidence-based, interactive approach designed to help mentors develop skills for engaging in productive, culturally responsive, research mentoring relationships – relationships that optimize the success of both mentor and mentees. The two campuswide in-person sessions for fall 2024 are:
- October – 4 sessions on Mondays from 4-6 p.m. (7, 14, 21 and 28) geared towards new faculty
- November 8 (all day) geared towards new faculty
Committee Updates
The Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) committee is beginning their work. The faculty co-chairs are Matt Easter, from the College of Education and Human Development, and Sungkyoung Lee, from the Missouri School of Journalism. This year faculty will participate in two COACHE surveys. In fall 2024, faculty who have recently departed Mizzou for another faculty position or faculty who we’ve retained to stay, will receive the Faculty Retention and Exit Survey. In spring 2025, faculty on our campus will complete the Faculty Job Satisfaction survey which we participate in every three years. View previous surveys on our website.
Reminders
Announcing a new teaching award open to all faculty with teaching as part of their workload called the Dr. Kathleen and Robert Unrath Excellence in Visionary Teaching Award. This award is to reward educators who demonstrate exceptional dedication, innovation, and effectiveness in their teaching practices with an emphasis on demonstrating a strong creative and visual connection to the disciplines that are taught. The annual deadline is January 15. Read more on our website about the nominating process.
MU Space Planning & Management is currently conducting the space survey process, where departmental space administrators must review the information related to their space use and occupancy and update any data that is no longer accurate. The data collected through the space survey is a critical component for local, state and federal analysis and reporting, and Mizzou uses this information to maximize space use in the most cost-efficient manner possible. Each department is responsible for the accuracy of its data. All space updates are required to be completed no later than Oct. 31, 2024. Department space administrators should have received an email with additional instructions.