Campus Colleagues, 

As you may be aware, UK’s Employee Benefits Committee is working to gather feedback regarding the future of employee benefits. The request for your input came from UK Human Resources last week, but the committee is looking for additional input from faculty on the feedback survey. Your voices are so important, and I want to be sure you have an opportunity to give input if you have not already.  

The Future of Benefits Feedback Exercise is an important tool for the university to help shape its long-term goal of recruiting and retaining the best faculty and staff possible. The survey is important for gauging what you find most beneficial in terms of benefits, and your feedback is crucial to guiding the committee’s work to support our employees.   

In an effort to give more time for your input, we are extending the deadline until May 31, 2024. The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete. 

You should have received an email from UK Human Resources last week with a link inviting you to participate. To help, I have included the link below: 

Future of Benefits Feedback Exercise

Thank you for all you do to advance our university.

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D. 
Provost

Campus Community, 

As you may know, Vice President and Dean Nancy Cox has notified us of her plans to retire from the university, upon the hiring of her replacement including transition time.  

We are deeply appreciative of Vice President and Dean Cox for her unwavering service, dedication and leadership to both the university and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. 

Dr. Cox held the roles of vice president for land-grant engagement and dean of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. These are both vital roles to the University of Kentucky. They represent who we are and what we do for our state and beyond. 

The search process will begin soon with the goal of naming the next vice president for land-grant engagement and dean of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment by early fall.  

As a land-grant institution, the role of the vice president for land-grant engagement is charged with suffusing the entire institution with the land-grant ethos — that commitment to service across our other missions of education, research and care as well as increasing the strength we have in transdisciplinary efforts. To that end, Dr. Cox has inaugurated the UK Engage effort with partners across campus to examine best practices and invest in pilot programs and initiatives around engagement. 

The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment’s threefold land-grant mission — teaching, research and extension — serves the Commonwealth in diverse ways. They give students the skills to solve problems. They discover and deliver new knowledge and technologies through research and extension. Their goal is to improve the lives of residents across Kentucky. The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is continuing the outstanding tradition of discovery, outreach and education at the University of Kentucky. Together, the faculty, students, staff and alumni of the college “grow ideas” and solve problems. 

The first step in the selection process is to form a search advisory committee composed of faculty, staff, students and alumni. In accordance with Governing Regulation VIII, which states that a request be made for a recommendation on matters of appointments from a committee, and as part of our efforts to enhance communication, transparency, inclusion and shared governance, the Office of the Provost, on behalf of the Office of the President, is seeking nominations to the search advisory committee. All recommendations and justifications are confidential. 

To nominate yourself or someone else to serve on the search advisory committee, please click here. Nominations are due Wednesday, May 22, at 5 p.m.  

If you have any questions about the process, please contact Shavonna Ross, director of operations (shav.ross@uky.edu), Office of the Provost.  

Thank you in advance for your valuable input. We appreciate all that you do to advance Kentucky.

Eli Capilouto, President
Robert S. DiPaola, Provost

Dear Colleagues,

During this season at the University of Kentucky, I hope you share my overarching sense of hope and joy at the prospect of witnessing our students cross the stage during the commencement ceremonies at Rupp Arena this week. 

Much like we place importance on K Week, we place a similar emphasis on commencement. These two events are often the beginning and conclusion of our students’ journeys through the university — from an introduction to the campus and their peers to the moment their hard work and perseverance result in the conferring of degrees.

Between those two endpoints, you, as our faculty, play a substantial role in shaping how our students grow, both inside and outside of the classroom. For the students who you mentored, the students whose passions you helped uncover and the students who learned valuable skills in your classes — you occupy similar chapters of significance in their time at UK.

And now, we have arrived at commencement. It is a culmination of all the effort and dedication that a degree symbolizes. 

Commencement is a symbol of the end of a journey — not just for our students, for whom it marks the end of this chapter in their academic, professional and personal growth, but also for us, the ones who helped guide our students to this point. 

But it is not the end of all journeys — some students may turn to their professional careers and paths now, and some may choose to continue in academia with graduate or professional school. These next chapters are what fill me with hope and joy — seeing what critical issues our students will go on to solve, what boundaries they will continue to expand and the ways they will continue to advance Kentucky and the world.

More than 4,300 graduates are set to participate in the ceremonies on May 3 and 4. I hope you will join their family and friends in celebrating their accomplishments. For more information on attending, click here.

Thank you very much on behalf of our students for all these chapters you helped to write — and for all you continue to do for UK. 

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D. 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

Each year, I am proud to announce the winners of the University of Kentucky’s Outstanding Teaching Awards — each one of whom is actively making a difference in the lives of our students through their passion and teaching. 

The Outstanding Teaching Awards, awarded by the Office for Faculty Advancement (OFA),acknowledge the distinguished individuals at UK whose dedication to student achievement is evident through their role in the classroom. The awards encourage the development of faculty and instructors as experts in teaching, and recipients are nominated through submissions from faculty, staff and/or students. 

