Faculty Affairs News

I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. This season of gratitude is the perfect time to express my heartfelt thanks to my team in the Academic Enterprise and to my colleagues across UTMB. Your dedication and unwavering commitment to our mission make me proud to serve UTMB as Senior Vice President, Provost, and Chief Academic Officer. I am looking forward to what’s ahead!

One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is witnessing faculty members grow in knowledge, confidence, and impact as they pursue meaningful and fulfilling careers. Recently, we have had the pleasure of supporting faculty at every stage of their journey, from welcoming new colleagues at New Faculty Orientation to honoring those who’ve reached significant milestones at the annual Newly Promoted Professors’ Dinner. These moments of celebration and connection reflect our deep commitment to faculty success.

Every day, I’m inspired by the dedication and excellence of our faculty community. The tremendous turnout at our Second Annual Faculty Recognition Reception was a testament to that spirit. Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate your achievements and those of your peers. The positive energy and feedback from attendees reaffirmed the value of this new tradition, and I look forward to building on its success in the years ahead.

The start of a new academic year always brings both energy and excitement. Congratulations to our faculty and graduates who participated in August’s commencement ceremonies! With orientations now complete across all schools and programs, we have officially welcomed a new class of students. I know you share my enthusiasm as we begin another successful and rewarding year.

I hope everyone is enjoying the last few weeks of summer and looking forward to another successful and productive academic year! Although summer gives us time to take some well-deserved rest, it has not been without plenty of activity.

We have lots of great news to celebrate this summer. I am pleased to shine the spotlight on the many recent achievements by our faculty, staff, and students!

A few of our schools have recently held their commencement ceremonies, and I extend my sincere congratulations across the board! Our students’ success is a strong reflection of our faculty members’ hard work, expertise, and commitment. Your work here at UTMB is shaping the future in a myriad of important ways, and you should be very proud.

It is an exciting time since the academic year comes to a close. As we watch our students receive the degrees they have worked hard to earn, commencement is also a gratifying experience for our faculty members.

I am extremely pleased by your exceptional response to the AAMC StandPoint Surveys, and I sincerely appreciate each person who shared their input. Thank you for making time for this worthwhile effort. Your insights will help us take the right steps to identify opportunities for improvement and thus enhance engagement and satisfaction across our campus.

I extend my sincere thanks to everyone who has taken the time to complete the AAMC StandPoint Surveys for faculty and staff. The survey is open through this Friday, March 7; I strongly encourage everyone who has not yet taken the survey to do so this week.

Just one month into 2025, the Office of Faculty Affairs is busy with many exciting programs and activities to support our terrific faculty. I am pleased to update you on some of our current projects.

Happy New Year from the Office of Faculty Affairs! I hope the holiday season brought you time and experiences that left your hearts full, and your bodies and minds rested. All of our professional responsibilities keep us busy throughout the year; any time we find to relax and be with our loved ones is certainly to be cherished.

I hope that everyone enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. As we reflect on gratitude, I want to share my appreciation for UTMB faculty who make our work in the Office of Faculty Affairs so rewarding and meaningful. It is my team's privilege to serve you, and we are excitedly preparing for a full slate of events and programs to support your success in 2025.

The Office of Faculty Affairs has welcomed new faculty affairs leaders to complete our team over the past several months, ensuring we are well equipped to meet our faculty members’ needs. With our full team in place, we are eager to offer even more programs and initiatives that will support your career development and success.

I hope that everyone is enjoying the beginning of fall and the cooler temperatures that have recently reached us. We were overjoyed to celebrate faculty excellence at UTMB’s inaugural Faculty Recognition Reception on Sept. 5. We had an outstanding turnout of honorees, leaders, and faculty members from all schools.

The beginning of a new academic year is always a busy and exciting time. Congratulations to our School of Health Professions and Physician Assistant Studies Program on their August commencements! Now, we are welcoming new students, resuming classes, and beginning our work to make FY25 a successful and productive year.