SPCS Faculty

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.faculty appointments
active adjunct faculty members
average number of students in SPCS classes
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.





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:
- Determine multimedia needs ahead of time and prepare fail-safes.
- Prepare for emergencies and hazards
- Review planning recommendations for emergencies
- Develop an instructional continuity plan in case of class cancellation.
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 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, 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, 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 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