Category Archives: Provost Announcement

October 2018 Newsletter: Provost Update – Building Scholarship Through RSCA

Dear University Community,

As we approach the midpoint of the fall semester, there are many exciting events that will highlight the extraordinary research, scholarship and creative activities of our faculty and students. First, the Institute for the Study of Sport, Society and Social Change, with support from our Campus Reading Program, will host its inaugural Student Research Fair on Oct. 15. As a former student-athlete and women’s basketball coach myself, I know the interrelatedness that provides interdisciplinary possibilities for the exploration of ideas.

Additionally, this month we continue our University Scholar Series on Oct. 24 with a lecture by Nursing Professor Deepika Goyal, who will share new findings on postpartum depression in Asian American women. On Nov. 2, we will celebrate the scholarly works of dozens of faculty members at the Annual Author and Artist Awards. Read more in this newsletter about these and other recent events that elevate our reputation and our scholarly work.

I am pleased to share that we have made considerable progress toward implementing our new Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Reassigned Time program and will do so officially in January 2019. This program represents our best efforts to align the scholarly expectations of tenure-track faculty with the expectations of the Academy; to increase recognition that students are, and will be, prepared successfully by successful teacher-scholars; and to honor our evolving relationship with our surrounding community and Silicon Valley.

Eligible and interested tenured and tenure-track faculty submitted their applications to their Dean’s Office at the end of September. I look forward to receiving college submissions later this month and announcing selected candidates for our first five-year cycle in November.

I also would like to note that we have 43 faculty members who received tenure and/or promotion this year based on their dedicated teaching, exemplary RSCA work and strong record of service. This fall we invited them to share some notes about themselves for profile stories on the Academic Spotlight blog. You can read the first of these profiles online now. Look for more throughout this semester.

I continue to look forward to our work together.

Sincerely,

Joan C. Ficke
Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

May 2018 Newsletter: Provost Update — Spartan Endeavors Make the News

Dear Campus Community,

Thank you to those who stopped by the farewell reception in my honor on May 7. I was struck by the number of people who dropped in to spend a few moments with me. I appreciate President Mary Papazian and others who shared some heartfelt thoughts with the crowd before allowing me to offer my thanks to all those with whom I’ve worked. I am still realizing just how much I am going to miss all of you, even as I look forward to my new adventure in Colorado. I want to express again that it has been an extraordinary honor to serve San Jose State University.

We are in our last stretch of the semester, with final exams under way and commencement in sight. I am especially looking forward to celebrating with our students on May 23-25, and it is bittersweet that this will be my last graduation season at San Jose State. Thank you to all the faculty and staff members who support our students, and propel them toward this momentous occasion. I hope to see many of you at the ceremonies next week.

Through the Academic Spotlight newsletter, I have welcomed the opportunity to share with you campus and division priorities, to tell stories about faculty and staff, and to reflect on events I have participated in throughout the year.

For this final newsletter of the year — and my final message as provost — I hope you will enjoy reading and watching recent news pieces that have featured members of our Spartan community. We have tremendous talent and experience in our ranks, and it is no surprise that regional, national and global media outlets turn to San Jose State. We hear from reporters who request an expert to speak on timely topics such as mudslides in Southern California, minimum wage increases or Women’s Marches. We have a robust roster of Faculty and Staff Experts who are prepared to provide a quick response on such issues as affordable housing, the evolution of technology, upcoming elections and many other subjects.

Other times we receive media coverage about the research conducted by students and faculty such as a study on how the flu spreads that made the New York Times California Report (scroll to the bottom of the story), or events we host like the Institute for the Study of Sports, Society and Social Change Town Hall on Gender and Equity. We also hear from news outlets who just want to share the compelling stories of Spartans, such as the team of engineering students who displayed unique vehicles at the SV Auto Show.

I am pleased to share with you some of the ways in which Spartans have been newsworthy in recent weeks. It is reassuring to know that when I am in Colorado, I will still be able to check in on San Jose State through the robust media coverage this university receives. Though we may be parting, I know that we all have wonderful journeys ahead of us and I wish you the best.

April 2018 Newsletter: Provost Update – Recognizing Excellence at San Jose State

As many of you know, my time here is nearing its end, as I will be leaving for a new role as president of the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) at the end of June. The reason I was first drawn to SJSU as deputy provost in 2013 was because I saw tremendous potential in every student, every faculty and staff member, and the university as a whole. I have worked during the past five years with many Spartans who have exceeded my expectations and shown me what we can achieve when we work collaboratively toward the same vision. I am fortunate, too, that you saw potential in me when I was selected to be provost less than a year into my tenure.

Together, we have made great strides in improving graduation rates and expanding support for research, scholarship and creative activity. We have started professional development and onboarding programs and established student success centers in every college. We have created an Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as well as student centers to support underrepresented minority and undocumented students.

While I am pleased with our collective accomplishments, I am also proud of the individual achievements of our students, faculty and staff. During my time as provost, I have especially enjoyed the regular notes I receive from deans, chairs and others sharing accolades for our talented and distinguished people who constitute our university community.

Whether I am meeting with people in person, checking email on my cell phone or looking through messages on a laptop, hearing about good news is a highlight of my day. Here are just a few of the items shared with me in recent weeks.

Alumna and former Spartan Daily reporter and city editor Mary Callahan made the list of 2018 Pulitzer Prize winners — she was part of the news team at the Santa Rosa Press Democrat that received the award for breaking news reporting for coverage of the Sonoma wildfires. Assistant Professor Minghui Diao was awarded a National Science Foundation grant to study ice supersaturation and its role on climate. Amy Strage, the director of our Center for Faculty Development, was named a faculty fellow with the Transforming STEM Teaching Faculty Learning Program. Professor and Director of the Burdick Military History Project Jonathan Roth coordinated a symposium on culture and WWI.

This month’s newsletter highlights more students, faculty and staff who excel in their fields and enhance the reputation of our great university. Read on to learn about an associate professor of English who received a Fulbright Award; students who will represent SJSU at the CSU Student Research Competition in May; a team of educators who are tackling ways to promote online civic literacy; two staff members who are co-chairing the Spartans Supporting Spartans campaign; a graduate student who was invited to participate in a panel on gentrification at the Chicago Ethnography Conference in March; and view photos from our April 20th Honors Convocation.

These and many other Spartans are what I will miss most about San Jose State University. The relationships I have built since my arrival are the thing I hold most dear about my time here. I want to reiterate that I have learned so much from all of you, and I am honored to have been part of your journey.

I know I will connect with many of you during my final months at SJSU and I hope to see many of you at my farewell reception that President Papazian will host from 3 to 5 p.m. May 7 in the Diaz Compean Student Union Ballroom.

Next Steps in Strategic Planning: Share Thoughts on our Draft Desired Outcomes

Editor’s Note: This message was emailed to all students, faculty and staff on April 11, 2018.

Dear colleagues,

The university’s Strategic Planning Committee has been hard at work in the process of creating our new 10-year plan. In February, we shared with the campus five goals derived from conversations held during the fall with the university and community. Since then, five task forces, consisting of staff, students, administrators and faculty, have developed outcomes associated with each goal and proposed some action items for achieving each outcome.

As we continue to refine and develop these outcomes and action items, we would appreciate your assistance. The link below will take you to the Strategic Planning website where you can read this draft document and provide your input. Please take some time now – it shouldn’t be more than 15-20 minutes – to provide feedback.

View the draft desired outcomes and give your feedback here.

It remains very important to the President and the Strategic Planning Steering Committee that this be a campus-driven effort, and that all voices be heard. Please provide your input, if possible, by Wednesday, April 18, 2018.

Please also save the date for our next all-campus discussion on Monday, May 7th at 10 a.m. located in the Diaz Compean Student Union Ballroom.  More details to follow.

Thank you,

Andy Feinstein
Co-Chair, Strategic Planning Steering Committee
Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Stefan Frazier
Co-Chair, Strategic Planning Steering Committee
Chair of the Academic Senate

Provost Message: My Time At SJSU

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As you have recently read, I will be departing San Jose State University at the end of this academic year and will be taking on the role of president of the University of Northern Colorado. While I am excited for the new opportunities this appointment will provide for myself and my family, I am also saddened to be leaving the university and community I have called home for the past five years. I love this university and our students, staff and faculty!

I joined SJSU as deputy provost in 2013 because I saw tremendous potential in every student, every faculty and staff member, and the university as a whole. I hold dear the relationships I have built since my arrival. I have learned so much from all of you, and I am honored to have been part of your journey.

I arrived at a challenging time when our campus was dealing with issues of shared governance and a deep budget deficit. I was pleased to find a community of faculty and staff members who were willing to tackle these trying times head on while remaining focused on our mission of supporting students. We have accomplished so much in the past five years through collaborations with the Academic Affairs Leadership Team, the President’s Cabinet, faculty and staff, and, of course, our students. Under President Papazian’s leadership, I know that we are heading in the right direction and the university will continue its forward progress on top priorities.

As I think about leaving, there are many people who I wish to thank in person, and we will find some time later in the spring to come together and celebrate.

I would particularly like to thank the Academic Senate Executive Committee members, who have become not just colleagues, but friends. I can’t count the number of times I walked down the hall in the Administration Building into the Academic Senate chair’s office to ask for insight and advice—Lynda Heiden, Michael Kimbarow and Stefan Frazier have all offered an open door to me and I’ve offered the same to them. I am also grateful for the dedication of the Academic Affairs Leadership Team, the deans and members of the President’s Cabinet with whom I have worked so closely.

My fondest memories of San Jose State will always be my interactions with students. In my first semester as provost, I visited many classrooms to learn more about our students. Most recently, I have had the pleasure of working with Ariadna Manzo, our Associated Student president, who demonstrated tremendous courage in terms of sharing her personal story as an undocumented student in an effort to advocate for others. Students like Ariadna led to the creation of the African American/Black and Chicanx/Latinx student success centers and the UndocuSpartan Resource Center. I am also pleased to see the progress our campus has made on diversity and inclusion. Through the creation of an Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity and other initiatives, I know San Jose State will continue to honor its social justice legacy.

I will miss having my Sparta salad at In the Mix, soup at New Tung Kee Noodle House, and breakfast at Peanut’s, where I always knew I would run into someone from campus. Thank you very much for the opportunity to serve this wonderful institution. Go Spartans!

Fondly,

Andy Feinstein