Skip to Main Content
A-Z Index
College of Arts and Sciences
oneColumn

COAS Dean's Communications

  • Spring 2024

    COAS Dean's Update - January 2024

    Dear Colleagues,

    Happy New Year! Welcome back to campus and I hope this message finds you refreshed and ready for the semester ahead. I am writing to share a few updates and initiatives that we are working on this Spring.

    The COAS Strategic Planning Taskforce is hard at work and there will be opportunities this semester for you to provide input to shape the shared vision that will guide our college's future. Stay tuned for more details on how you can contribute as we seek to align with the broader goals outlined in the University's strategic plan.

    Student success across the student lifecycle will continue to be a key priority in the College. Given COAS’ role in GenEd, we play a crucial role in the success of all FTIC (First-Time-In-College) students. I am deeply appreciative of the work that many of you do helping these students successfully transition from high school to college. I am happy to report that the University has reached a 95% re-enrollment rate for the Fall 2023 FT FTIC cohort. Working closely with Advising and Undergraduate Studies, we were also able to reach a 95% re-enrollment for COAS majors within this Fall 2023 FTIC cohort. Thanks to all of you who participated in our registration campaign in late Fall to reach out to students who had not yet registered.

    I am pleased to announce that Dr. Jenny Stuber, Professor of Sociology in the Department of SASW, will be the inaugural COAS Dean’s Faculty Fellow for Student Success. Jenny was the most nominated individual in COAS in the Graduate Student and Graduating Senior Surveys this past year, and she will bring her unique expertise and the faculty perspective to our student success efforts - she will work closely with the COAS Student Success Team to engage with the Fall 2023 FTIC cohort and other newly admitted FTIC and transfer students to ensure their successful transition, retention, and graduation.

    To foster connections among our newest faculty members, we're organizing our first new faculty luncheon Friday, Jan. 19, to extend a warm welcome to all permanent faculty who joined us in Fall 2022 and Fall 2023. Please email me if you'd like to attend the event.

    I am excited to share the call for applications for next year’s Ethics Research Faculty Fellow, a new initiative from the Florida Blue Center for Ethics.  The Faculty Fellow Award comes with up to $15,000 to be used in the 2024-2025 academic year for research related to ethics. Applications are due by Feb. 1, 2024. Questions and application materials should be submitted via email with the subject heading RESEARCH FACULTY FELLOW APPLICATION to Dr. Jonathan Matheson: j.matheson@unf.edu. 

    Finally, we will be hosting our first College Alumni Mixer Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, at the UNF Boathouse from 6 to 7 p.m. – please join us to celebrate and connect with alumni.

    I always welcome your questions, ideas, or concerns - email me or even better, reach out to set up a time to meet over coffee or a meal.

    Wishing you all a fantastic start to the New Year and new semester!

    Warmly,

    Kaveri

  • Fall 2023

    COAS Dean's Update - December 2023

    Dear Colleagues,

    It has been another terrific semester of outstanding teaching, research, and engagement with our communities. There have been many significant achievements, including improvement in the national rankings, a newly achieved ranking for the Department of Psychology, prestigious faculty grants, awards, and publications as well as noteworthy student accomplishments. The COAS Strategic Planning Taskforce has met several times this semester; there will be additional opportunities in Spring for faculty, staff, and stakeholder input and College Strategic Plan will be finalized by the end of the academic year. 
     
    Our collective commitment to student success was most evident to me in the various culminating events and final class presentations that I attended or learned about via email or social media. The U-GLIDE symposium, thesis defense, music recitals, Senior Showcase, Portfolio Show, the FYE theatre cohort showcase, Zine & Community, PR campaigns with a mock press conference, and journalists are just a few that come to mind. They demonstrate creativity, innovation, and the combined efforts of all members of our community.
     
    A few quick reminders:
    • Faculty and Staff Holiday Open House is Wednesday, Dec. 13 from 3 – 5 p.m. on the 3rd floor of Building 51.
    • Commencement for the Fall Class of 2023 is Friday, Dec. 15. The Undergraduate ceremony will be at 12:30 p.m. and Graduate ceremony will be at 4 p.m. We hope to see you there.
    • Fall 2023 Grading Portal is now open – the submission deadline is Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 10 a.m.
     
    Looking ahead to the Spring semester, we will be hosting our first alumni event Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, leading into the COAS Alumni Night Basketball Game against Kennesaw State. We are looking for a few faculty partners to attend the networking event and help us spread the word—if you are interested please email me (ksubrah@unf.edu).
     
    As you build your Spring syllabi, consider integrating Career Services’ recruiting events as a required activity/assignment or extra credit activity especially if your course will enroll many seniors. The schedule is attached and events most relevant to our college’s majors are highlighted.
     
    I look forward to seeing you at our College Holiday Open House tomorrow should your schedule permit. The COAS Dean’s Office space has gone through a bit of a refresh, and we are now almost fully staffed, so come and meet the new folks on our team. Drop in as you can. If you plan to attend, please RSVP here so we can plan for how many people to expect.
     
    Thank you for your hard work and commitment that makes COAS the excellent college it is. Best wishes for a relaxing and well-deserved break. Happy Holidays.
     
    Warm regards,
     
    Kaveri

     

    COAS Dean's Update - November 2023

    Dear colleagues,
    I am writing to share some recent leadership and staff changes as well as operational updates within the college.

    Jenny Hager has been appointed as Chair of the Department of Art, Art History and Design effective Fall 2023. Jenny is a Professor of Sculpture and enjoys encouraging her students to dream big and strives to create professional opportunities within the curriculum, such as large-scale projects including the UNF Seaside Sculpture Park, the James Weldon Johnson Park in downtown Jacksonville, the Josephine Sculpture Park in KY and Zoo Lights at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. She brings in a variety of new ideas and initiatives to her department that we are excited to see.

    We are very excited to announce that Katie Haft will be assuming the role of Associate Director of Operations in the coming weeks. Katie has served in the Department of Psychology for three years and prior to that was in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Inclusion for five years.  She’s been in higher education for nearly 20 years and has an undergraduate degree from Indiana University and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from UNF. We are confident that her extensive knowledge and firsthand experience working with students, faculty, and staff will greatly benefit our college.

    Dr. David Jaffee, a Professor of Sociology, will be the Director of Interdisciplinary Studies within the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs. David teaches courses in Introduction to Sociology, Social Change and International Development, Social Science Data Analysis, Political Sociology, and Sociology of Work. His teaching and research will bring a wide array of knowledge to Interdisciplinary Studies.

    Dr. John Matheson, a Professor of Philosophy, who has taught at UNF since 2010 has been appointed as the Director of the Florida Blue Center for Ethics. His research has focused on the significance of disagreement as well as the nature and value of epistemic autonomy. He is the author of The Epistemic Significance of Disagreement (Palgrave) and Why It’s OK Not to Think for Yourself (Routledge). He has coached UNF’s Ethics Bowl team for the past 10 years, organized the First Coast High School Ethics Bowl, and this summer helped launch and co-direct (with Dr. Sarah Mattice) the UNF Ethics Academy, a summer camp for high school students.
    Congratulations to our colleagues who have stepped into new roles! We look forward to your leadership.

    We have also shifted to shared inboxes for operational matters; if you have questions or need assistance, please send your emails to the appropriate box to ensure a timely response. Finally, I am saddened to share the news that Marty Edwards, one of UNF’s founding faculty, passed away August 11, 2023. Marty served as an attorney in private practice for 20+ years before transitioning to Instructor and Director of the Pre-Law Program in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration. Marty loved advising students at UNF on their future legal careers. He was beloved by his students and his family. You can read more about Marty’s life and legacy here.

    Sincerely,
    Kaveri

     

    COAS Dean's Update - September 2023

    Dear Faculty and Staff,

    We were shocked and saddened by the racially motivated shooting last weekend in Jacksonville’s New Town neighborhood. To echo President Limayem, we are committed to ensuring that Black members of our community have a sense of belonging where they feel safe, valued and supported. Our hearts go out to those who have been impacted by this tragedy. I also hope you and your families were able to keep safe and dry as Idalia traveled through Florida and the surrounding region.

