About the Teaching and Faculty Support Center

The Teaching and Faculty Support Center is an interactive resource for faculty who strive to enhance teaching and learning.

We invest in faculty excellence, promote innovation in teaching and learning, and support programs to advance student success. We provide educational opportunities such as lunch and learn programs, teaching symposiums, reading day events, new faculty orientation, and teaching camps. In addition, we offer competitive teaching and learning grants for faculty.  We also provide informational support connecting faculty to the information and resources that they need to enhance their teaching. 

Co-Directors

We are directed by three faculty co-directors who are active UA faculty.  Each co-director serves a three-year term. Each year,  a new co-director joins the team and a seasoned co-director rotates off. This model assures that we have a constant influx of new ideas.

Richard Cassady

C. Richard Cassady
University Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering (INEG)
cassady@uark.edu

Serving TFSC 2022-2025

Hope Ballentine

Hope Ballentine
Teaching Associate Professor in the
Eleanor Mann Scool of Nursing 
hopeb@uark.edu

Serving TFSC 2023-2026

Edward Holland
Associate Professor in the Department of Geosciences
echollan@uark.edu

Serving TFSC 2024-2027

Event Manager

Lori Libbert

Lori Libbert
Special Events Manager
479-575-3222
libbert@uark.edu

Founders 

We are so thankful for the vision and leadership of our founders. We have awards and honors named after each of our co-founders. For more information on the Wally Cordes Chair, the Ro DiBrezzo Service Award,  and the Paul Cronan Technology Teaching Excellence Award, check out our awards page. 

Wally Cordes

Wally Cordes

Serving TFSC (1992-1995, *2000-2001)

Ro DiBrezzo

Ro DiBrezzo

Serving TFSC (1992-1997)

Paul Cronan

Paul Cronan

Serving TFSC  (1992-1994, 2011-2014)

Past Co-Directors

    • Carole Shook (2021-2024)
    • Lynn Meade (2020-2023)
    • Don Johnson (2018-2022)
    • Lori Holyfield (2017-2020)
    • Julie Trivitt (2019-2020)
    • Jack Kern (2016-2019, 2020-2021)
    • Mary Savin (2015-2018)
    • Lorraine Brewer (2016-2017)
    • John Pijanowski (2013-2016)
    • Linda Myers (2015-2016)
    • Mark Boyer (2014-2015)
    • Jeannie Whayne (2012-2015)
    • Inza Fort( 2012-2013**, 2003-2006)
    • Norm Dennis (2010-2012**)
    • Marianne Neighbors (2009-2012)
    • Janine Parry (2008-2011)
    • Charles Rosenkrans (2007-2010)

Who Was Wally Cordes?

Who was Wally Cordes and why is the center named after him? 

  • Cheryl Murphy (2006-2009)
  • Neil Allison (2005-2008)
  • David Longer (2004-2007)
  • Daniel Levine (2002-2005)
  • Jim Turpin (2002-2004)
  • Deborah Thomas (2001-2003)
  • David Gay (1999-2002)
  • Richard Lee (1999-2000*)
  • Barbara Shadden (1997-2000)
  • Craig Beyrouty (1996-1999)
  • Tom McKinnon (1994-1998)
  • Ro DiBrezzo (1992-1997)
  • Wally Cordes (1992-1995, *2000-2001)
  • Paul Cronan (1992-1994, 2011-2014)

Mission

To create and enhance a community committed to promoting the best practices of teaching and learning.

Vision

To provide innovative and engaging programs and resources for our faculty that will promote excellence and will enrich academic programs and learning experiences on our campus.

Committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

We are committed to developing and enhancing equity, diversity,  inclusion, and belonging efforts in teaching campus-wide through informed teaching strategies that lead to critical thinking and civil intellectual engagement.  We are committed to helping faculty identify best practices for achieving equity, diversity, and inclusivity in both the classroom and the campus community at-large. 

Partners

We work closely with many other groups on campus to support teaching.  We all come together to support teaching and learning.  Here is a brief overview of some of the ways we work together with other programs to support faculty. 

Office of Faculty Affairs

Under the direction of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, this office provides mentor programs, awards, grants, and professional development resources for UA Faculty.
We work closely with them to provide New Faculty Orientation.  For more on the Office of Faculty Affairs. 
 

TIPS: Teaching Innovation and Pedagogical Support

Teaching Innovation and Pedagogical Support (TIPS) is a partnership between the University of Arkansas’ Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center (TFSC), IT Services, and Global Campus. TIPS focuses on academic technology and teaching support for all university teachers. They teach most of the programs that are technology based for the TFSC.
For more on TIPS
 

Global Campus 

Global campus provides support for faculty to design courses for distance education. They help fund the teaching grant program.  For more on global campus.
 

Teaching Academy

The Academy’s mission is to advocate and represent teaching interests, promote and stimulate an environment of teaching and learning excellence, and encourage recognition and reward for exceptional teaching. The Teaching Academy consists of faculty members who have been recognized by their peers, colleges and the university for their excellence in teaching, including excellence in classroom teaching.  We work with them to offer the Teaching Awards Banquet. For more on the Teaching Academy
 

High Impact Practices 

The High Impact Practices group on campus works to promote high impact practices. They offer an annual conference and we help them advertise their program. We often draw speakers from HIP presentations and they recruit from our programs.  For more on High Impact Practices.