Faculty Success and Diversity Council
Faculty Success & Diversity Council
The council members were selected via a competitive process, and represent a diverse cross-section of our faculty community. Each provide unique perspectives in furtherance of UTRGV’s core values of diversity, inclusion, and access.
Shawn Saladin
AVP for Faculty AffairsPhone: (956) 665-3651
Email: shawn.saladin@utrgv.edu
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Teresa Patricia Feria-Arroy
ProfessorPhone: (956) 665-7322
Email: teresa.feriaarroyo@utrgv.edu
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Daniel Hunter-Holly
Associate ProfessorPhone: (956) 882-7178
Email: daniel.hunterholly@utrgv.edu
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Lilia A. Fuentes
Associate ProfessorPhone: (956) 665-2384
Email: lilia.a.fuentes@utrgv.edu
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Dagoberto Eli Ramirez
Lecturer IIIPhone: (956) 665-3823
Email: dagoberto.ramirez@utrgv.edu
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Adela Valdez
Associate Dean Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity and Associate Dean for Continuing Medical Education, UTRGV SOMPhone: (956) 296-1471
Email: Adela.Valdez@utrgv.edu
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Faculty Success & Diversity (FSDC) Sub-committees
The FSDC focused their recommendations in 2021-2022, addressing previous faculty feedback in the areas of policies, programs, and processes aimed to support faculty across all disciplines and ranks. With a diverse array of backgrounds, areas of expertise, and strengths, the council worked in eight sub-committees to propel the work described below.
Chair: Kim Finn (College of Health Professions)
Members:
Charge:
Current Project:
After conducting research, the sub-committee developed a draft outline of a HOP policy based on current Non-Tenure Track Guidelines. They collaborated with a Faculty Senate sub-committee on developing a draft policy.
Chair: Thuy Vu (College of Engineering & Computer Science)
Members:
Charge:
Project:
After conducting research, the sub-committee developed a draft HOP policy based on the Faculty Development Leave Application & Guidelines.
Chair: Megan Birk (College of Liberal Arts)
Members:
Charge:
To review policies that impact faculty and make recommendations for improvement.
Project:
The sub-committee is currently reviewing HOP 06-502: Annual Faculty Evaluation for the purpose of making recommendations for improvement and collaborating with faculty shared governance units.
Chair: John Gonzalez (School of Social Work)
Members:
Charge:
To review and provide recommendations on faculty awards and recognition programs.
Project:
Advanced proposal to expand Faculty Excellence Awards at the institutional and college level. Two new Faculty Excellence Awards (Distinguished Scholar and Emerging Scholar) were instituted because of this proposal in Spring 2022.
Chair: Michael Abebe (Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship)
Members:
Charge:
To develop a centralized search tool for Faculty Development sessions hosted across campus.
Project:
Faculty Development searchable web page was completed and continues to be managed by the Office of Faculty Success & Diversity.
Co-Chairs: Adela Valdez (School of Medicine) & Teresa Feria Arroyo (College of Sciences)
Adela.Valdez@utrgv.edu teresa.feriaarroyo@utrgv.edu
Members:
Charge:
To examine current practices and provide a recommendation/outline of a model for new faculty mentoring.
Project:
Developed a Faculty Mentoring Excellence Workshop series to aid faculty mentors in developing a mentoring plan and then following up on the implementation and assessment.
Co-Chairs: Adela Valdez (School of Medicine) & Teresa Feria Arroyo (College of Sciences)
Adela.Valdez@utrgv.edu teresa.feriaarroyo@utrgv.edu
Members:
Charge:
To outline and develop a year-long onboarding program for new faculty that provides opportunities for networking, professional advancement, and understanding more about UTRGV and the larger Rio Grande Valley communities.
Project:
A year-long program outline was completed and continues to be executed by the Office of Faculty Success & Diversity.
Co-Chairs: Megan Birk (College of Liberal Arts) & Teresa Feria Arroyo (College of Sciences)
megan.birk@utrgv.edu teresa.feriaarroyo@utrgv.edu
Members:
Charge:
To provide recommendations for further support of faculty research initiatives.
Project:
Two proposals were accepted and implemented in Spring 2022. The first was for mid-career faculty research development and the second was a research support fund intended to seed faculty research on its way to further recognition and potential external funding.