Dear Colleagues,

Spring is a time to honor those in the Baylor community with achievements that merit special regard. Promotions are being announced, and the outstanding faculty awards committee has assessed nominations for awards that will be shared at the Fall Faculty Meeting (to be held in the new Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center!). The latest Cornelia Marshall Smith Award recipient will be named at the Academic Honors Convocation, and students vote for their selection for the Collins Outstanding Professor Award.

This year, a new designation, University Distinguished Professor, is being bestowed on Dr. Mikeal Parsons, Professor of Religion and holder of the Kidd L. and Buna Hitchcock Macon Chair in Religion. This appointment is the product of a rigorous review of nominees that occurs once every two years. It is the highest honor bestowed on faculty at Baylor University, requiring:

• A ranking of top 5% of professors within their discipline.
• Evidence of national/international intellectual leadership and recognition.
• Testimony of outstanding mentorship for colleagues and students.

Dr. Parsons’ nomination dossier was reviewed by leading scholars in his discipline and a Baylor selection committee – the evidence was overwhelming that Dr. Parsons met the high expectations within our new policy for University Distinguished Professors.

In some respects, special awards for Baylor faculty run counter to the culture of Baylor. We carry out our work in service to our students, our profession, and to Baylor. Most importantly, we labor in love for the Lord. However, national faculty recognitions are also good for Baylor. Awards such as the Fulbright Scholar, given most recently to Les Palich, Candi Cann, and Kwang Lee, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow awarded to Bryan Brooks, bring glory to Baylor as a Christian research university. Awards given at Baylor can be important stepping stones to highly impactful national awards.

I appreciate the hours of service you all give to faculty reviews for our promotion and awards programs. It is an important contribution to Baylor.

All the best,

Nancy Brickhouse

Academic Affairs Announcements

New Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Announced
The Office of the Provost is pleased to share that Dr. DeAnna Toten Beard, chair of the Department of Theatre Arts and professor of theatre history and dramaturgy, has been selected as Baylor University’s vice provost for faculty affairs, effective July 1, 2023.

New Vice Provost for Global Engagement Announced
In March, the Office of the Provost announced that we will be welcoming Dr. Eduardo Contreras to our office as the incoming vice provost for global engagement, effective July 1, 2023. To learn more about Dr. Contreras, please visit the Office of the Provost website, linked above.

Wintermester Option Task Force Report
Thank you to the members of the Wintermester Option Task Force, who have spent the past few months reviewing potential alternatives to our Wintermester calendar. Upon a review of the Task Force’s report, the provost and President’s Council have accepted the Task Force’s recommendation and will continue the current 3-week Wintermester structure. This decision will enable the Academic Calendar Committee to move forward with proposals for the upcoming calendar terms. We intend to have those calendars finalized by the end of this semester.

School of Music and School of Law Dean Search Committees Announced
As the search for new deans of the School of Law and School of Music begin, the Office of the Provost would like to thank the faculty, staff, and community members who have agreed to serve on the search committees.

• School of Music: Douglas Henry (chair), Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Kelly Jo Hollingsworth, Ian Gravagne, Jenny LaPoint, Tim McKinney, Maria Monteiro, Wiff Rudd, Jr., DeAnna Toten Beard, and Jamie Van Eyck.
• School of Law: Sandeep Mazumder (chair), Jerry Clements, Matt Cordon, Angela Cruseturner, Laura Hernández, Chris Holmes, Chris Jaeger, Julie King, Beth Miller, David Reid, Ronnie Turner, Jr.

Cherry Award Summit on Great Teaching
April 14, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., Marrs McLean Science Building, Room 101
All faculty, staff, and graduate students are invited to join us at this year’s Cherry Award Summit on Great Teaching. The Summit will feature the 2022 Cherry Award recipient, Dr. Hollylynne S. Lee, along with Baylor faculty on the theme, "Reaching Beyond." Learn more and register by visiting the Cherry Awards webpage.

Vice Provost’s Corner

Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity and Belonging

Interest Meeting: Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander Faculty & Staff Association
April 26, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., Barfield Drawing Room in Bill Daniel Student Building
Are you interested in the creation of an Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Association? If so, please join Vice Provost of Faculty Diversity & Belonging Stephen Breck Reid for a gathering on April 26. Snacks will be provided—we look forward to seeing you (and your friends) there!

