Latest News from ODEI
Four UAB faculty members have been selected to participate in the Summer 2024 Faculty Success Program hosted by the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD) and sponsored by the UAB Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
The selected members are Muhammad M. Sherif, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering in the School of Engineering; Anastasia Hartzes, Ph.D., assistant professor of biostatistics in the School of Public Health; Angela Sullivan,Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health Behavior in the School of Public Health; and Christine Ferguson, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences in the School of Health Professions.
The Faculty Success Program is a 12-week program for faculty of all ranks who are looking for empirically tested methods to improve research productivity through intense accountability, coaching, and peer support and to propel their work-life balance and personal growth. The program will take place from May 20 to July 28.
The NCFDD provides career development and mentoring resources for faculty at more than 450 colleges and universities. More than 475 faculty, postdocs, and graduate students at UAB have taken advantage of the university’s institutional membership. Membership includes access to the NCFDD’s Core Curriculum webinars, focused on skills necessary to “thrive in the academy”; interactive, online Guest Expert Webinars; multi-week courses on preparing tenure and promotion materials and manuscript revision; and 14-day writing challenges.
The Office of Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) is offering a sponsorship for faculty to attend the NCFDD Summer 2024 Faculty Success Program May 20 – July 28, 2024.
The Faculty Success Program is a 12-week program for faculty of all ranks who are looking for the perfect combination of empirically-tested methods to improve research productivity through intense accountability, coaching, and peer support and to propel their work-life balance and personal growth to a whole new level. ODEI will provide 50% tuition to one faculty member from each school or college, and a 50% match is required from the faculty member’s school or college.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a member of the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD) and offers access to mentoring tools and support to be successful in the academy. The NCFDD is a nationally recognized community, comprised of over 450 colleges and universities.
“Our goal for the university’s NCFDD membership has always been to see faculty members, postdocs and graduate students elevate their work and research by tapping into the unlimited resources available to them,” says Paulette Patterson Dilworth, Ph.D., UAB’s vice president for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
Applications for the 2024 Faculty Success Program grant are due on March 1, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Participants will be chosen through a competitive internal selection process and decisions will be announced by March 29, 2024.
Learn more about the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity.
The Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) is excited to announce that Holly Holliday-Jones has been named the assistant vice president for Institutional Equity and Excellence and began her new role on December 1, 2023.
Holly joined the ODEI team in August 2016 as the Director of Strategic Initiatives. In this role, she implemented initiatives to promote an inclusive excellence culture. She served as the liaison to the Equity Leadership Council. As AVP for Institutional Equity and Excellence, Holliday-Jones will assess and ensure compliance with state and federal mandates and programs to affirm and support UAB’s commitment to equal access and opportunity, civility, and respect for all faculty, staff, and students.
ODEI is also proud to share that Ivory Sirmans has been selected as the Diversity Education Director. Previously serving as Diversity Education Coordinator, Ivory will begin her new role on January 1, 2024. Sirmans joined the ODEI team in November 2020 and was responsible for assisting with implementing and facilitating diversity education courses. As Diversity Education Director, she will lead the development and nurturing of a diversity education curriculum to promote and advance equity and inclusive excellence across the UAB enterprise. Sirmans will also identify collaborative opportunities to educate and support UAB’s administrative and academic units, surrounding community partners, and organizations.
For more updates on ODEI, please visit www.uab.edu/dei/ and follow us on social media at @uabodei.
The President and the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are currently seeking nominations for the 2024 President’s Diversity Champion Award, an annual honor recognizing significant achievements of faculty, staff, students and student organizations toward developing a more culturally diverse and inclusive university community.
Awards will be given in each of six categories (faculty, staff, undergraduate, graduate/professional student, student organization, and small business inclusion advocate of the year) for projects or activities that best reflect the implementation of unit and/or campus diversity goals. Nominees in each area must address the significance, implementation, and impact of the nominee’s action or project.
Any member of the UAB community can nominate a faculty member, staff member, student, student organization, or department for the awards. A nomination packet should include a completed nomination form, nomination letter, letters of support (up to three) and supporting evidence of the nominee’s work.
The deadline for nominations is Friday, January 12, 2024.
Recipients of the award will be selected by the President’s Diversity Champion Award Selection Committee.
Click here to read the full guidelines and complete the nomination online.
We are writing to share two essential resources recently released by the U.S. Department of Education. First, it’s important to note the launch of the department’s updated income-driven repayment application tool on StudentAid.gov. Student loan borrowers can now officially enroll in the Saving on A Valuable Education (SAVE) plan. You can read more in the White House fact sheet.
Second, please read the "Dear Colleague Letter" on Race and School Programming. This message is intended to provide guidance to schools on lawful programs that promote racially inclusive school communities. The letter also includes hypothetical examples to help schools assess their Title VI legal obligations and protections concerning school-sponsored curricula and programming. Federal leaders also urge you to contact the Office for Civil Rights office that serves their state or territory with any questions.
You should find the documents useful. NADOHE will continue our review of the guidance, as well.
Sincerely,
Paulette Granberry Russell, J.D.
President, NADOHE
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The National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) is the preeminent voice for chief diversity officers. As the leader of the national conversation on diversity, equity, and inclusion, it investigates, influences, and innovates to transform higher education so that inclusive excellence lives at its core.