Mission
The Faculty Success Center (FSC) advances the mission of East Texas A&M University by fostering a faculty-ready university— one where policies, structures, resources, and culture are intentionally designed to ensure faculty can thrive from day one.
Goals
Goal 1: Cultivate a Nimble, Solutions-Oriented Center
- Objective: Position the FSC as a responsive, trusted resource that proactively identifies and addresses faculty needs before they escalate into challenges.
Goal 2: Enhance Faculty Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship
- Objective: Elevate instructional quality, innovation and scholarly engagement across all career stages.
Goal 3: Provide Guidance on Navigating Institutional Policies and Procedures
- Objective: Empower faculty to effectively engage with university systems and governance structures.
Goal 4: Encourage Faculty Research and Creative Activities
- Objective: Foster a culture of collaboration and innovation that increases research productivity and impact.
Goal 5: Support Faculty Well-being and Professional Growth
- Objective: Cultivate a culture that values balance, mental health and sustainable professional growth.
We’re Here To Help
Contact the Faculty Success Center
The Center is here to help faculty along their professional journey. All individual consultations are confidential. We can:
- provide individual consultations for faculty in a wide range of instructional areas
- provide a review of your teaching
- develop a workshop or series based on faculty interest or need
Thank a Lion
Students: Has a faculty or staff member at East Texas A&M University made a positive impact on your educational journey? If so, take a moment to let them know! These are the people at East Texas A&M University who may have:
- Made going to class worthwhile
- Created a supportive learning environment
- Helped you overcome a difficulty or a challenging experience
You can submit a compliment through Thank a Lion, and the Faculty Success Center will send your note to the educator.
Association of College and University Educators (ACUE)
Each year, East Texas A&M University offers ACUE courses at no cost to the University's faculty in association with Investing in Us.
Investing in Us
Confidentiality Policy
Because of the nature of this work a Confidentiality Statement has been developed so that the Faculty Success Center (FSC) is viewed as a trusted, supportive environment that is respected by faculty. The confidential statement (Appendix 1) is designed to foster that environment. The confidentiality statement was developed with guidance from the Ethical Guidelines for Educational Developers published by the POD Network in Higher Education.
Purpose and Nature of FSC Work
All work conducted by the FSC with faculty is formative in nature. Its purpose is to inform and enhance faculty development, not to evaluate performance. Accordingly, the FSC does not conduct summative evaluations of teaching or professional effectiveness.
Confidentiality of Consultations
With the exception of open workshops and other group activities, all individual faculty consultations with the FSC are treated as confidential. The FSC will release consultation records, including identifying information, only with the faculty member's informed and written consent, or as required by law.
Documentation of Consultations
Faculty members who engage in formal consultations with FSC staff will receive two forms of documentation:
- Detailed Report: Summarizes the consultation(s), including key discussion points, data collected, feedback provided, conclusions reached, and/or action plans.
- Contact Report: Confirms that a consultation occurred and lists the date(s) of the meeting(s).
Both documents are considered confidential personnel information and are provided solely to the faculty member. Faculty may choose to share one or both reports at their discretion. For record-keeping purposes, the FSC retains an electronic copy of the contact report for five years.
Aggregate Reporting
The FSC reports aggregate, non-identifiable metrics to demonstrate impact and guide improvement. Metrics may include:
- Number and type of professional development events offered (e.g., teaching, research, leadership, mentoring).
- Faculty and staff participation rates overall and by rank and college.
- Repeat engagement rates (faculty who return for additional support or programming).
- Percentage of new faculty participating in programs during their first year.
- Changes in faculty retention or satisfaction over time, particularly among early-career or underrepresented faculty.
- Participation or completion rates for professional development initiatives.
- Documented improvements in teaching or research outcomes linked to Center activities.
- Results from anonymous faculty surveys.
Faculty Autonomy
Nothing in these policies is intended to limit a faculty member's ability to share information about their own consultation or participation in FSC programs.
Across a spot-check of 20 U.S. teaching centers, roughly 70% explicitly reference the POD Network's Ethical Guidelines in their confidentiality/ethics statements, while the remainder describe confidentiality practices without naming POD. In other words, explicit POD citation is common but not universal; the underlying confidential, formative stance is near-universal.