Dear UConn Faculty & Staff,

We hope you are getting settled into the semester after a successful Fall Opening and first few weeks of classes. It is because of you that our students experience such a warm welcome to our campuses and are excited to be a part of our vibrant community.

This year in particular holds great promise, as we embark on a journey of strategic growth and development. As many of you may know, we have begun engaging in the strategic planning process aimed at shaping the future of our institution. We are pleased to share with you a new webpage that will host information about committee and working group membership, our progress forward, and ways to participate with us. We are excited to be serving as the Co-Chairs of this extremely important initiative for the university and grateful to the steering committee and working group members for their commitment to this work.

Your engagement is essential to the success of this process. We believe that the collective wisdom of our faculty, staff, and students is integral to shaping the future of our university. To this end, we are pleased to announce that community forums will be held the week of September 18^th, providing an opportunity for everyone to actively participate in discussions, share insights, and help define our strategic priorities. There will be opportunities to engage either in-person on the Storrs campus or virtually.

Each member of our faculty and staff holds a unique perspective on what the future of UConn can be. We want to hear from you about what you think is most important for us moving forward, and how you think we can get there. Together, we will build a future that builds on our strengths while embracing new opportunities for progress.

Sincerely,

Anne D’Alleva,
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Pamir Alpay,
Vice President for Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Last week, you all should have received an invitation to attend the upcoming Presidential Inauguration on September 29^th for Dr. Radenka Maric, UConn’s 17^th President. This event is not only a momentous occasion for our institution but also a celebration of our shared commitment to academic excellence and progress.

To mark this important day, we have a series of inspiring events planned, and we would be honored to have your presence among us. Here are the details:

Inspirational Academic Presentations
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: Student Union Theatre

Join us for a stimulating morning as your fellow colleagues share their academic insights and research achievements. This is an opportunity to engage with our academic community, learn about the exciting work taking place within our institution, and draw inspiration from the remarkable contributions of your peers. Faculty, students, and staff are encouraged to attend.

• Lewis Gordon, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Global Affairs,  Head of the Philosophy Department; “Black Existentialism and Decolonizing Knowledge” 
• Richard Wilson, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Law and Anthropology, Gladstein Chair of Human Rights; “The Harm in Hate Speech and What to Do About It” 
• Jasna Jankovic, Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering; “What Doesn’t Break You Makes You Stronger – or How Life Shapes You as an Engineer, Researcher and a Leader in Clean Energy Field”
• Sandra Chafouleas, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, Ray Neag Professor of School Psychology, Co-Director, UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health; “Simple and Joyful: Keys to Expanding Intergenerational Wellness” 
• Yangchao Luo, Associate Professor of Food Science; “The Future of Food System and the Power of Innovation”
• Liisa Kuhn, Professor and Associate Head of Biomedical Engineering; “Addressing Medical Challenges with Biomaterials Innovation”
• Nora Madjar, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior, Boucher Management & Entrepreneurship Department, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs; “Finding The Spark: How Our Personal Lives Can Unlock Remarkable Creativity”  
• Trumpet performance by UConn graduate and undergraduate students: Eric Rizzo, Michael Reed, Caitlyn Corsetti, and Ashton Tyler; directed by Louis Hanzlik and Longino Villarreal
• Original poetry reading by Rylee Thomas, Honors English Undergraduate Student

Inauguration Ceremony
Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Jorgensen

The centerpiece of the day will be the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony itself. The ceremony will be a reflection of our institution’s values, commitment to our community, and vision for the future.

Faculty Processional Participation: We invite all faculty members to participate in the faculty processional during the inauguration ceremony. Please ensure that you order your academic regalia by September 8^th by emailing this form to amanda.konopa@uconn.edu. This will ensure that we can make all the necessary arrangements for your involvement in this significant part of the event.

Inauguration Reception
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: Student Union Ballroom

Following the ceremony, we will host a reception where you can connect with colleagues, students, and other partners across the State to build and strengthen ties within our community.

Please mark September 29th on your calendars and RSVP to attend these events. If you have any questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to reach out to rsvp@uconn.edu.

I look forward to celebrating this important day for President Maric and our entire UConn community with all of you.

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 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 in benefiting the greater good. This is UConn.

 STUDENTS FIRST, UCONN ALWAYS. HUSKIES FOREVER.

