Distinguished Professor of History Virginia Scharff has been appointed as associate provost for Faculty Development, effective immediately.  “I am extraordinarily pleased to announce that Virginia Scharff has agreed to join Academic Affairs as one of our new associate provosts. During the interview process, Virginia demonstrated a strong understanding of the major issues associated with this position and has great support from the University community.  I have complete confidence that she will excel in this role,” Provost Chaouki Abdallah said.

Scharff’s duties includes faculty development, international and academic initiatives as well as support for interdisciplinary work for main campus. She will oversee the new Center for Teaching Excellence as well as the distinguished professor selection process.

Scharff said, “I look forward to working with the provost, his staff and all faculty, and am grateful for this opportunity to collaborate and contribute."  She is at work on an exhibition and book about the Civil War and the West.

Abdallah also announced the appointment of Law Professor Carol Parker as associate provost for academic personnel effective immediately. “It is with great enthusiasm that I announce that Carol Parker has agreed to join the Provost’s office as the associate provost for Academic Personnel. Carol’s distinguished work as a professor of law, associate dean for Finance and Administration in the Law School, in addition to her recent ACE Fellowship, gives me great confidence that she is the right person for this position,” Abdallah said.

Parker’s duties includes working to build faculty strength and responding to individual faculty and administrative personnel requests for support and guidance, in addition to providing oversight of the Counseling Assistance & Referral Service department (CARS), Faculty Contracts and Services Office and UNM Ombuds/Dispute Resolution Services for faculty.

Parker said, “I am looking forward to serving as associate provost for academic personnel and to working to improve the faculty experience at UNM. Faculty members are the lifeblood of any institution of higher learning. Ensuring that UNM’s academic units have the services and support they need to recruit and retain the best faculty possible is one of the most important responsibilities of the associate provost.”

Parker holds the rank of professor of law at the UNM School of Law; has faculty government experience and a broad understanding of the concepts and processes of shared governance; a record of developing policies to improve the UNM experience for faculty, students and staff; and nearly a decade of higher education administrative experience at UNM including academic personnel administration and human resources management.

Together with broad administrative experience in other areas, including budgeting, finance, information technology, academic publishing and libraries, provides her with extensive knowledge of UNM academic policies and procedures, as well as UNM administrative and business policies and procedures.