Messages from the Provost

UTA Policy on Pass/Fail and Drop Dates

April 20, 2020

Dear Students,

As we continue our conversion from face-to-face classes to online learning, the University is making adjustments to facilitate the transition. Accordingly, Pass/Fail dates are being extended for the spring 2020 semester. These adjustments are detailed below:

• Students have until May 22 to elect a course or courses to be graded Pass/Fail. See the list of courses eligible for Pass/Fail grading.

• Grades for the spring semester will post on May 20 and students will have two days after grades post to elect to change their grades from letter grade to Pass/Fail for eligible courses.

• There is no change in drop date for the spring semester. It remains April 28.

All other temporary Pass/Fail and Drop Date Policy Changes remain in effect and are detailed below:

• If a student does not want a course to be graded Pass/Fail they do not have to take action; the current grading scheme will apply to the course.

• The decision on which classes are eligible for Pass/Fail option is the decision of each college/school’s curriculum committee. The implementation of the policy will be handled by the Registrar’s Office.

• At the undergraduate level, courses with grades of A, B, C, and D are eligible for a Pass grade.

• At the undergraduate level, a Pass grade would not have an impact on a student’s grade point average, while a Fail (F) grade would.

• At the graduate level, courses with grades of A, B, and C are eligible for a Pass grade.

• At the graduate level, a Pass grade would not have an impact on a student’s grade point average, while D and Fail (F) grades would.

• Courses that are pre-requisites for upper-division classes at the undergraduate level and require a C or better for progression in the program will need to be retaken by the student at a future time, and a letter grade earned, if the Pass/Fail option is elected in spring 2020.

• Courses that are pre-requisites for other graduate courses and require a B or better for progression in the program will need to be retaken by the student at a future time, and a letter grade earned, if the Pass/Fail option is elected in spring 2020.

• Students will have to consult with their instructor and academic advisor before they make a decision to either drop a course or choose the Pass/Fail option. They are also encouraged to discuss their decision with the Office of Financial Aid to determine if there are any financial implications to their decision.

If you have questions regarding these policies, please refer to the FAQs posted at uta.edu/announcements/coronavirus/pass-fail-grade-faq and reach out to your academic advisor and your instructors. After consulting with them, if you have questions or feedback please complete the form.

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Reporting Resources

April 13, 2020

Dear UTA Faculty and Staff,

UTA is committed to ensuring course materials are both accessible and affordable for our students. Accomplishing this requires comprehensive and timely reporting of course resource adoptions by instructors and program administrators, including any resources that are completely free of cost. Prompt reporting enables transparent communication with students so they can better plan for the cost of their education, empowers the campus store to leverage used and rental materials that make resources more affordable, and allows students with disabilities to access necessary resource accommodations without delay.

• If students can access all required resources for a course at zero cost, report your resource use through the appropriate reporting form on the Report Resource Use guide.
• For all other required resources, including textbooks, lab manual, courseware/software and supplies, submit information directly to the UTA Bookstore using the Follett Discover tool located in Canvas.

Please aim to submit your required resources by April 30 or as soon as possible. We strive to provide students with accurate resource cost information during the registration period for each semester. If resources for a course are not finalized, they should be reported as soon as possible after the requirements for course materials are determined.

Additional information and reporting guidelines are available online. Questions or concerns may be addressed to Paul Beaulieu, UTA Bookstore Director, or Michelle Reed, Director of Open Educational Resources.

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Update for Students from Provost

April 10, 2020

Dear Students,

Recent weeks have been filled with change, difficulty, stress, and uncertainty. Your resiliency, tenacity, and patience in the face of these challenges have been truly remarkable. Across our schools and colleges, I’ve seen each of you persevere through this very difficult time by coming together as a community to help each other.

You, the students of UTA, are the heart of our Maverick Community. You are the most talented students we could ask for, and I want you to know that every resource at UTA, including over 6,000 faculty and staff, are committed to your success. No matter how great the challenge, we will continue our dedication to bringing you the highest quality education. The University remains available to assist each of you during this time while courses are offered online and many of our employees are working off-site.

We recently announced that we will continue to provide all of UTA’s learning experiences in online formats for Maymester and the Summer Term, and that registration for those offerings has begun. I encourage every student to consider Maymester and Summer Term courses as a way to take classes you may need and possibly accelerate your timeline to achieve your academic goals.

I know that this transition has raised many questions and concerns as we navigate unforeseen challenges. As we learn more and make decisions as a result of the unfolding situation, we are updating our website so the entire community remains informed. Please visit uta.edu/coronavirus for updated information. You will also receive regular updates through your University email, and you can follow UTA on social media for all the latest updates.

Although we have changed our course delivery methods as a result of this quickly unfolding Coronavirus situation, we remain committed to you, your well-being, and your academic success by providing regular assistance to students.

I want to emphasize that we all have a role to play to minimize the spread of the virus through social distancing. In line with national health guidelines, we strongly encourage all students to stay at home and access facilities through online means. We are similarly directing as many faculty and staff as possible to telecommute.

We are in this together and we are all here for you. I truly hope that all of you are healthy and safe. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need anything.