Date: August 23, 2023

To: Academic Deans

From: Anne D’Alleva, Ph.D., Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Re: FY25 Provost Fund Guidance

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The “Provost Fund” is a program that identifies a pool of university resources to be used for faculty salary increases for the purposes of retention, compression and inversion equity, and special achievement. The university may consider requests for salary adjustments for these categories according to the processes outlined below, which are broken down into two distinct phases.

Phase I – Retention

Definition:

Retention increases aim to support the university’s efforts to retain exceptional, highly productive faculty from considering external offers from competing institutions. The provost will consider pre-emptive retention requests in cases where there is evidence a faculty member is considering external opportunities.

Process:

• The provost will consider retention requests from the deans throughout the academic year, as the urgent nature of these requests require a timely response from the University.
• Faculty may request a retention increase by emailing their department head (copy dean or designee) directly. This request should include any relevant supporting documentation (i.e. evidence of recruitment, request to interview, or offer letter from competing institution).
• The department head must review the request directly with the dean in a timely manner.
• If the dean intends to retain the faculty member, they will bring the request directly to the provost (copy director of academic finance and administration) with a requested increase amount and funding arrangement. If the dean does not intend to retain the faculty member, they will notify the department head and faculty member of the decision at that time via email.
• The provost will evaluate retention requests from the dean immediately. If the retention increase is approved by the provost, the faculty member will receive a retention letter from the dean memorializing the details of the arrangement, which will go into effect August 23, 2024.

Phase II – Equity and Special Achievement

Definition:

Compression/Inversion Equity: Salary compression occurs when a competitive market urges hiring managers to bring new faculty in at higher salaries than in previous years, which may compress the difference in salary between ranks. Salary inversion refers to the situation in which faculty members in lower ranks earn more than colleagues in higher ranks. These patterns may be more generally referred to as inequity due to “compression/inversion.”

Special Achievement: Special achievement may be awarded in situations in which a faculty member has received a significant external acknowledgement such as a major prize or award.

Process:

• The provost will consider compression/inversion equity and special achievement requests at the end of the academic year, as these requests are typically reviewed in parallel with the annual review and merit process (if applicable).
• Faculty may request a salary adjustment for compression/inversion or special achievement by emailing their department head (copy dean or designee) between April 1, 2024 and June 1, 2024. This request should include any relevant supporting documentation (i.e. evidence of compression/inversion or major prize/award).
• The department head must review the request directly with the dean or designee no later than June 26, 2024.
• The dean will compile all faculty requests along with department head or associate dean recommendations. The dean will submit his or her own recommendations to the provost (via provost@uconn.edu) no later than July 22, 2024. If the dean does not intend to forward a faculty member’s request to the provost for review, they will notify the department head and faculty member of the decision at that time via email.
• The provost will evaluate compression/inversion and special achievement requests from the deans. If a compression/inversion adjustment or special achievement award is approved by the provost, the faculty member will receive a letter from the University indicating the increase amount and new salary prior to the increase appearing in their paycheck. If the provost does not approve a recommendation from the dean, the dean will notify the department head and faculty member of the decision. All salary increases go into effect August 23, 2024.

Dear University Colleagues,

Mid-June marks the end of the school year for many of our local schools, the peak of new student orientation, and the pivotal moment for planning the upcoming academic year. This past spring, a cross-divisional group of professionals gathered to plan the opening of the fall 2023 semester at the Storrs campus. The principal goals included creating a sense of belonging and an atmosphere of welcome for our new and returning students.

To achieve this, the University will come together to contribute to what we are referring to as Fall Opening at the Storrs campus. While in the past we have suggested avoiding campus due to busy traffic, we are taking a different approach this academic year.

Leaders in Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, and other areas will be seeking both required and voluntary participation during Fall Opening, beginning as soon as August 18, for early arrivals, through the busy period of move-in between Thursday, August 24 – Sunday, August 27. Assignments will primarily involve greeting students with a welcoming smile, providing directions at parking lots or information tents, and otherwise spreading the goodwill and Husky spirit that we know makes our community special.

In the coming weeks, we will work with managers to determine where participation in this initiative is required, versus where it may be voluntary.

Fall Opening is an opportunity for us to showcase to our new and returning students and their families the vibrant and diverse community that makes up UConn. Many of our staff work tirelessly all year to plan for a smooth, efficient, and welcoming move-in process, and your time and energy to support the success of the weekend is greatly appreciated. Building a sense of community and belonging among our new and returning students is essential to their success.

Additional information will be provided in the coming weeks, including the specific activities for which we are seeking assistance.

Sincerely,

Anne & Nathan

Anne D’Alleva
Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Nathan Fuerst
Vice President for Enrollment Planning & Management

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to inform you about some exciting organizational leadership changes within the Provost’s Office.

Gladis Kersaint, having served as Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives the past 2 years, has been appointed as Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. With her extensive experience in academic administration and her commitment to excellence in education, Gladis is well-suited for this position. Her expertise will play a vital role in shaping and enhancing our academic programs; supporting faculty and student development; as well as fostering an environment of academic excellence throughout our institution.

In addition, Amy Gorin has been permanently appointed as the Vice Provost for Health Sciences and Interdisciplinary Initiatives. Amy’s dedication to advancing interdisciplinary collaboration and her passion for research and bettering the lives of people align perfectly with our mission. I am confident that Amy will contribute significantly to the development and expansion of our health sciences programs, strengthen interprofessional training opportunities, and advance innovative initiatives across disciplines at our multiple campuses.

I plan to restructure the third vice provost position as Vice Provost for Academic Operations and will launch a search to fill that position early in the fall semester, to begin as soon as possible.  This position will work closely with academic leaders to support research and teaching infrastructure, develop policies and procedures related to academic operations, and oversee professional development for academic staff.

Kate Clark has been permanently appointed as our new Director of Academic Finance and Administration. With her extensive background in finance and administration, Kate brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this role. Her leadership will be instrumental in ensuring effective financial management and administrative support for our academic programs. She also brings talent in data analytics and will continue to work closely with leaders in the Budget, Planning and Institutional Research office.

I am incredibly grateful to Gladis, Amy, and Kate, for agreeing to serve in these roles. I look forward to seeing what we will accomplish together!

I would also like to take this opportunity to announce that Peter Diplock will be leaving his role as Associate Vice Provost and Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) and will join Stony Brook University as Vice Provost for Continuing, Professional, and Executive Education beginning August 1, 2023. Peter has been an exceptional leader for CETL, fostering an inclusive environment for faculty development, creating a framework for entrepreneurial programs, and expanding online learning capabilities for the university.  We extend our heartfelt thanks to Peter for his valuable contributions and dedication during his over 18 years at UConn and wish him well in this new role. I plan to announce interim leadership for CETL in the coming weeks.

I hope that you enjoy the summer and I look forward to the year ahead.

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.

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.

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Laura Curran, Ph.D. as the next Dean of the School of Social Work. She will begin this new role effective August 11, 2023.

Dr. Curran was selected from an exceptionally talented pool of applicants. She joins UConn from Rutgers University-New Brunswick, where she serves as the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs. Prior to serving as Vice Provost, Dr. Curran held the position of Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the Rutgers University School of Social Work.

In her role as Vice Provost, Dr. Curran was responsible for strategic initiatives that support faculty leadership, mentoring, recruitment, and retention as well as directing the Center for Faculty Success. She served as a key member of multiple high-level strategic planning initiatives including the Academic Master Plan, which encompassed initiatives addressing student, faculty, and staff well-being as well as inclusive pedagogy and teaching excellence.

Dr. Curran’s scholarship focuses on three main areas: social work and social welfare history; women’s perinatal health and well-being; and social work education. Dr. Curran is a productive researcher with an extensive record of peer-reviewed publications and presentations. Her work has received funding from the New Jersey, Department of Health, the New York Community Trust, and the Association of Social Work Boards, among other entities.

Dr. Curran earned her B.A. from Barnard College, an M.S.W. from Columbia University, and her PhD from UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare. Prior to entering academia, Dr. Curran practiced as a social worker in the areas of community mental health and child welfare. She is currently an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Council of Social Work Education.

Dr. Curran demonstrates a clear understanding of the mission of our School of Social Work, with a commitment to social, racial, and economic justice and the improvement of human well-being, both locally and globally. She has led several DEI initiatives and has a record of interdisciplinary collaboration and understands the demands of research and faculty advancement. She is also a strong supporter of students, serving as a mentor for supervised research assistantships for social work graduate students over the last two decades.

I want to express my gratitude to the search committee, chaired by Kent Holsinger, as well as the faculty, staff and students of the School of Social Work for your active participation in this process. Your input was vital to the evaluation of candidates.

Finally, I would like to thank Dean Nina Heller for her outstanding leadership of the School of Social Work over the last several years, and for her service to the greater University.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Curran to this role, to the School of Social Work, and to the UConn community.

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.