Archives

Anti-Black Racism Course Requirement

Posted on by

Dear colleagues,

On May 1, the University Senate voted to take the important step of creating a social justice requirement within UConn’s curriculum.  The new social justice requirement focuses on the one-credit “Anti-Black Racism” course (ABR) that has been offered as an elective since fall 2021.

I want to recognize the students who demonstrated strong leadership in moving this proposal forward and advocating for educating to end racism and all forms of discrimination; the faculty who developed this course and proposed requirement; and the senators who engaged in a thoughtful discussion of the issues.

Because the new requirement passed after the catalogue deadline for the 2023-24 academic year, it will go into effect in 2024-25. This allows time to plan for its implementation.  As the discussion in the senate demonstrated, there are still a number of questions that need to be settled regarding the new requirement.  Questions raised included how the course will be situated within the new Common Curriculum, especially in relation to the three-credit diversity requirement; the impact of the new requirement on high-credit majors; and questions of logistics and funding. Several senators also spoke to the possibility of offering multiple courses to fulfill the social justice requirement.  ABR has already inspired and provided a template for other pop-up courses, including “Why the Jews? Confronting Antisemitism” and “Confronting Anti-Asian Racism.” All of these have the potential to build on and extend the foundation established by the ABR course and help us as a community to strive for a more equitable and inclusive university and broader society.

The Senate’s Common Curriculum Committee is working with the Provost’s Office to form an implementation subcommittee for the new requirement, to address these and other issues, beginning in fall 2023.  During the fall 2023-24 academic year, I will continue to fund ABR and other pop-up courses, which have proved to be highly popular electives taken by thousands of students.

UConn stands strong in opposing racism and all forms of discrimination.  An education at our university must provide many opportunities to confront the history and current reality of injustice and human rights abuses, and we expect our students to be leaders in creating a more just and equitable world. ABR and the curricular changes that are in development are a powerful point of departure from the status quo.

Sincerely,

Anne D’Alleva, PhD

Provost and Executive Vice President

University of Connecticut

Office of the Provost

352 Mansfield Road, U-1086

Storrs CT 06269-1086

Tel. 860-486-4037

 

UConn is a great university.

But it’s more than that. A top-ranked Land Grant research institution, with campuses and staff across Connecticut,  built to inspire the global community that is UConn Nation. UConn’s talented students exceed expectations. Our expert researchers, faculty, and alumni drive Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CIE) for a better tomorrow. We fuel the State’s economy and are committed to inclusion with emotional intelligence in benefiting the greater good. This is UConn.

STUDENTS FIRST. UCONN ALWAYS. HUSKIES FOREVER.

Reappointment of Steven Suib, Institute of Materials Science Director

Posted on by

Dear Colleagues,

I am very pleased to announce the reappointment of Steven Suib as Director of the Institute of Materials Science (IMS) for a third term of five years, effective August 23, 2023.

This renewal recognizes Dr. Suib’s successful leadership as the director of the Institute since 2013. A few highlights from Dr. Suib’s tenure include hiring 10 new faculty who brought considerable diversity and research strength to the Institute; retention of key staff members; establishing and renewing eight Centers of Excellence; the first two awards as primary recipient at UCONN from ARPA-e; funded multi-investigator MURI, DOE EERE, NSF, and DoD efforts; three GAANN Fellowship (Polymer Program and MSE) awards totaling $2.2M in student aid; increasing the members of the Industrial Affiliates Program; substantial growth of all research programs; establishing a new Certificate Program in Characterization of Advanced Materials; and successful operation during COVID.

The review process works best when it is collaborative and comprehensive. I am grateful to all of the staff, faculty, administrators, and other key partners of the Institute of Materials Science who shared feedback about Dr. Suib’s leadership. There were several common themes regarding Director Suib’s leadership, including his strong advocacy for his faculty and the IMS labs, and his success in promoting and securing resources for them. Dr. Suib is also known to be approachable and responsive, patient, thoughtful, and pragmatic, with a strong work ethic. Dr. Suib is a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor and Fellow of the American Chemical Society and National Academy of Inventors, with over 700 research papers and 80 patents to his credit. These qualities contribute to the consensus that Dr. Suib is a strong administrator and outstanding researcher who can lead growth and innovation at IMS.

I would like to thank the review committee for their thoughtful oversight of this process. The committee was chaired by Emmanouil (Manos) Anagnostou, Interim Executive Director of the Innovation Partnership Building at UConn Tech Park & Director of the Eversource Energy Center, and included the following members:

  • Mark Aindow, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering & Executive Director for Innovation, External Engagement, and Industry Relations, OVPR
  • Christian Brueckner, Department Head and Professor of Chemistry
  • Brianna Demers, Finance Director, Institute of Materials Science
  • Rainer Hebert, Associate Director, Institute of Materials Science
  • Michael Schrier, Storrs Campus Architect and Director of Design and STEM Projects, UPDC
  • Julie Schwager, Associate Vice President for Research Finance
  • Kathy Segerson, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Economics

In sum, Dr. Suib is a thoughtful, collaborative, and inclusive leader. He continues to promote the interests and needs of the Institute, and is highly respected for his leadership of IMS and as a scientist of distinction.

Please join me in congratulating Steven Suib on his reappointment and thanking him for his dedication and hard work on behalf of the Institute of Materials Science and the University.

Sincerely,

Anne

Anne D’Alleva, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President
University of Connecticut
Office of the Provost
352 Mansfield Road, U-1086
Storrs CT 06269-1086
Tel. 860-486-4037

UConn is a great university.

But it’s more than that. A top-ranked Land Grant research institution, with campuses and staff across Connecticut,  built to inspire the global community that is UConn Nation. UConn’s talented students exceed expectations. Our expert researchers, faculty, and alumni drive Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CIE) for a better tomorrow. We fuel the State’s economy and are committed to inclusion with emotional intelligence in benefiting the greater good. This is UConn.

STUDENTS FIRST, UCONN ALWAYS. HUSKIES FOREVER.

Clinical Placement Coordination Director Appointment

Posted on by

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Jean McCarthy as the next director of the Office of Clinical Placement Coordination (OCPC) effective July 1, 2023.

Professor McCarthy is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. She has worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist in various states across the US and has provided prevention, assessment, and intervention services in schools and hospitals. Before joining UConn, she was the Director of Rehabilitation at a skilled nursing facility. Professor McCarthy specializes in Neurocognitive Communication Disorders such as aphasia and dementia, as well as disorders related to swallowing, voice, and fluency. She is also a certified provider of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVTLOUD), which is a speech treatment for people with Parkinson’s Disease.

Professor McCarthy holds leadership positions in the UConn Committee on Interprofessional Excellence in Healthcare (CIPEH) and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). Additionally, she is a trustee for the Connecticut Speech and Hearing Association (CSHA) Foundation and has previously served on the CSHA executive board. She has demonstrated a commitment to and understanding of clinical placement coordination across a range of disciplines and support for the diverse voices and perspectives that constitute the constituency of OCPC. Professor McCarthy has articulated a clear dedication to supporting the work of OCPC and supporting the staff who work diligently to assure compliance for clinical placement contracts for our students and faculty and I am confident in her ability to succeed in this new role.

We would like to thank Dr. Carol Polifroni for leadership of OCPC for the past three years. Since its establishment in 2020, Dr. Polifroni has played a key role in setting up the operations of the office, building a staff team, and communicating the work of the office to the University. This has been no small task and we are grateful for the time and energy Dr. Polifroni has dedicated to OCPC.

Please join me in congratulating Professor McCarthy on this appointment and wishing her well as she begins the role this summer.

Sincerely,

Anne & Amy

Anne D’Alleva, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President
University of Connecticut
Office of the Provost
352 Mansfield Road, U-1086
Storrs CT 06269-1086
Tel. 860-486-4037

Amy Gorin, PhD
Vice Provost for Health Sciences and Interdisciplinary Initiatives
University of Connecticut
Office of the Provost
352 Mansfield Road, U-1086
Storrs CT 06269-1086
Tel. 860-486-4037

UConn is a great university.

But it’s more than that. A top-ranked Land Grant research institution, with campuses and staff across Connecticut,  built to inspire the global community that is UConn Nation. UConn’s talented students exceed expectations. Our expert researchers, faculty, and alumni drive Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CIE) for a better tomorrow. We fuel the State’s economy and are committed to inclusion with emotional intelligence in benefiting the greater good. This is UConn.

STUDENTS FIRST, UCONN ALWAYS. HUSKIES FOREVER.