News and Announcements

Provost Schedules Visits to Each USC Department, College and School

Provost Michael Amiridis will meet with faculty and students in each academic unit on the Columbia and Regional campuses, including the School of Medicine over the fall and spring semesters.

***QUESTIONS ABOUT WHEN THE PROVOST IS COMING TO YOUR UNIT?***

Contact your department chair or dean for more detailed information regarding scheduled date for individuals visits, requested data submissions and other details.

VISIT SCHEDULE

The department visits will occur throughout the fall and spring semesters. All currently scheduled meetings are listed on the Provost's web calendar. The calendar can be viewed in either standard or list view.

Please contact the department or college regarding the final meeting agenda, requested data submissions and other information.

PURPOSE OF DEPARTMENTAL VISITS

The department visits will provide the provost with first-hand knowledge of each unit's strengths and accomplishments, plans for the future and challenges and concerns going forward. Additionally, the visits will familiarize the provost with each unit's facilities and academic spaces.

Click here to read the Provost's Memo to the Deans regarding the visits (PDF version)

MEETING AGENDA AND DISCUSSION TOPICS

The agenda for each visit will be tailored to fit the demographics of each department, but a
typical meeting format is outlined below:

Meeting with Department Chair (and/or Dean)
Meeting with all Faculty and Department Chair (and/or Dean)
Meeting with Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty only
Meeting with Students (Graduate and Undergraduate)
Walk around Facilities

The provost is asking each unit to consider the following questions in preparation for the discussions:

Which universities in the United States have the top 10 departments in your discipline? Is your department among the top ten?
Which five departments at other United States universities are considered to be your peers?
Briefly describe the department's top strengths and important accomplishments achieved in the last five years.
Other than finances, list the department's three greatest difficulties and three greatest weaknesses.
Describe the department's top three goals and priorities for this year, and also for the next decade.
Among current University-wide policies and procedures, which ones are helpful? Which ones are ineffective and need to be improved or eliminated? Why?
In what infrastructure areas does your unit need assistance and/or improvement? (Examples include facilities, technology, teaching and/or research support, etc.)
Any additional specific concerns to discuss with the provost, such as accreditation, workload and/or workforce issues, impediments to success, etc.?

DATA REQUESTS IN PREPARATION FOR VISITS

In addition to written responses from units to the above questions, the Provost Office will assemble two sets of information for the provost in preparation for each visit, as outlined below.

Two-page summaries of faculty accomplishments will be requested for each faculty member, in a standard format.
A data packet addressing each item below as applicable, collected and prepared by both the department and Provost Office.
- Tenure-track and tenured faculty: name, rank, date of hire, date of tenure
- Non-tenure track faculty: name of research and clinical faculty, rank, date of hire
- Instructors/senior instructors/lecturers: names, rank, date of hire
- Degrees: offered and granted in the last five years, by year
- Fall enrollment by degree for last 18 terms
- Credit hours: generated in the last five years, given by year
- External research awards for the last five years
- Accrediting agency and schedule. Please note any changes in accreditation guidelines and rules.
- Post-doctoral fellows: number, source of funding, fellowships, grants, contracts (last three to five years)
- Bachelor's degree recipients for 2008-2009: placement in industry, government, military, graduate school, unemployed/uncommitted (if known)
- Number of credit hours taught: (last three years)
  - Tenured and tenure-track faculty for General Education and Major courses
  - Non tenure-track full-time and part-time faculty for General Education and Major courses
- Title and number of credit hours of upper division courses offered for other majors (last three years)
- Doctoral students or terminal degree students
  - Names and placement in the last three or five years
  - Names and undergraduate institutions of doctoral students (incoming) in the last three years
- Number of current Master's students and placement of Master's students from academic year 2009 (if known)

QUESTIONS?

Contact your department chair or dean for more detailed information regarding scheduled date for individuals visits, requested data submissions and other details.