    While it is difficult to shift our attention away from all that is happening, I wanted to share a few key College goals and initiatives that my team and I will be working on this year.
    1. First, it was my privilege to attend many of your annual department retreats to welcome you back to the new academic year and thank you for your work. It was especially heartwarming to see so many new faces - this year we welcomed 24 new permanent faculty, including 9 tenure track faculty and 15 instructors. Thank you for choosing UNF.
    2. We will be kicking off the college strategic planning process this semester. Dr. Josh Gellers from PSPA will Chair the COAS Strategic Planning Task Force and lead this effort. There will be multiple ways for faculty, staff, and students to contribute. There are two faculty workshops tentatively scheduled for Sept. 29 and Oct. 20 and a staff workshop on October 5. Be on the lookout for email invitations to take part in these meetings. A tentative schedule is here. In addition, you can provide comments or ask questions about strategic planning at any time by emailing COASStrategicPlanning@unf.edu.
    3. In student success, the Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) Degree program was approved effective Fall 2024. The new BGS degree will be housed in the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs and is a flexible degree completion program for students who want an alternate program in the arts and humanities, natural science, social and behavioral sciences, and education studies that are more broadly defined than traditional majors in these disciplinary areas.
    4. Our initiative to reimagine GenEd continues under the guidance of Drs. Linda Howell (ENG) and Mitch Haney (P&RS). This initiative includes colleagues from across the College and University and is focused on revising our curriculum to integrate high-impact practices and student success strategies.
    5. The COAS Student Success Advisory Council led by Associate Dean Natasha Christie will work to identify structural, curricular, and other challenges faced by students and recommend practices to support student retention, graduation and career/graduate school entry. This fall, we will also roll out the COAS Ambassadors program, which will provide training and leadership opportunities for COAS students. The ambassadors will be key to bringing a student perspective to our student success efforts, staffing college-wide events, and sharing their experiences with incoming and current students.
    6. During the last academic year, COAS faculty received over $3,000,000 in contracts and grants. The College provided 10 in-house awards for a total expenditure of $118,000 to support faculty research, scholarship, and creative activity. Associate Dean Gasparov will hold a Zoom meeting at 3 p.m. on Sept. 14, 2023, to provide more details about the awards and the application process.
    There are always a lot of exciting lectures, concerts and other activities happening at COAS. Two college-hosted events that I want to highlight for this semester are:
    • COAS Science and Humanities Lecture: What Makes Us Human: A Perspective from Comparative Cognition - Sept. 25, 2023, at 6 p.m. at the Adam Herbert University Center
    • Machin Ancient Studies Lecture: 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed - Nov. 9, 2023, at 7 p.m. (more details to come)
    Please continue to send us updates to COASDeanCommunication@unf.edu. I read all the messages so I can keep up with the amazing work you all are doing.

    As I begin my second year as Dean of COAS I know we have a lot of work ahead of us. Feedback from the listening sessions I held last year was valuable, and I plan to continue them by hosting informal meetings so I can connect with faculty, staff, and students.

    Wishing you a restful holiday weekend,
    Warm regards,
    Kaveri
  • Summer 2023

    COAS Dean's Update - July 2023

    Dear Colleagues,
    I hope you are having a good summer whether teaching, getting caught up with research, or traveling and spending time with friends and family. I am writing to share some notable faculty achievements that were announced late in Spring and Summer.
    • Congratulations to the many COAS faculty who received Faculty Association and Faculty Stars awards. It was great to see so many of you recognized!
    • Congratulations to all COAS faculty and staff who were nominated for recognition on the Graduate Student and Graduating Senior Surveys this year. Special shoutout to Dr. Jenny Stuber (SASW), Dr. Adrienne Lerner (PSPA), and Dr. Beth Stotz-Potter (BIO), who were the top three most nominated individuals in COAS. We are grateful for all that you do for our students.
    • Dr. Jessica Chandras (SASW) has been selected as a 2023 National Academy of Education (NAEd)/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow. This year, 25 postdoctoral fellows were selected from a pool of 195 applicants.
    • Dr. Nick de Villiers (English) was selected as a Fulbright US Scholar to Taiwan for next year!
    • Dr. Josh Gellers (PSPA), Prof. Jenny Hager (AAHD), Dr. Joshua Melko (Chemistry), and Dr. Adam Rosenblatt (Biology) have all been selected to serve on the mayor’s transition team and committees. We appreciate your work to support our community and the city of Jacksonville.  
    • The Florida Times Union published an editorial written by a UNF Political Science class discussing a potential global water crisis and their time in Washington D.C. While in DC, they met with various government officials as part of Ambassador Nancy Soderberg’s (PSPA) Real World Policy course. Ambassador Soderberg was recently honored on the 25th anniversary of peace in Northern Ireland.
    • Prof Sheila Goloborotko’s (AAHD) work was included in “Altered Environments”, a portfolio of prints displayed at the Smithsonian Institute’s Environmental Research Center.
    • The Philosophy and Religious Studies department just wrapped up the first week of the UNF Ethics Academy, a new two-week philosophy summer camp for high school students. 
    These are just a few examples of the creative, innovative, and engaged work that you are all doing in COAS. Please keep sending us updates to CoasDeanCommunication@unf.edu, as we love to share them on LinkedIn and Instagram (@unfcoas).  
    Again, congratulations to so many of you on your achievements. Thank you for all you do. I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer.
     
    Kaveri
  • Spring 2023

    COAS Dean's Update - April 2023

    Dear Faculty,  

    The end of the academic year is fast approaching, and the past two weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. The Inauguration of President Moez Limayem was inspiring and filled me with hope and optimism for what we can achieve at UNF as we move forward. 

    The impending changes to General Education and post-tenure review will have implications for COAS, and I am working with university leadership, so we are well-positioned to tackle them. But we also have much to be proud of in COAS. Last week I was thrilled to see so many COAS students and faculty participate and be recognized during research week, a celebration of research, creativity, and innovation. Next week we will celebrate our students’ graduation. Each graduate has their own unique story in their journey to this important milestone, and I thank you for all that you have done to guide and support them to the finish line. When I ask students and alumni what they remember most from their time at UNF, they inevitably tell me that it is the faculty and their relationships with them that they treasure the most!  

    Our recently concluded listening sessions were very productive; faculty participants appreciated the opportunity to meet colleagues from other units, expressed interest in more opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, requested more visibility for their funds (e.g., startup), and provided excellent suggestions for increasing faculty and student engagement and improving internal processes. Over the summer, my leadership team and I will use your feedback to identify priorities and initiatives to advance student success, faculty success, research and innovation, and communication and engagement.  

    I am pleased to share that Dr. Josh Gellers will lead the College’s strategic planning efforts in Fall 2023. He will work with me and the College Leadership to chair the COAS Strategic Planning Task Force and lead the strategic planning process to update our vision, mission, goals and to create a college strategic plan that is aligned with the University’s plan. 

    From the day that I arrived on campus, I have been impressed by the innovative and high-quality work that so many of you are doing with colleagues, students, and our community. To share this work more broadly we are using a variety of channels to create a robust digital presence. Our main landing page for our college website (www.unf.edu/coas) now showcases COAS News and events, and will feature faculty, student, and alum spotlights; keep sending us pictures and short blurbs to CoasDeanCommunication@unf.edu. If you are on social media, remember to follow us, like us, and tag us when you post about your work. We’re on LinkedIn (UNF – College of Arts and Sciences) and Instagram (@unfcoas). In our hyper-digital world, sharing our stories will be key to recruiting and retaining students, faculty, and staff. All of my messages to you have been posted to our website here as well.  

    Don’t forget about our End of Year Social, on May 2nd. Come meet colleagues, let your hair down, and have a chance to unwind before the final week of the semester. We’ll have a cash bar, and your first drink is on us! The top 3 departments with the highest percentage of departmental participation and sign-ups will receive a $250 foundation deposit to your department’s excellence fund! If you have not done so, please RSVP here.  

    I hope you will be able to relax, refresh, and renew yourself over the summer. Thank you for a wonderful year in COAS.  

    With warm regards,  

    Kaveri 

    COAS Dean's Update - March 2023

    March 9, 2023

    Dear faculty and staff colleagues, 

    I know that the last couple of weeks has felt more intense than a typical spring semester, and I hope that you will get a chance to catch your breath in the upcoming week. There is a lot happening in the Florida higher education landscape, and I’m sure many of you have questions about its impact on your work. I am committed to fostering a welcoming, inclusive, and engaged College. My team and I are dedicated to your well-being, safety, and success. Please know that I want to hear from you and am always available to meet with you – we are here to support you in the important work that you do.

    The University’s renewed Strategic Plan is expected to be finalized by the end of this semester. To lay the framework for our college’s strategic plan, we will have open forums to hear your ideas and goals when we return from the break. The focus of these conversations will be on student success, faculty success, research as well as communication and engagement.

    To advance the key priority of student success, I have asked Dr. Natasha Christie to create and lead the COAS Student Success Advisory Council. The Council will be comprised of faculty, department staff, advisors, and students representing the disciplinary clusters within the College. Members will advise and provide input to develop and implement a coordinated COAS student success plan. To provide support and mentorship for our FTIC and incoming transfer students, we will also create and implement a COAS Ambassadors program. More details about these initiatives will be sent separately. 

    We will be hosting sessions on Faculty Development/Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity, Communication and Engagement, and Achieving Operational Excellence. If you are interested in participating, sign up here. Breakfast or lunch will be served. We encourage you to come prepared with your ideas for a productive conversation with your colleagues.

    I hope you have a restful spring break before we close out the Spring semester.

    Thank you for all you do.  

    With warm regards,

     Kaveri

    COAS Dean's Update - Spring 2023

    January 27, 2023

    Dear Faculty & Staff,

    I hope you had a good break and your semester is going well. As I am settling into the academic and social rhythm at UNF, I want to send a short note with a few brief updates. It has been great to see the campus bustling with activity and bumping into many of you as I get around campus for my meetings (without needing a map I am happy to say).  

     When I came on board in July, I said I would spend the first semester listening and learning. Over the course of the Fall semester, I met several of you in informal meet and greets as well as attended faculty meetings in all of the academic units in the College. Some of you have reached out to meet with me or invited me to attend events you have organized.  I have been deeply impressed by your commitment to student success and building an engaged, vibrant, and inclusive community of artists, scholars and practitioners.

    I also meet frequently with Chairs and Directors as a group and one-on-one to learn about the goals, plans and resource needs of each unit. It is clear that what you all do individually and collectively is impactful and changes lives. In the next few weeks, my office will send out invitations for more focused discussions during Spring semester so COAS is well poised to begin the work to align our College’s strategic plan with the University’s renewed strategic plan which is expected to be finalized in April 2023.

     Here are few updates in key priority areas including student success, faculty hiring, Dean’s office staff, as well as communication and engagement.

    • We have begun the important task of reimagining our Gen Ed program and a working group comprised of folks from all the Colleges is working to propose an updated, dynamic, and coherent curriculum
    • 94.5% of FTIC students in COAS majors have reenrolled in Spring courses and our College is at 102.8% of our credit hour goals for Spring 2023. Thanks to all of you for making this possible
    • Across the college we have a total of 26 active faculty searches, including 11 tenure track and 15 instructors/lab lecturers; two positions will be affiliated with our newly approved Africana Studies Program
    • To support the development and implementation of our student success and faculty engagement initiatives, Kate Ryan will be joining the COAS Dean’s office as the Associate Director of Strategic Communication & Engagement on February 6, 2023, reporting to me. In the meantime, Kate will be working on transitioning between her prior department and the COAS Dean’s office.
      A word from Kate, “I look forward to working with you all and spreading the word about the amazing work you all are doing throughout the college. I’ll be reaching out to you all in the coming weeks to learn more about how I can best engage, support and promote your departments.”
    • We love to hear from you about upcoming events, performances, talks and other activities so we can publicize them to our current and prospective students, their families, and other external stakeholders. Kate will be working to develop a streamlined process to help spread the word. For now, you can just email details to COASDeanCommunication@unf.edu
    • Also, don’t forget about the 42nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Luncheon at noon Wednesday, February 8. Tickets can be reserved here.
    • In appreciation for the many ways you support the College of Arts and Sciences, I invite you and your family to join me at the UNF Men's Basketball game vs. Stetson at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. We have a block of 22 seats reserved and can expand if there is interest. President Limayem will be at the game and will be stopping by to greet everyone. If you would like complimentary tickets, please click here to let us know how many you would like for the game. 

