[VPAAEtal] End of Semester Provost Memo

[Academic Affairs]

Dear faculty and staff,
As we conclude the semester and transition into the winter break, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on our shared work before you step into well-deserved time away. This memo recaps numerous highlights from the past months and offers a look ahead at the opportunities and initiatives on the horizon. I'm grateful for the energy, thoughtfulness, and collaboration that continue to shape our division and this university, and I hope the updates that follow serve as a reminder of all we have accomplished together. There is no doubt that our faculty and staff are steadfast in their commitment to our mission, as it is truly your hard work and collaboration that made the many successes possible:

  *   As part of ETAMU's commitment to becoming a student-ready university and expanding the reach of the Honors College, we are committing to Transformative Learning (TL) as a signature of the ETAMU undergraduate experience.  Dr. Erin Webster Garrett, current dean of the Honors College, will be assuming leadership for this unified effort, which will integrate Honors, undergraduate research, faculty success, and experiential learning quality assurance into a high-impact practices model. This framework leverages 21st-century technologies, reflection-driven pedagogies, and employer-aligned competencies to help every ETAMU student build meaningful connections, tackle complex problems, and chart purpose-driven academic and career pathways. In the months ahead, Erin and her team will introduce shared tools, faculty-development supports, and campus wide processes that make it easier for departments to embed Transformative Learning in their curricula and to document the impact of these experiences for accreditation, continuous improvement, and student success.
  *   If you have not yet had the opportunity to visit the newly remodeled first floor of the library, please make time to do so. Students have continued to enjoy the upgraded space since it opened at the beginning of the semester, and consistently use it for focused studying, collaborative group work, quiet relaxation, and other academic activities. In addition, work is progressing on the second-floor renovation, with the remodeling for the remaining half of the second floor scheduled for completion in early summer. Plans include several new classrooms and a computer lab, as well as the Writing Center, Math Lab, and general tutoring. We are also actively developing plans for a comprehensive renovation of the fifth floor, envisioned as the future home of the Faculty Success Center.
  *   As a reminder, starting with the spring semester, the new Faculty Advisory Council will be active, with their first official meeting in February. I am grateful to Dr. Tami Morton who has accepted the position of Presiding Officer. For further information regarding the Faculty Advisory Council, please refer to Rule 12.04.99.R1, Faculty Advisory Council<https://inside.tamuc.edu/aboutus/policiesproceduresstandardsstatements/rulesProcedures/12faculty/12.04.99.R1.pdf> or reach out to Tami or myself.
  *   My thanks to Dr. Flavia Belpoliti and the OER Committee for moving forward the Open Educational Resources Initiative with the first ETAMU OER Day this past October. The day was dedicated to exploring innovative teaching resources and learning more about large-scale OER adoptions, copyright and open licensing, and Adobe Integration in OER. It was a great day of learning and I look forward to this being an annual event. Watch in the spring semester for an online workshop "OER 102: Assessing OER for Effective Teaching", helping instructors evaluate and select high-quality open resources. In addition, here are a few of the priorities for the upcoming spring semester:
     *   Course Marking and Data Analysis: The plan is to advance strategies to accurately report Affordable Materials in the Schedule of Classes, based on support from Academic Affairs and the Deans' Council.
     *   Communication and Outreach: Updates to the OER website will include new video resources. Watch for newsletters 5 and 6.
     *   Mini-Grant Program: Three to four grants of $4,000 each will be available to support faculty in creating open educational materials during summer, thanks to funding from the Philanthropy unit.
     *   Landscape Survey: Faculty and students will be surveyed in May to measure OER awareness and usage at ETAMU.
  *   The Faculty Success Center (FSC) continues to build a culture of appreciation, dialogue, and professional growth across ETAMU. This fall, the Center launched its first campus wide initiative, Thank a Lion, inviting students to share brief notes of gratitude with faculty or staff who have made a meaningful impact on their learning or sense of belonging. Seventy-four students participated, recognizing colleagues across all academic colleges as well as Student Affairs, the Honors College, Campus Recreation, and Residential Living and Learning. The FSC also convened four Navigating the Higher Ed Landscape conversations-two in Commerce and two in Dallas-engaging 18 faculty members across ranks and disciplines in candid discussions about legislative uncertainty, classroom management, identity-related tensions, and the need for stronger institutional support and open dialogue. In addition, the Center hosted two Celebrations of Teaching, featuring Charles Woods in October and Jessica Stearns in November, highlighting exemplary pedagogy and drawing participation from students, faculty, and staff. These early efforts reflect the FSC's commitment to fostering community, supporting faculty development, and elevating teaching excellence across the university. Watch for much more coming from the FSC in the spring semester.
  *   Investing in Us continues to advance and grow under the strong leadership of Dr. Carrie Klypchak. I encourage all faculty and staff to review the upcoming course offerings, as a robust selection of professional development opportunities will be available during the first eight weeks of the spring semester, with additional options to follow in the second eight weeks. These offerings are designed to support continuous learning, enhance instructional effectiveness, and foster a culture of ongoing growth across our campus community; I hope you take advantage of them! Please reach out directly to Carrie with any questions or ideas for classes you would like to see offered.
  *   Thank you to everyone who has contributed to and been a part of the development and implementation of the new Tenure and Promotion Policy. Although the transition has involved adjustments to both the policy itself and the use of D2L for its processes, the feedback received has been overwhelmingly positive. We will continue to refine and improve the system as needed; please work within your departments and colleges for continual improvement.
