Priorities of the Provost/VPAA Office for 2015-2016: Senate

ForumUpdate: December 16, 2015

Thomas M. DiLorenzoProvost and VP for Academic

Affairs

Priorities of the Provost and Deans

• Implementing the new budget model (MIRA)

Implementing the new budget model(MIRA) –Current

• Deans’ Working Group– Reviewing model statements for FY2012 through FY2015– Developing tools for academic divisions to use as reference guides

for MIRA– Developing guiding principles for allocation of resources at the

college-level– Further defining “hold harmless” for FY2017

• Working with University Senate Leadership on Joint Communications– Budget 102 – Delivered 2 sessions during the past two weeks– Website – www.und.edu/2020– Developing Budget 103 – Governance

• MIRA group working with Co-Sponsors DiLorenzo and Brekke to finalize allocation levers by the end of January

Priorities of the Provost and Deans

• Implementing the new budget model (MIRA)• Continuation of PTE work

Promotion, Tenure, and Evaluation (PTE):Support Faculty, Increase Academic Quality

1. Annual process improvements (continuous implementation)– New VPAA guidance memos; smarter timeline; communications;

webpage; clarified dossier preparation & submission guidelines

2. Implementation of Essential Elements (in process, on track)– Created process of departmental, college/school, and VPAA

review & approval to ensure all departmental guidelines are implemented with elements identified in 2008 faculty-led review

3. PTE Working Group (in process, on track)– Representatives of all eight colleges/schools review; recommend

clear, consistent, fair PTE policies, procedures informed by quality, best practices, peer & aspirant institutions, UND- and discipline-specific information

PTE Working Group Update• Five meetings so far this academic year re. these issues (in process, new in italics)

– Standard hiring letter, contract template– Philosophy statement for promotion & tenure– Dossier format & template– Procedures, including roles & responsibilities of candidate, chair, committees– Academic titles, ranks, and responsibilities for faculty– Guidelines for expected time in rank

• Beginning to envision recommendations for revised Faculty Handbook section on PTE (in process)– Concepts will be added to draft Faculty Handbook outline as completed by subgroups and

discussed at Working Group meetings

• Communications plan (implemented, continuous)– University Letter after each meeting; webpage; email updates; University Senate sessions;

when concepts ready to discuss, will hold topic-specific open forums or focus groups– Complete information, regular updates on the web at:

Academic Affairs -> Initiatives -> Promotion, Tenure, and Evaluation

Priorities of the Provost and Deans

• Implementing the new budget model (MIRA)• Continuation of PTE work• Search for a Dean for the School of Graduate

Studies

Search for a Dean for the School of Graduate Studies

• Co-chairs – Debbie Storrs and Gwen Halaas• Completed focus groups and forums this fall designed to

discussed future ideas for the School of Graduate Studies and qualities for the new Dean

• Culminated in a selection process for committee members• Started the actual search process • Selected a Search firm and underway• Peter Rosenberg recently provided a draft copy of the position

announcement for the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

• The position description is being finalized, and the search should be launched the week of January 11.

Master Planning Process

• SBHE requires a Physical Master Plan by February 15, 2016. To ensure that UND develops the plan in a thoughtful and inclusive manner, the current focus is on classrooms and office spaces. (with research space discussions occurring between the Provost, VP of Research and ED, and others)

• The focus of the study is to evaluate current utilization of classrooms and office spaces, assess condition of existing buildings, and prioritize where funding should be targeted during the current biennium.

• Over the next year, the needs for research spaces, auxiliary spaces, and ancillary spaces will be assessed with faculty and others, and the master plan will be updated accordingly.

Examples of SBHE/Chancellor Priorities

• Master Planning Process (due February 15, 2016)

• Master Planning Presentation on December 11, 2015– http://

und.edu/finance-operations/facilities-management/openforum2.pdf

• Next meeting is January 13, 2016

Open Education Resources (OER)• 11 Faculty and Staff members trained by the NDUS Open

Source Book Training in Oct at Valley City State University.• Committee has been formed to ensure best practices in

implementation of Open Education Resources---Members include: Dean of Libraries and Information Resources (co-chair), Associate Provost (co-chair), UND faculty members, Vice-Chair of the University Senate, Students, Director of the Center for Instructional and Technology and her course design personnel and Director of the Office of Extended Learning and her administrative staff.

• No faculty will be required to use Open Source Textbooks---Participation is Voluntary. Focus will begin with instructors who teach large enrollment classes to ensure larger savings for students.