Each winner’s contribution to student learning and student success cannot be overstated — their impacts are felt on all levels. Inside the classroom, students benefit from their teaching experience, allowing them to engage with a diverse range of learners. Outside of the classroom, their colleagues — whether other faculty, instructors or teaching assistants — benefit from their support and mentorship. And at our institution, we all benefit from their engagement and commitment to one of our core missions — to improve the lives of our communities through excellence in education.

Please join me in congratulating this year’s winners:

Category 1 (Regular and Special Title Series Faculty):

Jack Groppo, Department of Mining Engineering, Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering

Kristine Urschel, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

Martha Yip, Department of Mathematics, College of Arts & Sciences

Category 2 (Lecturers and Clinical Title Series Faculty):

Bradley Elliott, Department of Mathematics, College of Arts & Sciences

Anastasia Hauser, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering

Thaddeus Salmon, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine 

Category 3 (Teaching Assistants):

Lukas Bullock, Department of Gender and Women's Studies, College of Arts & Sciences

Daria Goncharova, Department of English, College of Arts & Sciences

John "Jack" Swab, Department of Geography, College of Arts & Sciences

Throughout the summer, each of the winners will be highlighted on UKNow. Their diligence and hard work are a testament to the importance of teaching at UK, where we are preparing our students to be the future leaders of Kentucky and beyond. I know you join me and the rest of our community in celebrating these winners and their accomplishments.

Thank you for all you do to support our students and the entire UK community.

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D.

Provost

Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that I have reappointed Dr. Alice Turkington as the University of Kentucky Academic Ombud for the 2024-25 academic year, effective July 1, 2024. The Academic Ombud is the university officer charged with facilitating the resolution of student academic issues that may arise, in a manner that is fair and equitable for all parties.

With more than 20 years of service at UK, Dr. Turkington has demonstrated outstanding leadership in this community. Dr. Turkington, an associate professor of geography, has served as director of undergraduate studies in the department of geography and is currently the director of the certificate in undergraduate research in social science.

I appreciate Dr. Turkington’s willingness to serve as Academic Ombud. Thanks to her numerous academic accomplishments and steadfast dedication to students, I know she will continue to be excellent in this role.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Turkington on her reappointment.

Sincerely,

Robert DiPaola, M.D.
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

As we move closer to the end of the spring semester, I am reminded of what an exciting season it is for everyone across our campus. Our university continues its momentum to advance Kentucky in many ways across our campus and around the Commonwealth.  

First, I would like to recognize those propelling our institution forward in teaching, service, research and care — our faculty. 

Nearly 200 promotion letters have been sent to members of our faculty in all 16 degree-granting colleges, along with Libraries and the Lewis Honors College. I appreciate the long hours and hard work that have led each of these deserving faculty members to earn their promotions. 

Congratulations to each of you. Thank you for your dedication to the mission of our university.

Second, I want to acknowledge the work of another important group of our campus — working to help the University of Kentucky lead the way in the ever-changing field of artificial intelligence (AI). 

In January, we updated you on the faculty guidelines regarding generative AI in instructional settings from UK ADVANCE (Advancing Data utilization for Value in Academics ­for National and Campus-wide Excellence). The ADVANCE Team has worked diligently to provide these updates to you and the rest of campus so that we can understand how to optimize the use of generative AI in our work while remaining aware of potential cautions.

During the spring semester, the ADVANCE Team created guidelines for use of generative AI in clinical settingsafter seeking input from multiple stakeholders. These guidelines may be updated as the field of generative AI continues to evolve and change.

This week, UK ADVANCE also provided updated guidelines for research, scholarly and creative activity that you can find here. These guidelines represent the ADVANCE Team’s best understanding of the environment at the present time — the field of generative AI evolves quickly, and the guidelines must be similarly flexible. 

Additionally, we published Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the ADVANCE website to assist in addressing questions that may arise as you navigate the fluid generative AI landscape and point you to more detailed information in the relevant guidelines.

The resources available on the ADVANCE website will help all campus community members, including faculty, staff and students, learn more about generative AI and its uses and applications in educational, research or clinical settings.

As we continue developing our understanding of generative AI and how it impacts our work at UK, the ADVANCE Team will update the guidelines and recommendations accordingly. 

Thank you to both our newly promoted faculty members and the ADVANCE team for their collective efforts to advance our institution and Kentucky. 

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D.

Provost

Campus Community,

I am pleased to announce that Michelle Sizemore has been named the new director of the John R. Gaines Center for the Humanities, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.

With her extensive experience in and passion for the humanities, Dr. Sizemore will provide exemplary leadership for the Gaines Center and help to further its mission of cultivating an appreciation of the humanities in students, staff, faculty and the wider community. 

Dr. Sizemore is an associate professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences and director of the Lunsford Scholars Program, which provides opportunities for students in the college to pursue educational opportunities outside of the classroom, including education abroad, internships and undergraduate research. She also served as the director of undergraduate studies in the Department of English from 2019-2023. 

