Greetings Mean Green Colleagues,

It is festival season at UNT, with celebrations honoring Native American cultures, Día de los Muertos, and Diwali! Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with special lunch menus at any UNT Dining Hall Wednesday, Nov. 29, in collaboration with the UNT Native American Student Association.

Nov. 11 is Veterans Day, honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. More than 3,000 members of the military community and their families attend UNT, and we are committed to supporting our Mean Green veterans. You can show your appreciation for those who have served at one of the many Veterans Day celebrations happening across DFW this weekend.

I want to pay special recognition to the College of Visual Arts and Design, whose 130/30 Celebration recognizing “130 years of teaching art and 30 years of standing apart” had to be cancelled due to a water line break in Denton. I learned a lot about the rich history of CVAD and its rise to being one of the top colleges of art and design in the nation from Dean Karen Hutzel’s discussion of CVAD’s origin story.

Together with a cadre of over 50 dedicated faculty serving on our Salute to Faculty Excellence (SFE) review committees, we are halfway through selecting our 2024 award winners who will be recognized during the spring semester. For those who submitted nominations, please consider repurposing your application for one of our prestigious NRUF-eligible awards.

Finally, your Faculty Success team has some great initiatives listed on our calendar for this fall. I urge you to bring a colleague and make your way over to our Faculty Lounge (University Union 249) for coffee, tea, snacks, and good conversation or quiet reflection time. This “nest” is supported by Faculty Success for you.

From Faculty Success to you – Go Mean Green!  

Holly M. Hutchins, Ph.D. (she/her)

Vice Provost, Faculty Success

Nov. 13

Research in the Classroom Faculty Panel

Looking for new, creative ways to incorporate research in the classroom? This multidisciplinary faculty panel will offer insight, tangible activities, and resources for developing courses that are infused with research. UNT faculty panelists include:

• Dr. Molly Atkinson, Assistant Professor, Chemistry
• Dr. Karine Narahara, Assistant Professor, Anthropology
• Dr. Bugao Xu, Professor, CMHT/Computer Science & Engineering
• Dr. Bibiana Vergine, Visiting Lecturer, Music History
• Dr. Brittany Frieson, Assistant Professor, Teacher, Education and Administration

Nov. 16

Professional Faculty Workshop



This informal Q&A session is designed for lecturers and clinical assistants who want to learn more about the promotion process. Unit administrators and support staff who assist in the process are encouraged to attend as well.

UNT ELEVAR earns THECB Star Award

UNT has been selected as a 2023 Star Award recipient in recognition of UNT ELEVAR, our four-year inclusive postsecondary education program for students with intellectual disabilities. The program — the second of its kind in the state — is jointly facilitated by the College of Health and Public Service and College of Education.

CLASS Advisory Board Award Winners

Congratulations to the 2023 CLASS Advisory Board honorees:

• Dr. Megan Morrissey, Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
• Dr. Myungsup Kim, Excellence in Graduate Teaching
• Dr. J. Todd Moye, Excellence in Research, Scholarship, Creative Activity

Learn more about the CLASS Advisory Board awards and see past winners.

Coming December 2023:



In Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategies: Learning from Journalism and Mass Communication Programs with Professional Impact, Dr. Dorothy Bland (Professor, Mayborn School of Journalism) and her co-author, Dr. Masudul Biswas (Professor of Communication, Loyola University Maryland), offer practical recommendations for developing and implementing a DEI plan that works with an academic program’s culture, students, faculty and staff, curriculum, and teaching.

Coming April 2024:



The culmination of a decade of research by Professor of History Dr. Constance B. Hilliard, Ancestral Genomics examines the limits of race as a heuristic in genomic medicine and shows how, by analyzing “ecological niche populations,” our increasingly advanced genomic technologies can serve African Americans and other people of color while avoiding racial essentialism. 

International Faculty Network seeking new leaders

The International Faculty Network is a Faculty Resource Group (FRG) dedicated to helping international faculty bridge cultural differences, build community, and more. As an FRG leader, you can serve a crucial role in cultivating an inclusive environment where all UNT faculty are valued, included, and empowered to succeed. 

Email faculty.success@unt.edu if you are interested in helping to facilitate the International Faculty Network!

Learning Center on Canvas: A one-stop shop for student success

The UNT Learning Center Canvas page connects students with services, events, and resources that can help them succeed, such as academic coaching, tutoring, and supplemental instruction. As the end of the semester approaches, please encourage your students to enroll in the Learning Center Canvas page and take advantage of the many services they offer!