Faculty Opportunities

Provost's Program Innovation Fund

Request for Proposals - Academic Year 2026-2027

Purpose

The Office of the Provost invites proposals for the 2026-2027 Program Innovation Fund, a new initiative designed to support academic programs in substantially reviewing, updating, and strengthening existing undergraduate and graduate curricula.

Academic programs must continually evolve in response to changes in their disciplines, the professions they serve, student needs and expectations, emerging technologies, and the broader workforce environment. The Program Innovation Fund is designed to create the space and support for faculty to take a comprehensive look at their programs, identify opportunities for meaningful improvement, and redesign curricula to strengthen relevance, student learning, progression, career preparation, and long-term vitality. The Fund is intended to support substantial program-level innovation rather than isolated or incremental course changes.

Approximately four to five programs will be selected, with awards of up to $25,000 per program.

Goals of the Fund

Funded projects should result in substantial modernization of an academic program. Applicants should explain how the proposed work will strengthen the program in relation to enrollment, student success, and/or long-term sustainability, and should pursue several of the following objectives:

• Ensure that the curriculum reflects significant developments in the discipline or profession.

• Evaluate and update, as appropriate, program structure, requirements, prerequisites, and course sequencing.

• Strengthen the connection between curriculum and the knowledge, skills, and competencies graduates need for employment, graduate education, professional practice, or civic life.

• Identify opportunities to integrate emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, where appropriate, to the discipline.

• Strengthen career readiness, experiential learning, applied learning, or connections with employers and professional communities.

• Improve student progression and learning by reducing unnecessary curricular complexity, bottlenecks, barriers to completion, and high D/F/W patterns, and by considering effective and engaging pedagogical practices where appropriate.

• Consider opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, shared courses, certificates, concentrations, pathways, or other curricular structures.

• Ensure that program learning outcomes remain current and that the curriculum provides students with meaningful opportunities to develop and demonstrate those outcomes.

Programs selected for the Fund may also, where appropriate, be connected to complementary campus initiatives that support career learning and career competencies.

Priority for Funding

The Fund is open to both accredited and non-accredited programs. Specialized accreditation will neither qualify nor disqualify a program; proposals will be judged on the need and opportunity for innovation and on the extent to which the proposed work goes beyond routine compliance or accreditation activity.

Priority consideration will be given to programs that:

• Can identify significant changes in the discipline, profession, student population, technology, enrollment environment, or employment landscape that warrant curricular reconsideration.

• Demonstrate meaningful faculty commitment to examining the program as a whole or a substantialcomponent of it rather than proposing isolated course revisions.

• Use evidence to identify opportunities for improvement.

• Have the potential to produce meaningful improvements in enrollment, student learning, progression, career readiness, student experience, and/or long-term program sustainability.

What Counts as Program Innovation?

The Fund is intentionally broad, but a competitive proposal should represent a coherent redesign effort involving the entire academic program or a substantial, strategically important component of it. The examples below are illustrative; an isolated change of this type would not, by itself, ordinarily justify an award of this size.

• Redesigning the major or graduate curriculum.

• Reconsidering the number, sequencing, and relationship of required courses as part of a broader curricular redesign.

• Mapping the curriculum against contemporary disciplinary or professional expectations.

• Benchmarking the program against strong peer, competitor, or aspirational programs.

• Developing, consolidating, or redesigning concentrations, tracks, certificates, minors, or interdisciplinary pathways.

• Eliminating outdated requirements or unnecessary prerequisites as part of a larger effort to improve coherence and student progression.

• Embedding career competencies and experiential learning throughout the curriculum.

• Incorporating appropriate uses of AI, data literacy, digital tools, or other emerging technologies.

• Developing stronger connections with employers, alumni, professional organizations, graduate programs, or community partners.

• Redesigning gateway courses or curricular sequences that contribute to attrition, high D/F/W rates, or delays in student progress.

• Revising program learning outcomes and developing a curriculum map demonstrating where those outcomes are introduced, developed, and mastered.

Routine course updates, the development of a single new course, isolated prerequisite changes, equipment purchases without accompanying curricular redesign, or changes undertaken primarily to satisfy existing accreditation requirements will generally not be competitive.

Evidence Expected

This initiative is intended to encourage evidence-informed curricular decision-making. Applicants should identify the evidence that will inform their work. Depending upon the program, this might include:

• Enrollment and student credit hour trends.

