From the Provost
Getting focused for the spring semester
Dear faculty and academic staff, I consider myself extremely fortunate to get to work at an inspiring university that is at the forefront of innovation and creativity. Our hard work has been reaffirmed with Carnegie's announcement that we remain ranked a Tier One research university in their 2018 classification – what a wonderful way to start the new year! Later this semester, I will share an update with you on what we have learned from the latest round of classifications and what we need to do... Read more
Helping students to succeed is our top priority
Dear faculty and staff, As the midterm of the semester approaches, I want to reiterate President Smatresk’s message that student success is our top priority here at the University of North Texas. Students bring us their dreams and our role is to give students the tools and resources they need to succeed at UNT and beyond. Each of you plays a critical role in helping our students succeed. UNT has an abundance of student support services across all of our divisions that are dedicated to helping... Read more
The Start of the Academic Year
Dear faculty and academic staff, For many of us, the summertime is an opportunity to catch our breath and have some fun. This summer, I had the chance to visit with students, faculty, and partner universities in Kyoto, Japan. I also had the opportunity to attend the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference and learn more about how we shape our own dialogue around policy issues of our day. My favorite read from my summer list was Assistant Professor of History Rachel Moran’s new book Governing... Read more
Goals for FY2019
Dear faculty and academic staff, President Smatresk approved UNT’s FY19 budget allocations after thorough deliberations. I am pleased to announce that we are able to strategically invest $50 million in academic affairs to further our university’s goals as a result of this year’s budget process. In the coming weeks, your deans will be sharing with you the investments being made in your colleges. While there are more needs than we are able to address this year, I am proud of the progress we are... Read more
Wrapping up 2017-18
Dear faculty and academic department staff, Today, as our spring semester comes to a close, I would like to take a moment to reflect on this academic year and to thank each of you for all of your support. This time of year is always my favorite. While many of us have an achy hand from grading or are rushing to squeeze in a last-minute meeting with a student, it also is a time of celebration. I am delighted to watch our graduates taking pictures in front of the Hurley building and other iconic... Read more
Faculty Salary Study
Dear Faculty, UNT is committed to offering competitive and equitable salaries to attract and retain top-quality faculty. It is through the teaching, research and service contributions of our faculty that UNT cultivates excellence in the next generation of educators and scholars while creating new knowledge and innovation to move society forward. I understand the importance of supporting the excellent work of faculty through fair compensation. Last fall, I appointed a task force to determine how... Read more
Spring 2018
Dear faculty and academic staff, Wow, 2018 has arrived, and I sit here wondering how did 2017 fly by so quickly. In the six months since I arrived back at UNT, I have enjoyed learning about our academic programs, departments and the many areas that advance our university. One of the ways I have gotten to know our campus community is through an informal brown bag lunch I’ve been hosting with small groups. This has been so successful that I am planning to continue this series through the spring... Read more
Welcome new appointments
Dear UNT faculty and staff members, I am very pleased to welcome seasoned administrators into new roles, both interim and temporary. Ms. Cathy Hartman, formerly Associate Dean of the UNT Libraries, will serve as Interim Dean of the UNT Libraries beginning July 5. Dr. Linda Holloway, Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services, will serve as Interim Dean of the College of Health and Public Service beginning Sept. 1. Ms. Hartman and Dr. Holloway will serve in interim capacities... Read more
2017 Midterm Fall Letter
Dear Faculty and Staff, This fall, we welcomed more than 4,900 first-year students, 4,000 transfer students and many new graduate students onto our campus. Each of these new students came to UNT entrusting us to be a partner in helping them fulfill their dreams. It is now our job to help teach, coach and mentor these students so they can achieve their dreams. As you may have heard, retention is a critical conversation for us this year. We’ve made tremendous progress on our freshman-to-... Read more
Helping DACA Students
Dear faculty and staff, UNT prides itself on being a caring, supportive and welcoming environment for all students regardless of background, country of origin and immigration status. On Tuesday, President Trump announced plans to rescind the executive order for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). I want to reiterate what UNT President Neal Smatresk said earlier this week about our university’s commitment to support all of our students, including our DACA students. While we wait to... Read more