Open Education Resources (OER)• Faculty engaged in use of OER will have the financial,

technical and editorial supports. The focus will be on shared expertise and peer-based learning to disseminate curricula and support a learner-centric approach to education.

• Multiple major research universities have been creating and using Open Source Materials including MIT, U of MN, U of Oregon, U of Utah, SUNY and Georgia System.

• This movement is in response to the rising costs of textbooks at double the cost of inflation (NY Times).

• Stephanie Walker and Thomasine Heitkamp are preparing a proposal to NDUS. (please contact them if you have any questions. Stephanie.Walker@und.edu and Thomasine.Heitkamp@und.edu

Open Education Resources (OER)

• Open Educational Resources (OER) – Stephanie Walker and Thomasine Heitkamp are

about to submit to a proposal to NDUS for funds to assist five faculty members to adapt their classes for OER purposes.

– We will also provide library and technical supports to faculty wishing to use OER materials.

Examples of SBHE/Chancellor Priorities

• Master Planning Process (due February 15, 2016)

• Open Educational Resources (OER)• Student Success Initiatives: Retention and

Graduation

Student Success Initiatives:Retention & Graduation (SEM Comm)

• Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Committee (implemented, continuous)– Partnership of Academic Affairs & Student Affairs– All colleges & schools; focus on undergraduates– 2014-15 focus: Course availability; four-year plans; data provision

• SEM Committee Priorities for 2015-16 (in process)– Targeted student populations (at-risk, on-campus, online, transfer)– Academic advising process (handoff between majors, advisor professional development,

policies, Academic Advisor Council)– Information systems education, coordination & training (Starfish, CourseLeaf, ImageNow,

PAR Predictive Analytics, iDashboards)• Five meetings so far this academic year (in process)

– Revising current probation, suspension, and dismissal policy to clarify policy for students, support advising, improve interventions (Student Government has endorsed)

– Discussing current minimum 125-credit graduation requirement (varies within NDUS)

Student Success Initiatives: Retention and Graduation (iCAN project)

• UND’s new iCAN (Integrated Coaching and Advising Network) has been established following recognition as a community member by EDUCAUSE. Proposal submitted to EDUCASUE in summer 2015 authored by staff in my office including UND Student Body President, Matthew Kopp.

• Pilot iCAN programs established with Student Success Center and CoBPA Academic Advising.

• Access to EDUCAUSE resources will ensure best practices in using technology to conduct advisement.

• Academic advising group is reconstituted to secure faculty input.• Faculty and staff based initiative with Lisa Burger and Thomasine

Heitkamp working collaboratively following participation in EDUCAUSE training.

• We secured funds from EDUCAUSE, as a community member, to support iCAN initiative (a significant first step will be the implementation of the early alert system in several pilot projects).

My Priorities

• Continue communication with:– the Senate Executive Committee, Former Chair, Current Chair and

Future Chair of Senate Workgroup, and Student Government President/VP – Monthly meetings with each

– University “Letters” - 14– Provost’s webpage: we have made improvements to the website

and will continue to make progress moving forward – updated website is live

– Blogs – 46 blogs since July 2015– Weekly office hours – 2 hours/week: Total so far = 18– 3 recent blogs on exceptional teaching and research activities of

faculty across campus• Goal to have monthly follow-up forums in the Spring

My Priorities

• Mentor the new Vice President for Research and Economic Development (Grant McGimpsey) and Dean of Libraries and Information Resources (Stephanie Walker) and support their activities and initiatives – Stephanie’s presentation (next semester)

• UND hired Henok Elias as its first full-time Ombuds. Henok will start mid-January 2016. His office is located at 314 Cambridge in room 201. Phone: 701.777.6239

Research, Scholarship, Creative Activity and Economic Development at UND

Grant McGimpseyVice President for Research and Economic Development

University of North Dakota• UND provides a very comprehensive menu of research, scholarly

and creative opportunities to undergraduate students, graduate students and students in the professional disciplines.

• High quality medical, law, engineering, nursing and aerospace programs along with strong and impactful programs in the sciences, social sciences, humanities and arts. - Such comprehensive quality is usually only found in much larger institutions.

• Our faculty, staff and students believe that research, scholarship and creative activity is a vital component of our responsibilities.

Research and Economic Development

Mission: Enhance the impact of UND’s research, scholarship and creative activities in the state and beyond through:

• Research Development – efficient systems, enhanced service, information, mentorship, collaborative opportunities, financial resources and other services to help faculty build successful research, scholarly and creative programs

• Economic Development - through translation of research/scholarship to the marketplace and through the development of workforce in areas related to the state’s economy.

