Dear Colleagues,

Our faculty members are at the heart of our academic mission. As world-class teachers and researchers dedicated to our University and state, faculty play an indispensable role in our success. And the guidance and advice they provide — to me, our deans, and our other senior leaders — remains essential as we navigate an evolving higher education landscape and ensure that UT continues to lead and thrive as one of our nation’s premier universities. 

In pursuit of excellence and greater collaboration in this effort, I am pleased to announce the establishment of a new, two-pronged faculty advisory structure:

  • The President’s Faculty Advisory Board (PFAB) will consist of 12 esteemed faculty members from across the colleges and schools, charged with advising on institutional matters and focusing on the best interests of the entire University. Deans and the Provost will nominate multiple candidates, and from that group the President will select 12 members. The PFAB will meet monthly with me and members of my leadership cabinet, with additional meetings scheduled as necessary, as well as ongoing consultation on an informal basis. It is expected that each member will serve a renewable two-year term.
  • The Faculty Advisory Cohort (FAC) will consist of 60 esteemed faculty members charged with advising University leadership on issues and opportunities concerning different aspects of the institution. FAC members will be generally distributed among the colleges and schools, with at least one member from each college and school and no more than seven members from any one college or school. Members will also be enlisted in subcommittees, task forces, and working groups, as needed, to help undertake projects, studies, administrative matters, and strategic decisions requiring specific areas of expertise. Like the PFAB, members are selected by the President after a nomination process by Deans and the Provost. They are expected to serve a renewable two-year term.

Provost William Inboden will provide full details on the nomination process and implementation timeline to Deans, and we will share periodic updates as members are confirmed and meetings begin.

I am grateful to our faculty and the impact they continue to have on our University. Through the establishment of this new constructive system for faculty input, I look forward to a deeper, more productive partnership between our faculty and administrative leaders that will serve our mission well in the years ahead. 

Hook ’em! 

Jim Davis
President