SPCS Faculty

Information for Faculty

SPCS intentionally engages adjunct faculty as our primary instructors. Members of our full-time faculty direct the School’s academic programs and strategy. Our adjuncts, who are scholar practitioners with both workplace experience and academic and teaching credentials, bring real-world experience and cutting edge theory into the classroom when they teach.

Adjunct FacultyFull-time FacultySPCS Guiding PrinciplesOnline Teaching Resources

Updates & General Information

Tell us your story. Update your online bio. Find out who sits on SPCS committees. And review the list of program chairs. If you need additional details, information, review details below.
12

faculty appointments

~150

active adjunct faculty members

12

average number of students in SPCS classes

SPCS Committees
Program Chairs List
Share Your Story
Update Your Online Bio
Fall 2023 Faculty Meeting

The Fall 2023 Adjunct Faculty Meeting will be held in person. All adjunct faculty members are encouraged to attend, even if not teaching during the semester. Updates for the academic year, including our renovated space in Special Programs Building, will be shared during the meeting.

  • Thursday, August 24, 2023
  • Jepson Alumni Center
  • 5:00-7:45 p.m.

Effective Teaching Tools

Effective teaching is at the heart of the School, part of the fabric of the Richmond experience. The resources provided below offer tips and tools for faculty training and improvement, along with links to forms and resources needed to teach and administer classes effectively.

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Innovations in Teaching Teaching resources along 14 dimensions of innovation. Lists annual award winners along with nomination form.
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Online Teaching Resources Hundreds of online teaching & learning resources, organized by category.
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Miers Undergraduate Research Award Faculty nominations accepted annually for undergraduate research excellence.
Two faculty members reading a book
UR Faculty Hub University’s pedagogy-focused resource for all faculty.
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SPCS Online Teaching Community Housed on Blackboard (look for TR176), an SPCS community of practice.

Resources for All Faculty

Improving Instruction

The Innovations in Teaching framework defines teaching innovations along 14 dimensions. SPCS gives an annual Innovations in Teaching Award to an adjunct faculty member who demonstrates innovative teaching practices. Nominations for the annual award are generally due in early December.

Our Online Resources for Teaching & Learning have been collected by a committee of adjunct and full-time faculty, spearheaded by Bob Spires and John Zinn. This event is updated as new tools and resources become known and available.

Continuity of Instruction

The University has collected tips, resources and techniques for ensuring that students are able to continue making progress toward their degrees regardless of circumstances. Recent experience with the coronavirus pandemic reveals the importance of making a plan to continue instruction. The following summarizes primary recommendations:

Campus Emergencies

In the case of an active shooter: Run. Hide. Fight. University of Richmond Police recommend watching this video illustrating the value and effectiveness of this response to an active shooter on campus.

All campus emergency alerts are posted to alert.richmond.edu and sent by email to your Richmond account. Log in to BannerWeb to opt into emergency communication by phone and text to ensure speedy receipt of emergency communications.

Reminders

Faculty meetings are held early in the spring and fall semesters. SPCS Night and Commencement are held early in May.

You may wish to become a Safe Zone Ally to support LGBTQ members of the Richmond community.

If you are interested in additional employment opportunities at Richmond, visit SPCS job postings or the HR online jobs site.

Free and discounted professional development opportunities are available for all faculty; review the list on the Adjunct Resources page.

Faculty & Staff Accomplishments

David E. Kitchen
Kitchen Publishes Book on Global Climate Change

David Kitchen, SPCS associate dean and professor of geology, has released the second edition of Global Climate Change: Turning Knowledge into Action, published by Routledge. The book investigates the scientific, environmental, social, political, and economic aspects of climate change.

View Bio
Bob Spires
Spires Published with Napoli & Kuti

Bob Spires, associate professor of education, co-authored a chapter in the edited collection International Perspectives on School-University Partnerships with Deborah Napoli, director of clinical practice for University education programs, andLaura Kuti, assistant professor and chair of teacher education. The chapter addressed the teacher shortage in Virginia.

View Bio
Deborah Napoli
Napoli Published with Kuti & Spires

Deborah Napoli, director of clinical practice for University education programs, co-authored a chapter in the edited collection International Perspectives on School-University Partnerships with Laura Kuti, assistant professor and chair of teacher education, and Bob Spires, associate professor of education. The chapter addressed the teacher shortage in Virginia.

View Bio
Laura M. Kuti
Kuti Published with Napoli & Spires

Laura Kuti, assistant professor and chair of teacher education, co-authored a chapter in the edited collection International Perspectives on School-University Partnerships with Deborah Napoli, director of clinical practice for University education programs, and Bob Spires, associate professor of education. The chapter addressed the teacher shortage in Virginia.

View Bio
Load More Accomplishments

SPCS & Relevant Events

Sep 27
Beer Brewing Program Information Session
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Sep 28
Online Information Session - Graduate Education & Teaching
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Sep 29
Application Deadline for Beer Brewer Professional Certificate Program
All Day
Sep 29
Registration Deadline for GIS Professional Certificate Program
All Day
Oct 02
Cherry Award Finalist Lecture
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Oct 12
Online Information Session - Graduate HR Management, Liberal Arts & Nonprofit Studies
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
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    5-Year Service Award Recipients: Jan Nelson, Drew Baker, Karen Carpenter & Kelly Merrill with Dean Wilson
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    10 Year Service Award recipients: Lynne Bland & Rob McAdams with Dean Wilson.
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    15-year Service Award Recipient: Maria Poindexter with Dean Wilson.
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    20-year Service Award Recipients: Linda Fisher Thornton, David Kitchen, George Hiller & Chris Turpin with Dean Wilson.
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    25-year Service Award Recipient: William Prior with Dean Wilson.
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    Promotion announcement: Linda Fisher Thornton to Adjunct Professor, pictured with Associate Dean Shields.
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    2023 SPCS Innovations in Teaching Award Recipient Bruce McKechnie with Dean Wilson and Associate Dean Shields.