SVPAA Faculty Fellowships

The Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs (SVPAA) invites tenured and long-serving career-line faculty members at the University of Utah to apply for administrative faculty fellowships.

Fellowship Program Goals

These fellowships will provide leadership development opportunities for faculty members that allow them to explore administrative roles and acquire skills and knowledge that will better prepare them to serve in academic administration in the future; and assist the SVPAA and/or Associate Provosts with special projects across the academic enterprise. These projects are designed to move the university toward the President’s bold ambition of creating a new model of higher education. In addition to working on mutually identified projects, the fellow will participate as a peer in meetings of the SVPAA senior staff.

The fellow(s) work closely with the SVPAA Office leaders on initiatives associated with advancing academic affairs, including student success, faculty success, operational access, One Utah cross-campus collaborations, and societal impact.

Project for 2024-2025: Developing a OneU Wellbeing + Resilience Strategic Action Plan

In this case, we are looking for a faculty fellow(s) to help facilitate the development of a strategic action plan to embed wellbeing and resilience across all efforts of the university. The University of Utah just became a JED Campus, aspiring to become a world leader in creating a healthy campus environmental framework that emphasizes well-being, resilience and their requisite literacy at all scales of the campus: as an environment, an institution, as communities, and as individuals. “Health promoting universities and colleges infuse health into everyday operations, business practices and academic mandates.”

The OneU Wellbeing + Resilience initiative aims to:

Improve the wellbeing of the people who live, learn, work, and play on our campus and in the communities we serve;

Create campus culture of care and literacy of wellbeing;

Enhance the capacities of the university community to be resilient in the face of unanticipated economic, social and ecological threats.

Examples of work a Fellow may do could include, but are not limited to:

• Comparative diagnostics of peer AAU Universities to inform discovery of strengths, opportunities and differentiations in regard to being a leading health-promoting campus
• Participate in creating a community of practice regarding embedded wellbeing and resilience across the U
• Represent the Office of the SVPAA at campus and community events
• Facilitate a faculty perspective on administrative processes
• Participate in efforts to educate externally on the importance of wellbeing and resilience at public research universities

Cohort: The faculty fellows will work as a cohort and have opportunities for interaction with and support of each other.

Term: Each fellow will serve from October 1, 2024 through May 31, 2025.

Required Qualifications

• A terminal degree in an academic discipline
• Demonstrated record of service to the University of Utah
• Clearly demonstrated high degree of judgment, diplomacy, and confidentiality
• Strong record of scholarship or contributions in their academic discipline
• Experience working with senior level collegiate and central administration (preferred)

Application Materials

• A letter describing interest and experience in the areas of wellbeing and resilience and how you see this opportunity advancing your career trajectory
• A curriculum vitae
• Names of two references (suggested: one from a current or recent supervisor and one from a colleague)

Timeline

• Review of applications will begin immediately, but to ensure full consideration, submit application materials no later than August 30, 2024.
• The first round of interviews with SVPAA senior staff will be conducted the week of September 9. Fellowships will begin October 1 or at a mutually agreed-upon date.
• Please send application materials to Ann Holbrook (ann.holbrook@utah.edu).

Past Faculty Fellows

Dr. Claudia Geist, associate dean for research in the School for Cultural and Social Transformation, worked closely with the AVP for Faculty as a liaison with the Faculty Club, running the associate dean luncheon series, and supporting faculty with concerns and complaints, in addition to other assignments. Dr. Geist is also an associate professor in gender studies and sociology, and has served as the director of undergraduate studies in the sociology department.

Dr. Danielle Endres, professor in the Department of Communication, worked closely with the SVPAA to document policies and organizational changes related to Academic Affairs, as well as assisting the SVPAA on special projects, such as The Utah Experience, the Exceptional Education Experience, the West Valley and Herriman Campus projects, and other initiatives. Dr. Endres is also an affiliated faculty member with the Environmental Humanities program and joined the U in 2005.

Jim Agutter is an Associate Dean in Undergraduate Studies and associate professor in the College of Architecture + Planning. As a faculty fellow, Agutter played a key role in the Educational Futures Taskforce.

Holly Godsey is an associate professor (lecturer) in the Department of Geology and Geophysics and is part of the University’s STEM Education initiative. As a faculty fellow, Holly played a key role in the Educational Futures Taskforce.