August 7, 2023
Dear faculty,
Welcome back to campus for the Fall 2023 Semester and the new academic year. Please review
this message to learn about organizational changes, fellowship opportunities, and the many ways
that faculty may engage in important University initiatives.
Portfolio Review
The Portfolio Review Task Force (PRTF) met over the summer and has made considerable progress
on draft rubrics. Drafts were shared and reviewed by the deans and their feedback led to further
rubric refinement by the PRTF. The draft rubrics have been posted here for your review. Several
sessions are scheduled for campus discussion of draft rubrics:
- Monday August 28, 1-3 PM, In person, NIB 510 A/B
- Tuesday August 29, 12-2 PM (Teams meeting/remote meeting)
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 213 413 489 832
Passcode: uTcHFV
Or call in (audio only)
+1 336-790-7381, 265923772# United States, Greensboro
Phone Conference ID: 265 923 772# - Wednesday August 30, 12-2 PM, in-person, NIB 510 A/
UNCG Academic Data Dashboard
The new Academic Data Dashboard created by rpk GROUP and maintained by the Office of
Institutional Research and Enterprise Data Management (IREDM), one of many dashboards
available to help you make informed decisions and to uncover new insights about your data, is
now available for campus review IREDM’s website here. IREDM continues to work on mapping
pre-majors to majors for streamlined program reporting and addressing where data should be
allocated due to previous name or organizational changes. Several faculty workshops on how to
use and interpret the dashboard will be hosted early in fall semester, as follows:
- Friday, September 1, 1:00-2:30 PM, in-person, Faculty Center
- Wednesday, September 6, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM (Teams meeting/remote meeting)
Microsoft Teams Meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 214 651 098 378
Passcode: 5Wc2vx
Or call in (audio only)
+1 336-790-7381, 659830190# United States, Greensboro
Phone Conference ID: 659 830 190# - Thursday, September 7, 3:00-4:30 PM (Teams meeting/remote meeting)
Microsoft Teams Meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 214 651 098 378
Passcode: 5Wc2vx
Or call in (audio only)
+1 336-790-7381, 659830190# United States, Greensboro
Phone Conference ID: 659 830 190#
Look for reminder and calendar invitations from Associate Vice Provost Andrew Hamilton as these
dates near. In the meantime, if you ever have any questions about what you’re seeing on a
dashboard created by IREDM, please do not hesitate to reach out to Johnny Lail (jmlail@uncg.edu)
or Karen Blackwell (kmblackw@uncg.edu).
Fall “Talk with the Provost”
I will continue to host small group sessions with faculty to listen, to encourage dialogue, and to
foster mutual understanding of our challenges and opportunities. If you are interested in meeting
with me in one of these sessions, please note the following dates for Fall 2023 sessions:
- Wednesday, August 30th 3-4 PM [virtual]
- Thursday, September 28th 1-2 PM [in person]
- Friday, October 27th 10-11 AM [virtual]
- Friday, November 17th 2-3 PM [in person]
- Tuesday, December 12th 10-11 AM [virtual]
To register, please use this form. You are asked to register for up to three meetings, in hopes that
we will be able to accommodate everyone’s busy schedules. You will receive a calendar invitation
with a Teams or physical location confirmation for one of these meetings. If you have questions
about these sessions, please reach out to Provost Fellows Dr. Joyce Clapp (jfclapp@uncg.edu) and
Dr. Amy Vetter (amvetter@uncg.edu).
Faculty & Staff Affinity Groups
UNC Greensboro has a long and continually evolving history, from the Woman’s College to its
designation as an MSI, and to its rating as an LGTBQIA+ inclusive campus (Campus Pride Index,
2022), of acknowledging, affirming, and supporting various identities represented on UNCG’s
campus. Affinity groups, which are longstanding at UNCG, are an important part of building an
inclusive campus climate and creating a sense of belonging. Affinity groups have expanded in recent
years but have not had the institutional support needed to continue their growth and development.