Go Mavs,

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Implementation & Clarification of Tarrant County and Dallas County Executive Orders - "Stay Home/Shelter in Place"

March 24, 2020

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,

As we are all aware, COVID-19 continues to be a rapidly evolving situation that requires all of us to be diligent and adaptive. Both Tarrant County and Dallas County have recently announced respective executive orders – "stay home/shelter in place" declarations – that implement additional restrictive measures to help combat the spread of COVID-19.

Both executive orders designate education online delivery as an essential function. After review and analysis of these executive orders, it has been determined that UTA is authorized to continue to conduct online course delivery and to provide essential functions to support our students and online learning.

The telecommuting measures and modified operations that have been implemented to date at the University will continue. Faculty and staff may come to campus to facilitate and support online learning and carry out other essential functions, but otherwise continue to observe appropriate social distancing and personal measures.

Students are strongly encouraged to remain at home. Many UTA buildings are closed, and facility and support services (including heath center and computing) hours are limited in response to COVID.

Any questions by faculty and staff regarding telecommuting eligibility or designation of essential services should be directed to deans, department heads and unit heads as appropriate for clarification.

UTA leadership and the university's emergency management staff continue to closely monitor this situation and are in frequent, and in many instances daily, consultation with UT System and regional public health and governments, including Tarrant County and Dallas County.

I strongly urge each member of the Maverick community to please continue taking personal measures to protect yourself and those around you, and continue to monitor www.uta.edu/coronavirus for the latest information. If your circumstances permit, stay home and stay safe.

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

UTA Updates in Response to COVID-19

March 23, 2020

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

Welcome back from an undoubtedly very different spring break than what many of us could foresee. During these last several weeks of change all of us are experiencing, there has been one constant at The University of Texas at Arlington: our unwavering commitment to our students and UTA’s Principles of Community. That rings true today as our community of scholars commences online instruction for the remainder of the spring semester.

In his message to our Maverick family last Thursday, Chancellor Milliken had it exactly right: students are the driving force of our university. Our students--who come from across Texas, the United States and more than 100 countries--are the heartbeat of UTA, and have and will continue to be our primary focus during these uncertain times.

Given the recent change in leadership at the University, I want to take this opportunity to reassure our students, faculty and staff that your health, safety and wellbeing are our priority. Our focus is to support our students and successfully transition to a fully online course delivery system the rest of spring semester, while ensuring the highest quality academic experience.

I know that as a consequence of the “new normal” under which we are operating, many have questions and concerns on a variety of topics. I want to assure you that the University is working to diligently resolve issues and address your concerns.

The challenges ahead of us will require us as Mavericks to be innovative, nimble and creative. We have approximately 6,000 faculty and staff committed to the success of our students and advancing the institution we love.

I ask each of you to join together in the challenging and rewarding work ahead, and I thank you for all you do on behalf of UTA.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need anything.

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dean of Graduate School

October 24, 2019

To UTA Faculty and Staff,

It is my pleasure to announce that Dr. James Grover has been selected as the new dean of the Graduate School effective October 28, 2019. In this role, Jim will collaboratively work to provide campus-wide leadership for the advancement of graduate education at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) while assisting colleges/schools and the Office of Research to promote graduate scholarly excellence.

Jim was appointed to the faculty of UTA in 1993, where he has served as assistant, associate, and full professor in the Biology Department, as well as associate dean and interim dean in the College of Science. Additionally, Jim served as interim dean in the College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs.  He has been director of the interdisciplinary graduate environmental science program at UTA and he developed a professional mentoring program for its students. He has also been co-director of an NSF-funded undergraduate research training program in Biology and Mathematics. He is currently project director for CIRTL-UTA, a learning community at UTA participating in the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL), a national network of 35 research universities promoting professional development for future faculty (doctoral students and postdocs) in STEM higher education. Jim has also served on grant proposal review panels for the National Science Foundation and the German Science Foundation, and he regularly provides ad-hoc reviews of manuscripts and grant proposals.

Jim will continue in his role as the interim vice president for research (VPR) until the appointment of a new VPR through a national search. 

We are thrilled that Jim will be serving UTA in this expanded capacity. Please join me in congratulating Jim in his new role.

Regards,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs

Exciting Professional Development Opportunity: ACUE

October 3, 2019

Dear Colleagues,

President Vistasp Karbhari and UTA Academic Affairs is happy to announce we are sponsoring a new opportunity for UTA faculty this fall, designed to enhance our campus commitment to faculty and student success. We are partnering with the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) to offer the Course in Effective Teaching Practices to up to 33 faculty participants. This is the first course designed for higher education faculty that leads to a nationally-recognized Certificate in Effective College Instruction endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE).  This opportunity is being funded by the President’s Office and there will be no cost to you or your department.
 
The Course consists of 25 modules that you will complete online working with a cohort of other faculty and guided by a facilitator from UTA. ACUE will kick off the program with an in-person orientation on October 28th, after which participants will begin work on the first two modules. The Course will begin on October 28th and go through June 1st with course-takers completing two online modules each week. Participants from UTA will gather monthly to share insights, ask questions and support each other’s learning.  (You can learn more about the Course and the content of each module here: http://acue.org/course/ )
 
All full-time non-tenure track and tenure-stream faculty are eligible to participate. We particularly encourage new tenure-track faculty that are developing courses to join this initiative.  I enthusiastically support this effort and look forward to recognizing participants at the end of the course at next Fall’s Faculty and Associates meeting.
 
