The Office of Academic Affairs works under the leadership of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Milton Moreland. Along with Provost Moreland, there are currently three Associate Provosts and an Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness. Although all are called upon to do many different things, their general areas of responsibility are described below.
Dr. Milton Moreland, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, is the chief academic officer of the college and the “go-to-person” for all matters that affect student learning at Rhodes. He is charged with enhancing the quality of undergraduate education through promotion of excellence in teaching, the development of scholarship, and close student-faculty interactions. In addition, he works with academic department chairs and interdisciplinary program directors in addressing curricular, personnel, and budgetary matters. Dr. Moreland, Professor of Religious Studies, has served as the Director of the Rhodes Institute, Chair of the Archaeology Program, and Director of the Memphis Center at Rhodes College. He was the 2012 recipient of the Jameson M. Jones Award for Outstanding Faculty Service.
Dr. Noelle Chaddock oversees the efforts of Academic Affairs related to strengthening and securing a diverse and inclusive learning community. Charged with oversight of faculty recruiting, retention and development within Academic Affairs, Dr. Chaddock serves on each search as the diversity officer for that process, assesses our hiring procedures and plays an integral role in the development and description of faculty position requests. Dr. Chaddock works with faculty to recruit diverse candidate pools at the beginning of the search process through the development of sustainable retention plans once new faculty join our institution. Associate Provost Chaddock oversees faculty development and the work of the Director of Faculty Development and Mentoring, works with chairs to support faculty at all levels of their careers. Dr. Chaddock works with departments around classroom climate and other concerns around inclusion and equity.
Dr. Brian Shaffer is the office’s point person for faculty evaluation. He works closely with chairs and faculty evaluation committees (Tenure & Promotion) at all levels of faculty evaluation, including first-, second-, and fourth-year reviews; tenure and promotion to professor reviews; and post-tenure, post-promotion, and term appointment reviews. In the case of tenure and promotion to professor reviews he also works with off-campus evaluators of scholarship. Associate Dean Shaffer also administers a number of faculty development programs (e.g., Faculty Development Endowment Grants, Professional Travel Funding, Rotational Professorships, and Sabbatical Leaves) and liaises with the Faculty Development Committee (FDC).
Dr. Gary Lindquester’s areas of oversight and administration include faculty records, contracts and salary; approval of faculty job ads; hiring of adjunct and term faculty; teaching loads and course enrollments; academic space and equipment; Academic Affairs and Departmental budgets; grade change requests, and the Summer School. Dr. Lindquester collaborates with the Registrar on course enrollments and scheduling, and assists the Provost on special projects. He represents the Provost on the Educational Program Committee (EPC) and the Technology and Academic Space Committee (TASC).