Service
National Service
Chair, Society for the Teaching of Psychology (APA Div. 2) President’s Task Force for Pivot Teaching (2020-2021)
Faced with the unprecedented complications surrounding Covid-19, the Task Force on Pivot Teaching was charged with gathering resources to aid instructors in proactively addressing the challenges associated with changing modalities in response to potential disruptions, both currently and in the future, by accommodating students and integrating flexibility and agility into instruction. The committee’s work centered on four unique areas of focus: teaching modalities (various modes of instruction and their application for pivot teaching); methods and assessment (the use of evidence-based teaching methods and forms of assessment that are both flexible and adaptive); personal and professional development (best practices to promote the wellbeing of instructors); and lessons learned and future directions (insights from pandemic teaching that may influence the future educational landscape). The committee presented its findings during a symposium at the APA Annual Conference during the summer of 2021. A smaller subset of committee then prepared a manuscript for publication, which is due out later this year.
Society for the Teaching of Psychology (APA Div. 2) President’s Task Force for Re-Envisioning Intro Psychology (2018-2019)
With over one million students taking Intro Psych annually, it is the most important course in our curriculum. This is the course that tells our future politicians, engineers, business leaders, and medical personnel the value psychology holds for public policy, for our work lives, and for our home lives. The mission of this task force is to re-envision Intro Psych for today’s student, answering questions about content, major ideas, and themes that run throughout the discipline.
Current Campus-Wide Assignments
Chair, General Education Assessment Subcommittee
This group is charged with the task of implementing the assessment plan for the general education program at the University of Oklahoma. The committee oversees the pilot program that measures student learning objectives and performance indicators, aligns specific courses with each objective, and works with faculty to develop assessment instruments to measure student performance.
Chair, Faculty Success Steering Committee
The Faculty Success Steering Committee is charged with examining ways to enhance the teaching functions of the Center for Faculty Excellence. The committee normally meets twice each semester, with other meetings scheduled by the committee as needed.
College of Arts and Sciences Representative, Faculty Senate
The Faculty Senate consists of 50 members of the regular faculty elected to three-year terms by their colleges. The Senate exercises legislative powers as delegated by the regular faculty and has the power to initiate any legislation requiring approval of the Board of Regents. Meetings of the Senate are held usually on the second Monday of each month of the regular school year and are open to the public.
Teaching and Learning Technologies Advisory Committee
The Teaching and Learning Technologies Advisor Committee provides input on teaching and learning technologies across all three University of Oklahoma campuses (Norman: main campus, OU Health Sciences Center, and OU: Tulsa). Learning technologies are ones that enhance instruction and effectiveness in the classroom, such as learning management systems, electronic portfolios, and response systems.
President’s Distinguished Faculty Mentorship Program
The faculty mentorship program is designed to give new entering freshmen an opportunity to develop a one-on-one relationship with outstanding OU faculty members. Participants in the program are invested in making a difference in students’ lives outside of the classroom and providing students with insights about university life from the faculty perspective.
Provost’s Advisory Committee for Classroom Scheduling
PAC-CS meets regularly to discuss the needs of centrally scheduled classrooms on campus. We discuss issues related to technology in various classrooms, renovation projects, maintenance, and organization of centrally-scheduled classroom resources.
Current Departmental Assignments
Interim Chair, Department of Psychology
The Interim Chair of the Department of Psychology will be in place during the 2022-2023 academic year as a national search is completed for a permanent chair.
Undergraduate Assessment Coordinator
The assessment coordinator is responsible for developing and maintaining a program of assessment for the two undergraduate degrees in psychology (B.A. and B.S.). The assessment coordinator also prepares annual evaluation reports to submit to the Academic Assessment Office.
Chair, Undergraduate Studies Committee
The department undergraduate studies committee governs issues related to undergraduate curriculum (degree revisions, course revisions and substitutions) and selects the TOPS scholarship recipients each year.