Colleagues,
I want to communicate some structural changes being made in the Office of the Provost to best support the needs of our campus.
The limited duration appointment (LDA) of associate provost for faculty development and strategic initiatives, held by Matthew Theriot, is coming to the end of its two-year term at the end of this month. With the end of the LDA, Matthew has decided to return to the faculty of the College of Social Work. He does so with my sincere appreciation.
Evidence of Matthew’s accomplishments can be found across campus. He served as chair of the committee that created Experience Learning, our SACSCOC-mandated Quality Enhancement Plan, then served as director to implement the plan. Matthew directed what is now Teaching and Learning Innovation and is responsible for many initiatives aimed at providing support for faculty teaching, mentoring, and leadership. He also led our online teaching effort for academic affairs and served as director of our NSF-funded ASCEND office, aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of women in STEM disciplines.
With the expiration of the LDA and the critical importance of online teaching and learning in light of COVID-19, additional changes are in progress. The position of associate provost for faculty development and strategic initiatives will be eliminated. In its place, we will create an Office of Online Programs and Instruction and launch a national search for an assistant or associate vice provost to lead that office. Until the position is filled, Jennifer Gramling, the current director of online programs in Teaching and Learning Innovation, will lead the office and report to Vice Provost for Academic Affairs RJ Hinde.
Chris Lavan, currently assistant provost for experiential learning and teaching innovation, will assume the title of executive director of teaching and learning. He will report to the new vice provost for faculty affairs. We are concluding the internal search for that position and will announce it shortly.
What will not change is the excellent support that you have become used to while these services were under Matthew Theriot.
For the month of August, Matthew will continue to support the initiatives he has been directing over the summer, such as Technology Boot Camp, the Online Faculty Fellows program, and the First-Year Course Academy. He will also remain director of ASCEND.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Please join me in thanking Matthew for all that he has done for the campus—and will continue to do as a member of our outstanding faculty. We will celebrate his many contributions when we are once again able to gather together safely.
John Zomchick
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor