Academic Affairs reorganizes for future

Following last year’s Program Prioritization process, the Division of Academic Affairs was identified as having opportunities for improved performance and increased effectiveness.

On Nov. 6, Mary Coussons-Read, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, and Pam Shockley-Zalabak, chancellor, announced changes in the division designed to increase its short- and long-term efficiency and effectiveness. The changes follow multiple conversations with faculty and other stakeholders.

Because of the growth of UCCS, targeted support is needed to assure continued growth as well as consistent and increasing quality, Coussons-Read said.

“The feedback we received was that Academic Affairs was not necessarily serving as the campus-wide process, policy, and support resource for faculty, colleges, and programs that it could. As such, we’ve taken a hard look at what the campus says it wants the office to be doing. We are working to create the capacity to consistently do that for this rapidly-growing academic institution.”

All functions represented in the new Division of Academic Affairs structure are present in positions on other CU campuses. Formalizing the roles of team members illustrates new collaboration and comprehensive service from the office, she said.

The changes are:

• Coussons-Read’s official title will be executive vice chancellor for academic affairs.

• 

  David Moon will be the senior associate vice chancellor for undergraduate education and academic planning. Moon will focus on coordination and evolution of undergraduate education including supporting general education, developing new undergraduate programs, oversight of the honors program, academic portions of enrollment management, and coordinating academic program review and accreditation.

• 

  Terry Schwartz, interim dean, School of Public Affairs, will become associate vice chancellor for academic and faculty affairs. She will focus on campus-wide academic and faculty processes, policies, and strategic planning, shared governance, outcomes assessment, and academic unit and program succession planning and serves on behalf of the executive vice chancellor for academic affairs when needed. This year, the position was established as a temporary, half-time appointment. Schwartz will continue part-time until June 30. A search for the position, and the position of the dean of the School of Public Affairs, is planned.

• 

  Kee Warner will become associate vice chancellor for inclusion and academic engagement. His duties will include globalization, international affairs, development of pipeline programs aimed at diversifying campus and academic offerings, and community outreach and academic engagement. Warner will work with other campus entities to identify and develop funding opportunities to support for underrepresented, first-generation, and underprepared students to succeed, including creating and executing global and international experiences.

• 

  Kelli Klebe will remain associate vice chancellor for research and faculty development in addition to her role as dean of the graduate school. She will provide oversight for the Office of Sponsored Programs, research development efforts, internal grant competitions, research and research compliance training, and faculty development. Klebe will work with a new Undergraduate Research Steering Committee to provide recommendations about how to elevate, fund, and sustain undergraduate research as a campus area of distinction.

• 

  Venkat Reddy will serve as associate vice chancellor for online education and initiatives, a 20 percent appointment. Reddy will focus on supporting the development of online courses and both online and hybrid for-credit programs including online general education. Reddy continues to serve as the dean of the College of Business.