2026-27 Provost Task Forces
Charge
Examine trends, drivers, and consequences of grade inflation at the University, recognizing differences across disciplines and the complexity of grading and assessment practices. Recommend practical strategies that departments, colleges, and the University can use to promote meaningful assessment of student learning, maintain appropriate academic standards, and support consistency and integrity in grading.
Members
| Suzanne Barber | Professor | Cockrell School of Engineering |
| Carola Binder | Associate Professor | School of Civic Leadership |
| Jeff Denning | Associate Professor | LBJ School of Public Affairs |
| Jacqueline Evans | Professor of Instruction | College of Liberal Arts |
| John Griffin | Professor | McCombs School of Business |
| Tara Grove | Professor | School of Law |
| Michael Marder | Professor | College of Natural Sciences |
| Anna Mendoza | Clinical Assistant Professor | School of Nursing |
| Yolanda Padilla | Professor | Steve Hicks School of Social Work |
| Keshav Pingali | Professor | College of Natural Sciences |
| Diego Rivera | Professor | Butler School of Music |
| Ryan Russell | Professor | Cockrell School of Engineering |
| Justin Samuel | Associate Professor of Practice | College of Education |
| Scott Stevens | Associate Professor | College of Natural Sciences |
| Michael Webber | Professor | Cockrell School of Engineering |
Ex Officio
| Michael Drew | Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs | Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost |
| Kristin Patterson | Professor of Instruction | College of Natural Sciences |
Charge
Develop recommendations to support effective implementation of the Texas Statement on Academic Integrity across the University, including practical guidance, policies, resources, and processes that promote academic freedom, intellectual inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and professional responsibility. Identify opportunities to clarify expectations, strengthen education and professional development, and ensure appropriate mechanisms for addressing questions or concerns that arise.
Members
| Renee’ Acosta | Clinical Professor | College of Pharmacy |
| Caroline Bartel | Professor | McCombs School of Business |
| Thomas Chen | Professor | College of Natural Sciences |
| John Coffey | Professor | School of Civic Leadership |
| Steven Collis | Professor | School of Law |
| Janet Dukerich | Professor | McCombs School of Business |
| Phillip Lieberman | Professor | College of Liberal Arts |
| Gabriela Livas | Professor | College of Natural Sciences |
| Danielle Parrish | Professor | School of Social Work |
| Daniella Rempe | Associate Professor | Jackson School of Geosciences |
| Jeremi Suri | Professor | LBJ School of Public Affairs; College of Liberal Arts |
| Cara Young | Associate Professor | School of Nursing |
Ex Officio
| Michael Drew | Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs | Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost |
| John Dalton | Associate Vice Provost for Academic Effectiveness | Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost |
Charge
To foster an innovative and ethically grounded academic environment (an “AI-Forward, AI-Responsible” campus), the task force is charged with evaluating cross-disciplinary needs and recommending actionable pedagogical strategies across all schools and departments. The task force will propose institutional guidance, faculty development resources, and new teaching and assessment pathways that cultivate student AI fluency and adaptive expertise, guard against over-dependence, and preserve core intellectual capacities—including original judgment, independent reflection, and rigorous writing.
Working Group
| Charity-Joy Acchiardo | Associate Professor of Instruction | College of Liberal Arts |
| Caroline Anderson | Assistant Professor | College of Fine Arts |
| Kory Bieg | Professor | School of Architecture |
| Joydeep Biswas | Associate Professor | College of Natural Sciences |
| Casey Boyle | Associate Professor | College of Liberal Arts |
| Nathan Clemens | Professor | College of Education |
| John Graff | Assistant Professor of Instruction | McCombs School of Business |
| Karl Gunther | Associate Professor | Center for Humanities |
| Adam Klein | Senior Lecturer | School of Law |
| Amy Leff | Assistant Professor of Practice | LBJ School of Public Affairs |
| Curtis Maughan | Professor of Practice | Center for Humanities |
| Robert Moser | Professor | College of Liberal Arts |
| Michele Ostrow | Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning Services | UT Libraries |
| Pamela Paxton | Professor | College of Liberal Arts |
| Kristen Procko | Associate Professor of Instruction | College of Natural Sciences |
| Morgan Stewart | Clinical Associate Professor | College of Pharmacy |
| Clint Tuttle | Associate Professor of Instruction | McCombs School of Business |
| Stephen Walls | Associate Professor of Instruction | McCombs School of Business |
| Rachel Ward | Professor | College of Natural Sciences |
| S. Craig Watkins | Professor | Moody College of Communication |
Expert Panelists
| Michael Baker | Associate Professor of Practice | College of Fine Arts |
| Peter Burr | Assistant Professor | College of Fine Arts |
| James Howison | Professor | College of Natural Sciences |
| Steven Mintz | Professor | College of Liberal Arts |
| Jonathan Partridge | Associate Professor of Instruction | College of Natural Sciences |
| Bo Xie | Professor | School of Nursing |
Ex Officio
| Julie Schell | Assistant Vice Provost and Director of the Office of Academic Technology |
| Hunter Powell | Senior Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Initiatives |
| Kasey Ford | Lead Learning Designer, Academic Affairs |
| Morgan Ginther | Academic Technology Manager: Strategic Initiatives, Academic Affairs |
Charge
Identify unnecessary administrative burdens and inefficient processes across the academic enterprise. Recommend practical, actionable changes that eliminate unnecessary requirements, streamline processes, and reduce administrative workload while maintaining appropriate compliance, accountability, and standards, and avoiding unintended consequences or the creation of new administrative burdens.
Members
| Cynthia Aguilar | Assistant Dean for Engineering Student Services | Cockrell School of Engineering |
| Anneke Chy | Assistant Dean | Moody College of Communication |
| Emily Cole | Assistant Dean for Research | College of Natural Sciences |
| Tim Creswick | Director of Faculty Advancement | College of Fine Arts |
| Lori Holt | Department Chair | College of Liberal Arts |
| Beth Maloch | Senior Associate Dean | College of Education |
| Caitlin Mullaney | Sr. Associate Dean for Business Affairs & Chief Operating Officer | McCombs School of Business |
| Justin Samuel | Assistant Dean for Student Affairs | College of Pharmacy |
| Rubina Saya | Assistant Dean | College of Liberal Arts |
| Cathy Stacy | Executive Deputy Director | OVPR |
Ex Officio
| Melissa Taylor | Senior Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives |
| Tasha Beretvas | Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs |
| Liz Myrick | Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Evaluation |
| Riley Moore | Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs |
| Julie Schell | Assistant Vice Provost and Director of the Office of Academic Technology |
| Krista Hadavi | Associate Vice President of University Business Services |
| Kasey Holt | Chief of Staff to the CFO |
| Lizet Villagrana | Associate Vice Provost for Business Affairs |
| Mark Featherston | Associate Vice President for Research Administration |