Memos

Nursing Dean Search – On-Campus Interviews

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Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that four candidates have been selected as finalists for the Dean of the School of Nursing position.

The candidates will visit the Storrs and UConn Health campuses next week. We encourage you to participate in forums throughout their visits and share your feedback on each candidate in the provided surveys. This input will be carefully considered by the members of the search committee.

Visits start on Monday, February 27, and continue through Friday, March 2. Information on candidates, including CVs, public forum meeting links, and feedback surveys will be available at: https://provost.uconn.edu/administrators-and-leadership/academic-leader-searches/

Sincerely,
Jason

Jason Irizarry
Chair, Dean of the School of Nursing Search Committee
Dean and Professor, Neag School of Education

Interfolio RPT Town Hall – February 10

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Dear colleagues,

On February 10, the Provost’s Office will host a virtual town hall to offer a brief overview of the implementation of Interfolio’s Review, Promotion, and Tenure (RPT) and Dossier Modules and to answer questions from faculty and staff about the rollout of this new system. In the initial year of this roll-out, faculty who will be reviewed for tenure, promotion, or a mid-point review in AY 23-24 will be required to submit their dossier in Interfolio RPT. It is anticipated all subsequent cycles of promotion, tenure, and reappointment will take place in Interfolio RPT. You can join the virtual town hall using the link below:

Date: February 10, 2023
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: WebEx Webinar (details below)

https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/uconn-cmr/j.php?MTID=m657db7c7829bc50902b68c4e93cbe7c8

Please click here to learn more about this session, view recordings from the November 15th Info Session, and to learn more about Interfolio @ UConn. You can also submit questions for the Town Hall in advance using this form. Questions will be answered live and the session will be recorded.

 

Respectfully,

Jeffrey Shoulson, Ph.D.
Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

 

Humanities Institute Director Appointment

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Dear Colleagues,

I’m pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Anna Mae Duane as the next director of the Humanities Institute (UCHI) effective August 23, 2023.

Professor Duane was selected from a talented pool of internal applicants. She has demonstrated a commitment to and understanding of the humanities across a range of disciplines and support for the diverse voices and perspectives that constitute UCHI. Throughout her career, Professor Duane has facilitated innovative programming to promote collaboration and engage scholars in the humanities. She has been the recipient of two UCHI fellowships and is deeply involved in interdisciplinary scholarship. Her research covers a wide array of subjects including American literature, childhood studies, African American literature, literary and critical theory, and disability studies.

Professor Duane joined UConn in 2004 and is a professor of English. She served as the director of the American Studies Program where she developed extensive leadership and administrative skills that lead her to successfully develop curricular resources, engage in public outreach, and manage budgets. In addition to her UCHI fellowships, she was an invited scholar of The Great Stories Club, a NEH-funded non-profit in which scholars of children’s literature collaborated with librarians across the country to devise reading group curricula for incarcerated and at-risk youth. She is also an invited member of the Yale Future of Slavery Studies working group, which brings together an international panel of experts to engage the afterlives of slavery in the U.S. and abroad. Professor Duane is the recipient of several awards and grants including a Fulbright fellowship.

In its 21st year, UCHI has a well-established presence both regionally and nationally, in great part due to the strong leadership of Dr. Michael Lynch and the dedicated, talented team of institute staff and UCHI affiliates. Professor Duane has articulated a clear and promising vision to continue the advancement of the institute including mentoring programs for diverse and mid-career humanities faculty, and I am confident in her ability to succeed in this new role.

I would like to thank the search committee, chaired by Professor Jeffrey Ogbar, and all of the community members who participated in the interview process and public forums. I’d also like to thank Senior Vice Provost Jeffrey Shoulson, who played a large role in overseeing the search process.

Please join me in congratulating Professor Duane on this appointment.

Sincerely,

Anne

Anne D’Alleva, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President
University of Connecticut
Office of the Provost
352 Mansfield Road, U-1086
Storrs CT 06269-1086
Tel. 860-486-4037

UConn is a great university.

But it’s more than that. A top-ranked research institution, with campuses and staff across Connecticut,  built to inspire the global community that is UConn Nation. UConn’s talented students exceed expectations. Our expert researchers, faculty, and alumni drive Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CIE) for a better tomorrow. We fuel the State’s economy and are committed to inclusion in benefiting the greater good. This is UConn.

STUDENTS FIRST, UCONN ALWAYS. HUSKIES FOREVER.

Master of Data Science Director Appointment

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Dear Colleagues,

I’m pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Jeremy Teitelbaum as the director of the Master of Data Science program effective immediately. The program has previously been co-directed by Kent Holsinger, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School, and Peter Diplock, Associate Vice Provost for the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. I extend my gratitude to both Kent and Peter for their willingness to supervise this program since its development in 2020.

