Providing Support for your Career Development

Dear colleagues, 

A central principle of our strategic plan, UK-PURPOSE, is taking care of our people. After all, you make possible UK’s mission of education, research, service and care.   

To support your work, I have elevated the role of the Office of Faculty Advancement (OFA) to better serve faculty at all career stages. OFA’s mission is to provide support and resources for the promotion and tenure programs and process, offer faculty development opportunities, foster recognition of faculty achievements in both scholarship and teaching, partner with units to recruit, retain and support a diverse faculty and promote leadership development of faculty into academic positions. 

Associate Provost for Faculty Advancement Lisa Tannock recently announced an opportunity for a colleague to serve as Assistant Provost for Faculty Professional Development. This position exists to expand this support by developing and overseeing workshops and strategies to increase faculty belonging, engagement and retention — essential to taking care of our people. This individual will serve as a resource for faculty members in need support, guidance or advice. 

Dr. Tannock is also leading efforts to plan innovative, relevant programming for spring 2024 to broaden the support this office offers to faculty across campus. For example, the office is in the planning stages of a continuation of new faculty orientation to follow up with our new colleagues as they begin a new semester.

As I noted in last week’s Faculty Focus, I am committed to visiting each college to hear from you.  I have asked Dr. Tannock to also attend the town halls to hear firsthand how you want to see the service of OFA, to best help.  We will continue to highlight these opportunities and other important initiatives in this space as they are implemented.  We will also continue efforts such as these faculty focus newsletters and town halls, to enhance communication and gain valuable input to continue to shape the Provost Office, to best serve. 

Thank you for all you do to help in our mission to advance Kentucky.   

Robert S. DiPaola, MD  

Provost