  *   My appreciation to Ms. Michele Anderson, who at the President's and my request has been leading Goal #3 of the university's strategic plan: Create a Welcoming Community. She has been working with faculty, staff, and administrators across the institution to build on previous campus initiatives and climate surveys, and is exploring the expansion of onboarding activities for university hires, as well as support for families and friends of our current and future students. Much more to come!
  *   ETAMU continues to make significant progress on our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), Foundations for Your Future, which strengthens students' career preparedness by helping them connect their coursework with the professional competencies they will need after graduation. Over the past semester, the university has aligned the QEP's learning outcomes with the NACE career-readiness competencies and advanced the integration of Suitable, a platform that will help students track and reflect on skill development across academic and co-curricular experiences. Of note, in early September SACSCOC announced a temporary pause of their formal review of new QEPs and has given member institutions an opportunity to pause their campus work. Because of the alignment with our strategic plan and commitment to student success, we used the fall to refine our framework, expand faculty supports, rethink our assessment strategy, and build the infrastructure needed for long-term, successful implementation. Updated materials and opportunities for campus involvement will be shared in early spring as we pilot the Suitable platform and fine tune a streamlined QEP assessment plan.
  *   Congratulations to this year's Texas Academic Leadership Academy (TALA) Fellows, Drs. Melanie Fields, Vipa Bernhardt, and Flavia Belpoliti. This is a year-long experience aimed at developing leadership skills in aspiring leaders, working on increasing or improving leadership skills. If you are interested in becoming a TALA fellow in the future, please make sure to let me know or watch for the call this upcoming semester.
  *   Thank you to all who have contributed to updating critical policies in Academic Affairs. A quick review of each:
     *   Workload Policy-Completed and being reviewed by the deans. We should see this implemented in early 2026. Reach out to Dr. Ray Green with any questions.
     *   Department Head Policy-Has been reviewed by Deans Council and is currently being discussed by the Department Head Council. Feel free to reach out to Dr. Maria Carlson or myself with any questions.
     *   Summer Model-Has been submitted to the Provost Office. Next steps will be to discuss with the President and CFO Tina Livingston.
     *   Faculty Annual Evaluation-My appreciation to the committee led by Dr. Eric Branscome. The draft was reviewed by the Deans Council and on their recommendation, was referred to the Faculty Success Center. (See the additional update below.)
  *   The Annual Faculty Evaluation policy is currently in the final stages of a review and revision.  One of the most significant updates will be the move of the evaluation cycle to the academic year.  As part of the transition, Academic Affairs will implement a short-cycle evaluation this spring to bridge the current calendar-year process with the new academic-year model. More details-including timelines, templates, and guidance for departments-will be shared in early spring as we prepare campus for the rollout. This calendar shift comes as a consequence of feedback from stakeholders, and supports meaningful developmental conversations between faculty and supervisors by allowing department heads more time to complete their evaluations.  It also puts the faculty evaluation cycle on the same timeline as staff.
As part of our ongoing commitment to strengthening faculty support, especially during these times of change and uncertainty, this fall I asked deans to assess the specific needs within their colleges to identify the most effective strategies for supporting their faculty. This effort reflects the continued dedication to ensuring that faculty have the resources, guidance, and environment they need to thrive professionally and to continue delivering exceptional learning experiences for our students. I appreciate the FSC 's hosting conversations so we could better understand the climate in which our faculty are teaching. Dr. Vanessa Quinn took the lead on this initiative and, working with the Compliance Office, hosted four "Navigating the Higher Ed Landscape" sessions, reviewing the most recent information on legislative updates and provided a safe space for dialogue.  As noted above, these sessions surfaced shared concerns about legislative uncertainty, classroom management, identity-related tensions, and the need for stronger institutional support and open dialogue. I am grateful to Vanessa and to the faculty who participated, and I am committed to using these insights to strengthen the resources and structures that support faculty success. Watch for more opportunities for these discussions in the upcoming semester. As a reminder, I am always open to hearing from you, and I encourage you to reach out to your deans and my office to share your thoughts. Throughout the spring semester I will again have open hours for meeting with faculty and staff. Please reach out to Ms. Cynthia Rhodes and she will make sure to schedule.
Thank you for your continued dedication and professionalism, working every day for the benefit of our students. On Monday, you received an email from the deans and me, and I hope its message of appreciation and support came through clearly-you are truly valued. I recognize that we are navigating a shifting environment, and I want to acknowledge the very real challenges this presents. Please know that I fully support you and deeply appreciate the work you do each day. Here at ETAMU, we will move forward together-supported by excellent faculty and staff-remaining committed to creating a student-ready environment and continuing to transform lives through our shared efforts. There is no doubt we are better together, and we need everyone engaged as a thought partners.
On a final note, let me again extend my sincere gratitude for all that you accomplished this semester. This has been a deeply productive and meaningful term, and your dedication, creativity, and care for our students and one another are truly appreciated. Thank you for the many ways you sustain and strengthen our academic community in this time of change within higher education. I am looking forward to what we will accomplish together in the coming semester.
As the holidays approach, I hope you each find time for rest, reflection, and renewal. May the season bring you joy, peace, and well-deserved moments of relaxation with those who matter most. I look forward to seeing you all next semester.

Tammi Vacha-Haase
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs


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