I am pleased to announce that the Affinity Group Council, a governing body for the various faculty
and staff affinity groups at UNCG, has been created within my office with the primary mission and
purpose of
- Supporting group leadership and providing channels of communication between affinity
- group leaders and University administration;
- Providing resources to affinity groups that will support affinity group-led initiatives;
- Promoting engagement within and across these groups; and
- Supporting new group formation and establishing procedures for formalizing group structure.
The Affinity Group Council will hold a “kick-off” event for the UNCG community in early October to
provide more information about their work, so be on the lookout for more details. If you have
questions, feel free to contact co-chairs of the Affinity Group Council, Dr. Brad Johnson
(rbjohnso@uncg.edu) and Dr. Shelly Brown-Jeffy (slbrown2@uncg.edu).
Teaching with Teams
For Fall 2023, you have the option to use Microsoft Teams for synchronous online class meetings.
Teams integrates with Canvas, meaning that Teams meetings can be scheduled and created from
your Canvas course page. The curated LinkedIn Learning course entitled “Teaching with Teams at
UNCG,” provides a detailed introduction to Teams teaching. At that same link, you will find
information on how to activate and use Teams in Canvas.
Instructors will also have the option to use Zoom for synchronous teaching for the Fall Semester, but
please be aware that Teams will be the only University-supported online instructional platform
beginning Spring 2024. Resources about teaching with Zoom can be found here. We hope that by
offering both options for Fall, along with online training, you will feel confident moving forward with
Teams in Spring 2024. If you have any questions about this transition, please see the FAQ and
training materials or contact 6TECH@uncg.edu or 336-256-8324.
Instructional Multimedia and Design and Technology Support
To enhance faculty support, the Instructional Multimedia and Design and Technology Support
groups recently housed in UTLC have merged with ITS: Learning Technology. This strategic
consolidation of expertise and resources will streamline faculty access to resources and provide
closer collaboration with the unit-level instructional support services that are embedded within the
colleges and schools. All current services will remain available.
- Support for Instructional Design: Course design and development are crucial to improving
student online learning and performance at UNCG. Consolidating various roles and offices
focused on course development provides us an opportunity to affect student outcomes
genuinely and positively through heightened support for faculty. The integration of
Instructional Designers, Instructional Technology Specialists, and Multimedia Specialists
into one team will improve our ability to manage projects that require LMS training,
graphic design, media production, and course development. Unit-level Academic
Technology Specialists (ATS) will remain in their current units. - Support for Multimedia Production: Under the consolidated structure, instructors will
continue to have access to multimedia production services, including professional quality
podcasts, lightboard video production, and the creation of customized course materials.
These services are available at two sites: 1100 W. Market Street and Oakland Avenue,
which offer unique functions to meet campus needs. - Instructional Support Network Collaboration: The Academic Technology Specialists (ATSs)
embedded within colleges and schools will remain in their units, providing instructors with
a first point of contact for assistance with instructional technology. The consolidation of
UTLC and ITS teams into one office will enhance the speed and efficiency of communication
among ATSs, improve incident allocation and resolution time via access to the ServiceNow
platform, and provide opportunities for individualized technical training for ATSs to support
their professional development and improve faculty support.
Questions about this merger can be directed to David Kirkland, Director of ITS Learning Technology
at dpkirkla@uncg.edu.
Academic Affairs Collaborations and Organizational Changes
The Lloyd International Honors College (LIHC); the Residential Colleges (RC); and the Undergraduate
Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Office (URSCO) will deepen their collaboration and report
within the LIHC umbrella. The intent of this collaboration is to
- Employ the living-learning model in new ways to attract students and connect them to
professional, academic, social, and applied aspects of their intended majors and career
paths; - Realign LIHC, RC, and URSCO resources to provide more and better services to students
who want to engage at high levels in residential, curricular, and co-curricular programming,
including events, academic advising, undergraduate research, first-year seminars, service
learning, and reading/lab groups; and - Reposition and re-energize LIHC as a campus leader in engaged undergraduate education.
This plan, which will be fully implemented in the Fall of 2024, allows for the expansion of the RC
model by establishing new RCs in North and South Spencer with living/learning themes designed to
resonate with new students. We will continue to welcome students who do not opt to complete
the Honors curriculum in Warren Ashby College (in Mary Foust Hall) and Strong College (in Guilford
Hall).
With the Residential Colleges, URSCO, and the Instructional and Multimedia Design teams moving
from UTLC to other units, Dr. Dave Teachout has decided to return to teaching, his core passion. He
resumed his faculty role as Professor of Music Education in the School of Music on August 1st. The
role of the UTLC on our campus grew significantly under Dr. Teachout’s eight years of leadership,
with new programs in teaching innovations; a strong focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion; and
attention to technology as a tool for improved pedagogy and academic outcomes. Dr. Laura Pipe
will serve as Interim Director of UTLC. Please join me in congratulating both Dr. Teachout and Dr.
Pipe on their new roles.
FERPA Online Training
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of
student education records. Each year, UNCG administrators, faculty, and staff are required to
complete online training to understand the types of information that we are allowed to release to
others (aside from the student) and enables us to fulfill our individual roles in protecting UNCG’s
students and upholding federal law. To maintain access to campus software, all faculty and staff
will be asked to complete the course by December 2023. More information on the training is
forthcoming.
Research and Creative Activity Support
UNCG continues to value your research, scholarship, and creative activities and provides financial
support and essential infrastructure to connect you to critical resources and partners. The Office of
Research and Engagement (ORE) provides funding to cover some of the costs for travel to national
conferences (https://research.uncg.edu/funding/scholars-travel-program/) and the International
Programs Center provides funding for international conference travel
(https://international.uncg.edu/faculty-and-staff/funding-for-international-initiatives-2/). ORE also
provides support for expenses related to media development, publishing or exhibiting
(https://research.uncg.edu/funding/publication-exhibition-subsidies/) including open access jointly
funded with the Library (http://uncg.libguides.com/c.php?g=83558&p=536536), as well as internal
grants (https://research.uncg.edu/funding/internal-grants-and-awards/) including the
Community-Engaged Pathways and Partnerships (P2) Fellows program that supports and advances
community-engagement scholarship among UBCG scholars and community partners. More
information on these supports and informational workshops can be found at https://research.uncg.edu/funding/.
2024 UNC Faculty Fellowship Opportunity: Materials due August 21
The UNC System Office Division of Academic Affairs Faculty Fellowship Program nomination process
for 2024 is now open. This fellowship offers an opportunity for faculty to gain experience with
challenges in public higher education at the system, state, and national levels. The 2024 focus area
is Improving Transfer Student Access and Success. Due to the priority placed on this year’s focus,
the usual practice of allowing only one nomination per institution has changed and multiple
applicants may be nominated. The deadline to submit materials to my office is August 21st, and the
notice for selection from the System Office is expected before October 27th. Interested faculty
should submit a letter of interest, current CV, summary of short- and long-term career goals, and
statements of endorsement from your chair and dean to dastorrs@uncg.edu. For more details,
please see the full announcement in the attached document.
Join Me for Coffee
Join me, the Provost’s Office team, and the UTLC for the first September Coffeehouse, Tuesday,
September 12th, 9:00-10:00 AM in the Mossman lobby. Coffeehouses are a space to gather with
colleagues. There is no set agenda, just coffee (or tea), snacks, and great conversations about
teaching.
Faculty, I want to thank you for your unwavering dedication and ceaseless hard work. Your
commitment to fostering intellectual curiosity, encouraging personal growth, and creating a
conducive learning environment is pivotal in fulfilling our shared mission of empowering students
and shaping leaders. Over the past year, we faced many challenges and you have demonstrated
resilience, adaptability, and unity as we work through our shared reality. I ask that you continue to
support one another, engage in the many opportunities to shape our future, and give one another
grace as we continue navigate the changing higher education landscape. I know the strength of
UNCG lies in the heart of its people – you. Each of you has contributed to our continued success,
and for that, I am immensely grateful.
Thanks for reading and please let me know if you have any questions.
Debbie Storrs, Provost
Provost@uncg.edu