• Retention and graduation patterns.

• Course completion and D/F/W rates.

• Time to degree.

• Student and alumni feedback.

• Employer or advisory board input.

• Employment and graduate school outcomes.

• Labor-market information.

• Changes in disciplinary or professional standards.

• Comparison with peer, competitor, and aspirational programs.

• Analysis of curricular requirements and credit hours.

• Changes in technology or professional practice.

Programs do not need to complete all of this analysis before applying. Award funds may be used to obtain expertise, data, or stakeholder input necessary for the review. The strongest proposals will move beyond assessment to explore bold opportunities that could significantly improve the program's relevance, attractiveness, distinctiveness, or student outcomes.

 

Required Project Activities

1. Current-State Assessment: Examine the existing curriculum, program learning outcomes, student progression, enrollment patterns, and relevant student outcomes.

1. External Benchmarking: Examine a reasonable set of peer, competitor, or aspirational programs and relevant disciplinary or professional trends.

1. Stakeholder Engagement: Seek input, as appropriate, from students, alumni, employers, advisory boards, professional organizations, graduate programs, or other external constituencies.

1. Curriculum Mapping: Examine how required courses collectively support program learning outcomes and identify duplication, gaps, outdated requirements, and opportunities for improvement.

1. Future-Focused Curriculum Design: Identify the competencies graduates will require during the coming five to ten years and determine how the curriculum should evolve accordingly.

1. Faculty Deliberation and Action: Engage the program faculty meaningfully in reviewing the evidence, determining appropriate curricular changes, and moving recommendations through established curriculum and governance processes.

Expected Deliverables

By the conclusion of the funding period, each program should provide:

• A concise summary of findings from its program review.

• Benchmarking against selected external programs.

• An updated set of program learning outcomes, where appropriate.

• An updated curriculum map that connects courses to program outcomes.

• A description of proposed curricular changes.

• A proposed implementation timeline.

• Identification of courses, requirements, concentrations, tracks, or other curricular elements to be created, revised, consolidated, or eliminated.

• Evidence of consultation with appropriate internal and external stakeholders.

• Appropriate curriculum-change proposals submitted through the University's established governance processes.

The expectation is implementation, not simply study. While some recommendations may require more than one academic year to complete, funded projects should produce specific decisions and an actionable curricular redesign.

Funding

Approximately $100,000-$125,000 will be available during the 2026-2027 academic year. Individual programs may request up to $25,000.

Allowable uses may include:

• Faculty stipends or summer support for substantive curriculum-development work.

• Course release or buyout, when justified as necessary to provide faculty time for substantial program redesign and approved by the dean.

• External consultants or disciplinary experts.

• Employer, alumni, student, or stakeholder engagement activities.

• Labor-market or program-market analysis.

• Visits or consultations with exemplar programs.

• Workshops or facilitatedcurriculum-design sessions.

• Professional development directly related to curricular redesign.

• Limited software, technology, or materials necessary to pilot curricular innovations.

• Student assistants or graduate assistants supporting program analysis.

Funds should primarily support the intellectual and collaborative work of program redesign rather than permanent personnel, routine operating expenses, or major equipment purchases.

Eligibility and Program Endorsement

Proposals should be submitted on behalf of an existing undergraduate or graduate academic program by the department chair; interdisciplinary program directors may also submit a proposal. Proposals should demonstrate meaningful engagement and support from the faculty responsible for the program and must include endorsement from the dean. Where a program spans departments or colleges, the relevant chairs and dean(s) should endorse the proposal.

Proposal Requirements

By submitting a proposal, the chairperson/interdisciplinary program director attests that the proposed project has been discussed with the program or department faculty and that the faculty support and consent to the submission of the proposal and, if funded, meaningful participation in the review and redesign process.

Proposals should be concise - approximately five pages, excluding the budget and budget justification - and address the following:

• Program and rationale: Why is this program an appropriate candidate for innovation at this time?

• Opportunity or challenge: What changes in the discipline, student population, profession, technology, enrollment environment, or student outcomes motivate the proposed work?

• Last major review: When did the program last undertake a comprehensive curricular review or redesign, and what has changed since then?

• Evidence: What existing evidence suggests that change may be warranted, and what additional evidence will the project examine?

• Proposed activities: What work will faculty undertake?

• Faculty engagement and endorsement: How will faculty participate in, develop ownership of, and support implementation of the redesign?

• External engagement: What employers, alumni, students, peers, professional organizations, or other stakeholders will be consulted?

• Expected innovation: What kinds of curricular or programmatic changes are anticipated?

• Impact: How is the proposed work expected to strengthen enrollment, student success, and/or long-term sustainability?

• Implementation: How will resulting recommendations move through departmental, college, and university governance?

• Budget: How will requested funds enable work that would otherwise be difficult to accomplish?

Selection Criteria

Preference may be given to programs that can identify curricular changes likely to move through governance within the next 12-24 months.Proposals will be evaluated based on:

 

Criterion	Weight
Demonstrated need and opportunity for substantial program innovation	20%
Quality and ambition of proposed curricular review/redesign	20%
Evidence-informed approach	15%
Attention to future disciplinary, technological, professional, and workforce developments	15%
Likelihood of implementation within the next one to two academic years.	15%
Potential benefit to students and program vitality, including learning, progression, career readiness, enrollment, and/or sustainability	10%
Appropriate and strategic use of requested funds	5%

Timeline

RFP Released	September 22, 2026
Proposals Due	November 9, 2026
Awards Announced	November 20, 2026
Project Period	January-December 2027
Interim Progress Conversation	May/June 2027
Final Report and Implementation Plan	December 2027

 
Programs proposing changes that can be implemented for Fall 2027 or Spring 2028 are encouraged to identify those opportunities in their proposal.

Community of Practice

Funded programs will participate in a small Program Innovation Cohort convened by the Office of the Provost. The cohort will meet periodically during the project period to share approaches, examine common challenges, learn from one another, and identify innovations that may be transferable across colleges and disciplines.

The intent is for the Program Innovation Fund to support not only individual programs but also to contribute to a broader culture of continuous academic innovation and curricular renewal at UMass Dartmouth.

Submission

Proposals should be submitted electronically via InfoReady by 5:00 pm November 9th, 2026.

Questions may be directed to provost@umassd.edu.

Faculty Director for Career Learning

Job Description

The Faculty Director for Career Learning provides leadership for integrating career learning into the UMass Dartmouth curriculum and co-curriculum. The Director advances a coordinated career ecosystem by mapping current career-related learning, supporting faculty and departments in embedding career learning into courses and programs, building shared teaching resources, and aligning efforts across Academic Affairs, Student Affairs (Career Center), and Advancement. The Director also leads assessment of career-related curriculum, using evidence to improve student outcomes and inform institutional decision-making.

Specifically and exclusively in the capacity of this role, the Faculty Director for Career Learning reports to the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Undergraduate Education

Responsibilities of the Faculty Director for Career Learning:

Curriculum Inventory and Mapping

• Develop and maintain an institution-wide inventory of where career learning is currently integrated across the curriculum (e.g. major-specific career courses, University Studies, experiential learning, etc.)

Career Learning Repository for Faculty

• Partner with the Career Center and instructional designers to build and maintain a centralized repository of career-learning resources for faculty and staff
• Curate and/or develop reusable course modules, assignments, classroom activities, rubrics, templates, and referral pathways to campus career resources

Curriculum Development and Integration

• Partner with faculty developers of the new career exploration course and career management course
• Consult with departments and program leaders to align program-level curriculum with career learning outcomes and NACE competencies.
• Support implementation strategies that ensure equitable access to career preparation experiences across student populations and majors

Faculty and Staff Professional Development

• Oversee and coordinate professional development opportunities that ensure a broad group of faculty and staff are equipped to talk with students as they explore their professional options, including becoming conversant in available jobs in various fields, the skills needed for these jobs, and on-campus resources to support career development
• Build and sustain a faculty career champions program that develops faculty capacity to integrate career skills and competencies into existing courses resulting in artifacts for the repository to aid other faculty
• Develop and deliver training program for faculty who are teaching the new 100- and 200-level career courses
• Collaborate with the Office of Faculty Development, Career Center staff, and academic units to design workshops and resource guides
• Encourage and document faculty participation, showcasing effective practices for broader adoption

Cross-Campus Coordination

• Liaise with Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Advancement, and other partners to align career learning and student opportunities
• Coordinate communication, planning, and shared initiatives that connect classroom learning to internships, employer engagement, alumni networks, mentoring, and experiential learning
• Participate in relevant committees and working groups to ensure coherence and reduce duplication of effort

