Dear Academic Affairs colleagues,
I hope you are enjoying the fall semester and our first taste of fall weather. My message this week includes an advising announcement, reminders about hiring processes, and upcoming diversity and inclusion events.
New Advising Software
I am excited to announce the recent acquisition of a new academic advising software platform, Stellic, to be implemented campus-wide. This integrated platform will benefit both students and advisors by helping students make informed decisions and providing faculty and professional advisors with a cohesive means to deliver student support.
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. Academic Advising will introduce Stellic during a soft launch in Spring 2023, gather feedback, and then launch full-scale in the summer.
I want to thank Dr. Annorah Moorman, associate vice provost of student success, and the team she assembled for their work in researching and implementing this software platform.
Faculty Hiring Checklist
I remind you that we are piloting the Faculty Hiring Checklist to facilitate efforts 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 committee selection to onboarding. Find the checklist and more information here: provost.tcu.edu/faculty-resources/faculty-hiring-checklist/. We welcome your feedback at AApilotprograms@tcu.edu.
To further your hiring skills, I encourage you to participate in Selection Committee Training offered by TCU HR. Required for serving on a selection committee, the training focuses on diversifying the applicant pool and eliminating bias and missteps in the selection process. Sign up via my.tcu.edu.
Diversity and Inclusion Events
TCU is hosting two events I hope you will consider attending and encourage students to attend.
The Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month Celebration, Sept. 29, features Dr. Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, dean of the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas and frequent contributor to MSNBC, discussing “Creating Systemic Change: A Latina’s Journey in Public Service and Academia.” To register: calendar.tcu.edu/event/hispaniclatinx_heritage_month_celebration_ft_dr_soto.
The sixth annual Native American and Indigenous Peoples Day Symposium, Oct. 3., “The Future is Indigenous: Popular Culture for the Seventh Generation,” features two keynotes by artist and producer Miranda Due discussing representation of Indigenous peoples in video games. You can also schedule your class to meet Carl Kurtz TCU ’14 at his tipi lodge on Campus Commons. To register: calendar.tcu.edu/event/6th-Annual-Native-American-and-Indigenous-Peoples-Day-Symposium.
Have a great rest of your week and Go Frogs!
Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg
Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs