Dear Colleagues,

As communicated last week, we reinstituted the requirement to wear masks in all classrooms through the end of classes and finals (this is in addition to the requirement in all workspaces as well as events with greater than 100 attendees). This message provides a few reminders specific to masking in the classroom.

While this requirement is in effect, instructors can remind students to wear their masks in class; instructors also have several options available if a student is non-compliant, leading up to asking that student to leave class and ultimately ending a class if necessary. In those cases, an instructor may report disruptive conduct to the Dean of Students Office. Please see our FAQs for further details: https://provost.uconn.edu/covid-19/academic-faqs/. A similar approach can be taken in workspaces, which also may include seeking support from your manager.

The Dean of Students also sent a reminder to students yesterday regarding masking requirements across all classes and workspaces. You may view that here: https://dos.uconn.edu/communications/.

We appreciate your partnership in helping us maintain consistent masking practices across all UConn classes.

Thank you,

Carl

Carl Lejuez

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dear Colleagues,

I’m writing with a brief update on the Waterbury Director search. The position has posted and we are actively seeking applicants, in partnership with Parker Executive Search.

You may review the posting at this link. Please feel free to share this opportunity with candidates. This will also be advertised via several national job boards, which will complement additional targeted recruitment efforts by Parker and UConn.

We also encourage you to submit nominations, which you can do at this link.

We look forward to reviewing a robust slate of candidates to lead our UConn Waterbury campus. On behalf of the search committee, thank you for all your engagement in this important search process.

Sincerely,

Indrajeet

Indrajeet Chaubey

Dean, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources

Chair, Waterbury Director Search Committee

Dear Deans and Department Heads,

I’m writing to clarify some issues relating to consulting, summer fellowships, and travel. Central to this clarification is that during the summer months, faculty on nine- and ten-month appointments remain employees of the University.

During off-contract months, faculty have time open for effort that is not associated with their regular contractual workload. Faculty have flexibility taking up work that is external to the University. However, consulting approval must still be sought for any activity where faculty receive remuneration from an external entity (or for any work with a faculty-affiliated company). During the summer, consulting approval is required as:

• the potential for conflicts of interest remains the same as it does at any other time of the year;
• the potential for conflicts of commitment (e.g., teaching a course at another institution that directly competes with UConn) remains the same as it does at any other time of the year;
• when consulting during the summer, as at other times of the year, a faculty member is acting outside of their role as a UConn faculty member. This means that they must not use University resources to support consulting work (travel funds, lab resources, etc.);
• if a faculty member is supported for effort on a grant, this effort cannot conflict with consulting activities.

Confusion can occur with regard to summer fellowships (including those supported by federal agencies). In such cases, faculty can do the work within their UConn role, but this would need to be supported by an MOU signed by the Provost. Ideally funds for pay would come via UConn (as with any other fellowship), and the rate of summer pay should be the same as the rate of pay at other times of the year. Any funds supporting actual expenses for such fellowships must fit within State rules related to necessary expenses. Please note that University funds to support travel can only be used if the work is being undertaken as a University employee. Summer fellowships can be undertaken as consulting activity, but approval must be sought (as with all consulting activities), and this means that no University resources (e.g., travel funds) can be used to support the work.

Professional service work where a faculty member is not being paid does not require consulting approval. Please be aware that seeking consulting approval means that work is being undertaken outside of UConn employment and creates the requirement for a clear split with regard to the use of University resources. Necessary expenses that relate to actual expenses for professional service activities do not require consulting approval, but should follow applicable State policy.

We have tried to make sure that the Faculty Consulting website covers most common questions related to consulting in the FAQ section and the “Getting Started” pages. If you have specific questions that cannot be answered with this resource, please always reach out for individual advice.

Warmly,

Sarah

Sarah Croucher, PhD
Director of Academic Policy & Faculty Affairs

Dear Colleagues,

I am very pleased to announce the reappointment of John Elliott, Auran J. Fox Chair in Business, as dean of the UConn School of Business for a third term of five years, effective August 23, 2022.

