President's Faculty Newsletter: February 2025

Welcome

Dear faculty,

We are navigating a busy and demanding semester together. I am very proud of the work being done across the university and thank you for your part in our collective progress. In addition to cultivating and maintaining our vibrant academic culture, many of our faculty are managing multiple other initiatives.

Notably, this week, we welcome the reaffirmation committee from our accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). In several ways, this is the culmination of much of the work that began well over a year ago. This includes contributions of dozens of authors to a comprehensive report more than 1,800 pages in length, management of deliverables and timelines, and collaborative work across disciplines and departments. This also includes the development of UIW’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). I share my thanks with the QEP Implementation Committee for their work toward building a forward-thinking, sustainable and strategic plan focused on student support and outcomes while supporting faculty and peer tutor development.

Leadership Searches Update

CIO and Vice President for Technology and Innovation

The search for UIW’s next CIO has successfully concluded. I thank the members of our Search Committee for their efforts to identify and present three talented and capable finalists after a thorough and well-executed search.

This month, I was proud to announce my selection of Ben Rueger as our next CIO. In my February 6 community-wide email, I shared that Ben comes to us from the Purdue University system, where he led a digital transformation, drove AI initiatives and policy and revamped the student experience. In doing so, he built collaborative practices working closely with faculty members and technology teams to ensure successful and clear change management. He also deeply valued his team members, fostering a positive work culture and strong relationships, resulting in improved performance. He begins his new role on March 3. Please join me in welcoming Ben to UIW.

Online Programs Update

In my last faculty newsletter from November 2024, I shared that we are working on a comprehensive analysis of the School of Professional Studies. As part of that work, we have engaged Travis Allen, a leader in the online academic space, to lead a review of its practices, processes and overall performance in such key areas as marketing, admissions, student support and program competitiveness. This work is especially critical as the online learning and continuing education landscape changes.

With the departure of SPS Interim Dean Jonathan Lovejoy and in keeping with this work, we are re-envisioning the SPS leadership role. Earlier this month, I announced that Judith Kornberg, PhD, has joined us as Interim Executive Director of Professional, Continuing and Online Programs, or PCO for short. She comes to us from The Registry, the interim executive placement firm, for her extensive experience leading continuing and online programs at several institutions. You can find Judith’s CV linked here.

Strategic Priority Update

Priority Spotlight: Improve UIW’s infrastructure of facilities, staffing levels and business processes

At any one time, there are numerous physical and digital infrastructure projects taking place simultaneously across UIW. My thanks to Phil Lopes, associate vice president for Planning and Campus Management, and Vahid Shariat, interim CIO, who co-champion this strategic priority, for their stewardship. In March, Ben Rueger, CIO, will join Phil as co-champion.    

The renovation of Founders Hall continues and has made significant progress in the construction phase of the project, recently passing the 50% complete threshold. SKG Texas, a prominent company based in Austin and San Antonio that specializes in workplace design and commercial furniture, has been selected as Founders Hall furniture supplier. SKG Texas is a HUB (Historically Underutilized Business)-certified, woman-owned, and has extensive experience with education spaces.

Additionally, we continue to celebrate our leadership gifts toward construction and programming in Founders Hall. This semester, we shared our fourth such gift from UIW Trustee and CEO of Joeris General Contractors Gary Joeris. We anticipate sharing additional developments with you later this spring. My thanks to our donors who share our vision for a transformative new space and to Rick Kimbrough, vice president of External Affairs and Chief Development Officer, and the Advancement team for their work supporting Founders Hall and the whole of UIW.

Priority Spotlight: Strengthening our Catholic identity as expressed in the spiritual heritage received from the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, embodied in programs and priorities that promote human dignity and integrated in programming that promotes both intellectual and spiritual growth. 

Championed by Sr. Walter Maher, CCVI, Vice President for Mission and Ministry, this strategic priority continues its far-reaching and inclusive work, touching every facet of our university, especially our spirituality, culture, academic work, and administrative endeavors.

 Consequently, strengthening our Catholic identity is being done by applying varied strategies and fulfilling their stated goals and objectives. For example, promoting the life of prayer and worship has resulted in a 25 percent improved attendance at in-person worship and prayer services and special celebrations. Another example is the multidisciplinary work undertaken in close collaboration with the HSI committee, the Sustainability Committee, and the Ettling Center for Civic Leadership and Sustainability. All these initiatives are interrelated, inform each other’s goals, and further our common objectives. The concrete results of this collaborative approach are multi varied and multi-pronged. They include ongoing conversations with all our UIW's minoritized populations, sustained attention, and support to the disempowered in the way of food, and continued initiatives to care for the earth. Additionally, strengthening our Catholic identity consists in sharing the Spirituality of the Incarnation through formation opportunities including specialized retreats and workshops, in-services with the provost, deans and other groups, and the iterative gathering of UIW's Mission Academy and UIW's Mission Ambassadors.

Faculty Lounge Update

I want to thank all of you who were able to join us for the Blessing of the Faculty Lounge last week. Lisa and I were moved by your participation. We are very glad to have worked with Phil Lopes and his teams on the development of a dedicated and welcoming space for faculty members from all campuses to gather and collaborate. We also thank Dr. Diana Allison, associate professor of Interior Design, and her dedicated students for their work designing the space with intentionality and style.  

Upcoming Events

Lunch with the President

Our small-group gatherings continue this semester for the students, faculty and staff at the UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine and the School of Rehabilitation Sciences. Lunches are announced via email and RSVP lists open approximately two weeks before the event dates.