Research Development

Service and Systems

– Improve our communication and level of service• All-division ‘Advance’ to evaluate our level of service and how to improve

service to faculty.• Reviewing staffing functions

– Modernize our proposal and award systems (electronic systems) and find other efficiencies• Electronic pre- and post-award system vendors have been interviewed and

we are moving toward a decision on a preferred vendor (in collaboration with NDSU)

Research Development

Mentoring and Resources

• Training, information, mentorship, seed funding, collaborative opportunities. Full Research Development strategy coming soon including coordinated seed funding programs.

• Current Seed Funding:

• Early Career Award – up to 5 awards at $20,000 each to help build faculty research/scholarship• Research Equipment – up to 3 awards at $50,000 each to help acquire major research equipment• Research Infrastructure – up to 10 awards at $20,000 each to help acquire supplies and consumables,

provide summer support, grad student support, etc.• Post Doctoral Award – up to 6 awards of 2-year post doctoral salary and benefits support• Arts and Humanities Awards – up to $125,000• AMPLIFY – student innovation awards – 7 awards in first round ($500-$2500)• Innovation Awards – 6 awards in first round ($57,000 total)• SSAC Awards – multiple awards totaling $60,000

Research Development

Focus on Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

– Create opportunities to showcase arts, humanities and social sciences creative works and scholarship

– In addition to seed funding, support discipline-specific outlets for scholarship including symposia, performances, conference travel.

– Reactivate and enlarge arts and humanities advisory council to advice to VPR.– Identify opportunities for arts, humanities and social science faculty to engage

with sciences, engineering, medicine

Economic Development

• Develop community, corporate, industrial relationships– Aggressive corporate engagement effort– Business-friendly IP policies– Valley Prosperity Partnership– GF EDC – Industrial advisory board

• Identify economic development resources– Inventory incubation, acceleration, innovation space– Inventory entrepreneurial and business services provided by UND

• Student Research, Innovation, Commercialization Hub (RICH) – Identify space and services for student invention and innovation

Communicating our Success

Communicate inside the university and to the community

– Create a research and scholarship communications effort to augment current research publications and communication channels (‘A research/scholarship/creative activity story per day’)

– ‘Scholar of the Month’

– Organize and support major symposia in areas of university research strength or societal challenges – e.g., energy and the environment; aging; public health; healthcare; water resources, etc.

Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Areas & Priorities

Sandra MitchellAssociate Vice President for Diversity & Inclusion

Why does this matter?

• Benefits of a diverse student population (including but not limited to racial and ethnic diversity) include promoting cross-racial understanding, breaking down racial stereotypes, and promoting livelier and more enlightening classroom discussion.

• A college student’s diversity experience is associated with higher learning outcomes such as enhanced critical thinking skills, more involvement in community service, and a greater likelihood for retention and graduation.

• Efforts to prepare students to interact with and serve diverse populations in their career field upon graduation directly implicate diversity-related policies.

Total Enrollment by EthnicityEthnicity EnrollmentAm. Indian

236Asian 242Black 373Hawaiian 16Hispanic 440Non-Resident Alien 1,017NS

397two or more races 441White 11,789Summary

14,951

2%2%

2%0%

3% 7

%3%

3%

79%

Enrollment

Am. IndianAsianBlackHawaiianHispanicNon-Resident AlienNStwo or more racesWhite

• Associate Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion• Diversity is broadly defined not limited to issues of race, class

gender or other protected classes, but encompasses all forms of human difference.

• Cultural Centers:– Women’s Center– Multicultural Student Services– American Indian Student Services– Office of International Programs

• Classroom lectures and staff training sessions

1. Campus Climate2. Recruitment of students and faculty3. Retention of students and faculty4. Outreach and collaboration5. Operational excellence

Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Areas

Priorities

• Climate- intentional fostering of activities which help to build and maintain a positive campus climate for diversity for all students, faculty and staff

• Operational Excellence- coordination of resources (human and financial) to achieve staffing that will maintain the benefits of diversity and inclusion for all students, faculty and staff

• Student Retention/Graduation-focus on efforts to retain a diverse student body, particularly through the academic success of traditionally underrepresented populations

Diversity and Inclusion

• Diversity Advisory Council has been re-formed. The group has already been actively working to:- Develop a charter which will make it a permanent part of the university

structure- Create a strategic plan for diversity and- Create and implement a student climate assessment

• Collaborations with Residence Life, Health and Wellness, Affirmative Action, Office of Instructional Development, Human Resources, Dean of Students, University Police, Law School, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines and more

• ACE Internationalization Lab• American Indian Research Committee (AIRC)

Q&A