Dr. Sizemore received her doctorate in English from the University of Wisconsin and her Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History from UK. 

I look forward to Dr. Sizemore bringing her passion and experience to help guide the direction of the Gaines Center. As a hub for transdisciplinary approaches to education, research and service on our campus, the Gaines Center serves an important role in supporting arts and cultural education for our campus and our Commonwealth.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Sizemore on her new role. 

I also want to thank Dr. Richard Schein for his service as acting director of the Gaines Center. And thank you for all you do for UK as we work to advance Kentucky. 

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D.

Provost

Campus Community, 

I am pleased to inform you that Brandi N. Frisby, acting dean of and professor in the College of Communication (CI), has agreed to serve as the new associate provost for academic affairs, effective May 13. This announcement is the result of feedback from faculty, staff and students and the search advisory committee.

Dr. Frisby has been a senior administrator in CI since 2020, serving as senior associate dean, associate dean for student success and acting dean. During Dr. Frisby’s tenure in CI, the college saw growth in total student enrollment, increased student retention and innovative program development and delivery. Dr. Frisby was instrumental in CI’s efforts to stimulate transdisciplinary partnerships across campus to serve a variety of students, to promote career readiness for UK graduates and to engage both faculty and students in meaningful research. 

I appreciate Dr. Frisby’s willingness to bring her experience in academic leadership to the Office of the Provost. Her experience building partnerships will be an asset as we work across campus to harness transdisciplinary curricular opportunities. With her help, we will continue positioning UK as a leader in teaching, research and service across the state, nation and world.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Frisby. I know she is eager to work with you all in this new role.

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D. 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

One of the many ways in which our university community excels is building connections with different groups — locally, regionally and globally. Our partnerships are key to ensuring we can provide leading edge instruction and care to those we serve. Collaboration with our partners enables transdisciplinary and shared learning experiences.

The Fulbright Program, administered through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, partners with more than 160 nations around the world to offer international educational and cultural exchange programs. The Fulbright Scholar Program and the Fulbright Specialist Program (an offshoot of the traditional Fulbright Scholar Program) both provide awards and opportunities for faculty, administrators and staff to research and lecture abroad. 

These opportunities are designed to advance participants’ careers through cross-cultural experiences and foster long-lasting connections that enable institutions to create ties with and enrich each other.

For the 2024-2025 academic year, UK is once again proud to have esteemed colleagues counted among the Fulbright participants. Sue Roberts, Ph.D., is our associate provost for internationalization and has been selected as a Fulbright scholar for the Fulbright-Nehru International Education Administrators Program to India. Joshua Douglas, Ashland, Inc.-Spears Distinguished Research Professor of Law in the J. David Rosenberg College of Law, has received a Fulbright Specialist Program award in Rome, Italy. Read more about their accomplishments on UKNow. And as we learn more about those who have earned Fulbright awards, we will continue recognizing them.

The achievements of our esteemed faculty are a testament to the impactful work that you do each and every day. Without you, our mission to serve and enrich our Commonwealth would not be possible.

Thank you for continuing to inspire innovation and excellence at UK. 

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D. 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

Recently, I was honored to speak with participants in a question-and-answer session hosted by the Transdisciplinary Educational approaches to advance Kentucky (TEK) team. This event connected our team and participants in the Faculty Fellows program with the community partners and experts we collaborate with to provide our students with the knowledge and skills required in Kentucky’s modern workforce.

The collaboration required in an initiative such as TEK is reflective of the teamwork we aim to see in our efforts across this campus — to effectively drive progress and continue our momentum in advancing our Commonwealth, we must work together.

The Faculty Fellows program leverages the combined knowledge of faculty and our TEK experts to prepare students with the transdisciplinary skills they will need beyond UK. The program helps to prepare faculty in both developing new courses focused on transdisciplinary skills or refreshing existing courses with transdisciplinary skills. The Faculty Fellows work as cohorts to help foster collaboration and innovation, and they are supported by the TEK team throughout the program.  

Together, our experiences, knowledge and resources provide our students with the education and understanding to succeed in their chosen fields. Combining our efforts allows us to transform the lives of our students and those we serve across our state. 

Much like the TEK community partners are able to equip our students with firsthand knowledge about Kentucky’s challenges, you are able to furnish our students with the tools and confidence they will use to address our communities’ future challenges. 

From you, our students learn how to communicate effectively and collaboratively. They learn how to work together as a cooperative unit, combining their individual skills to create solutions. They gain an appreciation for considering different perspectives when working jointly to solve complex problems.

TEK is a symbol of the importance of collaboration and how it drives our work — it demonstrates how our collaborative efforts and combined work inspires ingenuity and innovation. Through these partnerships and joint efforts, we advance our mission at UK to prepare the future leaders of Kentucky.  

Thank you for your continued efforts to serve our students. 

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D. 
Provost