Pilot Programs

TCU has evolved and advanced over 150 years to stay essential to our environment, community, culture and student body. Provost Dahlberg is leading fundamental changes and innovative new directions to restructure old programs and implement new ones to maintain TCU as a premier institution of higher education.

We Want Your Feedback

These are PILOT PROGRAMS. Your input is welcome as we test processes and solve challenges for final implementation. Provide feedback or send questions to AApilotprograms@tcu.edu.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FUNDS

To bolster scholarship following the pandemic, in addition to TCU’s committed funds to research and teaching support, the Provost asked each school and college to detail existing opportunities or provide new ones, called Academic Excellence Funds, to support research and teaching.

2022: Academic Excellence Funds were announced and a complete list was posted to Provost’s website under Faculty Resources for easy access to the consolidated list.
2021: Deans submitted existing funds and provided plans for new funds.

ADVISING

A new academic advising software platform with predictive analysis is being piloted campus-wide. This integrated platform will help students make informed decisions and provide faculty and professional advisors with a cohesive means to deliver student support.

2023: Across colleges and schools, Academic Advising began utilizing the scheduling system and notetaking feature in Stellic during the spring semester. Pathway planning for select programs will have a soft launch in the summer, in anticipation of a full-scale launch during the 2023-2024 academic year.
2022: A committee from Academic Advising, the Registrar’s Office, Information Technology, advisors and faculty researched several platforms and chose Stellic, founded by two Carnegie Mellon University alumni in honor of their professor and mentor.

DEI SCHOLAR FELLOWSHIP

The DEI Scholar Fellowship recruits emerging scholars from a range of disciplines who are well-prepared to use diversity as a resource for enriching students’ education. DEI Scholar Fellows receive a competitive annual salary and benefits, and additional support for research and professional development. The appointment is for up to two years with a focus on research and publishing. Colleges must submit an application by June 1 prior to the year in which the college will initiate the interview and hiring process.

2023-2025: Provost will award each college/school one DEI Scholar Fellowship, for a total of three per year, renewable for one additional year.
2021: Fellowship was established and posted to Provost’s website under Inclusive Excellence.

FACULTY HIRING CHECKLIST

The eight-step Faculty Hiring Checklist facilitates efforts by hiring managers and search committees to attract and hire the best, most diverse faculty consistent with TCU’s high standards of inclusive excellence. The checklist encompasses the entire hiring process, step by step, from beginning to end, including committee selection, recruitment, job postings, interviews, hiring, onboarding, and submitting required documents via PageUp and a designated TCU Box folder.

2022 Harris College piloted the initial university checklist in spring. Status reports were presented to Faculty Senate, and hiring managers were consulted to refine.
2021: The university-wide Faculty Hiring Checklist was implemented and posted on the Provost’s website under Faculty Resources for easy access
2020: A committee created by the Provost worked to refine the checklist, with status reports provided to Chairs Council and Provost Council.
2019: Provost’s Office consulted with the Office of Equity and Inclusion and College Diversity Advocates to draft a university-level hiring checklist.
2018: AddRan College created and piloted a hiring guide.

FACULTY WORKLOAD EQUITY MODEL

To ensure that TCU has and is implementing a clear Faculty Workload Equity Model and policies for SACSCOC reaffirmation, all TCU Deans, led by Associate Provost of Faculty Affairs Francyne Huckaby, are partnering to develop a university-level, adaptable Faculty Workload Equity Model to be used as a guideline for colleges and schools to develop their individual Faculty Workload Equity Policies.

2022-23: The model is in the pilot test phase (2022-23 academic year) with TCU Nursing, Environmental Studies, Teaching and Learning Sciences, Educational Leadership & Higher Education, and Counseling, Societal Change and Inquiry.
2022: Deans reviewed and defined the model throughout spring and summer of 2022, vetting with associate deans and department chairs, to finalize the model in Fall 2022 and vet with a broader audience.
2021: Faculty Senate Executive Committee reviewed the preliminary model and presented their recommendations.

FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Provost Dahlberg commissioned a staff committee, co-chaired by Mike Scott and Courtney Hendrix, to look into options for a flexible work arrangement for Academic Affairs STAFF (excluding faculty) that supports TCU’s Strategic Plan, Vision in Action: Lead On, specifically Goal 4, Strengthen the Workforce; Goal 1, Strengthen Academic Profile & Reputation, and Goal 3, Strengthen the TCU Experience & Campus Culture.

October 2022: The Academic Affairs Flexible Work Arrangement pilot program commences.
September 2002: Provost Dahlberg announced a Pilot Program for a 4/1 Model Flexible Work Arrangement for Academic Affairs staff.
August 2022: Based on recommendations from the committee and deans, one of the recommendations was chosen.
June 2022: The recommendations were reviewed by the deans.
April 2022: Provost’s staff committee made three recommendations for a flexible work arrangement for Academic Affairs employees.

PROMOTION & TENURE POLICIES REVIEW

A committee of faculty and members of the Provost’s Office are reviewing the Promotion and Tenure Policies; i.e. process, timeline)e, and faculty appeal process. the committee will make recommendations to improve the efficacy and clarity of these processes.

2023: Deliver a comprehensive calendar or flowchart with relevant action steps drawn from all current documentation. Create a website with robust FAQs.
2022: Review questions about the denial process, FAC committee decisions, and the meaning of “tenured faculty.”
2021: The committee began evaluating criteria for promotion and tenure for consistency across the university. The committee defined eligibility,

SHARED-COST HIRING INITIATIVE

The Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs instituted a Shared Cost Hiring Initiative that will provide up to 50% funding with a cap of $50,000 for newly hired tenured or tenure-track faculty who meet TCU’s established objectives of transforming faculty diversity at TCU. increase the number of meritorious teacher-scholars across all disciplines from underrepresented faculty. Our transformative goals are to foster an inclusive university community, achieve greater diversity in our professorial ranks, and expand the number of teacher-scholars engaged in innovative cutting-edge research.

2021: The initiative began and will continue through 2025.