Inclusive Excellence Seminar
May 15, 2023, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Foster 143/144
Join the vice provost for faculty diversity and belonging for an opportunity for faculty to increase their skills in building bridges with faculty applicants from multiple communities and backgrounds. Sascee’s Southern Eatery will provide lunch. Registration closes May 7—only 25 slots available.

Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs

2023 Collins Outstanding Professor Award Lecture
May 4, 4:00 p.m., Baylor Sciences Building, Room B110
All are welcome to celebrate the 2023 Collins Outstanding Professor, Dr. Thomas McGrath, as he gives his lecture “How to Build a Soccer Ball.”

Vice Provost for Institutional Research and Professional Education

Career Center Annual Report for 2022
Baylor University students continue to shine on the career front. The Career Center has released its annual report, and our students achieved 90% overall job placement and 92% overall career success. 2022 job placement performance improved by 11% over the past two years. For more details on the accomplishments of our students, please check out the Career Center 2022 Annual Report.

Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Academic Affairs

Academy for Teaching & Learning (ATL)
Please consider signing up for the upcoming events – click the event title to register or learn more!

• ChatGPT for Professional Writing, Thursday, April 13, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., Jones Library 200. Facilitated by Nicole Kenley and Lauren Short.
• Mentoring Women Faculty and Students Workshop, April 21, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This workshop, an ATL collaboration with the vice provost for faculty diversity and belonging and Women’s and Gender Studies, is open to faculty and students. Visit the ATL website for details.
• Provost’s Faculty Forum, April 21, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., Kayser Auditorium, Hankamer Academic Center (H101) or, click above for a Zoom link. Hear how Baylor Fellows John Davis, Marcie Moehnke, Coretta Pittman, and Elon Terrell are addressing the theme “Teaching for First Gen Success.”

Latino/a/x Faculty/Staff/Student Mixer
April 25, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., BOBO Spiritual Life Center
The Latinx Student Success Initiatives (LSSI), in partnership with the Latinx Faculty & Staff Association (LFSA) and Baylor’s Avanzando Through College (ATC) program, will be hosting a University-wide Latino/a/x Faculty/ Staff/ Student mixer this month. This event will include food, live music, networking, and an interactive panel of faculty and staff to answer students’ questions. RSVP online -- we hope that you will join us!

Customizing Your Navigate Experience
Navigate has become an essential tool for our advising community and for faculty who want more comprehensive information about their students. Have you ever wanted to customize your Navigate experience? With the options found in User Settings, you can customize such items as which email signature to use, your preferred default term, and many others. Please see the User Settings Guide or contact Carroll Crowson at 254-710-3086 for more info.

Spotlight on the Academy

School of Music

Baylor Opera Theatre Presents
The Baylor Opera Theatre will present two performances of Prima la musica, e poi le parole and Monsieur et Madame Denis on April 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. in Roxy Grove Hall. This event is free, open to the public, or can be watched via livestream.

University Libraries

Annual Browning Day Celebration
April 27, 3:30 p.m., Armstrong Browning Library & Museum
Join us for this annual celebration featuring Dr. Kevin A. Morrison, Professor of British Literature at Henan University, sharing his lecture “Translated into Song: Robert Browning and a Picture at Fano.” For more information, visit the University Libraries website.

Learning Design’s LDJIT Program Offers Support to Faculty on Your Schedule
LDJIT (Learning Design Just In Time) is a new video module-based way for faculty to engage with evidence-based learning design best practices at a time and place when faculty need the information. Each module’s development represents many hours of collaboration between Learning Experience Designers and Faculty. View the modules on your schedule on the University Libraries website. 

LATS Introduces UDOIT (You-Do-It) Assistant for Canvas
UDOIT scans barriers to accessible courses and helps faculty level up their online course content. Access UDOIT through your Canvas courses today and help Baylor create more inclusive learning environments. More information about UDOIT is available on the Help Desk Plus website. 

Important Academic Dates

Additional deadlines are available on the Academic Units Deadlines calendar.

• April 11- Provost notifies the deans of the president's decision to promote clinical associate professor candidates to the rank of clinical professor.
• April 11- Deans notify the chair (who will contact the candidate) of the promotion from clinical associate professor to clinical professor.
• April 14- Deadline for notification for 2nd- and 4th-year regular lecturers and clinical assistant professors of the decision to continue or terminate.
• May 4- Last class day.
• May 5- Study day.
• May 6-11- Final exams.
• May 12-13- Commencement.

Previous issues of the Provost Newsletter can be accessed on the Office of the Provost website.