The Pulse Newsletter

Message from Provost Abby Parrill-Baker

Abby Parrill-Baker, University of Michigan-Flint Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Thank you all for the warm welcome over the past month. It has been a pleasure meeting with faculty, staff, directors, and the deans and beginning to learn more about the many strengths and distinctive qualities of our academic and support units.  I’ve enjoyed learning about fabulous experiential learning opportunities such as employer-driven project-based learning recently integrated into the computer science curriculum in CIT, the strong community engagement and experiential learning opportunities afforded by the CHS HEART clinic, and the growing career services support and first college-wide career fair in CASE.  I am excited to keep learning as I start my second month here at UM-Flint!

Summer is a valuable time to rest and recharge, and I hope you are finding moments to do so. For those who are on campus, I’d be delighted to see you at one of our informal Meet & Greet gatherings – a chance to connect and share ideas in a relaxed setting.


Abby Parrill-Baker
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Sapna V. Thwaite

Dear UM-Flint Colleagues

I hope you are having a restful and enjoyable summer!
Here are some updates from the VPAA Office. We have been busy planning and working on initiatives for the upcoming academic year, and a more detailed update will be shared at the start of the academic year.


Stephen W. Turner

As part of our ongoing efforts to support institutional excellence and continuous improvement, I’m pleased to share one small update. We have recently received word that a peer review team has tentatively approved our Quality Initiative through the Higher Learning Commission. 



Generative AI

The Office of Online and Digital Education provides comprehensive support to instructors and academic units in the development and delivery of online courses and programs at UM-Flint. Find the latest information for online teaching and learning resources, upcoming events, training opportunities, and more.


Library with shelves of books

Learn about and register for the upcoming Faculty Webinars.


I am an experimental psychologist specializing in social and personality psychology, with training in evolutionary psychology. (…) I am currently collaborating on a project aimed at supporting behavior change and improving health outcomes. Across all of my work, I am interested in how our evolved minds navigate age-old problems as well as novel challenges in the modern world.


I work closely with the Rackham Graduate Program Directors to support our graduate students, doing my best to ensure a coordinated and consistent approach to academic planning. This partnership strengthens our ability to respond to student needs and fosters a more seamless, student-centered experience across programs.