Sarah R. Kirk
Provost and Dean of Faculty
Provost Kirk, as chief academic officer and dean of the faculty, is responsible for the planning, development and delivery of the Colleges’ educational programs and services. The Provost works with the faculty on curricular management and operations, supports faculty initiatives and development, and supervises academic support offices and centers of the Colleges. Provost Kirk started at the Colleges in June 2021.
Jamie MaKinster
Senior Associate Provost of Curriculum, Assessment and Strategic Planning
Senior Associate Provost MaKinster provides support for curricular initiatives for the Office of Academic and Faculty Affairs. She oversees assessment and accreditation; supports departments and programs in curricular matters; works with chairs on scheduling and curricular issues for the academic year; engages in a variety of initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion; supports faculty and students in the advising process; and represents the interests of the faculty in institutional decision making. MaKinster is a tenured member and a Professor in the Educational Studies Department and has been at the Colleges since 2002.
Nick Metz
Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Development
Associate Provost Metz provides support for faculty affairs and development for the Office of Academic and Faculty Affairs. He oversees new faculty orientation, faculty development, and supports department/program chairs. He serves as the primary contact for faculty members regarding developmental and procedural matters; and works with various institutional offices to assist with grantsmanship and other faculty support services. Metz is a tenured member and Associate Professor of the Geoscience Department and has been at the Colleges since 2011.
Susan Pliner
Associate Provost
Associate Provost Pliner oversees the Center for Teaching and Learning, Centennial Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning. She directs the First-Year Seminar Program, supporting faculty in advising, course development, and building inclusive learning environments. She serves as the Disability Coordinator for Faculty and works with diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across campus. Pliner teaches in Educational Studies, Social Justice Studies, the First-Year Seminar Program, the Master’s in Management, and the Master's in Higher Education Leadership and has been at the Colleges since 2006.
Katherine Walker
New York Six Mellon Academic Leadership Fellow and Special Assistant to the Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
In this two-year position, Associate Professor Walker will work with OAFA, the VP of DEI, and various offices across campus to develop and implement projects that support diversity, equity, and inclusion at the colleges. To that end, Professor Walker will engage in assessment, research, policy writing, and program implementation, with a focus on faculty experience and recruitment/hiring. As a mentee in the Office of Academic and Faculty Affairs, Professor Walker will also learn the principles of academic administration at the Colleges and in higher education more broadly.
Missy Weaver
Assistant Provost
Weaver supports the Provost and the Office of Academic and Faculty Affairs on faculty personnel matters, including the maintenance of faculty compensation, planning, and budgeting. She also maintains official records on the faculty regarding hiring, tenure and promotion, emeriti status, community service, faculty salaries, faculty bylaws, and sabbatical and leave requests as well as coordinates materials for staffing plans and enrollment management. Additionally, she supervises the Academic Department Coordinators. Weaver has been at the Colleges since 2007.
Kenda Furgeson
Assistant to the Provost
As the Assistant to the Provost, Furgeson is responsible for the operational budget including faculty travel and research grants of the Office and for course evaluations for First-Year Seminars and the Bidisciplinary Programs. She serves as the office manager and scheduler for the Office of Academic and Faculty Affairs and assists the Provost with endowment and grant management. Furgeson has been at the Colleges since 2018.
2023-24 FACULTY PRIZE RECIPIENTS
Faculty Prize in Teaching
Professor of Environmental Studies John Halfman
Faculty Prize in Community Service
Associate Professor of Media & Society Rebecca Burditt
Faculty Price in Diversity and Inclusion
Professor of Chemistry Christine de Denus