To apply, please submit the following as a single PDF file to Karen Bittner at bittner@uta.edu by October 18th at 5:00 pm:
 
• Cover Letter (no more than one page) that includes: 1) how your participation in the course would impact you as well as the institution, and 2) a description of your teaching experience that includes the courses you are currently teaching, the enrollment in your courses, and the diversity of majors impacted by your courses and teaching efforts.
• Curriculum Vitae
• Letter of Support from your Department Chair or Direct Supervisor
 
The 33 faculty selected will be notified by October 23rd.  Please reach out to Dr. Antoinette Sol, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, at amsol@uta.edu if you have any questions. We look forward to your participation.
 
Thank you,
 
Teik C. Lim
Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs

Antoinette Sol
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs

Strategic Plan Sessions

September 20, 2019

Dear Colleagues:

Since 2015 we have made significant headway in assessing progress, revisiting goals and targets, and sharpening our focus in relation to our Strategic Plan 2020…2023...2025.  

To continue this momentum, we will be hosting seven fall 2019 sessions highlighting current and planned works of our faculty and staff in the areas listed below. Please join us and encourage members in your unit to attend.

Symposium on Enhancing Experiential Learning Through the Maverick Advantage
Friday, October 4, 2019, 3–5:00 p.m. in The Commons, Nueces Room
Register Today!

Forum on the Well-Being and Education of Urban Populations
Friday, October 11, 2019, 8:30–10:30 a.m. in The Commons, Nueces Room
Register Today!

Forum on Understanding the Genome
Tuesday, October 15, 2019, 9–11:00 a.m. in The Commons, Nueces Room
Register Today!

Forum on Sponsorship and Mentorship in Academia: A Toolkit for Faculty, Staff, and Campus Leaders
Thursday, October 24, 2019, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. in the University Center, Concho Room
Register Today!

Forum on Controls and Uses of Autonomous Vehicles
Thursday, October 31, 2019, 1:30–3:30 p.m. in The Commons, Nueces Room
Register Today!

Symposium on Creative and Cultural Activities as a Means for Greater Engagement
Thursday, November 7, 2019, 1–3:00 p.m. in The Commons, Nueces Room
Register Today!

Forum on Commercializing Intellectual Property
Tuesday, November 19, 2019, 9–11:00 a.m. in The Commons, Nueces Room
Register Today!

Through these sessions, we hope to strengthen inter-connectedness between individuals, colleges/schools, and the community and develop a University-wide roadmap to enable a laser focus on our future activities and initiatives toward ever-higher levels of excellence. For any questions, please contact Keara Leach at keara.leach@uta.edu.

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Canvas - Fall 2019

August 8, 2019

Dear Colleagues,

Through teamwork and individual commitment, 1,300 courses have been migrated to Canvas.  Faculty, School/College Champions, and the Canvas Team have made tremendous progress in our transition to Canvas with 811 active Summer courses impacting more than 19,300 students.

Blackboard will be decommissioned starting September 3rd.  The system will be unstable as decommissioning begins; as a result, all courses with start dates after August 1 will be taught in Canvas and no courses will be created in Blackboard for Fall.  All course content, master courses, and organizations in Blackboard prior to Summer 2017 will be deleted.  Please export your course as soon as possible if you would like to retain a copy of the content.  Deletion activity will begin September 3, 2019.

Faculty are strongly encouraged to take advantage of Canvas support resources and complete the migration of courses as soon as possible.  Faculty who did not use the previous migration service have many opportunities to migrate their own courses.  Open Lab hours for questions are available, as well as numerous face-to-face and online training sessions.  If you do not plan to transition Blackboard courses to Canvas this month, it is vital that you notify your School’s/College’s Canvas Champion in order to explore options and understand how waiting to migrate may affect you.

Beginning Fall 2019, Canvas will be the system of record for course syllabi.  Instructors can now upload their syllabus to their Canvas course and it will automatically upload to Digital Measures and Mentis profiles; eliminating the need to upload in multiple places.  Instructions for uploading a syllabus to Canvas are on the UTA Canvas website.

The Canvas Team will be available to assist faculty and staff with any Canvas related needs Monday, August 19 through Friday, August 23 from 10:00 AM-3:00 PM in Nedderman Hall 315 and 319. 

As you prepare for the Fall semester, information and avenues for support can be found on the UTA Canvas website.  Useful links are provided below:

Log-In

Log-In Instructions

Course Self-Migration

Help and Training
 
Training Schedule and Registration

Course Creation
 
Cross-Listing (Merging) Courses

People Link for Groups/Sections 

I wish you all the best in the Fall 2019 semester and thank you for your commitment to the success of all Mavericks!

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Invitation to Spring 2019 Strategic Plan Sessions

April 3, 2019

Dear Colleagues:

Thanks to each of you, we have made significant lead way in assessing progress, revisiting goals and targets, and sharpening our focus in relation to our Strategic Plan 2020…2023...2025. To continue in this momentum, the Office of the Provost and Office of Research will be hosting six additional Spring 2019 sessions highlighting current works of our faculty and staff in the following areas. Please join us and encourage members in your division to attend. 

• Forum on Creativity, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship
Monday, April 15, 3:00-5:00 p.m.


• Forum on Natural Disasters and Community Resilience
Tuesday, April 16, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

• Symposium on Health and the Human Condition
Thursday, April 18, 8:30-10:30 a.m.

• Forum on Faculty and Staff Excellence 
Wednesday, April 24, 1:00-3:00 p.m.

• Forum on Corporate Partnerships
Friday, May 3, 8:30-10:30 a.m.


• Symposium on Data-Driven Discovery
Wednesday, May 8, 9:00-11:00 a.m.


Through these sessions we hope to strengthen inter-connectedness between individuals, colleges/schools, and the community and develop a university-wide roadmap to enable a laser focus on our future activities and initiatives towards ever higher levels of excellence. For any questions, please contact Assistant Vice President Keara Leach (keara.leach@uta.edu).

Best regards,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Student Lifecycle: From Application to Career

February 27, 2019

Dear Colleagues:

Thanks to each of you, we have made significant advancements in assessing progress, revisiting goals and targets, and sharpening our focus in relation to our Strategic Plan 2020. To continue in this momentum, The Divisions of Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, and Student Success will be co-hosting a forum on Student Success titled, “Student Lifecycle: From Application to Career.”

On Tuesday, March 26, 2019 from 1:00-3:00pm in Bluebonnet Ballroom North, we will be holding an important discussion on enhancing access to unparalleled knowledge and education, while simultaneously ensuring the highest standards of quality for our students. 

We hope that you will be able to join us and invite you to register at https://www.uta.edu/php-lib/machform/forms/strategic-plan-forum-1.php. 

Through this session we hope to strengthen inter-connectedness between individuals, colleges, and the community and develop a university-wide roadmap to enable a laser focus on our future activities and initiatives towards ever higher levels of excellence.

We look forward to seeing you, and to gaining from your experience in ensuring that we continue moving this amazing institution forward to ever higher levels of excellence – setting standards for others to follow.

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim
Provost

Symposium Registration:  Sustainable Urban Communities

February 1, 2019

Dear Colleague,

As previously communicated, the Office of the Provost and the Office of Research are co-hosting four symposiums highlighting current works of our faculty and staff in the four Theme areas of UTA’s Strategic Plan 2020: Sustainable Urban Communities, Global Environmental Impact, Health and the Human Condition, and Data Driven Discovery. The first of these four symposiums is pertaining to Sustainable Urban Communities and is scheduled for February 5^th, from 9:00-11:00, in The Commons. We noticed through the registration database that you have not yet registered and, due to your expertise and experience in this area, we had hoped that you would be able to participate in this symposium in particular.

Please recheck your availability on this day and, if at all possible, make plans to attend. I am forwarding the link for registration https://www.uta.edu/php-lib/machform/forms/strategic-plan-symposiums.php or if it is more convenient, simply reply back to this email with your attendance. If you have already registered, thank you, we look forward to discussing this important aspect of the Strategic Plan.

Additionally, please encourage others in your area to attend this symposium so we have maximum attendance and maximum impact.

Teik C. Lim

Provost

Duane Dimos

Vice President for Research

Introducing Canvas as UTA's new LMS

November 2, 2018


Dear Faculty and Staff,

In our path to becoming the model 21st-century urban research university, we are redefining the standard for transformative educational experiences that are not bound by time, space, or location. As part of this vision, we recently surveyed our faculty to identify areas of opportunity and concerns around the University’s Learning Management System (LMS).

We are pleased to share that your comments, as well as research conducted by a University team, informed our decision to adopt Canvas as the new LMS for The University of Texas at Arlington.

This modern, reliable, and easy-to-use LMS has the potential to transform both the student and faculty experience.

Canvas offers exciting features and functionalities designed to help us promote student-centered learning, greater engagement, and meaningful learning experiences. Based on our current timeline, Canvas will be fully deployed for Fall 2019 courses.

Faculty and Student Benefits

Some of our faculty have used Canvas in other roles and their positive experiences—as well as reviews from other institutions—solidified our commitment to modernize the LMS experience for both students and faculty. Additionally, several school districts in the area use Canvas, so many of our students are already familiar with the platform.

While we acknowledge that switching platforms may present challenges, we are preparing a broad menu of support options for faculty to convert their courses to the new LMS. So, why Canvas? It offers the following:

An intuitive, easy-to learn-interface, including a state-of-the-art mobile app experience

Enhanced and easy-to-manage syllabus, course calendar, and course schedule that automatically update due dates for course activities

Improved workflow for more streamlined grading

A dashboard that quickly summarizes all relevant course events and items

Simplified student collaboration and group options

24/7 phone and live chat support, along with improved instructions, videos, and guides

Transition Timeline

The transition to Canvas began last month with training for Faculty Champions and early adopters that represent each of the academic schools/colleges. This group—along with the OIT/CDE staff—will ensure we have a smooth University-wide transition with resources, tools, and training workshops starting in the Spring 2019 semester. Select pilot courses will be taught in Canvas during Spring 2019. We expect that all Summer 2019 courses will be taught in Canvas and plan to fully transition to the new LMS by the Fall 2019 semester. Our engagement with Blackboard ends in late 2019.