Reporting directly to the dean of The Graduate School, Professor Teitelbaum will oversee the interdisciplinary 30-credit hour program which draws on courses and expertise from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering, School of Business, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, and the Neag School of Education. Professor Teitelbaum is a professor in the department of Mathematics and previously served as interim provost at UConn in 2017-2018. Before that, he was the dean of UConn’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) from 2008-2017.

Professor Teitelbaum is a number theorist and has worked on a range of problems related to elliptic curves, modular forms, p-adic L-functions, and p-adic analytic geometry. His current research is in bioinformatics, unsupervised learning, and in mathematical questions in machine learning.

I am extremely grateful to Professor Teitelbaum for taking on this important role in this innovative and interdisciplinary program. Please join me in congratulating Professor Teitelbaum on this appointment.

Sincerely,
Anne

Anne D’Alleva, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President
University of Connecticut
Office of the Provost
352 Mansfield Road, U-1086
Storrs CT 06269-1086
Tel. 860-486-4037

UConn is a great university.

But it’s more than that. A top-ranked research institution, with campuses and staff across Connecticut,  built to inspire the global community that is UConn Nation. UConn’s talented students exceed expectations. Our expert researchers, faculty, and alumni drive Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CIE) for a better tomorrow. We fuel the State’s economy and are committed to inclusion in benefiting the greater good. This is UConn.

 STUDENTS FIRST, UCONN ALWAYS. HUSKIES FOREVER.

Provost’s Office Leadership Update

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Dear Colleagues,

I’m writing to share that Michael Bradford, Vice Provost for Faculty, Staff, and Student Development and Professor of Dramatic Arts has accepted the position of Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education at the University of California, Davis and will be leaving UConn February 3rd to begin this new role. While we are thrilled for Michael for this new opportunity, we are so sorry to lose a trusted colleague and friend who has shown such compassion, thoughtfulness and positivity to our community. On behalf of the Provost’s Office and the entire university administration, I want to thank Michael for his service to UConn in the more than 20 years he has spent here.

Michael joined the Provost’s Office in fall of 2020 and has had an extraordinary impact on the lives of students, faculty and staff. In his role, Michael oversaw faculty onboarding and retention, faculty and academic staff development and recognition, equity and access, and student success initiatives. Michael has played a critical role in UConn’s Life-Transformative Education initiative, cultivating an environment of authentic relationships and learning opportunities for undergraduate students.

Michael is a tireless advocate for faculty and staff alike. He has worked closely with the Provost’s academic success units and other university partners, such as the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, to promote faculty, staff, and student achievement in all aspects. He developed a cohort-style onboarding program for new faculty and has been a leader in creating shared learning and networking experiences for incoming faculty.

Before joining the Provost’s Office, Michael served as department head of Dramatic Arts, artistic director of the Connecticut Repertory Theatre, and faculty director of Schola2rs House Learning Community. I would not be able to put into words the impact Michael has had on UConn’s community throughout all of these roles.

For the immediate future, I have asked each of our other vice provosts to take on pieces of Michael’s role, while I take some time to develop a new organizational plan for the Provost’s Office. I’ll share more details in the coming months.

There will be an event to recognize Michael’s accomplishments and impact on the UConn community on January 26th (Click here for more details). Please join me in congratulating Michael on his new role and thanking him for his service to UConn.

Sincerely,
Anne

Anne D’Alleva, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President
University of Connecticut
Office of the Provost
352 Mansfield Road, U-1086
Storrs CT 06269-1086
Tel. 860-486-4037

UConn is a great university.

But it’s more than that. A top-ranked research institution, with campuses and staff across Connecticut,  built to inspire the global community that is UConn Nation. UConn’s talented students exceed expectations. Our expert researchers, faculty, and alumni drive Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CIE) for a better tomorrow. We fuel the State’s economy and are committed to inclusion in benefiting the greater good. This is UConn.

STUDENTS FIRST, UCONN ALWAYS. HUSKIES FOREVER.

Designations and Definitions of Course Modalities Fall 2023

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Dear Colleagues,

As you may recall from our last, truncated Associate Deans/Department Heads meeting (and follow-up email), we are in the process of rolling out new designations and definitions for course modalities, which the Registrar will officially implement starting with the Fall 23 semester. Since the Registrar will begin its scheduling process for Fall 23 early in the Spring semester, it is important for faculty to become familiar with these new designations and to use them as they submit their course requests to you and your departmental admins.

