NAKHE Newsletter

Dear NAKHE Colleagues,

As we approach the beginning of another academic year, I find myself reflecting on the incredible resilience and dedication of our faculty members across the country. Higher education today is facing pressures unlike any in recent memory, an ever-accelerating, reactionary pace of university administrative decisions, an environment that too often feels in perpetual crisis, and increasing federal oversight and financial, hostage holding that has even led some university presidents to step down. In this climate, the temptation to retreat or disengage can be strong.

But now, more than ever, is the time to be diligent in our roles as educators, mentors, and stewards of the academic mission. Our students and our institutions are looking to us, to you, for leadership and stability. The heart of higher education is not found in policies or politics, but in the daily work of fostering free thought, nurturing students’ critical thinking skills, and upholding the values of shared governance.

We are witnessing significant shifts across the nation. In some states, legislatures are moving to diminish faculty voices by mandating that 50% or more of faculty senates be institutionally appointed by university presidents, rather than elected by their peers. This strikes at the very foundation of shared governance, risking not only faculty morale but the vibrant, independent exchange of ideas that makes our institutions unique.

I urge each of you to remain vigilant and engaged. Continue to participate actively in faculty governance, advocate for transparent and inclusive decision-making, and support your colleagues and students through these challenging times. Our commitment to our core values, emphasizing academic freedom, shared governance, and student development, has never been more important.

Let us remind ourselves and our communities: Higher education is a public good. Our work matters, not just within our classrooms and departments, but for the future of a free and thoughtful society.

Thank you for all that you do, every day.

Together in strength, scholarship, and service,

Daniel J. Burt, Ph.D.
President, National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education (NAKHE)

We had an exciting and productive site visit for the upcoming 2026 NAKHE Conference in Nashville, TN. We received 130 conference proposals! A strong number for our conference. Currently conference proposals are in the review phase. A big thank you to our peer reviewers for NAKHE conference proposals. We are certain the conference content will be high quality and meaningful. Due to the large volume of proposals, our target date to communicate about acceptance has shifted to early September. At that time, we will also be able to share the expected presentation date and time slot.

In the meantime, we hope you will all plan to attend the conference and start making your arrangements to join us.

If you have graduate students who would like to do a poster presentation but missed our submission deadline, please reach out to me (nanneyl@uncw.edu). We are trying to gauge interest and whether we need to extend the submission deadline for students. Our planning team recognizes the challenge a summer submission deadline may pose for graduate students.

We are currently accepting sponsors for the conference as well. If you are interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities, please reach out (nanneyl@uncw.edu). To date our 2026 sponsors include: University of North Carolina Greensboro Department of Kinesiology. We hope to add several others to that list.

See you in Nashville!

Lindsey Nanney

NAKHE Vice President

The NAKHE Marketing Committee would like to highlight our members in our social media and newsletter! Please fill out the information form by clicking here to be considered as our next featured member. If you have any questions, please contact Haley Blount (the committee chair) at blounth@nsula.edu.

Thank you so much!

Sincerely,

NAKHE Marketing Committee

State: Ann Arbor, MI
Position: Dean, School of Kinesiology
Deadline: January 16, 2026

Job Description / Duties

With a strong financial stance and energetic growth, the University of Michigan's (U-M) School of Kinesiology (SoK) seeks a Dean whose growth mindset, and future-forward understanding of the opportunities in the fields of kinesiology, health sciences, and sport management will provide strategic and visionary leadership committed to furthering its existing excellence. Reporting directly to Provost Laurie McCauley (https://provost.umich.edu/about-the-office/laurie-mccauley/), the new Dean will be a collaborative member of a strong team. They will be expected to provide a plan for continued strategic growth and support, capitalizing on the recent construction of the SoK building and the School's fiscal strength, while also serving as a collaborative partner in advancing overall university success.

Following a decade of successful decanal stewardship, the SoK's next Dean will be a critical leader for the School, continuing to unify its diverse disciplines, further elevating research for faculty and students, and setting the curricular agenda in collaboration with faculty, while strengthening and sustaining a culture that values every individual and their unique contributions. They will responsibly allocate and utilize resources, making sage fiscal decisions which ensure the quality of the student experience and the excellence of their academic training.

Founded in 1817, U-M has a long history of dedication to public service and engagement. As one of the first public universities in the nation, it has maintained the highest levels of distinction in education, scholarship, and research while remaining broadly accessible to a range of students. It consistently ranks in the top three U.S. Public Universities, serving 67,000 students on three campuses.

The most successful candidates will, at the minimum, hold an earned doctorate in a relevant discipline, with a scholarly record appropriate for appointment as a full professor with tenure. They will have significant experience as an academic leader, with skills suitable for leading a school of the size and complexity of the School of Kinesiology.

WittKieffer is assisting the University of Michigan in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by September 21, 2025. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile at https://apptrkr.com/6394467.

Nominations, inquiries and applications can be directed to:

Zachary A. Smith, Ph.D., Sandra Chu, and Luis Bertot

UMichDeanKinesiology@wittkieffer.com

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic university community committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. Potential applicants who share this goal are encouraged to apply.

Check out the NAKHE website for current job openings at higher education institutions. The most recent position postings are listed below.

Please consider submitting an article to #NAKHE ‘s Journals-

IJKHE - https://www.nakhe.org/submit-to-the-journal.html

Quest - https://www.nakhe.org/submit-to-quest.html