Mission and History
The CFE Mission
The Center for Faculty Excellence is UNC-Chapel Hill’s pan-university faculty development center. Our mission is to enable faculty members in all disciplines to reach their goals in teaching, research, and leadership throughout their careers.
History of the CFE
1987-2008: The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
The current Center for Faculty Excellence emerged from a successful Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). Created in 1987 under the leadership of Professor Joel J. Schwartz (political science), the CTL supported the teaching mission of the University by providing faculty and graduate students with programs and services to improve instruction at Carolina. In 1993, Professor Lawrence G. Rowan (physics) directed the CTL, where it grew further in outreach dedicated to excellence in Teaching and Learning until 2008.
2008-Present: The Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE)
From the success of the CTL emerged a broader view of faculty development, aimed at meeting needs of faculty not only in Teaching and Learning, but in Research and in Leadership as well. Thus, the CTL evolved into The Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) in 2008. The redesigned CFE serves broader goals than the CTL. As the campus’ pan-university faculty development center, the CFE provides holistic support to faculty members in all campus units across the spectrum of their professional responsibilities and activities: teaching, scholarship and research, leadership, and mentoring. Staff dedicated to faculty development in Research and in Leadership were added to the CFE team in 2010.
Keys to CFE Success: Faculty Leadership
Faculty Leadership is vital to the success of the CFE, providing authentic perspective into faculty development needs. Since its inception, CFE Directors have been selected to represent faculty from all areas of the University:
2008: Patrick Conway, Bowman and Gordon Gray Distinguished Term Professor of Economics (College of Arts and Sciences)
2009-2011: Ruth Walden, James Howard and Hallie McLean Parker Distinguished Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication (UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media)
2012-2015: Eric Muller, Dan K. Moore Distinguished Professor in Jurisprudence and Ethics (School of Law)
2016-Present: Erin Malloy, Professor and Director of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (School of Medicine)
Keys to CFE Success: Campus Partnerships
Partnerships with other units supporting the faculty development mission of the University are also integral to the CFE’s success. In particular, collaborations with the Educational Technologies division of Information and Technology Services (EdTech) and OASIS in the College of Arts and Sciences have enabled the CFE to expand its staffing in important ways, with CFE Liaisons from EdTech and OASIS with expertise in instructional technology and instructional development. In 2017, partnership with The Graduate School created the CFE Graduate Student Fellowship Program as a means to expand faculty development support while providing development for selected graduate students in residence at the CFE. The CFE has many other partnerships within the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Research-Post Doctoral Affairs, and many others. For more information, see Initiatives and Partnerships.
What’s Next for the CFE—and for Faculty at Carolina
Three primary initiatives: Excellence in Faculty Development and Mentoring, Excellence in Faculty Diversity and Inclusion, and Excellence in Instructional Innovation, are aligned with the Chancellor’s Strategic Framework to enable faculty to thrive at every stage of their careers, and to help all of their learners reach their potential. These initiatives depend on the foundation of the CFE’s faculty development resources and campus partnerships. In addition, external partnerships, such as the Lenovo grant program for Instructional Innovation, and the CFE contribution to the University’s institutional membership in the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity, are key to the success of these initiatives. Our goal is to empower faculty to set career-related goals—and to succeed in meeting them at every stage—by providing resources and guidance in developing a network of support for excellence. The CFE is proud to be UNC-Chapel Hill’s pan-university faculty development center and is dedicated to faculty success at all career stages.