A few caveats to keep in mind:

First, and most importantly, these new designations are not, in and of themselves, a signal that the balance of in-person to online course offerings is meant to shift. The development of these new designations is only the first step in what we expect to be a more extended, iterative, and consultative process—internal to each school, college, and department—in which programs should be thinking about the most effective/appropriate pedagogical uses for each modality. Decisions to switch courses from in-person to online should not be made by individual instructors in advance of these important strategic conversations. The Future of Learning Committee is currently preparing guidance for how to approach these conversations and what considerations need to be part of any such decisions.

Second, faculty should select the modality designation that most accurately represents how the course will be taught. One of the key reasons we revised these designations and their definitions was to ensure that students knew exactly what kind of courses they were choosing when they registered. Advisors will be referring to these new designations in their meetings with their advisees, so it is critical that the information be accurate.

Thanks and please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions.

UConn Course Modality Definitions Fall 2023

Modalities Flow Chart

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Shoulson

________________________________________
Jeffrey S. Shoulson, Ph.D. (He | Him | His)
Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
Professor of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages and Professor of English
University of Connecticut
352 Mansfield Road, Unit 1086
Storrs, CT 06268-1086

(o) 860-486-6115
(c) 305-742-6973
(f) 860-486-6379

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6161-6325

 

Waterbury Director Announcement

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Dear colleagues,

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Fumiko Hoeft as the next director of UConn Waterbury. She will begin transitioning to the permanent position immediately, and we expect her to begin the role officially on December 30, 2022.

Dr. Hoeft was selected from a talented pool of applicants. She has demonstrated a commitment to student success in academics and beyond and has shared an exciting vision for the future of the UConn Waterbury campus and its connections with the wider Waterbury community. Her involvement in creating and developing several programs and centers to enhance student success in the sciences has established her as an advocate for experiential and transformative learning. She is also deeply passionate about community engagement and the impact that UConn can have on the state, region, and nation. Dr. Hoeft will drive initiatives in economic development, academic excellence, and service to the greater Waterbury community. Her experiences as director of the Brain Imaging Research Center (BIRC) and mentorship of undergraduate and graduate students have given her the skills and expertise to sustain and enhance UConn Waterbury and its diverse population of students, faculty, and staff.

Dr. Hoeft is a prolific researcher and an exemplary member of the UConn community. Dr. Hoeft joined UConn in 2018 as director of BIRC and professor of psychological sciences. She came to us from the Weill Institute for Neurosciences at the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF). In addition to her appointment as professor of psychological sciences, she also holds appointments as professor of computer science, mathematics, neuroscience, psychiatry, pediatrics, and educational psychology at UConn. She is also a senior scientist at Haskins Laboratories. Dr. Hoeft received pre- and postdoctoral research training at Harvard, UCLA, Caltech, and Stanford, and held faculty positions at Stanford and UCSF before joining UConn. She holds undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. degrees from Keio University in Tokyo, where she is also an adjunct faculty member at its School of Medicine.

Dr. Hoeft was recently interviewed by President Maric for an episode of “Worth Repeating.” Click here to watch the interview.

I want to express my gratitude to the search committee, chaired by Dean Indrajeet Chaubey, and the entire Waterbury campus community for your active participation in this process. Your input was critical in informing the evaluation of candidates.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Hoeft. I look forward to continuing our work together in supporting UConn Waterbury.

Sincerely,
Anne

Anne D’Alleva
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Welcome Back – Fall 2022

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Dear Faculty, Staff, and Graduate Students,

Today marks the first day of the new academic year and we are all excited for the return of our students, faculty, and staff to our campuses.

As of today, we have 6,848 graduate students and 23,561 undergraduate students registered for classes, including a remarkable first-year class of over 5,800 students across the Avery Point, Hartford, Stamford, Storrs, and Waterbury campuses. The incoming class of 2026 is the most diverse class we’ve seen to date, including over 27.5% first generation students. Our community continues to grow, and with it, so does our impact on the state, nation, and world.

As a state flagship, land- and sea-grant university, UConn strives for excellence in all that we do. Our faculty are of the highest caliber, engaged in innovative, entrepreneurial, and transformative work across a wide array of disciplines. The past year has been one of remarkable achievement. A record number of eleven NSF CAREER Awards were awarded to our faculty in Spring 2022, ranging from $435,000 to over $1.3 million. Oscar Guerra, Associate Professor of Digital Media & Design at the Stamford campus, won an Emmy award in Fall 2021 for his documentary film, Love, Life, & the Virus. Kathleen Segerson, BOT Distinguished Professor in the Department of Economics, was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Our students come from all over the world and are exceptionally talented. In May of this year, five of our graduate students and one alumni earned highly competitive NSF Graduate Research Fellowships, which have an annual acceptance rate of about 16%. Two graduate students, Bryan Greene and Josiah Grzywacz, received grants through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Sarah Luria, a Ph.D. candidate in Neag School of Education’s Educational Psychology program, was selected as one of 100 recipients of the $20,000 Scholar Award from the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) Sisterhood.

