Brigham Young University. Faculty Center

The BYU Faculty Center was founded to develop a broad range of faculty skills, especially teaching. Its creation was based on the idea that the quality of a university depends primarily on the quality of its faculty.

Several members of the BYU community were principal forces in promoting the establishment of the Faculty Center. Faculty member Donald K. Jarvis, along with the Faculty Advisory Council, urged the BYU administration to consider a center to support faculty teaching and learning. President Lee and Provost Bruce C. Hafen encouraged and supported the formation of the Center, and Associate Academic Vice President Todd A. Britsch directly supervised its initiation. Finally, in January of 1992, the BYU Faculty Center opened its doors in the Heber J. Grant Building. Within that first year, the Faculty Center established programs and services to orient new faculty, support experienced faculty, provide feedback on teaching, and train teaching assistants. Later, in May of 1998, the Faculty Center moved to its current location in the Wilkinson Student Center.

The Center operates under a Director, an Associate Director, and several Assistant Directors with jurisdiction over specific areas. Donald K. Jarvis served as the founding director with J. Bonner Ritchie as the its first Associate Director and D. Lynn Sorenson as Assistant Director. By March of the following year, Louise M. Illes was serving as Assistant Director. In 1996, David A. Whetten took over as Director of the Center. Russell T. Osguthorpe was added as Associate Director the following year, while A. Jane Birch and Trav D. Johnson were serving as Assistant Directors. By 2001, Terrance D. Olson was serving as Associate Director, followed in 2004 by Robert L. Millet and James E. Faulconer. They were followed in 2007 by R. Kent Crookston and in 2008 by Alan Wilkins.

Presently, the Center is operated by Director David A. Whetten, Associate Directors Alan Wilkins and R. Kent Crookston, and Assistant Director for Faculty Development A. Jane Birch. Under their direction, the Faculty Center continues to explore new ways to support teaching, scholarship, citizenship, and collegiality.

The current director of the Faculty Center is Craig H. Hart (2018- ).

Description

Established: 1992

Location: Provo, Utah (1992- )

Functions

The purpose of the BYU Faculty Center is to support faculty and faculty administrators in their primary roles and responsibilities at the university. The Faculty Center encourages quality teaching, scholarship, citizenship, and collegiality among faculty at Brigham Young University.

Assets and Administrative Structure

The Faculty Center is under the direction of the Academic Vice President, who is responsible for all academic programs in the University. This includes developing curricula, improving instruction, and increasing the scholarly and creative work. The Center itself operates under a Director, an Associate Director, and several Assistant Directors with jurisdiction over specific areas of the Center.

Associated Units

Superior unit: Brigham Young University (1992- )

Associated unit: Brigham Young University. Center for Teaching and Learning (2007- )

Associated Archival Materials

Brigham Young University Academic Vice President Records (UA 1233)

Sources

History of Faculty Center WWW website (Establishment and leadership of the Faculty Center)

Faculty Center Personnel WWW website (Current leadership of the Center)

Faculty Center Mission WWW website (Functions)

Brigham Young University Academic Vice President Records, UA 1233 (Faculty Center is under the direction of the Academic Vice President)

Brigham Young University, Faculty Center, Craig H. Hart, WWW website, August 9, 2019. https://facultycenter.byu.edu/users/craig-h-hart

Maintenance Information

Record ID: EAC-2010-00221

Creator: PBL