Assessment, Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

• Lead assessment of career-related curricular and co-curricular efforts, including the development of measures, data collection plans, and reporting cycles
• Use evidence to recommend improvements to curriculum integration, faculty development, and student-facing programming
• Produce regular updates and summary reports for campus leadership and stakeholders, documenting progress, outcomes, and next steps

General

• Supervise graduate assistant
• Meet regularly with Career Curriculum Committee, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Undergraduate Education, career consultant

Required Qualifications of the Faculty Director for Career Learning:

• Current full-time faculty member at UMass Dartmouth
• Demonstrated experience integrating career learning into curriculum and/or engaging in career curriculum related activities

• Strong organization, collaboration, interpersonal, and communication skills with demonstrated ability to work effectively across the UMassD campus
• Commitment to student success, equity, and access in career development

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience partnering with advising, career services, experiential learning, and/or employer/alumni engagement
• Familiarity with career readiness frameworks (e.g., NACE competencies) and/or work-integrated learning practices
• Experience leading faculty development initiatives or building shared instructional resources
• Appreciation of professional and career development with an interdisciplinary and holistic approach
• Demonstrated experience with assessment or program evaluation

• Experience with the UMass Dartmouth curriculum review process

Compensation

Compensation for the position includes a $5,000 summer stipend and the director’s choice of:

• $15,000 stipend, OR
• One course release per semester, OR
• One course release per year and $7,500 stipend.

The appointment is annual, renewable by mutual consent and contingent on funding, for a total of three years.

The deadline for all applications is May 22, 2026. Kindly submit a CV and cover letter to provost@umassd.edu for consideration. 

Student Support Faculty Coordinator

Job Description

 

The Student Support Faculty Coordinator (SSFC) fosters academic success and undergraduate student belonging by providing leadership and day-to-day oversight of two student support initiatives: the Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) program and Corsair Navigators. This position is responsible for the recruitment, hiring, training, and ongoing supervision of undergraduate student workers serving as PAL leaders and peer mentors, equipping them with the skills, tools, and confidence needed to effectively support their peers. This position requires a dynamic, equity-minded educator who is passionate about peer-led learning models, committed to student success, and experienced in program coordination, supervision, and data-informed continuous improvement.

 

• PAL is a supplemental instruction program for gateway courses with high DFW rates. Undergraduate students who were previously successful in a PAL course are trained and empowered to run 2-3 weekly workshops for students enrolled in the course. The SSFC works with the Associate Provost for Student Success to identify classes receiving PAL support and is responsible for training and supervising 8-12 PAL leaders each semester. The SSFC works with faculty and Chairs to recruit and hire PAL leaders and engages with University systems and staff to schedule workshops.

 

• Corsair Navigators is a new peer mentoring program for first-year first-generation undergraduate students designed to provide academic and social support and belonging through social events, interest groups, 1-on-1 interaction, and online messaging through an evidence-based app. The SSFC is responsible for recruiting, hiring, administering training, and supervising 7-10 peer mentors per academic year and works with the AmeriCorps VISTA Peer Mentor Coordinator (VISTA) to recruit mentees, coordinate communications, oversee events, respond to flags raised in the app, and monitor engagement between mentors and mentees.

 

Specifically and exclusively in the capacity of this role, the SSFC reports to the Associate Provost for Student Success (APSS).

 

Responsibilities of the Student Success Faculty Coordinator:

PAL Related Duties

• Train PAL Student Leaders at the beginning of each semester (roughly 6 hours of training time per semester)
• Coordinate PAL Leader schedules, PAL session meeting times, and meeting locations through 25Live
• Hold weekly meetings throughout the semester for ongoing PAL Student Leader training
• Conduct PAL study session observations
• Act as mediator between PAL Student Leaders and Faculty Partners, as necessary
• Onboard and assist Faculty partners (course instructors)
• Coordinate with academic departments on the recruitment, hiring, and HR processing of each PAL Student Leader
• Collect PAL session attendance data from PAL Leaders and prepare for assessment
• Meet or otherwise communicate intermittently with Faculty partners to share information and answer questions or concerns about the program

Corsair Navigator Related Duties

• Work with the VISTA to recruit and administer training to mentors and mentees
• Hire, supervise, and support ongoing training for mentors
• Monitor app engagement and check-in data, referring students to advisors and other campus resources when higher level intervention is warranted
• Work with the VISTA to identify and market existing campus events to mentors/mentees to build community
• Liaise with Academic Resource Center staff for mentee support programming (e.g. time management, study skill, financial literacy workshops)

Admin Related Duties

• Meet regularly with Associate Provost for Student Success to discuss progress of programs and future planning
• Communicate with campus collaborators to market the programs
• Research and develop best practices for student support programs, including assessment practices, student leader recruitment strategies, and participant recruitment strategies
• Conduct semester-end qualitative assessment of programs
• Coordinate early residence hall move in for PAL leaders and mentors to attend summer/winter training
• Submit late pay forms for student workers as needed
• Compose and submit to the Associate Provost for Student Success by June 30th a report summarizing the activities and accomplishments of the programs over the last academic year.

Required Qualifications of the Student Success Faculty Coordinator:

• Current full-time faculty member at UMass Dartmouth
• Experience using COIN, Slate for Student Success, and Canvas
• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively with students of diverse backgrounds and academic levels
• Ability to effectively communicate with faculty and staff across the UMassD campus
• Strong organizational skills

Preferred Qualifications

Successful prior experience with:

• Supplemental Instruction or related student academic support services (e.g., tutoring)
• Peer mentoring programs
• Training student employees to provide support to peers
• Administrative work in an academic environment
• Teaching lower division/first year courses

Compensation

Compensation for the position includes a $5,000 summer stipend and the coordinator’s choice of:

• $15,000 stipend, OR
• One course release per semester, OR
• One course release per year and $7,500 stipend.

The appointment is annual, renewable by mutual consent and contingent on funding, for a total of three years.

The deadline for all applications is May 22, 2026. Kindly submit a CV and cover letter to provost@umassd.edu.

 

Career Curriculum Development Committee

The Provost Office was recently awarded a planning grant from the Davis Educational Foundation to convene a faculty group to develop a curriculum that supports students' career planning and preparation and to support faculty professional development in instruction for this area. In conjunction with the Career Center, Associate Provosts Sarah Cosgrove and Shannon Jenkins are seeking applications from faculty who are interested in contributing to this work.

Project description

During the preliminary phase of this project, the Committee will explore different models of career curricula and determine an approach for our institution. The work of the Committee will be supported by the consultants from the Career Leadership Collective. In May 2025, we will convene two preliminary meetings to introduce the committee to the project and our consultant.

In early June, a select group of committee members will have the opportunity to attend the National Association of Colleges and Employers Annual Conference in Philadelphia from June 9th to 11th to learn about best practices in career education.

We will hold a one-day retreat in late June/early July with the full committee and our consultant to focus on developing career learning outcomes, exploring best practices in career curriculum, and reviewing career curriculum and faculty development models. We aim to create a plan to integrate career learning outcomes into the UMass Dartmouth curriculum. Research suggests career curriculum is most effective when faculty and staff are empowered with the tools and training to deliver this curriculum, so developing a faculty and staff professional development plan will be another key deliverable for this project.  

Eligibility and Application Process 

All full-time faculty are eligible to apply. Work on this committee will commence in May, and some summer work will be expected. In exchange for summer work, faculty will earn a $2,000 stipend. Faculty who are interested in participating should submit a CV and a brief statement of their interests and qualifications by 5pm on April 25th to provost@umassd.edu. 

Provost Leadership Fellows Program

The Office of the Provost is deeply committed to cultivating a diverse and talented cadre of faculty leaders through intentional career development and experiential learning opportunities. The Provost Leadership Fellows (PLF) program is designed to nurture the next generation of academic leaders at UMass Dartmouth by providing a distincrtive, immersive experience in university governance and strategic academic administration.

Recognizing the critical need for informed, visionary leadership across all institution levels— from department chairs and faculty senators to deans and senior administrators—this initiative offers Fellows a unique platform to engage meaningfully with institutional priorities while expanding their administrative acumen and developing a leadership portfolio.

Working in close collaboration with senior academic leaders, each Fellow will coordinate a cross-campus initiative that aligns with the university’s strategic goals. Fellows will be mentored by members of the Provost’s leadership team and integrated into the daily operations of Academic Affairs, where they will gain first-hand exposure to the complex dynamics of academic governance, strategic planning, budgeting, and the evolving landscape of higher education. 

