Provost/Dean of the Faculty

Michael Thurston
Provost and Dean of the Faculty
​413-585-3000

In his role as Provost & Dean of the Faculty, Michael Thurston ensures excellence and prosperity in teaching, learning and research at Smith, now and for the future. 瑟斯顿创建并领导与所有学术负责人的合作过程，以推进共同的学术愿景. He is the Helen Means Professor of English Language & Literature whose primary scholarly research interest is modern and contemporary poetry. He is currently at work on a project on Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises and a biography of the literary critic, F.O. Matthiessen (supported by a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities).

Members of the Smith Community who would like to request the Provost to speak at an event, please fill out this form.

Denise McKahn
Associate Provost
​413-585-3000

Denise McKahn ensures thriving academic programs at Smith, 以可持续和公平的方式将资源与学院的课程和课外任务相结合. Denise manages the academic budget of the college overseen by the provost. She chairs the Committee on Faculty Compensation and Development, the Classroom Committee, and the Committee on Study Abroad. She has responsibility for faculty development, and support in research and teaching, and in partnership with development and finance, advocates for grant proposal development that advances faculty research, instruction, and programmatic interests. Among her responsibilities are the Botanic Garden, the Clark Science Center, the Campus School, and non-tenure track faculty recruitment and hiring. Denise was hired as a faculty member in the Department of Engineering in 2008, and is a scholar, advocate, and Civil and Environmental Engineer.

Hélène Visentin
Associate Dean of the Faculty/Dean for Academic Development
413-585-3000

Hélène Visentin coordinates faculty professional development, oversees curricular operations and strategic planning, and directs Smith’s graduate and special programs. She aims to cultivate effective, 与学院的教职员工领导以及总统内阁成员建立公平和包容的伙伴关系. A Professor of French studies, Visentin has been teaching at Smith since 1999. Her research specializes in early modern literature and culture, with a focus on the history and aesthetics of the performing arts. Recently, her research and teaching interests have been focused on digital humanities, especially mapping and data visualization techniques.

Kayla Cheneba
Director of Academic Operations/Special Advisor to the Provost
​413-585-3011

As Director of Academic Operations, Kayla promotes and strengthens Smith's academic programs by facilitating relationships between the provost and internal/external constituencies; coordinating the deans, faculty and other college offices in major academic initiatives and special projects; and leads the development and execution of our office's business policies and practices. As Special Advisor to the Provost, 她为教务长的战略计划提供项目管理和组织领导. Acting as the Provost’s designee in various settings, Kayla与院长和我们团队的所有成员合作，共同开发和持续改进我们的流程, supports key Provost area committees, and provides immediate and long-term administrative and organizational support to the Provost & Dean of the Faculty directly. Contact Kayla with questions about faculty meeting, chairs & directors, and other special projects under the Provost & Dean of the Faculty's purview.

Kelly DeForest
Associate Director of Curricular and Academic Administration
​413-585-3008

In close partnership with the Associate Dean of the Faculty & Dean for Academic Development, 凯利·德福里斯特通过在课程发展的各个方面对学术优先委员会的支持，确保学习课程的成功, maintenance and review materials and workflows. Kelly also works closely with the ADOF/DAD and Chairs & Directors in the professional development of the academic administrative support staff. Contact Kelly for CAP policies and procedures; curricular approval guidelines for course proposals (new and revisions to existing), changes to the major or minor, and other curricular changes; catalog policies and procedures; and all other items related to the work of CAP.

Jayne Mercier
Associate Director for Faculty Analytics
​413-585-3006

As Associate Director for Faculty Analytics, she collaborates with institutional partners in stewarding faculty and instructional staff data in the service of academic business intelligence; designs, develops, and oversee the budget, reporting, and analytic processes that sustain Smith’s success in hiring, retention, and support of faculty and instructional staff throughout the lifecycle; and advises academic leadership on the strategic use of institutional resources in achieving Smith’s academic mission.

Ruth Morgan
Program Coordinator for Graduate and Special Programs
​413-585-3053

Ruth Morgan通过确保政策的一致性和完成要求来促进欧洲杯买球app网站大学成功的研究生学习经历. Contact Ruth for graduate application questions, registration assistance, inquiries regarding curriculum requirements and requests for extensions.

Josh Parad
Senior Academic Budget Manager
​413-585-3007

高级学术预算经理开发可持续的学术预算模型，推进欧洲杯买球app网站的教育使命, 与副教务长和预算办公室密切合作，监督学术财务资源. Contact the Senior Academic Budget Manager for departmental and program budget queries, inquiries regarding internal grants including CFCD and starters, the Lecture Committee, and financial modeling for new initiatives. 

Rachel Siegel
Senior Faculty Recruitment and Hiring Specialist
413-585-3004

这位教师招聘和任命专家通过与教务长密切合作，在欧洲杯买球app网站学院促进公平和包容的教师文化 & Dean of the Faculty, Associate Provost, and Associate Dean of the Faculty to ensure consistent application of faculty search, recruitment and hiring policies. Contact Rachel for tenure-track and non-tenure track searches; faculty hiring appointment letters; research associate appointments; faculty visas; on-boarding of new faculty members and instructors; hiring Readers and UMass graduate student RAs; and information regarding visiting scholars.

Hayley Spizz
Faculty Policies Administrator
​413-585-3005

Hayley Spizz通过确保欧洲杯买球app网站教师政策的一致应用来促进公平和公平, staff, and administration. In partnership with the associate dean of the faculty/dean for academic development, she advances faculty development initiatives to foster success at every career stage. Contact Hayley for reappointment, tenure, and promotion procedures and questions; sabbaticals and leaves; and faculty record sheets.

Patty Tran
Schedule Coordinator
​413-585-3017

Patty Tran通过管理院长的日程安排和日常办公室运作，促进了一个富有成效的工作环境. Patty is the primary scheduling contact for the Provost, Associate Provost, and Associate Dean of the Faculty/Dean for Academic Development, and for academic calendar queries and events managed by the Office of the Provost/Dean of the Faculty.