Pittman named Vice Provost, Reid announces retirement

Dear Faculty and Staff:

I am pleased to share with you that Coretta M. Pittman, Ph.D., associate professor of English and associate dean in the College of Arts & Sciences, has been selected to serve as Vice Provost for Community Engagement and Belonging for the Office of the Provost, beginning July 1. Dr. Pittman will succeed Stephen B. Reid, Ph.D., who will be retiring July 31 after a long and distinguished career as a scholar in Baylor’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary and administrator for the University. As we welcome Dr. Pittman in this new role, I extend my sincere appreciation to Dr. Reid for his dedication and selfless service to our faculty, staff and students.

As Vice Provost for Community Engagement and Belonging, Dr. Pittman will focus on cultivating a sense of belonging, community and well-being within Baylor’s academic community while playing a key role in creating a welcoming and supportive environment where faculty, staff and students within the academy feel valued and connected.

In collaboration with academic deans and other senior leaders, Dr. Pittman will focus on several key areas, including recruitment and retention of top-tier faculty and staff who reflect the depth and breadth of backgrounds represented within the Christian mission and scope of Baylor. She also will develop and implement initiatives that foster a strong sense of community and belonging among faculty, staff and students within the academy as well as collaborate and engage across all levels of the University to promote a culture of appreciation and respect that supports underrepresented groups and ensures that everyone feels welcome and respected.

In her role, Dr. Pittman will design and lead initiatives that enhance faculty engagement and well-being, along with events, workshops and activities that bring people together, strengthen relationships and engage in civil discourse for the common good. She will provide guidance for mental health, wellness and spiritual renewal resources for faculty and staff to thrive both professionally and personally, implement programs that recognize and celebrate the contributions of faculty, staff and students; and foster a positive work environment by promoting open communications and trust, reviewing conflicts and concerns and referring to the faculty or staff ombuds as needed. Additionally, she will build and maintain strong connections with the local community, while encouraging faculty to connect with local churches and ministries, participate in community service and engage in outreach activities.

A native of Jackson, Tenn., Dr. Pittman earned a Master of Arts degree in English from Austin Peay State University and a Ph.D. in English from Wayne State University. She studied and conducted research in Tennessee, Michigan and New York before joining the Baylor faculty in 2003. A teacher, mentor, researcher and author, Dr. Pittman teaches courses in advanced expository writing and rhetorical theory, with her research examining the social and cultural importance of language. Her work is featured in the 2022 book Literacy in a Long Blues Note: Black Women's Literature and Music in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries. She also previously served as chair of Baylor’s Faculty Senate.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Pittman on her appointment as Vice Provost for Community Engagement and Belonging.

Sincerely,

Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D.
Provost