Esther L. Raizen, Associate Dean for Research
Lauren Apter, Institutional Research Analyst
Kristin Weidman, Senior Grants and Contracts Specialist
Jeff Meserve, Senior Grants and Contracts Specialist
Our Mission is to address workplace equity issues in the College of Liberal Arts, on a continuum that begins with graduate students and ends with full professors, and to identify systemic/programmatic problems that require attention. We coordinate our activities with the Provost's Office, and follow the Provost's lead in responding to the 2008 Gender Equity Report. We also work closely with the Graduate School.
In May of 2010 we established the Liberal Arts Gender Council, a group of 15 faculty members of all ranks and two student representatives, one undergraduate and one graduate student. Subcommittees of the COLA Gender Council study mentorship, dual-career hiring, graduate student affairs, the employment of lecturers, and indices of faculty productivity. The Council advises the Dean's office on gender equity issues.
The University of Texas offers many resources and programs that support the physical and mental health of faculty throughout the academic life cycle. While these are often looked at as separate from the federal and state policies that legislate the types of leave that are available to faculty, we in the College of Liberal Arts believe that these policies and resources belong together, representing a holistic approach and commitment to supporting the well being of our community.
The Dean of Liberal Arts, Randy Diehl, published the following letter in January 2010:
We at the College of Liberal Arts are aware that faculty often struggle to maintain a healthy balance between professional success and personal wellness. With this letter, I wish to endorse the policies that make it easier for faculty to have both a successful career and a fulfilling personal life, and urge our faculty to empower themselves by becoming acquainted with these policies.
The University of Texas offers many resources and programs that support the physical and mental health of faculty throughout the academic life cycle. While these are often looked at as separate from the federal and state policies that legislate the types of leave that are available to faculty, we at CoLA believe that these policies and resources belong together, representing a holistic approach and commitment to supporting the well being of our community.
I strongly recommend that you visit the Work-Life Balance website that the UT office of Human Resource Services has put together.
The site provides detailed information on policies that will be of use at different points in your career, including Extension of the Probationary Period, Family Medical Leave, and Modification of Instructional Duties. The site also provides links to information on childcare, eldercare, health and wellness, sports and recreation, and much more.
A question that often comes up in discussions with junior faculty is whether there will be negative consequences for extending the probationary period or for receiving modification of instructional duties. I would like to state, in no uncertain terms, that I endorse these important policies, which are available for faculty to utilize to their benefit and the benefit of their families. COLA chairs are well aware of the policies and their purpose, as are members of the Promotion and Tenure committee, and the Offices of the Provost and President. Faculty will not be penalized for taking advantage of these accommodations.
I encourage you to work with your chair and with the COLA office of Human Resources to identify, when the need arises, the course of action that will serve you best. The College is committed to your well being and success, and I welcome all questions and comments that would help us make UT in general and COLA in particular an environment where it is possible to succeed professionally while maintaining personal wellness.
Randy L. Diehl
Dean
Pre-Award
The College of Liberal Arts actively encourages faculty to apply for external governmental and non-governmental grants and fellowships. Our team provides personalized pre-award and post-award support services to faculty interested in seeking external resources for research and instruction.
We will be happy to work with you on your proposals-feel free to email, call, or stop by our office.
General Inquiries:
grants@mail.laits.utexas.edu
http://www.utexas.edu/research/admin/awards/
Contacts:
Kristin Weidman
kristin@austin.utexas.edu
232-0760
471-4518 (fax)
Jeff Meserve
meserve@austin.utexas.edu
232-0716
471-4518 (fax)
The University-wide resource for grants is the Office of the Vice President for Research.
Post-Award
The College offers support for establishing budget groups, subcontracts, hotel agreements, business contracts, and the like. Our office approves faculty requests for leave and handles other management issues related to grant operations. We encourage you to contact the post-award office for assistance early in your grant period.
Contact:
Destin Ray Smith, CTPM, CRA
Contract Administrator and Faculty Leave Liason
Dorothy L. Gebauer Building 3.224
232-1479
471-4518 (fax)
Humanities Research Awards
Humanities Research Awards are College of Liberal Arts-sponsored grants that provide funding for tenured and tenure-track faculty whose work falls within the disciplines of the humanities. The awards support faculty in their effort to bring to completion a research project already in progress, and the expectation is that the recipient will produce one or more publications and make his or her work known to the academic community through conferences and other venues. The award is $5,000 for three consecutive years, for a total of $15,000. Ten awards will be granted in the 2010-2011 academic year.
Contact:
Lauren Apter
apter@austin.utexas.edu
232-2094
Our office takes a special interest in the success of graduate students in the College of Liberal Arts, during the period of enrollment and upon graduation. We collaborate with the Dean of the Graduate School and with the Graduate Student Assembly to stay on top of issues that affect the graduate student population.
We continually seek to improve campus resources and procedures to benefit graduate students in the areas of work-life balance, mentorship, career planning, and placement of graduates in academic and training-related jobs. Please stay in touch with us as you begin to advise and mentor graduate students.