Benefits to fellows

Participants in the program will:

• Broaden their institutional perspective by engaging directly with senior administrators, gaining insight into the decision-making processes that shape academic policy and strategy.
• Refine their leadership skills through structured mentorship and project-based learning that develops core competencies in collaboration, communication, and systems thinking.
• Gain administrative experience that prepares them for future leadership roles, from department chair to senior academic appointments.
• Make a tangible impact by leading high-visibility projects that advance the university’s mission in areas such as Faculty Development, Student Success, and Academic Policy.
• Expand their professional network across disciplines and divisions, building lasting relationships with faculty leaders and administrative colleagues.

The program is ideal for faculty who wish to explore or pursue administrative leadership while continuing to contribute to the institution's academic vitality. 

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to all full-time faculty who have been promoted to associate professor/associate teaching professor or beyond with at least five years of service at the university. Fellows will be selected based on their demonstrated ability or potential to provide collaborative and aspirational leadership, contribute to initiatives and projects of institutional importance and aligned with the strategic roadmap, effectively navigate cross-divisional relationships, and contextualize their work through a broad institutional perspective. 

Nominations

A nomination is required. Self-nominee applications will be strengthened with support letters from those in leadership positions, such as chair, senate president, associate dean, dean, etc. A select group of nominees will be asked to submit an application, including a statement summarizing their Fellowship goals and a current curriculum vitae. The application should have the approval of the department chair and dean.  

The deadline for nominations is April 18th by 5:00 p.m. Applications are due by 5pm. May 5th. Nominations and applications should be submitted via email to provost@umassd.edu. 

Compensation and Term of Appointment 

Provost Leadership Fellows will begin work in June before their academic year fellowship begins. The PLFs will work with the Provost’s office to develop a project with clear deliverables. Compensation will include a $5,000 stipend for the summer and a course release each semester.  Fellows will work with their mentor to develop the project proposal and deliverables and a schedule for the project work during the summer. The time commitment during the academic year will be commensurate with a course release each semester (20% of their time or one day a week). 

Call for Directors: Interdisciplinary Minors in Aging & Health, Leadership & Civic Engagement, and Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

The Provost’s Office is committed to innovative, interdisciplinary education, and I recognize the essential place of interdisciplinary minors at UMass Dartmouth. These programs offer students the opportunity to make vital connections across fields, preparing them to address the complex challenges of our time with creativity, ethical insight, and critical thinking.

In the interest of transparency and equitable opportunity, we are committed to posting all such leadership openings on a regular basis, so that all faculty have the opportunity to apply and engage in interdisciplinary academic leadership. As such, we will regularly be posting calls for director positions for interdisciplinary minors.

We are currently seeking faculty directors for three of our interdisciplinary minors: Aging and Health, Leadership and Civic Engagement, and Sustainability. Faculty directors play a crucial role in stewarding the academic integrity of these programs, mentoring students, and helping shape their growth and impact. If you are passionate about any of these areas and are interested in leading one of these minors, please send an expressions of interest, including a brief statement of your experience and vision for the minor, along with your current CV to the Provost’s Office provost@umassd.edu by 4:00 pm on 12/22/25. Additionally, emails or memos of support from the department chair and the dean should accompany the application.

More information about the duties for interdisciplinary minor directors and compensation for this role is available below.

Minor directors shall be appointed for a term of three years.  The primary responsibilities of interdisciplinary minor Directors are listed below. 

• Raise awareness of the minor and recruit students;
• Ensure representation of the minor at relevant recruiting events such as open houses and admitted students days;
• Advise students who are minoring in the program;
• Complete degree certifications for graduating minors;
• Work with participating faculty and departments to ensure adequate course offerings and seat capacity within classes that will provide for timely minor completion;
• Work with the minor’s advisory board to evaluate the curriculum and revise the curriculum as needed;
• Work with the minor’s advisory board to create and host events that encourage engagement related to the minor.

Compensation for interdisciplinary minors will follow the following guidelines:

• Interdisciplinary minor Directors will be provided $1,500 of professional development funds. These funds will have to be utilized by the end of fiscal year deadlines and may not be carried over into future academic years.
• Directors of minors with at least 30 students enrolled and at least 8 graduated students in the previous years will be granted one course release in a future academic year. Official counts for the minor will be run on March 1st to determine whether a minor director is eligible for a course release.
• In exchange for this compensation, the minor director should prepare a brief (1-2 page) report on minor director activities and accomplishments; this report will be due by the end of May in each year of the appointment.

Assistant Director – Office of Faculty Development (Spring 2025)

The Office of Faculty Development (OFD) seeks applications for one Assistant Director position to begin in Spring 2025.