This renewal recognizes Dean Elliott’s accomplishments in maintaining excellence in the School of Business while also pursuing strategic opportunities to grow and strengthen the school. A few highlights during his tenure include more than 30% growth of the faculty and student populations over the past decade; the introduction of in-demand academic programs, including an online MBA and a master’s in financial technology (FinTech); reaccreditation of the school in 2021; and consistent growth in fundraising to support the school.

In addition to Dean Elliott’s leadership of the School of Business, he has also provided significant service to UConn, including a role as interim provost, serving on the University Senate, chairing academic leadership search committees, and serving on the university’s AAUP negotiating team.

The review process works best when it is collaborative and comprehensive. I am grateful to all of the faculty, staff, and other key partners of the school who shared your feedback on Dean Elliott’s leadership. There were several common themes regarding his leadership, including high regard for his communication style and ability to listen, effectiveness in building connections and recognizing opportunities for collaboration, strong emphasis on research, and an overall demeanor of calm and empathy.

I also want to thank the review committee for their thoughtful engagement in this process. The committee was chaired by Kazem Kazerounian, Dean of the School of Engineering, and included the following members: Robin Coulter, Department Head of Marketing; Lucy Gilson, Associate Dean for Faculty and Outreach in the School of Business; Ofer Harel, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Mohamed Hussein, Professor of Accounting; Brandy Nelson, Executive Director of Undergraduate Programs in the School of Business; and Kimberly Rollins, Department Head of Agricultural and Resource Economics. Alexis Cassan, Executive Assistant to the Provost and Chief of Staff, managed administration of the committee.

Dean Elliott has led the School of Business, and in many ways, UConn, through an uncharted moment in time. He has proven himself as a strategic, steady, and thoughtful leader who I trust to continue to guide the School of Business to continued success. Please join me in congratulating Dean Elliott on his reappointment and thanking him for his dedication and hard work on behalf of the school.

Sincerely,
Carl

Carl Lejuez
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dear Colleagues,

The Faculty Standards Committee of the University Senate will hold two distinct forums on faculty promotion, tenure, and reappointment on Friday, April 8, 2022, via WebEx.  The purpose of the forums is to ensure that all faculty are aware of PTR and PR procedures and expectations at the university and have the opportunity to have their questions answered by the administration.

The Promotion, Tenure & Reappointment (PTR) program for tenure-track faculty will be held from 9:00-11:00 AM.  The program will begin in a group session with the Provost’s Office outlining PTR procedures at the University of Connecticut. This large group meeting will be followed by breakout sessions for participating schools/colleges led by Deans or their designees outlining the nuances of the PTR process specific to each school/college.

The Promotion and Reappointment (PR) program will be held from 1:00-2:30 PM and is for faculty who are eligible to use the non-tenure-track promotion and reappointment form (this covers clinical, in-residence, and extension [CIRE] faculty members and lecturers, as well as research professors).

Faculty and staff who plan to attend must register by April 6^th to attend by completing the appropriate survey.  Reservations can also be made via the Senate website.

Register for the PTR Forum (tenure-track) here.

Register for the PR Forum (non-tenure track) here.

CHERYL GALLI
OFFICE OF THE UNIVERSITY SENATE

Dear Colleagues,

The coming month is one of significance for many members of our community in their religious practices, including the observances of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, Passover, and Easter. As these holidays approach, we are sharing resources and reminders with the community to promote awareness of these observances and their potential effects on the academic activities of our students.

We believe that meaningful inclusion plays a critical role in the well-being of all members of the UConn community. In accordance with this mission, we advise faculty and staff to take dates of religious holidays into consideration when planning events or setting academic deadlines. The Provost’s Office, in partnership with the Office for Institutional Equity, Office for Diversity and Inclusion, and the Dean of Students Office, has created a webpage that includes information on key religious observances this semester. It also includes links to UConn’s policy on religious accommodations for students, faculty and staff, as well as resources to learn more about individual holidays. Please click here to visit the Religious Observances webpage.

As a reminder, faculty and instructors are expected reasonably to accommodate individual religious practices unless doing so would result in fundamental alteration of class objectives or undue hardship to the University’s legitimate business purposes. Such accommodations may include rescheduling an exam or giving a make-up exam, allowing a presentation to be made on a different date or assigning the student appropriate make-up work that is intrinsically no more difficult than the original assignment.

Students are responsible for making arrangements in advance to make up missed work. Students are also responsible for identifying potential conflicts with final examinations and must contact the Dean of Students Office for accommodations for final examinations.

Your attention to these observances and accommodations is an important part of supporting our University’s commitment to building and maintaining a welcoming and inclusive learning and work environment.

Sincerely,
Jeffrey

Jeffrey Shoulson
Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Dear Waterbury Campus Colleagues,

We are following up with updates on the next series of steps in the search for a new director of the UConn Waterbury Campus.

Many of you shared feedback over the past several weeks, including important qualities of the next permanent director, the most appropriate structure of the search, and potential search committee members.

As the Provost’s Office has previously shared, this will be a national search, and we have engaged Parker Executive Search to assist in this process. I have also named Indrajeet Chaubey, dean of the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, to chair the search committee. I am grateful for his leadership in this important search.

We have also assembled our search committee, listed below. This will also include student representation, which will be added as we confirm invitations with students.

• Indrajeet Chaubey (Search Chair), Dean and Director of the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources
• Kelly Bartlett, Director, UConn Waterbury Office of Student Services
• Kimberly Cuevas, Associate Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences
• Vern Granger, Director of Undergraduate Admissions
• Tamara Kaliszewski, Assistant Professor In-Residence, Department of Allied Health Sciences
• Daniel Mercier, Director of Academic Services, UConn Avery Point
• Neil O’Leary, Mayor, City of Waterbury
• Claudia Pina, Clinical Case Manager, Waterbury Campus Mental Health Resource Center
• Letissa Reid, Associate Vice President, Office of Institutional Equity
• Melissa Rembish, Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Nursing
• Verna Ruffin, Superintendent of Schools, Waterbury Public Schools
• John Zack, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Feedback Opportunities

The Provost’s Office is hosting several listening sessions next week to seek your feedback on the search and the directorship. Additionally, you may submit your feedback via an anonymous survey and nominate candidates directly to Parker Executive Search.

Listening Sessions

• Tuesday, March 29, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Students)
• Tuesday, March 29, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Faculty)
• Wednesday, March 30, 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. (Open: Faculty, staff, students, community members)
• Wednesday, March 30, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (Staff)

If you wish to attend a listening session, please click on the link for your desired session above to register. You will then receive a registration confirmation email including the WebEx link for the session you select.

Feedback Survey

You may provide feedback on the position using the survey below.

• Feedback Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JWVWHSX

Candidate Nomination

To recommend a potential candidate to Parker Executive Search:

• Nominations: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JYYJ2Z6

Your engagement in these next steps is critical to developing a candidate profile that will attract individuals with an ideal set of experiences and skills to lead the Waterbury Campus. Thank you for your participation in this process.

Sincerely,
Carl

Carl Lejuez
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dear Colleagues,

We appreciate the community’s engagement in our search for the next director of the Stamford Campus.

Your input will be an important consideration for the search committee in our next steps. As a reminder, the public presentation recordings and feedback surveys for all candidates are available online. You may access them at this link: https://provost.uconn.edu/stamford-finalists/. Please submit your feedback on candidates by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 16.

Sincerely,
Mark

Mark Overmyer-Velázquez
Chair, Stamford Campus Director Search Committee

Campus Director, UConn Hartford
Professor of History and Latinx Studies

 

Dear Colleagues,

I write to share an update on the spring Provost’s Awards. We are extending the deadline to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, for the following awards:

• Provost’s Outstanding Service Award
• Provost’s Awards for Excellence in Community Engaged Scholarship
• Alumni Faculty Excellence Awards

More information on each award can be found at https://provost.uconn.edu/events-and-recognition/awards/.

We recognize that this is always a busy time of the year, and particularly so this year. We hope extending this deadline allows ample time to submit nominations to recognize the outstanding work of your colleagues. Please feel free to share this update among your units and encourage the submission of nominations.

Please reach out to Kristi Henderson, Chief of Staff, if you have questions regarding this year’s awards: kristi.henderson@uconn.edu.

Sincerely,

Carl

Carl Lejuez

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs