January 2026 Provost Notes

Happy New Year! As we welcome 2026, I want to thank you, our faculty and staff, for the incredible work that continues to elevate Georgia College & State University. This past year, we celebrated record enrollment, top national and regional rankings, notable research, and expanded high-impact learning experiences—all because of your dedication. Your dedication to teaching, research, and service to our community has earned us outstanding recognition and positioned us for an even brighter future.

Looking ahead, let’s build on this momentum: fostering innovation in teaching, advancing scholarship, and creating transformative experiences for our students. Your work—whether in the classroom, the lab, or behind the scenes—is the cornerstone of our success. I’m honored to serve alongside such a talented and passionate community. With your continued energy and creativity, 2026 promises to be a year of even greater impact.

Thank you for all you do for our students and our university.

Sincerely,
Dr. Holley Roberts
Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs

We’re thrilled to welcome our newest faculty members and academic leaders—bold thinkers, dedicated educators, and leaders who will help shape the next chapter of GCSU. Their expertise and fresh perspectives strengthen our community and fuel our shared commitment to excellence. Here’s to new ideas, new collaborations, and an exciting year ahead.

College of Arts & Sciences:

Matthew Forrest, MFA: Chair of the Department of Art

Dr. Janelle Pham: Newell Visiting Scholar for the Department of Government & Sociology

Are you interested in applying for one of the grants being offered by Academic Affairs? Are you seeking support and guidance for preparing and submitting your Academic Affairs Small Grant? Join Dr. Jim Berger to learn steps for completing the application and receive guidance on what can be included and what to leave out. Even if you are not sure you want to apply to the programs, this session can help you think about the process and potential projects. Each of the grant types will be discussed, rubrics for each will be provided, and tips on how to create a more successful application will be covered. These grant programs are open to all full-time faculty (Instructors, lecturers, tenured, tenure-track, non-tenure track). Handouts will be provided, and resources will be shared.

Register to attend face-to-face at 12 noon on January 28. The workshop will be held in the Library, room 376. You can also register to attend virtually at 2 p.m. on January 29.

Registration link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=-pzSv3GO5kKavJU6bW8H1sUz-Y4iOQhAqI7ur2jkCvZUNkpCMk85UVM0OEhOSTA4UTJVNTAwVE1CRC4u

Academic Affairs Small Grants Program – Application Period Opens February 1

The call for research grant proposals for 2026-2027 Spring Round opens February 1, 2026, with a deadline of February 15, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Applicants should read the guidance provided by Academic Affairs. Once the applicant has their materials ready to submit, please log into GeorgiaVIEW/D2L, click on the Self-Registration menu option, and find the Academic Affairs Small Grant Application course. Be sure to complete self-registration for the course. Submission instructions and the forms for uploading your materials are available in the course announcements. For more information, please see the Program Call for Submissions.

Grant amount: Up to $5,000.00

Submission Timeline:

Application Open: February 1, 2026, to February 15, 2026 @ 5:00 p.m. EST
Recipients Announced: March 11, 2026
Award Continues Through: May 1, 2027 [All funds must be expended by November 1, 2026]

For assistance, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning at ctl@gcsu.edu, or call (478) 445-2520.

Community-Based Engaged Learning Grants – Application Period Opens February 1

The call for research grant proposals for 2026-2027 Spring Round opens February 1, 2026, with a deadline of February 15, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Once the applicant has their materials ready to submit, please log into GeorgiaVIEW, click on the Self-Registration menu option, find the CbEL Grants Program course. Be sure to complete the self-registration for the course. Submission instructions and forms to upload your materials are in the course announcements. For more information, please see the Program Call for Submissions.

Grant amount: Up to $1,000.00

Submission Timeline:

Application Open: February 1, 2026, to February 15, 2026 @ 5:00 p.m. EST
Recipients Announced: March 11, 2026
Award Continues Through: May 1, 2027 [All funds must be expended by November 1, 2026]

For assistance, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning at ctl@gcsu.edu, or call (478) 445-2520.