We will share additional updates early next year. In the meantime, please visit the UTA Canvas website at canvas.uta.edu for more information or contact the transition team at canvasteam@uta.edu.

We look forward to sharing this next-generation learning resource with you and your students.

Thank you for all you do to foster learning and make UTA one of the best universities in the country.

Best regards,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Strategic Plan 2020

September 28, 2018

Dear Colleagues:

Through your hard work and dedication, we have made tremendous progress along our Strategic Plan 2020. Launched in 2015, it has served as a map enabling a laser focus on our activities and initiatives. We have grown in size and reputation, and we are increasingly being looked at locally and nationally as a thought-leader and innovator in higher education. Your achievements are propelling us to ever higher levels of excellence, ensuring that we better serve our students, the DFW metroplex, and the state and nation. Thank you for your efforts that have made this progress possible.

Strategic Plans are not static documents, but need to be reassessed and revised periodically. While we are still only a bit more than halfway through our Strategic Plan, we are already involved in a re-evaluation of our plan, its progress, and how it might be revised to better position the University. Over the past six months we have been engaged in assessing progress, revisiting goals and targets, and sharpening our focus. It should be emphasized that this activity is not to develop a new plan but to update our current plan, remaining on path toward the Vision we set collectively a few years ago, and holding firm to our cherished values.

The Provost has been working diligently with the Deans over the past six months, resulting in some wonderful ideas. While I’m sure the Deans have involved all of you in deep discussions as they brought input to us, we believe that it would be advantageous for the University to benefit from your direct input and participation in this process. In order to initiate this, two special sessions have been scheduled:

• Oct. 5 from 8:00 – 9:30 a.m. in The Commons, Nueces Room, 2nd floor
• Oct. 10 from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. in The Commons, Nueces Room, 2nd floor

We hope that many of you will be able to attend one of these and will register so we can plan accordingly. Please note that space may be limited for these first sessions, so we will start on a first register, first served basis.

We look forward to seeing you and to gaining from your experience in ensuring that we continue moving this amazing institution forward to ever higher levels of excellence—setting standards for others to follow.

Sincerely,

Vistasp M. Karbhari
President

Teik C. Lim
Provost

Welcome Fall 2018!

August 31, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

As we finish the first full week of fall classes, I hope you feel as proud and fortunate to be a Maverick as I do. The energy and school spirit felt across campus over the past two weeks has been both inspiring and invigorating, with a continuation of the Maverick Stampede, including a lively MavsMeet Convocation, West Campus grand opening, cookouts, midnight shopping, and other events to kick off the year. As we transition into the new semester, I encourage you to build on this momentum and provide your students with support for success while challenging them to grow both in and outside the classroom.

The new semester marks new beginnings for not only students, but also faculty and staff. As President Karbhari mentioned in his recent email, over 70 new faculty joined us this fall. They represent disciplines from all our colleges and schools and, as you can see in their profiles, they excel in fields ranging from African-American slavery and abolition to nano-architectured electrodes and morphing aircraft. In total, these new faculty have received over $5 million in STARs Awards from the UT System and are eager to further their research and make lasting impacts on our students. Please help me reach out to our new colleagues, offer a warm welcome, and provide assistance and mentorship.

Thank you for being part of the Maverick family and supporting each other.

I look forward to seeing you on campus and wish you the best in the new semester!

Best regards,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

One-year anniversary at UTA

June 18, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

As I come upon my one-year anniversary at UTA, I am amazed at how much we have accomplished together in such a short period of time. I appreciate the support and patience of the entire UTA family and I look forward to working even more productively with all of you in the year ahead.

At this time, I would like to make several staffing announcements that are happening within the Office of the Provost and offer my congratulations to each of the following:

Dr. Kevin Gustafson, interim Dean of the Honors College, has accepted a position at Northern Arizona University as Dean of the Honors College. Kevin will begin his new position in August 2018. We thank our respected scholar and leader for his service to UTA, and wish him the best in this new and exciting endeavor.

Dr. Rebecca Lewis has accepted the permanent position of Assistant Vice Provost in the Department of Institutional Effectiveness and Reporting. Rebecca has currently been serving as interim Assistant Vice Provost and has now accepted this position on a permanent basis. We are grateful for her hard work and dedication, especially for having been new to the interim position in the middle of our recent SACSCOC reaffirmation.

Dr. Ann Cavallo has accepted the newly created position of Assistant Vice Provost and Director of the Center for Research in Teaching and Learning Excellence (CRTLE). We are very eager to see the Center come to fruition and look forward to achieving the goals and objectives for which Ann has been charged.

Dr. Curtis Andressen, Vice Provost for International Affairs, has finally made his way to Texas after a lengthy visa process and has already become well known around campus. Curtis has many new and fresh ideas for this newly created position and plans to partner and collaborate with many of you as the position develops.

Of course, Dean Harry Dombroski, having been here for six weeks now, is fully immersed in his new position. We are very happy to have him at UTA and the College of Business is enjoying his leadership and the new ideas he has in store for the College.

