July 24, 2018

Fairbrother to receive SEC ALDP Alumni Fellowship

Dr. Jeffrey Fairbrother is associate dean for academic and faculty affairs at the University of Tennessee and professor of kinesiology.

By: SEC Staff
SECU (Twitter: @TheSECU)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Dr. Jeffrey T. Fairbrother, Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs at the University of Tennessee, will receive an SEC Academic Leadership Development Program (SEC ALDP) Alumni Fellowship, the Conference staff announced Tuesday. The fellowship provides opportunities for SEC ALDP alumni to visit other SEC universities to strengthen their administrative leadership skills while addressing an area of growth for their home institutions.

As part of the fellowship, Dr. Fairbrother has been invited to Auburn University, the University of Georgia and Louisiana State University during the 2018-2019 academic year. While on those campuses he will identify possible inconsistencies in communication from administrators about expectations relative to the three critical phases of tenure-line faculty development – hiring, mentoring and evaluation. Ultimately he hopes to create greater continuity between the three phases at Tennessee.

“As a former department head and current associate dean for faculty affairs, I have developed some insight into the factors that influence positive faculty development,” said Dr. Fairbrother. “Presumably, an effectively managed and integrated approach to communication about expectations will contribute positively to faculty development and result in improved productivity, increased faculty satisfaction and decreased turnover.”

Since its establishment in 2008, the SEC ALDP seeks to identify, prepare and advance academic leaders for roles within SEC universities and beyond. It includes a university-level development program designed by each institution for its own participants and two SEC-wide, three-day workshops held on specified campuses for all program participants.

“For more than 10 years SEC universities have been intentionally investing in the future of higher education through the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program,” said Dr. Torie Johnson, SEC Associate Commissioner. “Dr. Fairbrother is clearly a leader at the University of Tennessee, and we are pleased to be able to support his growth through collaboration with other SEC administrators.”

As associate dean, Dr. Fairbrother oversees the processes related to the undergraduate and graduate curriculum, course scheduling, and faculty evaluation and development. He also represents the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences on matters related to academic and faculty affairs, works with the dean’s executive team, and serves as a resource for department heads. Dr. Fairbrother was member of the 2015-2016 SEC ALDP cohort.

The SEC ALDP Alumni Fellowship is in its second year and two former participants may receive the award annually. The overarching SEC ALDP is an academic initiative of the Southeastern Conference, which promotes the endeavors and achievements of the students and faculty at its 14 member universities.