It is time for the spring round of Affordable Learning Georgia (ALG) grants, a USG initiative to reduce the cost of course materials for students, and is due March 23, 2026. There are three categories of grants: transformation, research, and continuous improvement. Proposals must be submitted by the Office of Grants and Sponsored Projects (OGSP) and are due by March 18, 2026. The OGSP is offering application review and feedback from March 2-6, 2026. Please contact Paula Knight for information at 478-445-1693. Click here for more information on Affordable Learning Georgia Grants.

Please be reminded of the submission procedures for the Office of Grants & Sponsored Projects.

All grant proposals to federal entities, state entities, or professional associations must be routed for internal approval before submission may occur. After the proposal has been approved internally, the office will assist with submission of the proposal to the funding agency. It is important to include this internal process when developing proposals. Proposals should be routed for approval at least five working days prior to the submission deadline.

Click here for more information on procedures within the OGSP.

Mark your calendar for the fourth annual Georgia College & State University Research Day on April 15, 2026. Special events will begin on April 14th, including the Kickoff Keynote Address, sponsored by the John E. Sallstrom Honors College, which will feature Dr. Scott Huettel, a Neuroscientist from Duke University.

The 4th Annual GCSU Research Day will celebrate and showcase student success through mentored projects in research and creative endeavors, as well as projects from GC Journeys. We welcome all undergraduate and graduate students to share their work with the campus community. We hope that all faculty and staff will encourage every student to present or support their peers on this day.

Please note that on Research Day, classes will be reassigned to welcome all members of the GCSU community to participate and to encourage submission of all types of projects and exhibitions, including projects related to GC Journeys.

Visit the GCSU Research Day webpage to learn more:

• The Submission Portal is now open. Please use the link to submit proposals.
• Submission deadline: March 2, 2026
• Event date: April 15, 2026

For more information, please contact:

• Dr. Kevin Bucholtz, Associate Provost for Student Engagement and Academic Excellence (kevin.bucholtz@gcsu.edu)
• Dr. Tsu-Ming Chiang, MURACE Faculty director (tm.chiang@gcsu.edu)
• Natalie Churchill, MURACE Coordinator (natalie.churchill@gcsu.edu)

Thank you in advance for your support and participation in this important initiative at GCSU.

GCSU’s “Don’t Cancel Class Program” is a collaboration between the Divisions of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs that invites faculty to schedule a workshop for their normally scheduled class in the event of a planned absence or as part of the class plan.

Faculty are invited to choose from a menu of workshops, discussions and training focused on topics like transitioning to college, resilience, time management, growth mindset, effective communication, academic confidence and many more. Faculty may also request a customized workshop or training for their department, program, or class.

The form to request workshops for the spring semester can be found at https://www.gcsu.edu/wellbeing/faculty-resources. Please allow for two weeks advance notice when making a request.

Contact Dr. Emily Jarvis at emily.jarvis@gcsu.edu or call ext. 8566 for more information.

GCSU Wellness Day, a signature experience of the QEP: Bobcats FIRST, will be held Tuesday, March 3, 2026, for students, faculty, and staff. The Divisions of Academic Affairs and Student Life will be hosting this activity filled day, with Assessment Morning and Wellness Afternoon. Classes are redirected to the activities of the day. Please remember that no instructional time will be lost. We look forward to seeing you all at Wellness Day!

Dr. Daniel Wu- Assistant Professor of Data Science: Bridging Theory and Practice: A Data-Driven Community Partnership to Optimize Maintenance Effectiveness

Amount: $1,000.00

Matthew Forrest, Professor and Chair of Art: Creative Problem-Solving in Printmaking

Amount: $800.00

Did you know that resources are available to faculty for professional development? The Provost website has multiple pages to view topics such as faculty initiatives, information for Centers & Institutes, academic resources, and more. Click here to learn about the exciting opportunities available!