Faculty Success Newsletter
December 2024
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Message from the Vice Provost for Faculty Success
Greetings Mean Green Colleagues,
As we wrap up another exciting semester, one of the highlights is celebrating student graduations! You may find your name on the Great Grads website, which showcases some of our graduating students. Students often shout out the faculty members who impact their lives at UNT.
Your Faculty Success team continues to support you through our 3Cs — cultivating your community, supporting your capabilities, and advancing and celebrating your career. This fall, we launched the reimagined Faculty Mentoring Program (read below for some spring meetings), created three focus area groups aligned with our COACHE 2024 Survey results, launched our Academic Workload Initiative, brought back our University Teaching and Learning Forum, and expanded our Conference Support funding to include professional faculty. We are also close to announcing our 2025 Salute to Faculty Excellence Award recipients and are green with pride to spotlight how our faculty soar in teaching, research, service, and leadership.
Our newest initiative is introducing Faculty Learning Communities (FLC), an opportunity for full-time faculty to join one or more faculty groups focused on professional development. The first step is to complete the FLC Inquiry Form, and Faculty Success will organize and connect these groups within a week of classes resuming in January.
If you’ve not yet explored the National Center for Faculty Diversity and Development (NCFDD) free resources, I urge you to activate your membership. One of my favorites is “Every Semester Needs a Plan,” which is all about setting up a semester strategic plan to focus on your writing goals, manage work life, and balance your teaching and service responsibilities. Perhaps a good Winter Break exercise to start the spring term off on a good talon!
Finally, in case you missed it, this year's holiday video features UNT's incredibly talented One O'Clock Lab Band and reminds us that There's No Place Like UNT for the Holidays.
We wish you a happy, relaxing, and safe winter holiday from our nest to yours.
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Holly Hutchins, Ph.D. (she/her)
Vice Provost, Faculty Success
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A group of CVAD faculty and alumni are supporting Denton's local arts community at the Denton Maker Center, a unique space they opened this fall. Led by faculty members Umut Demirgüç Thurman and James Thurman — and featuring UNT faculty, staff, and alumni instructors — the center has already hosted dozens of workshops and offers a store where local artists sell their items. | |
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UNT researchers, led by computer science and engineering faculty members Dr. Ram Dantu and Dr. Cihan Tunc, received nearly $3 million in funding from the Department of Defense to modernize its hiring processes using AI, with the ultimate goal of safeguarding national security. | | |
For Dr. Sian Brannon, UNT Libraries:
Sian was my faculty mentor for my first year at UNT and has continued to support, guide, and advocate for me as I head into my second year here. She cares deeply about the university and the libraries and helping her colleagues succeed. Plus, she's a lot of fun to work with!
– Dr. Tiffany Davis Norris, Head of Research Support Services, UNT Libraries
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For Dr. Jill Harold, Technical Communication:
Jill has been an invaluable colleague and Director whom I can consistently rely on for guidance and advice. Her dedication to education and ensuring faculty members always have the information and resources they need to effectively do their jobs is worthy of recognition.
– Bradley Kralik, Adjunct Faculty, Technical Communication
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For Dr. Haley Zettler, Criminal Justice:
Haley is my faculty mentor and exceeds what it means to be a mentor. She has answered every single question I have had, has shared beneficial resources with me, and has patiently walked me through a number of tasks — without hesitation. As a first year assistant professor on the tenure track, Haley has reassured me that I am where I need to be and I feel grateful to have her as a mentor (and down the hall). Thanks for your support, Haley!
– Alessa Juarez, Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice
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An interdisciplinary team of UNT researchers led by Dr. Elias Mpofu, professor of rehabilitation and health services, will study the real-world community living priorities and capabilities of adults ages 55 and older with autism. They hope the results of their project, funded by the U.S. National Institute on Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, leads to more fulfilling life situations. | | |
Faculty Mentoring Program | |
Faculty mentoring open discussions
Faculty Success encourages all participants in the UNT Faculty Mentoring Program to complete a new asynchronous faculty mentoring training.
Faculty members who complete the training are invited to participate in an open discussion with colleagues at 1 p.m. Jan. 21 (Faculty Lounge, Union 249) or 1 p.m. Jan. 22 (request a Teams link). And if you complete the training by Jan. 22, you will be entered into a drawing to win a pair of Avesta tickets!
If you have any questions about the training or the UNT Faculty Mentoring Program, please email marcella.clinard@unt.edu.
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American Athletic Conference Research Grant Program | |
As members of the American Athletic Conference, UNT researchers are eligible to apply for the 2025-26 Research Grants program, which offers up to $15,000 in funding for scholarly work related to student-athlete well-being. The conference is particularly interested in collaboration across AAC institutions. A letter of support from a senior member of the Athletics department is required. | |
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To learn more, contact UNT’s Faculty Athletic Representative, Dr. Christy Crutsinger. Proposals are due Jan. 19, 2025. | |
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OER Development Grants
As part of UNT's support for affordability, the UNT Libraries is pleased to announce a call for applications for OER grants to support the use of open educational resources in UNT courses. This program supports UNT faculty who do one or both of the following for a course that they expect to teach at UNT in the future:
- Newly adopt or adapt an openly licensed textbook or other OER
- Adopt, adapt, or create ancillary materials to an existing open textbook or other OER
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Summer 2025 Fulbright-Hays Seminar applications due Jan. 7, 2025 | |
From the UNT Faculty Senate | |
Faculty Senate is vital to ensuring faculty participation in shared governance of the university, promoting and protecting academic freedom for faculty, overseeing curriculum, reviewing university policies, coordinating with administration to communicate information regarding matters pertinent to faculty, and recommending improvements in the work environment at UNT. Serving on the Faculty Senate and/or on its many standing committees counts as service to the university under workload agreements and demonstrates faculty commitment to the UNT System values We Care, Better Together, and Show Your Fire.
We invite you to become our partner in improving the university and making the faculty perspective heard. Feel free to reach out to your Faculty Senate group and at-large representatives, officers, or the Senate office with questions or concerns.
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We want to hear from you!
If you have suggestions or items you'd like us to feature in our newsletter, please email faculty.success@unt.edu by the 25th of each month. You also can find us on X: @UNTFacSuccess.
Faculty Success supports UNT faculty in developing their professional community, enriching their capabilities and advancing their careers.
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