The monthly newsletter from UT Arlington Provost Tamara L. Brown

Thursday, April 11, 2024

Maverick Community:

April showers may bring May flowers, but this month has a lot more to offer than just springtime blooms! This month we've witnessed a spectacular celestial event, and later this month, it's the bittersweet winding down of the academic semester, and a global call to action for our planet.

A Celestial Spectacle: A Total Solar Eclipse
Sky enthusiasts had a reason to rejoice this week, as a total solar eclipse graced our skies in Arlington. With classes canceled from 1-2 pm, the entire Maverick community was able to come together and witness the moon cross in front of the sun. It was a breathtaking natural phenomenon and I am thankful to all who helped make this once-in-a-lifetime event a success for UTA.

The Home Stretch: Wrapping Up the Academic Semester
For students and educators, April signifies the final push of the Spring semester. Whether it's finalizing projects, cramming for exams, or grading papers, this month is all about finishing strong in preparation for final exams and commencement in May. We wish everyone the best of luck as they navigate the final weeks!
Beyond the Books: Earth Day and More!
April isn't just about eclipses and schoolwork. Here are some other exciting things to look forward to this month:

Earth Day (April 22nd): A global day dedicated to raising awareness about environmental issues and taking action to protect our planet. Let's all do our part to make a difference!
National Poetry Month: Immerse yourself in the beauty and power of language. Attend poetry readings, workshops, or simply curl up with a new collection of poems.

Sincerely,

Tamara L. Brown, Ph.D.

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Did you know the UTA Strategic Plan, Shared Dreams Bright Future, has an intentional focus on community? Join us as we launch our new sustainable initiative to enhance and elevate community engagement at UTA!

What is Community Engagement?

Community engagement is collaboration between institutions of higher education and their external communities (locally, regionally, nationally, and globally) in a context of partnership and reciprocity for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources that contributes to the public good. (Source: American Council of Education, Elective Classification for Community Engagement) by

We need to know…Are YOU Community Engaged? We know that UTA faculty and staff collaborate with community partners through service learning, campus-community volunteerism, service on nonprofit boards and committees, collaboration on grants, and more. Think about your community-engaged activities, and how your work fits within the goals of the strategic plan, then SHARE your community engagement activities HERE.

Questions? Comments? Email areYOUengaged@uta.edu.

UT Arlington has a new way for graduate students to apply for admission. Students applying to a program for Summer 2024 and beyond, can now submit their application via ApplyUTA. This will enhance the student experience by streamlining customer-focused processes and customizing interactions with the University, leading to stronger relationships, as well as increased admissions and retention rates. Thank you to the CRM implementation team under the leadership of Graduate School Dean, Jim Grover, and Vice President for Enrollment Management, Luisa Havens-Gerardo.

Assistant Professor of History Alberto Ortiz-Diaz was recently recognized by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) as a 2024 Fellow. The ACLS Fellowship Program is a highly prestigious award identified by the National Research Council that supports scholars poised to make original and significant contributions to knowledge in any humanities or interpretive social sciences field. Dr. Ortiz-Diaz was one of 60 exceptional early-career scholars selected from a pool of 1,100 applicants.

Minerva Cordero has been hired as the Vice Provost for Faculty Success. In this role, Dr. Cordero will be responsible for overseeing and providing support for faculty promotion and tenure, faculty professional development, leadership training, workload policy, faculty retention, grievances, and other issues related to academic employees. In addition, Dr. Cordero will assume oversight of all faculty hiring efforts previously managed under Talent, Culture, and Engagement. She is also a tenured, full professor in Mathematics.

Ashley Purgason has been promoted to Vice Provost for Student Success. In this role, Dr. Purgason will be responsible for working across the university to remove unnecessary barriers students may face to continue their education and obtain their undergraduate degree(s). The Division of Student Success has experienced significant growth under her leadership in grant funding, staff, and space. For example, Ashley was responsible for the creation of academic coaching and major exploration units on campus. Some of the initiatives she's managed include the Equitable Student Pathways project in collaboration with UT System and UTA's participation as a cluster lead in APLU's Powered by Publics work. She is also an affiliated faculty member in Biology.

Amber Smallwood has been promoted to Vice Provost for Academic Innovation. In this role, Dr. Smallwood will be responsible for building infrastructure and pedagogical pathways to online learning and programming, teaching and learning, video production, and learning technologies. In addition, she will have responsibility for advancing UTA's online learning profile and spearheading special projects in Academic Innvoation. Dr. Smallwood has led or co-led several projects in this space, including UTA's initiatives in eLearning, student-facing microcedentials, and credit for prior learning.. She is also a tenured, full professor in Public Administration.

Submit a proposal to the 2024 Interdisciplinary Research Program (IRP) by Monday, April 15. The IRP strengthens UTA’s research capacity and fosters new collaborations by supporting interdisciplinary research projects between faculty members from different disciplines. Up to $20,000 in funding is offered for each IRP project. Learn more about IRP's purpose and proposal requirements.

Join us April 11-12 for a dynamic and engaging symposium where rising scholars will present their latest research in various fields of study, connect with colleagues, spark meaningful discussions, and cultivate collaborations to drive innovation and progress. Don't miss this opportunity to showcase your research, gain valuable insights, and contribute to the advancement of knowledge. Interested participants can sign up here.

April's suggested monthly read is from Inside Higher Ed. Please take a moment to read UT Austin’s Decision Is the One to Watch.

Do you have an upcoming event that Provost Brown should attend or speak at? If so, send us the details! Submit a request to the Office of the Provost via the speaker form on our website and we'll let you know if she's available.

The Provost continues to host monthly office hours! The next office hours will be April 18th from 9:00 am to 10:30 am in UAB Room 321. Faculty, staff, and students can drop in or sign up via email at provost@uta.edu.