Academic Programs Office

Staff

Kendrick Brown, Associate Dean of the Faculty, brown@macalester.edu

Student Learning Assessment: Student learning happens both in and out of the classroom. The Academic Programs Office coordinates faculty and staff efforts to better understand what our students are learning and the best ways to reliably acquire that information.

Department and Faculty Reviews: At various stages, faculty undergo reviews from professionals within their discipline. The Academic Programs Office gathers information required for such personnel reviews by identifying qualified faculty from other colleges who can comment on the faculty member’s accomplishments. Additionally, the Office coordinates department reviews conducted by external faculty evaluators.

Student-Faculty Research Collaborations: Every summer, students have the opportunity to work closely with faculty collaborators on a project of their choosing that will deepen the student’s appreciation of their discipline. The Academic Programs Office solicits applications, works with a faculty committee to select recipients, and supports the collaborative effort that results.

Lynn Hertz, Assistant Provost, hertz@macalester.edu, X6330

Lynn acts as the Provost’s representative for issues involving staff; office space; non-tenured faculty; grants; program, endowed and salary budgets.  She also manages the Faculty Travel and Research (FTR) Fund and the Tom Leonard Fund.

FTR - Full time faculty, and part-time faculty after their first year, are eligible for reimbursement for professional development expenses such as travel to conferences, professional organization dues, and books. 

Tom Leonard Fund.   This is an endowed fund that was established to reimburse faculty for the cost of entertaining students outside of regular class meetings.  The fund will reimburse for food and beverages for meals at the faculty member’s home or another location.  It does not cover meals eaten at a restaurant.

Grant salary payments: Work with faculty to arrange summer and other grant salary payments.

Ann Minnick, Director of Academic Programs, aminnick@macalester.edu

Student Advisement:  Macalester uses a faculty advisement model.  The Academic Programs Office manages advising assignments, provides resources and support to advisers, meets with students in academic difficulty, and supports students in major decision-making.

First-Year Courses:  All incoming first-year students are required to take in their first semester a course that is designed to assist them in their transition to college, specifically to the liberal arts model, and to Macalester’s academic expectations of them.  All First-Year Courses have a common emphasis on college-level writing and basic library research skills.  The Academic Programs Office recruits faculty, manages student enrollment, hires and supports writing assistants, and facilitates co-curricular activities associated with the FYCs. 

Honors Program:  In the Spring of their Junior Year students apply through their departments to conduct an honors project in their Senior Year.  The Academic Programs Office monitors this process, provides logistical support to both students and faculty, and organizes various events to recognize the work of those participating in the program. 

Scholarships and Fellowships:  The majority of scholarships and fellowships that require institutional nomination are handled by the Academic Programs Office.  The Office works on recruitment and mentoring, as well as on selection and nomination.

Student Travel Fund:  The Academic Programs Office has resources to support student travel to present at academic conferences.  Students are typically allowed one $350 award per year through this competitive process.

Speaker’s Fund:  The Academic Programs Office has resources to support outside speakers making in-class presentations.  Honoraria are typically $100 per speaker per course; faculty may make multiple requests per semester/year.

Academic Prizes and Awards:  The Academic Programs Office collaborates with departments in recognizing the outstanding performance of students.  In addition to managing the dispersement of funds and running several of the competitions, the Office coordinates the annual Academic Prize and Awards ceremony each Spring.

Brenda Piatz, Program Assistant, Academic Programs Office, piatz@macalester.edu

Assists the Director of Academic Programs with managing student advising, running the first year course program, coordinating the Honors program, working with scholarships and fellowships, and managing academic prizes and awards.

Works with the Director of Academic Programs in managing the outside speaker fund for classroom speakers and the student travel fund for students presenting work at academic conferences.

Manages Macalester’s on-line language placement tests.

Works with the Assistant Provost and processes Faculty Travel and Research (FTR)             requests and Leonard Fund requests, and provides information to faculty on how the funds can be spent, deadlines, etc.

Works with the Associate Dean of the Faculty on tenure, pre-tenure and promotion matters, and department reviews.  Maintains the internal files and solicits student evaluations.

Works with the Associate Dean of the Faculty in managinlyg the SFSR grants and managing summer research employment and housing.