     It's an exciting time at UNF, and I look forward to the work we will accomplish in COAS. I wish you all a great Spring semester. Thank you for all you do.

     With warm regards,

     Kaveri

  • Fall 2022

    Winter Break - 2022

    December 16, 2022

    Colleagues,

    It has been such fun to see so many of you embrace the spirit of this week’s activities whether it was completing the missions, stopping by the Dean’s office to take a picture or grab a goodie bag, or decorating the offices. A big thanks to Amanda and members of the social committee for making this happen.

    It was great seeing so many of you today at commencement and I want to thank you again for all your do for our students and their success.

    Wishing you all the joy, peace, and love that this time of year brings. Happy Holidays and looking forward to an exciting year ahead.

    Warm regards,

    Kaveri

    COAS Dean's Update - Fall 2022

    September 22, 2022

    Dear Faculty & Staff,

    I can’t believe that it is almost two months since the start of my role as Dean of COAS. In the intervening eight weeks, I have been listening and learning as I have met stakeholders within the College and University as well as many external partners. In the short time I have been here at UNF, I have enjoyed attending a Summer Undergraduate Research symposium, a student-curated art gallery exhibit, ribbon cutting of a new chemistry wing, an insightful talk by a former prime minister, and much more. There’s been a lot of other interesting talks and events that I wished I could attend. I have been asked many thought-provoking questions and given many excellent suggestions that I have noted down. I am inspired by all of the incredible work you have been doing to promote student success. It is clear to me that COAS is a large, incredibly diverse, and intellectually vibrant college, and I am excited about the possibilities ahead of all of us.

    Although I have met many of you in my visits to the various units in the College, I still have a few more to visit and have not had a chance to meet most of you individually. In the coming weeks I will be hosting more informal opportunities to meet with me and the Dean’s team to share your thoughts, ideas, and questions. Tomorrow will be the first Coffee with the Dean from 9:00 to 10:00 am in the COAS Dean’s Office Conference room (51/3201).

    I also wanted to draw your attention to two upcoming events that I think will be of interest to you and your students: The Machin Ancient Studies Lecture with Dr. Massimo Osanna on Thursday, September 29 at 7 pm to hear about the hidden world and latest discoveries at Pompeii, and Career Week (September 26 – 29) hosted by UNF Career Services. I will send a separate email with more information about Career Week.

    There will be other opportunities in the coming weeks to meet with me including a larger meeting to welcome new faculty and celebrate the accomplishments of our colleagues. So stay tuned, and I hope to meet many of you at these upcoming events.

    Have a great rest of the week.

    Kaveri

    Welcome to Fall 2022!

    August 17, 2022

    Dear Faculty,

    I hope that all have had a productive summer with time for vacations, family, and friends. I am excited to begin my role as Dean of COAS – and am very appreciative of the warm welcome that I have received from the COAS and UNF community.

    I am especially looking forward to getting to know you, and I will spend my first semester listening and learning. I want to hear what makes COAS special and how we in the Dean’s office can support your work to foster a culture of excellence for students, faculty, and staff. The faculty are at the heart of what we do here at UNF, and I am eager to get to know you and learn about your work.

    As part of my effort to listen and learn, I attended new faculty orientation last week, and learned a lot about the resources available for faculty and for student success. I am attaching a handout that I received, and which you may find helpful as you get ready for your classes. It reminded me that pandemic shifts have impacted students as well as faculty and staff, and together we will have to figure out what our “new normal” is.

    In the coming weeks, I will have more information about my plans to meet with faculty, students, staff, and other stakeholders. In the meantime, here is the short interview I did for the University community that provides a bit more about me and my goals for this year.

    I wish you all a great Fall semester and a wonderful year ahead.

    With warm regards,

    Kaveri