Provost’s Newsletter: News and Updates from the Division of Academic Affairs for July 26, 2023

July 26, 2023

Dear Baruch Community:

Many of you have contacted me about trends, developments, and current events that are challenging the higher education status quo. One is exemplified by Texas State Senate Bill 17, taking effect September 1, which bans offices, training, and programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In stark contrast, CUNY last week launched its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Hub. As its landing page notes, we “are doing cutting-edge work in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) space.” At Baruch, we do this through our everyday activities and special programming led by the academic schools’ equity and diversity committees and task groups; the Office of Diversity, Compliance, and Equity Initiatives; and elsewhere within the College community. In 2023–24, the Office of the Provost will be continuing the DEI Fridays programming that originated in the Marxe School and will launch a series of informal monthly “coffee chats” that align with the cultural heritage month activities organized by Student Affairs. Look for details soon.

Another important—one could say disruptive—trend in higher education is artificial intelligence (AI). If you ask Siri a question, or have a Roomba, you use AI; it has been around for decades. However, readily available generative AI models, like that used by ChatGPT and Google Bard, are relatively new and will radically transform both education and work for decades. Our students will be graduating into an even more AI-assisted world than existed when ChatGPT grabbed everyone’s attention last fall. As higher education professionals, we will need to understand generative AI and teach our students (and our ourselves) how to use it ethically and effectively. Toward that goal, a series of events has been planned. The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is planning a series of workshops on using AI in and for the classroom. The Office of the Provost is hosting a campus-wide Artificial Intelligence Summit on Friday, Sept. 22 (details below). Additional activities and learning opportunities are being planned by the academic schools and other campus units, drawing on expertise both internal and external. This topic will be a throughline for the year, both in this newsletter and on campus.

Many thanks to those members of the community who sent me reading recommendations following the last issue of the Provost’s Newsletter!

With warm regards,

Dr. Linda Essig
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Campus Updates

President Wu Announces the Appointment of Alaina Gilligo
Today, President Wu announced the appointment of Alaina Gilligo as Vice President for Operations and Administration, effective Monday, Aug. 21. Vice President Gilligo will be responsible for all aspects of the administrative, operational, and fiscal functions of the College. Learn more about her background, and please join me in welcoming her.

Save the Date: AI Summit on Friday, September 22
The Office of the Provost is hosting an AI Summit on Friday, Sept. 22. Please save the date. We will begin at 9 am with a presentation by Petar Petrov, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer for Eleven Ventures and a Baruch alumnus (BBA ’08). Following the presentation, we will hold small group discussions facilitated by CTL Interim Director Lisa Blankenship and Provost Essig.

Faculty Affairs

Online Resources Through the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity
Baruch College is an institutional member of the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD). This organization provides on-demand access to tools, courses, webinars, mentoring, and other resources to support faculty development and success in academia. Many Baruch faculty members are already making use of NCFDD resources. If you have not yet claimed your free individual membership, go to facultydiversity.org and enter your information using your @baruch.cuny.edu email address.

Faculty Profile Pages Will Go Live on Tuesday, August 15
Please take a moment to review your faculty profile page before the launch date on Tuesday, Aug. 15. To access your Faculty Profile Page, you must be at Baruch or connected to the campus network via VPN. Once you access the individualized link to your page (through your browser of choice), please focus your review on the following tabs: Biography, Research and Creative Activities, Honors and Awards, and Service. The information on these tabs can be edited through Interfolio Faculty 180. Any modifications to your Interfolio account will appear on your page the following day (after the nightly system refresh). You do not need to review the Grants tab at this time, because this information still needs to be updated. Find general information about the profile pages and continuously updated FAQs here. For additional questions, please contact Associate Provost Raquel Fich.

Teaching and Learning

Associate Provosts Gain Insights at National Conference
Last week, Associate Provosts Raquel Fich and John Osae-Kwapong attended American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ (AASCU) Academic Affairs summer meetings in Baltimore. The theme of the conference this year was “The Courageous New World of Teaching and Learning” and featured a variety of sessions on AI impacts in higher education, investing in faculty to support student success, institutional transformation, data-driven institutional effectiveness, digital learning initiatives, and equity-centered teaching and learning. Associate Provost Osae-Kwapong attended a pre-conference workshop on academic program review. Insights learned there will be shared with the Assessment Council.

Research

Baruch Faculty Secure Large Grants!
Dr. Zachary Calamari, Assistant Professor of Biology in the Department of Natural Sciences, has been named to the 2023 class of Beckman Young Investigator Awardees. The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation award recognizes Dr. Calamari’s research on hoofed mammal skulls and includes a $600,000 grant over four years, supporting genomics and morphology research as well as providing funds for paid summer research experiences for Baruch undergraduates. Dr. Calamari’s research is also showcased in the Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation at the American Museum of Natural History. Read more here.

Dr. Diane Gibson, Professor and Executive Director of the New York Federal Statistical Research Data Center, and Dr. Jessica Greene, Professor and Luciano Chair of Health Care Policy, were awarded a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study the impact of the end of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Medicaid health insurance program from the perspective of people with Medicaid. The two Marxe professors will work with approximately 50 nonprofit organizations nationwide to understand the current landscape as states begin to require Medicaid coverage renewal for all participants for the first time after a three-year pandemic-related hiatus.

Publication News
Dr. Pamela Kierejczyk Thielman, Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Communication Studies, authored the article “Citing Images of Theatre and Performance in the Classroom,” which was featured in the Theatre Topics special July issue on citation.

Want to share your recent publications, awards, or achievements? Faculty can click here. Staff can click here. Be sure to put “For the newsletter” in the subject line of your email.

Deadlines and Reminders

Faculty Convocation Is Thursday, September 21
Faculty should please save the date and plan to attend the annual Baruch College Faculty Convocation scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 21, from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. As is customary, we will celebrate and recognize faculty achievements, including career milestones, recent research and creative accomplishments, and distinguished teaching. Additionally, we look forward to welcoming one of the largest cohorts of new hires in recent years. More details about the Faculty Convocation program, including this year’s engaging and inspiring keynote speaker and a special guest, will be available in late August.

Stay Connected

Strategic Planning
You can follow progress on the Baruch College Community Strategic Planning process on the Strategic Planning page.

President Wu’s Blog
Join the conversation at President Wu’s blog. Read and comment here.

Newsletter Items?
If you have an item you would like considered for inclusion in the biweekly Provost’s Newsletter, please click here to send an email to the Provost mailbox. Please note that the Academic Affairs Events Calendar will return in August.