Finally, we must recognize the dedication and passion of our staff, who do so much to help the university move forward and fulfill its ambitions. We are especially grateful for the staff’s dedication in keeping the university open and our community thriving through the challenges of the pandemic.

We are entering the upcoming year feeling excitement, optimism, and gratitude. We will continue to work together to provide an outstanding educational experience for our students, expand our research enterprise, and serve our constituencies across the state. Any member of the UConn community should feel free to reach out to us for information or help in solving a problem or to share an idea.

We wish you the best as you begin the semester and look forward to seeing all that you accomplish in the coming year!

Sincerely,

Anne D’Alleva
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Pamir Alpay
Interim Vice President for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Office of Undergraduate Advising Announcement

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Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Office of Undergraduate Advising. Previously, the Director of University Advising, Erin Ciarimboli, reported dually to Enrichment Programs to also encompass Pre-Professional Advising. The establishment of this new office will serve to coordinate and enhance University advising services to undergraduate students across all campuses and disciplines, and the office will report to the Vice Provost for Faculty, Staff and Student Development. Erin will serve as Director of this new office, having previously served as Director of University Advising and Pre-Professional Advising at UConn since May 2020. Kelly Gilbert will also continue her essential work in the role of Learning and Development Specialist. Erin and Kelly are vital partners supporting undergraduate student success and this restructuring will provide necessary resources to support the growing needs of advising at UConn.

The Office of Undergraduate Advising will provide centralized leadership and advocacy for UConn’s undergraduate advising community; share critical communications and resources; build and deliver advisor onboarding, training, and professional development; oversee the university’s scholastic standing process; and facilitate collaborations with students, faculty, staff and other units across the university community in order to support and improve undergraduate student success.

The Office of Undergraduate Advising will work closely with First Year, ACES, ISS, SASP, transfer, school/college, and pre-professional advising centers, as well as advisors on all UConn campuses. The office will continue to conduct its work from the Rowe building.

We are excited for the work emerging from this area in support of Life-Transformative Education through advising and mentoring. Thank you to all those who contributed to the creation of this office. Supporting our undergraduate students is at the heart of our university’s mission, and the work of our colleagues in advising is instrumental to their success. Please reach out to advising@uconn.edu with any questions.

Sincerely,
Anne and Michael

Anne D’Alleva
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Michael Bradford
Vice Provost for Faculty, Staff, and Student Development

Reappointment of Rachel O’Neill, ISG Director

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Dear Colleagues,

I am very pleased to announce the reappointment of Rachel O’Neill as director of the Institute for Systems Genomics for a second term of five years, effective August 23, 2022.

This renewal recognizes Dr. O’Neill’s outstanding leadership as the director of the institute since 2017. An overarching highlight during her tenure is the development of a growing critical mass in genomics, solidifying UConn as a top institution in this field. This activity cuts across a number of areas, including a research portfolio of $256 million in active grant awards in fiscal year 2022 alone; growth in the number of affiliations in terms of faculty, UConn units, and industry partners; expansion of academic programs; and increasing the user base and revenue return for core facilities. Additionally, ISG was a leading force behind UConn’s COVID surveillance program, which has been credited with supporting the University’s ability to respond proactively and quickly to potential outbreaks and minimize disruption in the academic experience.

The review process works best when it is collaborative and comprehensive. I am grateful to all of the faculty, administrators, and other key partners of the center who shared your feedback on Dr. O’Neill’s leadership. There were several common themes regarding her leadership, including her ability to build networks and facilitate collaborations, her development and promotion of a compelling vision for ISG, exceptional skill in organizational and operational management, and her effective communications across all internal and external contexts.

I also want to thank the review committee for their thoughtful oversight of this process. The committee was chaired by Steven Suib, Director of the Institute of Materials Science and Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, and included the following members: Adam Adler, Director of the Biomedical Science Ph.D. Program Immunology Concentration; Judy Brown, Director of the Health Care Genetics Professional Science Master’s Degree Program; Steven Geary, Professor and Department Head of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science; Stephanie Holden, Administrative Program Coordinator of the Institute for Systems Genomics; Amy Howell, Professor of Chemistry; and Barbara Mellone, Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology. Alexis Cassan, Executive Assistant to the Provost and Chief of Staff, managed administration of the committee.

In sum, Dr. O’Neill is a focused and driven leader who is committed to positioning UConn as a top-tier institution in genomics. She has propelled ISG forward in a number of ways already in her tenure and I trust she will continue to make significant strides as her appointment continues. Please join me in congratulating Dr. O’Neill on her reappointment and thanking her for her dedication and hard work on behalf of the Institute.

Sincerely,
Anne

Anne D’Alleva
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs