Provost Fellowship Call for Proposals

Program Overview

The Provost Fellowship is a faculty professional development opportunity designed for the mutual benefit of participating faculty and UM-Flint. Participating faculty will further develop skills in communication, decision-making, collaboration, mentoring, and strategic thinking while exploring their interest in pursuing leadership roles in academic administration. UM-Flint will strengthen its pipeline of skilled academic leaders who can lead cross-divisional projects, advance strategic priorities, support shared governance, lead change, and cultivate inclusive, high-performing departments and programs. The Office of the Provost will additionally benefit from ongoing faculty involvement, advice and counsel as each Provost’s Fellow will bring their unique ideas and perspectives to our shared work.

2026-27 Academic Year

We anticipate selecting up to three provost’s fellows to serve in the 2026-27 academic year. Minimum service will be January 1 – June 30 of 2027. Interested participants may begin shadowing activities as soon as November 1, 2026. A specific goal of the program in 2026-2027 is to support a Vice Provost sabbatical leave during the winter term.

2027-28 Academic Year and Beyond

We anticipate selecting one to three provost’s fellows to serve in each subsequent academic year. Fellows may serve for terms of six months to one year, depending on their interests and the nature of their leadership development projects and activities.

Eligibility and Support

Any full-time member of the UM-Flint faculty with at least six years of experience in their faculty role is eligible to serve as a Provost Fellow. Candidates without prior or current administrative experience at or above the level of department or division chair/director will receive priority consideration.

Selected Provost’s Fellows will receive a stipend of $1,000 for each month of their service. The appointing unit of each Provost’s Fellow will receive $10,000 per six-month period (Jan-June, July-December) of Provost’s Fellow service in support of covering the cost of instructional replacement that enables a course release or other similar workload adjustment.

Fellowship Activities

The central activity of the Provost’s Fellowship will be a substantive leadership experience. During each academic term of appointment, Provost’s Fellows are expected to devote a level of effort to the leadership experience comparable to teaching one course. The leadership experience may be either project-based or role based. Individuals interested in applying are welcome to contact an appropriate member of the Office of the Provost to discuss leadership experience interests and opportunities in advance of preparing an application (see Timeline section for information sessions and appointment options for these discussions).

Project-Based Leadership Experience

Fellows pursuing a project-based leadership experience will collaboratively design and lead an initiative that advances one or more strategic priorities defined in the current UM-Flint strategic plan. Through this work, fellows will develop their leadership capacity while contributing to meaningful institutional progress.

Role-Based Leadership Experience

Fellows pursuing a role-based leadership experience will assume responsibility for a clearly defined area within a Vice Provost’s portfolio. This may occur during a Vice Provost’s sabbatical leave or when a Vice Provost takes on additional short-term responsibilities outside their typical portfolio. Through this experience, fellows will gain firsthand insight into senior academic leadership, develop practical leadership skills in an academic context, and refine their goals for future leadership service.

Throughout the fellowship period, each Provost’s Fellow will receive regular mentoring and guidance from the Provost and one or more Vice Provosts. Opportunities to shadow other campus leaders will be co-designed with selected fellows based on their personal leadership goals. At the conclusion of the fellowship, each Fellow will submit a final reflective report on the leadership experience, which will serve as the basis for a culminating mentoring conversation with the Provost.

Application and Review

Faculty interested in serving as a Provost’s Fellow should submit an application via InfoReady that includes the following items.

  • Narrative that includes:
    • Applicant Information: name, rank, tenure home unit, brief career highlights (no more than half a page)
    • Statement of Interest
    • Personal Leadership Development Goals
    • Preferred leadership experience type
  • Curriculum Vitae or Resume
  • Letter of Support from Dean, Chair, Supervisor, or Unit Head: Letter should describe perceived mutual benefits to the applicant and the home unit.

Review and Selection

Applications for the Provost’s Fellows program will be reviewed by the Provost and Vice Provosts. Selection of applicants to interview will be based on an anticipated high degree of mutual benefits as outlined in the Program Overview section.

Program Timeline

Academic Year 2026-27

  • Call for Applications Released: September 2026 for Academic Year 2026-27
  • Information Session Dates:
    • Tuesday, September 22, 2026, from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Happenings Room
    • Friday, September 25, 2026, from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m., Happenings Room
    • By appointment with the Provost (request appointments through Dominika Lazarska.
  • Application Deadline: October 15, 2026, for Academic Year 2026-27
  • Review Period: October 16-23, 2026, for Academic Year 2026-27
  • Finalist Interviews: During the week of October 26-30, 2026, for Academic Year 2026-27
  • Selection Notification: No later than November 4, 2026, for Academic Year 2026-27
  • Program Start and End Dates: No later than January 1, 2027, for Academic Year 2026-27

Academic Year 2027-2028 and Beyond

  • Call for Applications Released: February 1 of the academic year prior to the Fellowship period
  • Information Session Dates:
    • TBD
    • By appointment with the Provost (request appointments through Dominika Lazarska
  • Application Deadline: March 1 of the academic year prior to the Fellowship period
  • Review Period: March 1-14 of the academic year prior to the Fellowship period
  • Finalist Interviews: During the week following March 14 of the academic year prior to the Fellowship period
  • Selection Notification: No later than April 1 of the academic year prior to the Fellowship period
  • Program Start and End Dates: Either September 1 or January 1

Contact Information

Dominika Lazarska