Schedule 2024- Academic Affairs and Student Success Summit
Academic Affairs and Student Affairs Summit
Wellness and Success: Building a “Future-Ready” Campus
November 7-8, 2024Drury Plaza Inn Nashville Downtown
All sessions in room “Belmont” unless otherwise specified.
All times below listed in Central Standard Time.
Nov. 7 – Day One Schedule
- Dr. Leigh Morales, Director of Student Success, UT System Office of Academic Affairs, Research and Student Success (Emcee)
- Dr. Jessi Gold, Chief Wellness Officer, UT System Office of Academic Affairs, Research and Student Success
- Dr. Bernie Savarese, Vice President, UT System Office of Academic Affairs, Research and Student Success
Presenter: Dr. Jennifer Keup, Vice President, Urban Initiatives & Executive Director, Coalition of Urban Serving Universities, Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities (APLU)
Description: The modern era of higher education seems to be characterized by continuous “unprecedented” challenges and unrelenting external demands to clarify our purpose and defend our value. In response, scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and leaders have reexamined what student success means and the strategies for achieving it. Many of these tactics include more holistic, systemic, and collaborative approaches. Yet, faculty, staff, and administrators often languish in siloed silence as they grapple with their own resilience, success, and well-being. This session will review recent models and theories for student success and examine their impact and implications for “educator success.” In particular, this presentation will focus on practices and principles that represent cross-functional approaches, reflect institutional type and context, and consider the opportunities and challenges of a system-wide effort.
Each campus will prepare a 10-minute presentation focused on three main points:
- Discuss the efforts–including strategies, programs, and/or policies–your campus has taken to promote wellness and success of faculty and staff. Highlight specific examples of how these efforts have positively impacted your campus community.
- Describe the steps your campus is taking to become “future-ready,” focusing specifically on adapting to the needs of faculty and staff. This portion of your presentation could include a focus on campus-, college, or division-specific discussions or initiatives.
- Summarize how these actions are connected to short- and long-term goals or plans.
Building a Future-Ready University through Total Organizational Health
Presenter: Dr. Chris Cunningham, Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology, UT Chattanooga
Description: “Future readiness” in any organization requires a resilient workforce that can sustain its engagement over time. In university settings, the work of faculty and student support staff is incredibly complex and demanding. Figuring out where to invest time, effort, and other resources to protect these critical employees can seem overwhelming. Thankfully, there is evidence-based guidance that can be followed to protect and promote employee health, safety, and well-being in higher education environments. This presentation will provide an overview of an ongoing initiative to build a more sustainable, future-ready culture for Total Organizational Health at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). This will include emphasizing how this work is structured and could be applied in other higher education contexts. Specific lessons for supervisors and administrators working with faculty and student support staff will also be emphasized.
Starting at 5:30pm, there will be a “kick-back” reception on the 8th floor for Summit attendees.
Jennifer Keup, PhD
Jennifer Keup, PhD, is the executive director for the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities (USU). In this role she provides leadership for the organization’s operational, programmatic, strategic and scholarly activities. USU is unique for its presidential membership of urban-serving, public, research universities committed to connecting local, regional and national networks developing and scaling the innovations necessary to deliver equitable outcomes for today’s postsecondary students. In addition, Dr. Keup serves as the vice president of Urban Initiatives at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) to support, advocate and advance the needs and interests of APLU institutions in urban settings. Prior to coming to USU and APLU, Dr. Keup served as the executive director of the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition at the University of South Carolina for over 15 years and maintains the title of Senior Fellow with the Center. Dr. Keup’s scholarship, leadership, teaching and service focus on two complementary areas: (a) student success, particularly during the transition to college, and (b) high-impact practices and institutional interventions. Keup has authored many publications, including the book Developing and Sustaining Successful First-Year Programs: A Guide for Practitioners, the CAS Cross-Functional Framework for First-Year Experiences, and numerous scholarly journal articles. Keup is a proud three-time alum of UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s and Ph.D. in higher education and organizational change.
Christopher J. L. Cunningham, PhD
Christopher J. L. Cunningham, PhD, is a Guerry Professor and UC Foundation Professor of Psychology at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), where he is also the Industrial and Organizational Psychology Graduate Program Director and the director of the Healthy and Optimal Work research and applications lab. Chris primarily teaches graduate-level seminars for organizational and occupational health psychology (OHP), consulting skills and ethics, and organizational development and change. His current research addresses multiple OHP topics, including: stress and recovery processes and practices; the influence of individual differences and environmental factors on cognitions and behaviors; and the challenges and realities associated with work and nonwork interrole dynamics. Chris was the 2020 and 2021 President for the Society for Occupational Health Psychology and is an Associate Editor for Occupational Health Science and an editorial board member for seven high-impact journals in the applied psychology and occupational health domain. Chris also co-authored (with colleague Dr. Kristen Black in 2021) the Essentials of Occupational Health Psychology textbook and developed the freely available Understanding and Preventing Burnout among Public Health Workers: Guidance for Public Health Leaders training series released by NIOSH/CDC in Spring 2023.
Nov. 8 – Day Two Schedule
Role-based Strategies for a Future-Ready Campus: Advancing Faculty and Staff Wellness and Success
Description: This interactive break-out session focuses on designing a future-ready campus that enhances faculty and staff wellness, boosts success, and strengthens overall campus resilience. Participants will join groups tailored to their roles across higher education, including faculty and academic affairs, student success and student affairs, access and engagement, and wellness. Each group will delve into customized strategies that align with their unique responsibilities and challenges in fostering a campus environment where faculty and staff can thrive.
Facilitators:
- Dr. Bernie Savarese: CAOs/CSAOS, GRA, OGC (or designees)
- (Group 1: Blue: Belmont)
- Dr. Matt Matthews: Academic and Faculty Affairs
- (Group 2: Orange: Belle Meade A)
- Dr. Leigh Morales: Student Success and Student Affairs
- (Group 3: Black: Belle Meade B)
- Jeff Danso: Access and Engagement
- (Group 4: Green: Old Hickory)
- Dr. Jessi Gold: Wellness
- (Group 5: Pink: Charlotte)
Description: As the demands on educational environments evolve, prioritizing a supportive culture is essential to ensure both present and long-term sustainability and engagement. In this fireside chat, UT System leaders will explore how the System Office can work in collaboration with campus leaders to build resilient, future-ready campuses that champion wellness and success for faculty and staff.
Moderator: Dr. Bernie Savarese, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Research and Student Success, UT System
- Jeff Danso, Executive Director for Access and Engagement, UT System
- Dr. Matt Matthews, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, UT System
- Dr. Leigh Morales, Director for Student Success, UT System
- Dr. Jessi Gold, Chief Wellness Officer, UT System
Introduction: Randy Boyd, UT System President
Facilitator: Dr. Jorge Perez, Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, UT System
Boxed Lunch will be provided