As most of you know, Dr. Adrian Parr will begin her deanship in the College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs (CAPPA) on August 1, 2018. Adrian’s arrival is much anticipated and will be a very welcome addition to CAPPA and to UTA. A special acknowledgment and thank you goes to Dr. Jim Grover, who has done a tremendous job filling in as interim Dean.

Further congratulations go to Liz Hannabas as she is promoted to Senior Director for the Division of Student Success. Liz has been very instrumental in the transition from University College to the Division of Student Success and we are thankful for her continued service to UTA.

Lastly, Dr. Andrew Clark will continue in his work on the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) with the new title of QEP Director. This is an extremely important position as it is critical to the success of UTA’s students and as one of the core values of UTA’s Strategic Plan.

I hope you will join me in thanking and congratulating these talented and accomplished professionals and supporting them in their new roles. Thank you all for your continued dedication and commitment to our growing university. Because of your contributions, we continue to set new standards of excellence and access at UTA.

With warm regards,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dean of the UTA College of Business Named

April 24, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

Please join me in welcoming Harry Dombroski as the new dean of The University of Texas at Arlington College of Business. A longtime Hunt Consolidated and Hunt Oil Co. executive, Harry is well known in the Dallas business community as senior vice president at one of the largest privately held companies in the nation.

Harry does not come from the traditional academic side of the house. However, he has been very engaged with our faculty and students over many years. A UTA alumnus, Harry will be returning to his roots and bringing his unparalleled business acumen and expertise to the College of Business. He is eager to begin his new position at the College of Business.
Harry knows the desires of employers and how to match the rapid change of the industry. Bringing in a person with that firsthand knowledge will better position UTA among business leaders and help to serve our students globally with better opportunities after they graduate. With his extensive ties to corporations in the area, Harry is looking forward to expanding UTA’s relationships with community partners.

His multipronged approach to positioning the University as a nucleus of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex will benefit UTA students with increased opportunities for internships and career entry and will further leverage the scholarship and expertise of its faculty to being the thought leaders for the region and nation.
UTA’s commitment to greater engagement with the corporate world and the focus on being the very best through transformative changes and modernizing offerings based on the needs of the workforce was a key reason for Harry’s appointment.
His first day as dean will be Monday, April 30.

Sincerely,
Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Finish the Semester Strong!

April 13, 2018

UTA Students,

We are approaching an exciting time of year, with the final stretch of spring semester, opening of summer and fall registration, and commencement only one month away. During this time, questions may arise and you may need additional help. Below is information on resources that can be of assistance:

• If you have any issues with registering and/or advising, reach out to your academic advisor. If you’re having trouble contacting the correct advisor, you may contact the Division of Student Success by emailing studentsuccess@uta.edu. We strongly recommend registering for summer and fall courses by April 30…so, don’t delay!
• We want you to be successful and graduate on time – if you’re encountering obstacles to graduation that are beyond what you and your academic advisor can solve, contact the Graduation Help Desk at graduationhelp@uta.edu.
• Need help finding the resource that you need? Or do you have additional questions that require an individual response? Whatever your situation, the Maverick Resource Hotline is here to help. Contact them at 817-272-6107 or resources@uta.edu.

UTA is here to support you in your education, personal growth and path to a successful career. Don’t hesitate to reach out in order to get the assistance you need.

I believe in you and know you can finish the semester strong.

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Updates from the Provost office

February 26, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

I would again like to thank you for the warm Texan welcome since I joined UTA last July. I am very fortunate that in a short time I have had the pleasure to work with many of you on numerous initiatives, and I look forward to continued partnerships and collaborations on future projects. I am writing to share information with you on many of the recent and upcoming initiatives and changes within the Provost's Office and throughout the University.

Please join me in congratulating Interim Dean Chandra Subramaniam, who has accepted the position of dean of the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics at the California State University, Northridge. Over the past 15 years, Dr. Subramaniam has provided leadership as interim dean, associate dean, and chair as well as a faculty member. I wish him the best in his new role and will always consider him part of the UTA family…once a Maverick, always a Maverick.

A search for a permanent College of Business dean is currently in progress. During the transition, Associate Deans Greg Frazier, David Gray, David Mack, and I will fill the leadership role. The search for a permanent dean of CAPPA (College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs) is also underway, and updates will be provided once they become available. A search for a permanent dean of CONHI (College of Nursing and Health Innovation) has just begun as Dean Anne Bavier plans to retire at the end of this academic year.

A new vice provost for international affairs position has been created in order to advance the international profile and reputation of the University. After an extensive search, I am excited to announce that Curtis Andressen has accepted this position, effective May 1. He will also have a professor of practice (non tenure-track) position in Political Science. Dr. Andressen most recently served as Marubeni Chair in Social Sciences at Qatar University. Previously, he was a faculty member in International Relations at Flinders University.

To better align with our increased focus on student success, I am very enthused to announce that University College will be renamed the Division for Student Success within Academic Affairs. I am very pleased that Ashley Purgason has accepted the position of associate vice provost to lead the division, effective February 26. Dr. Purgason comes to us from UTA’s Office of the President and has been working on student-success initiatives throughout her career. I would like to thank Ms. Liz Hannabas for her leadership as interim director; it was through her dedicated work that the division is poised for continued success. She will be working closely with Dr. Purgason during this time of transition and will continue to play a key role in advancing the division's goals.

Mike West, director of UTA Fort Worth, has recently retired; in the interim, UTA Fort Worth is under the leadership of Pranesh Aswath, vice provost for academic planning and policy. We are focusing efforts to increase available curriculum being offered at the campus and making changes to the overall appearance and accessibility of the location.

As with all searches at UTA, diversity considerations are of utmost importance. As colleges and departments are currently searching to fill many faculty positions, they are making a strong push to find diverse candidates as they bring in new people. As the fifth most diverse public university in the nation and a model 21st-century urban research university dedicated to student success, UTA recognizes the need and benefits of having a faculty that reflects all aspects of student diversity and the nation’s changing demographics.

Another significant change that I am happy to share is that beginning March 2018, the Interdisciplinary Studies Program will be housed in the Honors College, under the direction of Interim Dean Kevin Gustafson. Interdisciplinary Studies provides students the opportunity to develop individualized programs of study—often in conjunction with existing certificates and minors—to meet their personal, academic, and professional goals.

The University is introducing a new web-based application called UTA Digital Measures to help faculty collect, organize, and display their data for the purposes of annual reviews, promotion and tenure, and more. Digital Measures will provide a centralized data resource to help colleges, departments, and the University more efficiently manage large reporting processes. It will also improve the ability to track and report faculty activities for both internal and external purposes. The Digital Measures project team is populating faculty accounts by college with data from PeopleSoft and from CVs. Please visit the DM website for updates and more information.

Of particular note, UTA’s institutional accreditation was reaffirmed by our regional accreditor, the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), at its annual meeting in December 2017. This success is a reflection of the campus-wide effort to describe and provide evidence to SACSCOC that the University is in compliance with our own policies and SACSCOC principles and standards. In early September, we will report on the Unit Effectiveness Process (UEP) assessment work being conducted by academic units in the 2017-2018 academic year as part of a monitoring requirement. The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Reporting is grateful for faculty's and staff’s roles in the UEP and diligence toward continuous improvement.

On a lighter note, I have been conducting a Facebook Live segment called Talks with Teik, which occurs live the second Tuesday of each month at 2:30. This has been a fun undertaking and has given me an opportunity to get to know a variety of outstanding students and staff across campus. Check it out at www.facebook.com/utarlington/.

It is an exciting time for our growing university, with opportunities to make strategic changes that will support UTA's mission. Thank you to everyone for your contributions. Because of you, we are a pre-eminent urban research university that inspires bold solutions.

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

First-Year Experience - Information & Town Hall Meetings

February 23, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

As we continue our efforts to improve undergraduate student success, I would like to share with you important information regarding proposed enhancements to our first-year experience courses at UTA. Beginning Fall 2018, our desire is to offer a uniform first-year experience course, Student Success (UNIV 1131, 1 credit hour), in lieu of offering the previous two versions, MAVS 1000 (zero credit hours) and Freshmen Interest Groups (FIG) UNIV 1131 (1 credit hour). We plan to build on the long history of the FIG program’s success by offering it on a larger scale. While the objective is to offer one uniform course to all first-year students, we will offer an alternate course, First Year Experience (UNIV 1000, zero credit hour), for students in programs that choose not to adopt at this time or need more time to phase the Student Success course (UNIV 1131) into their curriculum. The MAVS 1000 course will no longer be an option for students and UNIV 1000 will be available in spring semesters on an as-needed basis.

The Student Success course will be guided by academic units in collaboration with University College programs staff. Although there will be flexibility in how the course is delivered, a set of defined learning outcomes will be shared across the course offerings. Each section will be taught by a trained upper-class student (Peer Academic Leader or PAL), who will attend every class session. Faculty engagement will be an important part of the course, but the type of involvement, time devoted to the course, and delivery method will be flexible. A minimum standard of four class sessions will require faculty interaction to accomplish intended learning outcomes as the current UNIV 1131 model employs, but Schools/Colleges are encouraged to go beyond this to enhance academic belonging. Graduate students and/or guest speakers may also be used. The course will meet twice per week for the entire semester, and students will receive one hour of academic credit on a graded basis as a practicum. It will not increase the number of credit hours required for students to complete their degrees. Faculty interested in this course should contact their Chair and Dean. The proposed UNIV 1000 course will not involve a strong faculty component.

The Student Success course is designed to help our students develop a strong sense of academic belonging by providing an experience that includes faculty interaction, enhanced integration into the major, and a learning community of peers with similar interests and cohort scheduling. We hope to increase persistence rates of first-year students and will be tracking various metrics to determine its success and need for further enhancements. If you have any suggestions on which metrics to collect and the method, please feel free to let me know. The course will also serve as a platform to execute other student success initiatives.