Job description

Assistant Directors in the Office of Faculty Development create and implement university-wide programming that supports best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment; pedagogical innovation across modalities (i.e. face-to-face, blended, fully online); research, scholarship and creative activity; and professional development opportunities for all faculty.

The ideal candidate will have a successful record of research and publication, teaching, and university service. They will develop programs that will attract faculty from a wide spectrum of disciplines and promote intellectual community and engagement. Assistant Directors meet regularly with the OFD Director and Advisory Board to develop new initiatives, increase attendance and retention at OFD events, and evaluate program efficacy. Assistant Directors serve a two-year term.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a portfolio focused on Scholarly Success and Development
• Develop at least 4 programs/workshops per semester that support faculty research and scholarship across disciplines
• Work with OFD staff and CITS Instructional Development team to plan an annual conference on current issues in pedagogy and higher education
• Work with OFD Director on program initiatives that support the OFD’s mission and meet changing needs of faculty
• Work with OFD Director to develop and update OFD website
• Work with OFD Administrative Assistant to promote and publicize events;
• Hold 2 weekly office hours in the Office of Faculty Development
• Other duties as assigned. 

Compensation

Course release for one semester per academic year or comparable stipend. Support for professional development related to OFD work will also be provided, as will workspace in the Office of Faculty Development. 

Eligibility

Candidates must be tenure-track or tenured faculty members, must have a successful research and publication record, experience teaching in a range of instructional modalities, and a strong record of college and/or university service. Applicants should also have a record of participation in and/or development of OFD programming. Preferred qualifications include managing a research laboratory, including having received extramural funding and mentoring graduate students.

Preferred specializations include sciences (including SMAST), engineering, and nursing and health sciences. Interested applicants should discuss their application with their department chairperson and dean prior to submitting an application. 

To apply

Submit a letter of interest, CV, and statement of support from your department chair to Ellen Mandly, OFD Administrative Assistant by Monday, March 10, 2025, at 5pm. Questions may be directed to Dr. Michael Sheriff, OFD Director.

Assistant Director for Office of Faculty Development

The Office of Faculty Development seeks applications for an Assistant Director focused on AI initiatives in teaching and research to begin Spring, 2026.

Job Description

Assistant Directors in the Office of Faculty Development create and implement university-wide programming that supports best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment; pedagogical innovation across modalities (i.e. face-to-face, blended, fully online); research, scholarship and creative activity; and professional development opportunities for all faculty.

This AD position will have a specialized focus leading and supporting AI initiatives in teaching and research. This role will play a critical part in advancing the integration of artificial intelligence across academic programs and research projects, and the AD is expected to develop programs that will attract faculty from a wide spectrum of disciplines, working closely with faculty, staff, and external partners. The ideal candidate will bring a strong background in AI, a passion for innovation in higher education, and the ability to drive interdisciplinary collaboration. Assistant Directors meet regularly with the OFD Director and Advisory Board to develop new initiatives, increase attendance and retention at OFD events, and evaluate program efficacy. Assistant Directors serve a two-year term.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a portfolio focused on integrating AI initiatives in teaching and research;
• Develop at least 4 programs/workshops per semester specific to AI;
• Work with OFD staff and CITS Instructional Development team to plan an annual conference on current issues in pedagogy and higher education;
• Work with OFD Director on program initiatives that support the OFD’s mission and meet changing needs of faculty;
• Work with OFD Director to develop and update OFD website;
• Work with OFD Administrative Assistant to promote and publicize events;
• Hold 2 weekly office hours in the Office of Faculty Development;
• Other duties as assigned.

Compensation

Course release for one semester per academic year or comparable stipend. Support for professional development related to OFD work will also be provided, as will workspace in the Office of Faculty Development.

Eligibility

Candidates must be tenure-track or tenured faculty members, must have demonstrable experience working with and using AI in teaching and/or research, a successful research and publication record, experience teaching in a range of instructional modalities, and a strong record of college and/or university service. Applicants should also have a record of participation in and/or development of OFD programming. Interested applicants should discuss their application with their department chairperson and dean prior to submitting an application.

To Apply

Please send a letter of interest, a curriculum vitae, and a brief statement of support from your department chair to provost@umassd.edu. The deadline for application is 5 pm on Monday, December 22, 2025. Questions should be directed to Dr. Michael Sheriff, OFD Director, at msheriff@umassd.edu.