University of North Texas 
Faculty Development
- Department Chairs Guidebook
- Introduction
- Academic Resources
- Personnel
- Faculty Development
- Reporting
- Other Important Resources
The Faculty Success Office (FSO) is a critical resource for faculty learning, development, communication, and policy-related matters. The mission of FSO is to cultivate and support faculty through learning, development, and social opportunities, enhance faculty career capabilities through learning and development workshops, and to accelerate their career advancement and recognition through our awards and grants programs.
Our office also monitors faculty-related data (satisfaction and advancement) and policy changes to ensure our faculty are supported, treated equitably, and thrive in their career. The FSO partners with many units across campus in addition to our VPAA departments, including the Division of Planning, Division of Compliance, International Affairs, DSI-CLEAR, Branding, and the President's Office to support our faculty.
The Faculty Success Office sponsors workshops each year to support faculty in developing community, building their capabilities, and advancing their career. These include new faculty orientation, new adjunct orientation, promotion and tenure, well-being and mental health, faculty development leave, faculty writing groups, teaching workshops, and special topics in collaboration with our division and college partners to support the changing needs of our faculty. The Faculty Success Newsletter (September-May) will include a list of these events which can also be found on the Faculty Success calendar.
Faculty Success also oversees, updates and advises on all academic affairs (6.000) policies. The Assistant Vice Provost is the lead and can answer questions about academic affairs.
Faculty Success supports two leadership development programs - Academic Affairs Fellows
and Leadership Fellows. Both nine-month programs help emerging and current leaders
interested in moving into administrative positions within academic affairs. Calls
will go out each spring and selections occur late spring-summer. Academic Affairs
Fellows work with the Vice Provost on university-level projects. Leadership Fellows
work on college-level projects under the supervision of their Dean or Associate Dean.
The FOS also oversees the Chair Academy and New Chair Training which support unit
administrators in their learning and development as leaders.
Department chairs play an important role in recognizing UNT's faculty by recommending or nominating faculty in their department for awards presented for excellence in teaching, research/creative activities, and service. The Faculty Success Office website contains a comprehensive list of awards, selection processes, deadlines and calls for nominations for the variety of awards specific to faculty. Award categories include, but are not limited to:
- UNT Foundation Awards: Eminent, Community Engagement, Faculty Leadership, and Outstanding Lecturer
- University Distinguished Professorships
- Regents Professorship
- Teaching Awards
- Mentoring Awards
- Research & Creativity Awards
- Emeritus Faculty
- Service Awards
Faculty Success celebrates our faculty with the annual Salute to Faculty Success event each spring.
Faculty development leaves at UNT are authorized for the general purpose of increasing the value of the recipients' sustained contribution to the University. They provide the individual with an opportunity for professional growth and may be granted (upon application) for study, research, writing, field observations, or other suitable purposes. UNT Policy 06.010 Faculty Development Leave outlines the three classes of leave, eligibility, procedures, and authorizations, and leave period and compensation. Applicants must initiate the request for faculty development leave with the chair of the department who forwards the request to the dean of the faculty member's academic unit for endorsement. The call, evaluation criteria, and application process guide for faculty development leave can be found on the Faculty Success Office website.
Chairs collaborate with the Faculty Success Office in many ways, one of them being the UNT Faculty Mentoring Program. Chairs are responsible for identifying mentors for new faculty across all ranks and will be contacted each September by FOS to invite them to a series of mentoring programs. The Mentoring Program provides new faculty with support and resources to help faculty transition into new roles and strengthen connections across campus departments.
Additional mentoring offerings for faculty include:
- CREATE Mentoring Grant: The Creative and Research Enhancement Activity Time for Engagement (CREATE) Program is also available for new assistant professors. The program's purpose is to facilitate the development of new networks and collaborators for new assistant professors and enhance their scholarly productivity. Upon successful reappointment review in their third year, assistant professors will be eligible to apply for the award to be used during the fourth or fifth year of the faculty member's appointment.
- Mentoring Grants: The Mentoring Grant Program provides financial support for full-time faculty across all ranks. During the spring semester, a call for proposals is publicized and faculty members are encouraged to apply for individual or team grants. These grants are designed to help faculty gain institutional knowledge, support teaching and/or research efforts, and develop professional networks.
The Conference Support program aims to help full-time faculty members become more outwardly visible in their field and develop robust professional networks to support their career development, including achieving tenure and promotion. UNT will reimburse each awardee for up to $1,000 towards participation in a top national or international conference, performance, development, or showcase venue relevant to their field. This award is to be used only for travel related to the faculty member's employment responsibilities, namely, research, teaching, or service. Information can be found on the Conference Support website.
Faculty Resource Groups (FRGs) provide mentoring, support, and networking to their members. Each FRG is open to all faculty and are led by chair/co-chair or team approach.
The Center for Learning Experimentation, Application, and Research (CLEAR) works closely with faculty to maximize their teaching effectiveness regardless of their mode of instructional delivery. CLEAR assists faculty in the design and delivery of courses as well as with the measurement of learning at the class, department, and college level. CLEAR offers workshops, seminars, conferences, individual consultations, production services, and many other resources across all disciplines.
The Teaching Excellence Handbook is an instructor guide to Teaching Excellence at UNT, and includes an overview of teaching policies, required syllabus language, and tips on preparing to teach at UNT for the first time. The handbook is divided into three main sections: Definitions and Policies, Teaching at UNT, and Teaching Online. It can be found on the Center for Learning Experimentation, Application, and Research (CLEAR) website within the larger Teaching Commons site, a “virtual resource and gathering space for UNT educators,” with robust sections on teaching essentials, featured faculty, and teaching commons podcast.
- Email: clearhelp@unt.edu
- Location: Support and Services Building
- Phone: (940) 565-4946
- Website: http://clear.unt.edu/
- Executive Director: Rudi Thompson: Rudi@unt.edu