Below are the important steps that have been or will be taken in creating the Student Success course:

• Discussion of this initiative by the Student Success Task Force in early Fall 2017.
• Discussion with Deans and select faculty in Fall 2017; the Deans were requested to discuss this idea with faculty and bring any questions and comments to the Provost’s staff.
• The Deans selected between two to three representatives to work with University College and the Division of Student Affairs on the course transition.
• Deans and faculty were asked to engage Curriculum Committee members within their College.
• Information on the course was presented to the Undergraduate Assembly in January 2018.
• Information and discussion sessions for faculty were initiated in February 2018.
• A revised course proposal is to be made in the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and Undergraduate Assembly meetings in Spring 2018.
• Degree plans and faculty involvement planned and developed locally by Schools/Colleges.
• Academic Affairs to offer professional development sessions to faculty and staff in spring and summer for engaging in UNIV 1131.
• Faculty contributions to UNIV 1131 will be counted toward official teaching or service workload. Instructors of record may be from University College (as has been the case with UNIV 1131 in the past), from the School/College, or a co-instructor of record model may be pursued according to what is appropriate based upon instructional delivery.
• Courses will have a prefix affiliated to the corresponding college, and therefore each college will receive the SCH funding for each section.
• Phase II: determining how transfer students will be affected by UNIV 1131 (for the next year, transfer students are able to be grandfathered in under their catalog start year at their initial institution).

Please join members of the Student Success Task Force during one of the upcoming town hall meetings designed to provide more information, answer questions, and seek input. Four town hall meetings have been scheduled in 601 Nedderman Hall (Rady Room), as listed below:

• Tuesday, Feb. 27 – 12:00-1:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 28 – 12:00-1:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 20 – 12:00-1:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 21 – 12:00-1:00 p.m.

In case you are unable to attend one of these meetings, a recording of a session held earlier this week for faculty can be viewed at https://echo360.org/media/9d102dad-996c-42ae-a8b8-a6f780d114bd/public (best to view in Firefox; also note that UNIV 1131 is referred to as Success Seminar in this recording, the course name has since changed to Student Success).

Please reach out to my office with questions and engage with your local leadership on how you can get involved. Thank you for all that you do on behalf of UTA students. We believe that every student should succeed at our University and that your daily efforts will support this mission.

Regards,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Town Hall Meetings - 2/15, 16 & 19

February 14, 2018

UTA Faculty,

As you likely know, a one-credit hour freshmen learning community course to enhance student success and academic belonging is being proposed as an improved version of the current first year experience courses (FIG 1131 and MAVS 1000). The reason for launching this initiative and implementation plans have been discussed at various meetings with college leadership and others, but in order to more broadly disseminate information you are invited to upcoming town hall meetings where information we will be provided. Light refreshments will be served. Town hall meeting details are listed below:

Thursday, Feb. 15 – 12:00-1:00 – Rady Conference Room, 6^th Floor of Nedderman Hall

Friday, Feb. 16 – 12:00-1:00 – 255 COBA (College of Business Administration)

Monday, Feb. 19 – 12:00-1:00 – 121 UH (University Hall)

For those unable to attend a town hall meeting, the presentation will be posted online (link to be provided). Additional town hall meetings will be scheduled (including for staff and students) and announced at a later date.

You are also encouraged to stop by Davis Hall during the times listed below to ask questions and obtain additional information:

Thursday, Feb. 15 – 2:00-4:00 – 401 Davis Hall

Friday, Feb. 16 – 3:30-5:00 – 401 Davis Hall

Monday, Feb. 19 – 2:30-4:00 – B79 Davis Hall

I hope you are able to attend a town hall meeting and/or stop by Davis Hall during one of the times listed above. Your participation is important in this process.

Thank you for all that you do for this university. Your dedication is greatly valued.

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Hurricane Harvey!

August 29, 2017


Dear UTA Faculty,

First, thank you for the compassion you are showing to our students and their families who have been affected by Hurricane Harvey. I also send my heartfelt concern for your colleagues, friends and family who were impacted.

As our university does what it can do to help our students and families who are affected, I’m reaching out to you to ask for your highest sensitivities toward students in your classes and labs who may need special assistance to continue their studies with us.

Thousands of our on-campus and Academic Online (AO) students are from areas impacted by the storm. Please make reasonable accommodations to assist these students in your classes. This may include providing them additional time to complete their assignments, rescheduling their exams and/or providing them with an incomplete so that they can complete their course at a later date. I realize that the exact accommodation provided may vary by the nature of the course, and timing and severity of the individual cases.

 
If your students require immediate assistance, please refer them to Student Affairs at studentaffairs@uta.edu or 817-272-6080.

 
If you have questions, suggestions or special academic cases to discuss, please contact Academic Affairs at academicaffairs@uta.edu or 817-272-2103.

We will do everything in our capacity to help our students during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Thank You All!

July 7, 2017
 

Dear Colleagues,

I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you all for the warm welcome I have been shown throughout my first week as Provost here. I have been fortunate enough to meet with many of you already, and your hospitality has been overwhelming. As I visit with UTA faculty, staff, and students, it is clear that UTA is truly an exciting place to be. The institution has all the necessary elements in place to achieve the goal of becoming the model 21st century urban research university - our enrollment is growing by leaps and bounds; our student body is academically sound and very diverse; and our campus is situated in a thriving and dynamic metroplex with strong global connections. My approach to achieving our goals is to build on the tradition of excellence at UTA by fostering an environment of communication and collaboration across campus. I am proud to be a member of the UTA community and look forward to many opportunities to work together as we continue to set new standards of excellence and access at UTA.

Sincerely,

Teik C. Lim, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs