Faculty promotions boost academic culture

11th June 2020

By Steven Krolak

(NEW ALBANY, Ind.)–IU Southeast is proud to recognize the following faculty members who have received promotions.

Faculty MemberSchoolTitle
Terri BeardEducationSenior Lecturer
Todd GroteNatural SciencesAssociate Professor
Bernadette JessieSocial SciencesFull Professor
Cathy JohnsonEducationAssociate Professor
Barbara KutisArts and LettersAssociate Professor
Alysa LambertBusinessFull Professor
Enoch MensahNatural SciencesAssociate Professor
Jason RamsayArts and LettersSenior Lecturer
Emily SheehanArts and LettersAssociate Professor
Jacquelyn SingletonEducationAssociate Professor

These promotions, like all promotions, are the culmination of a six-year process of academic achievement and growing responsibility in the areas of teaching, research and service to the campus community.

The process begins with nomination, followed by the preparation of a dossier that includes evidence such as annual reviews, lists of publications and other items that “reflect the candidates contribution toward fulfilling the mission of the school/discipline, the campus and the university,” according to the faculty manual.

Letters of support from colleagues, students and members of the community are added to proof of student learning outcomes, and evidence of mentoring and advising, all buttressed by classroom observation members of the School Review Committee (SRC). Participation in professional organizations, presentations at conferences and workshops, mentoring other faculty members, service to campus, students and the community are just some of the factors that make up the SRC’s final recommendation to the Campus Review Committee (CRC). This group studies and discusses the recommendation before arriving at the final evaluation of the candidate’s promotion.

“Because we rank teaching so highly in our portfolios, the promotion process ensures our commitment to excellence in the classroom,” said Dr. Kelly Ryan, incoming Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. “As a teaching-focused campus, our faculty are consistently re-assessing what works and doesn’t and adjusting our instruction to benefit students.”

Promotion is also critical to faculty governance, which is led by the Faculty Senate but supported by numerous committees and working groups made up of faculty members from across the disciplines.

“We need individuals serving on committees from various ranks to help us avoid problems like group-think and confirmation bias,” Ryan said. “It also supports the diversity of our campus life.”

The promotion process not only gives faculty members a chance to reflect on their own goals and accomplishments, but to get to know one another’s work, which boosts academic culture overall.

“Reading about the research and creativity of our fellow faculty and staff shows how our campus is adding new and important information in a variety of fields,” Ryan said. “The incredible commitment of faculty to service inspires us to reach out and learn more – to make connections – to better the university’s own governance and to serve the community.”

Addendum: Rachel Star has been promoted to Associate Professor of Education.

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