Office of the Provost
It was in Gilbreath Hall on the ETSU campus where the inaugural faculty of East Tennessee State Normal School first taught more than a century ago. Those 18 faculty members trained at some of the most impressive institutions in the world, and they came to this campus with the shared belief that through education, lives can be changed and our communities could be made better.
Fast-forward over a 100 years later, and that same tradition continues. Today, hundreds of faculty call this institution home. Our faculty believe in the power of higher education, and that with a college degree, any dream is possible. Our faculty are champions for our students. They are leaders, mentors, scholars, innovators, and public servants. They are award-winning teachers and noted researchers in their fields of study. They meet the needs of others. They generate new ideas and develop solutions for our community.
And, they are all committed to the success of their students.
Welcome to East Tennessee State University.
It is my honor to serve as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics at this amazing institution that is transforming the lives of others every day.
Key Updates for ETSU Faculty/Staff
SACSCOC Reaffirmation Timeline
Hundreds of ETSU faculty and staff have worked on our reaffirmation process with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which is the accrediting body for degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. We submitted our SACSCOC compliance report earlier this semester, and we recently received the off-site peer review report. The preliminary reaffirmation committee report was excellent. We are responding in a focused report that we will submit to SACSCOC before they come to campus for an on-site visit in April 2023. I want to thank Dr. Cheri Clavier for her leadership and all of our faculty and staff who participated in preparing our report.
We will continue to keep the campus informed throughout the reaffirmation process. Here are some important remaining benchmarks on our reaffirmation timeline.
- February 2023: Quality Enhancement Plan
- April 2023: On-Site Peer Review
- December 2023: Decision Announced by SACSCOC
Distinguished Faculty Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for the Distinguished Faculty Awards for 2023. Each year the university recognizes three faculty who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of teaching, research and service. Please refer to information in this memo describing the selection and presentation process, award criteria, and the nomination form. Three university faculty awards will be presented as follows:
• Teaching
• Research/Scholarship/Creative Activity
• Service
The deadline for submitting nominations is March 29, 2023. More information available here.
General Education Redesign
We have launched our review of the general education curriculum. The General Education Redesign task force has begun meeting under the co-chairmanship of Dr. David Harker and Dr. Sharon McGee. This committee is in full motion, focused on examining our general education curriculum.
University Council Minutes: Looking for the most recent minutes from our monthly University Council meeting? Visit here.
Academic News
Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty
During my first semester at ETSU, I visited each of the ETSU colleges where I met with the faculty and students and learned about their initiatives and plans. The accounts of how ETSU has inspired them were truly transformative.
I was so inspired by those stories that I have launched a new podcast series – Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty – in partnership with the Center for Teaching Excellence and the Office of University Marketing and Communications that is dedicated to telling the incredible stories of the ETSU faculty.
You can access the podcast here or find it on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, PodBean app,or on Spotify. Special thanks to Professor Martin Walters for creating the music for this podcast.