Provost accepting applications for 2023-24 fellowship 

Applications are now being accepted for the 2023-24 Provost Faculty Fellows, a program designed to provide eligible Augusta University faculty members with leadership and administrative experiences to prepare a pipeline of future academic administrators and leaders at AU.     

Two fellows will be accepted for the next cycle, which starts June 1 and lasts for 12 months. The fellows will be tasked with working on university-wide projects, initiatives and strategies related to the academic enterprise with Neil J. MacKinnon, PhD, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, and the Provost Operations Management Team (POMT). 

Drs. Vishal Arora and Amy Abdulovic-Cui were the inaugural fellows and are currently serving in that capacity until May 31, 2023.  

“The Provost Faculty Fellows has enlightened me to the inner workings of the AU leadership,” Arora said. “It has enhanced my understanding of the interaction between the two campuses as a united institution, leading us to become well-positioned as a regional leader in health care and education.” 

Abdulovic-Cui added that anyone interested in administrative roles should consider applying.

“It is an honor to be one of the inaugural provost fellows. Over the last few months, I have gotten to participate in important leadership discussions, and I am currently leading multiple projects that will have lasting effects on Augusta University,” Abdulovic-Cui said. “I would highly recommend faculty apply for this program if they are interested in transitioning to the administration at Augusta University.” 

The one-year fellowship will be primarily project-based, with the POMT proposing several potential projects and the fellow and provost choosing two to three for the fellow to lead. The fellow will also attend POMT meetings, the POMT huddle and other administrative meetings.  

“Drs. Arora and Abdulovic-Cui have set a high bar for this program and have demonstrated the value of this new program. I strongly encourage eligible faculty who have an interest in a future leadership role to consider applying,” MacKinnon said.  

Any full-time AU faculty member, in either a tenure-track or non-tenure track position at the rank of associate professor or professor, is eligible to apply. The fellowship will be for a period of 12 months, beginning June 1, 2023, and continuing through May 31, 2024. 

The Office of the Provost will provide 50% of the faculty member’s salary and benefits for the one-year period of the fellowship. For faculty on an academic year contract (who are paid August to May), the Office of the Provost will provide a stipend for 50% effort in June and July when the faculty member typically is not at AU.  

If an academic year faculty member also receives a summer contract for teaching or another assignment, the cumulative pay from the fellow and summer appointments shall not exceed 33.3% of the faculty member’s regular nine-months compensation for the previous academic year, in accordance with the policy of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.  

Financial support in the form of registration and allowable travel expenses will be provided for the fellow to attend the Penn State Academic Leadership Academy in June 2023, which the fellows will be expected to attend during this training program.   

Office space will also be provided at the Kelly Building. The fellow will give a presentation at the conclusion of the fellowship and will be included on the selection committee for the next year’s fellows.  

Eligible faculty who are interested should apply by Dec. 1. Applicants should send Sherry Walker a cover letter that describes their rationale for wanting to complete the fellowship and how it would help them in their career path of obtaining a leadership role in academia, a letter of support from their dean or senior academic leader of their unit, and a curriculum vitae. 

For more information, email the Office of the Provost.