Dear faculty colleagues,
It has been several weeks since our last update. While the last message started with an acknowledgment of your hard work with the culmination of a difficult semester, we must start with a very different acknowledgment – one that addresses racial injustice and the deaths of George Floyd, Michael Ramos, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and the countless other black and brown lives stolen. We stand in solidarity with those in our communities who are hurting, angry and are advocating for equality.
Academia is not exempt from its own forms of inequality. In the words of The Coalition of UT Diversity and Inclusion Officers, “Now, more than ever, we reaffirm and reinvigorate our commitment to supporting an equitable, inclusive, and just institution in which violence, hate, and intolerance are not accepted and are actively combatted.” It is incumbent upon us all to address those systemic barriers with more than words. We all must commit to action, difficult conversations, and steps to creating environments where all members of our campus can thrive.
And with that too-brief acknowledgment, the next section offers essential information needed for the coming weeks in preparation for the fall semester.
Accommodations and Flexible Teaching Arrangement
In preparation for the fall semester, we have posted two forms for faculty to request accommodations or flexible teaching modality arrangements if the faculty member wishes to dispute the teaching modality for one or more of the classes to which they are assigned in fall, 2020. These forms can be used when a faculty member has a medical condition/disability or is at high risk for COVID-19 (accommodation request form), or lives with someone at high risk for COVID-19 (flexible teaching arrangement). It is not necessary to fill out these forms if the faculty member agrees with the mode of delivery of their assigned classes.
Request Accommodation/Flexible Teaching Arrangements
Fall 2020 Planning FAQs
The Faculty Affairs team has developed new FAQs about Fall Planning. We will add more as new information becomes available, so please check this page for regular updates.
Reactivate your 2019-2020 Parking Pass – Deadline June 18
Please reactivate your parking permit by June 18. If you don’t renew by the deadline, you will lose your permit and you will not be able to renew for the 2020-21 academic year. Instead, you will have to enter a waitlist or purchase a non-waitlisted permit. For more information, please read the full message from PTS.
Q&A: Promotion Dossi-dos/Dossi-don’ts: Promotion & Tenure Dossier Compilation Advice – Wednesday, June 24
Session open to all faculty who are promotion and tenure candidates up for review this coming fall, 2020 and who wish to receive advice about dossier preparation from the Faculty Affairs group in the Provost’s Office.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://utexas.zoom.us/j/93562388045
Meeting ID: 935 6238 8045
Wednesday, June 24, 1-2:30 pm
Q&A: Tenure-track Faculty Check-in – Thursday, June 25
Session open to all tenure-track faculty with questions for the faculty affairs team
Join Zoom Meeting
https://utexas.zoom.us/j/98564825903
Meeting ID: 985 6482 5903
Thursday, June 25, 1-2 pm
Provost’s Faculty Leadership Fellows – Apply by June 12
The Executive Vice President and Provost’s Office is offering a leadership development opportunity through its inaugural cohort of Provost’s Faculty Leadership Fellows. This cohort will collaborate with members of the Provost’s team to lead specific, essential campus-wide projects. For more information and to submit your application, visit the position announcement here.
APPLY – Provost’s Faculty Leadership Fellows
Call for Nominations and Applications for Faculty Ombuds – Apply by June 15
We are seeking nominations for the next Faculty Ombuds, an office that provides faculty a prompt and professional way to resolve concerns and conflicts beyond turning to their supervisors. To learn more about the two-year appointment and submit an application or nomination, visit the position announcement here.
APPLY – Provost’s Faculty Leadership Fellows
Virtual Writing Community
With the upheaval of the last semester, we know research and writing may have been greatly disrupted. In an effort to help rebuild momentum around our scholarly endeavors, we are considering starting a virtual writing community. Right now, we are gauging interest in this idea. If this is something you’d like to participate in, please let us know with an email to facultyaffairs@utexas.edu.
Please send the Faculty Affairs team an email with any questions, concerns or suggestions that you have. We’re here to support you in any way we can. Please take the time to check in with your students, and colleagues. And as ever, I hope that you also take some time to care for yourselves.
Sincerely,
Tasha Beretvas