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 foster deeper intellectual partnerships between the SVPAA, the AVP for Faculty (AVP), and the faculty; 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 AVP with special projects across the academic enterprise.  In addition to working on mutually identified projects, the fellow will participate as a peer in meetings of the SVPAA senior staff, the Council of Academic Deans (CAD), and other governance groups.

Overview

The fellow will work closely with the SVPAA, AVP, and/or other senior leaders in the office on initiatives associated with academic administration, policies and procedures, metrics and data-driven decision making, faculty leadership and success, undergraduate and graduate student success, One Utah cross-campus collaborations, and societal impact. Examples of initiatives and projects could include, but are not limited to:

• Expand and lead programs and resources for leadership and success for faculty in all categories (adjunct, career-line, tenure-line, and including UAC faculty) and across the professional lifecycle
• Expand formal mentoring and faculty cohort peer mentoring and support programs
• Serve as an expert on faculty trends and higher education research to inform strategic planning and faculty support, particularly (but not only) in relation to equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and access
• Facilitate the transition from the FAR to the UCV as our faculty activities reporting system
• Coordinate and build collaborations for student success initiatives across multiple offices
• Represent the office on internal and external committees, agencies, and seminars
• Represent the Office of the SVPAA at campus and community events
• Facilitate a faculty perspective on administrative processes
• Advance diversity and equity practices across the university
• Participate in efforts to better educate community members and governmental leaders on the importance of public research universities

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

Effort:  25-50% effort, with associated academic year and summer salary support as applicable

Term: Each fellow will serve 1 to 2 years in this role.  The fellowship will replace an appropriate portion of the faculty member’s normal teaching or clinical responsibilities.

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 interests in the fellowship
• 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 May 24, 2022.
• The first round of interviews with SVPAA senior staff will be conducted over the summer. Fellowships will begin in August 2022 or at a mutually agreed-upon date.
• Please send application materials to Ann Holbrook (ann.holbrook@utah.edu).

Current Faculty Fellows

Dr. Claudia Geist, associate dean for research in the School for Cultural and Social Transformation, will work 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, will work 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 the Global Change and Sustainability Center. Dr. Endres joined the U in 2005.