VPAA Announcement

May 31, 2018 - It is with great enthusiasm that the provost’s office announces that Ellen Herman, professor of history, has agreed to join the provost’s office as the permanent (no longer interim) vice provost for academic affairs. Ellen will join the office at a 0.5 FTE and focus on promotion and tenure as well as other faculty-specific matters.The office still has a need for the other 0.5 FTE and will launch a search shortly for a 0.5 associate vice provost position.

2018 Institutional Hiring Plan

May 10, 2018 - The provost has released the 2018 Institutional Hiring Plan, which authorizes tenure-track faculty searches across the schools and colleges. The Institutional Hiring Plan represents a holistic focus on the university’s most strategic and important goals within a comprehensive vision of UO’s broad research and teaching mission. This plan continues the university’s efforts to hire tenure-track faculty who will enhance the UO’s scholarly profile and academic excellence and who will share our commitment to student success.

Vice provost search deadline extended

March 19, 2018 - The Office of the Provost has chosen to extend the deadline for the first review of applicants to Monday, April 16. We do not want to unduly limit interest in the position with the expectation that one person needs to fill the role and have to give up their teaching and research interests. That is why we have structured the position with an option of dividing it between two highly qualified individuals, each serving in a .5 FTE, should that be desirable.

March 14 Walkout

March 13, 2018 - A National School Walkout is planned for 10 a.m. on March 14. This event is being held to ask Congress to act on gun safety issues. Many of our students might wish to join the walkout. As instructors, you should assess a student’s participation during class time as you sit fit within the requirements for your course.

CHC Faculty Memo

February 21, 2018 - Provost Jayanth Banavar and Interim Dean Karen Ford released a memo to Clark Honors College faculty Wednesday on the university’s vision for the future structure of the honors college. Proposed changes will enable the college to respond to the shifting student base by more closely aligning faculty interests and curriculum with students’ academic and research interests.

Institutional and Unit-level metrics

February 15, 2018 - A university-wide discussion on metrics will take place next month as the Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs begins framing the way data may be used in assessments across academic units. Faculty members are encouraged to attend a town hall forum on Friday, March 16 in Straub Hall Room 156.

Public Comment Sought on TFAB's Recommendations

February 12, 2018 - The Tuition and Fee Advisory Board (TFAB) has made their recommendations for the 2018-19 academic year. I invite you to review TFAB’s full tuition proposal and to provide input using this online comment form by 5:00 p.m., Friday, February 16. In addition, we will host a student forum at 5:30 p.m. this Thursday in the Alumni Lounge, Gerlinger Hall.

OPAA Leadership Adjustments

January 17, 2018 - Since arriving to campus last July, I have spent a lot of time getting to know my team in OPAA. Prior to my arrival there were several changes made to OPAA’s organizational structure. I have been continuing to assess whether we are optimally utilizing everyone’s skills. While the entire assessment and refresh is not yet complete, I wanted to update you on a couple of key changes as the winter term begins.

Undergraduate Studies reorganization

January 12, 2018 - This week Dennis Galvan, interim vice provost and dean for undergraduate studies, announced some changes to the UGS team that are aimed squarely at improving and enhancing the way we support student success initiatives at the UO.

Classroom Management Resources

December 13, 2017 - As those of you who will be teaching next term prepare for winter-term courses, it is important to think again about pedagogy and classroom management. When contentious social issues are discussed in class, students sometimes make declarations and accusations that, intentional or not, disrupt the learning environment. This happened several times last term, including two cases in which students made declarations in favor of white nationalism/white supremacy and at least one case in which someone not enrolled in a class disrupted it by shouting political slogans.

It is important to note that student speech, when related to class discussion and consistent with an environment conducive to learning, is vigorously protected by law and by university policy, even when such speech is offensive to others. At the same time, speech that is not relevant to class discussion and that disrupts the ability of our instructors to teach or our students to learn can be forbidden as disruptions of university activities in violation of policy.