Lecturer, Instructional, Research, and Clinical Faculty Task Force

This is an exciting moment in time for our campus community. With new leaders guiding our CU Denver efforts and a co-created strategic plan in hand, we are beginning to take action toward achieving our five bold goals.  Critical to achieving our goals is ensuring the well-being and success of lecturers and IRC faculty.    

Provost Nakuma recently charged a task force to develop a plan that would result in tangible improvements in the working conditions of our Lecturers, Instructors, and Clinical Teaching faculty. Our charge includes investigating and analyzing the policies and practices that affect the working conditions of our faculty and understanding how our faculty experience those policies and practices. Utilizing the impactful data collected, and recommendations made by UCDALI (under the thoughtful leadership of Vivian Shyu) as our springboard, Provost Nakuma has empowered our task force as a campus-level collaborative body engaged in high-priority work. 

Fourteen faculty and staff are participating in the task force.  Representation includes all schools, colleges and the library, Instructors, Clinical Teaching Track faculty, Faculty Assembly, UCDALI, HR professionals, Finance and Administration professionals, and the Center for Faculty Development and Advancement. As the Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs, I am guiding and facilitating the work of the task force. All members of the task force are deeply committed to this work and excited to be leading this effort together. 

The task force is currently collaborating with strategic central service partners such as OIRE, Benefits, and Finance and Administration to collect needed information. Critical to the success of this effort is collaboration with our library, schools and colleges.

- Joann Brennan, Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs

Task Force Representation

School/College Selected- 

• College of Architecture and Planning - Stephanie Kelly, Assistant Dean of Finance and Administration 
• College of Engineering, Design and Computing- Maryam Darbeheshti, Assistant Professor Clinical Teaching Track 
• School of Public Affairs- Wendy Bolyard, Clinical Assistant Professor and Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration Faculty Program Director
• College of Arts and Media- Elizabeth Pugliano, Instructor
• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences- Joan Bihun, Associate Professor Clinical Teaching Track 
• Business School - Jim Lopresti, Instructor 
• School of Education and Human Development - Lori Elliot, Associate Professor Clinical Teaching Track 

Additional Members- 

• Faculty Affairs Coordinator - Lee Potter, Office of Faculty Affairs
• UCDALI Representative – Vivian Shyu, Associate Professor Clinical Teaching Track, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Faculty Assembly Representative – Eric Baker, Senior Instructor, Library 
• Human Resources Director - Megan Jorgensen, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Assistant Dean Business and Operations – Karen Ludington, College of Arts & Media 
• Director Center for Faculty Development and Advancement – Karen Sobel, Associate Professor, Library 
• Lecturers Liaison and Dean’s Office Manager - Karen Fennel, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 

Updates from the Task Force

We are currently in the process of reviewing data from OIRE, creating a survey of questions for all IRC Faculty, and asking all schools/colleges to complete the Policies and Practices Request document and the Promotion and Annual Review Crosswalk. These documents will help us find solid information on the lived experience of the faculty on our campus. We are hoping that with this information we can better identify ways to improve that experience. Please feel free to review the documents below and provide us with your feedback.