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The 2030 Teaching Excellence & Innovation Initiative comprises three interconnected, ad hoc university-wide committees that met during the 2024-25 academic year to improve different facets of teaching at Duke. These committees delivered their recommendations to Provost Alec Gallimore in Summer 2025. The Office of the Provost continues to work with faculty governance bodies, school leadership, and other supporting offices to advance these recommendations.
Committee Charges and Recommendations
The committees were charged by the Provost with developing implementation plans to realize the ambitious goals articulated by prior working groups, including the 2030 Education Working Group, the 2018 Tenure Standards Committee, the 2021 Academic Council report on regular rank faculty, and the Trinity Curriculum Development Committee.
The committees and their recommendations include:
The Teaching and Mentoring Excellence committee was charged with creating an evidence-based rubric to define and evaluate teaching/mentoring excellence; creating a culture that supports and values teaching excellence; revising appointment, promotion, and tenure standards to clarify teaching expectations; and creating defined career pathways and consistent titles for regular-rank non-tenure track faculty. Read the committee’s recommendations.
In spring 2026, the Academic Council approved key elements of the committee’s recommendations including:
- Implementation of the Teaching and Mentoring Excellence Frameworks (p 8-12 and p 17-19), modified to meet units’ needs;
- Application of these frameworks to clarify the standards for promotion with respect to teaching and mentoring for tenure track faculty (p 21-26) and career track faculty (p 32-34); and
- Adoption of clarified titles and tracks for “Career Track” faculty (p 27-31).
The Office of the Provost will work with units to implement these recommendations over the next several years.
The Cross-School Teaching Opportunities committee explored policies and practices to lower the threshold for faculty to teach across schools, including professional school faculty teaching and mentoring undergraduates as well as teaching exchanges between professional schools. Read the committee’s recommendations.
The Adaptable Academic Structures committee developed ideas for introducing, experimenting with, and assessing options for increased modularity and enhanced modalities in educational delivery. Read the committee’s recommendations.
For more information or questions about the 2030 Teaching Excellence & Innovation Initiative, contact Laura Howes, Assistant Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice Provost.
Committee Rosters
Teaching & Mentoring Excellence Committee (2024-25)
- Jerry Reiter, Statistical Science, Trinity (Co-chair)
- Bridgette Hard, Psychology & Neuroscience, Trinity (Co-chair)
- Aria Chernik, Learning Innovation & Lifetime Education
- Scott Dyreng, Fuqua School of Business
- Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda, School of Nursing
- Tim Johnson, Earth & Climate Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment
- Esther Kim Lee, Theatre Studies, Trinity
- Heather Mechler, Institutional Research
- Kavin Rowe, Divinity School
- Ann Saterbak, Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering
- David Schanzer, Sanford School of Public Policy
- Beth Sullivan, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, School of Medicine
- Ying Xiong, Learning Innovation & Lifetime Education
Ex Officio & Committee Staff
- Abbas Benmamoun, Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement
- Mohamed Noor, Executive Vice Provost
- Laura Howes, Interdisciplinary Programs
Adaptable Academic Structures Committee (2024-25)
- Jeffrey Glass, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering (Co-chair)
- Emma Rasiel, Economics, Trinity (Co-chair)
- Frank Blalark, University Registrar
- Andrea Marritt-Pabalate, Trinity
- Jennie DeGagne, School of Nursing
- Didem Havlioglu, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Trinity
- David Johnston, Marine Science & Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment
- John Klingensmith, The Graduate School
- Sarah Komisarow, Sanford School of Public Policy
- Russ Morgan, Fuqua School of Business
- Daniel Scolnic, Physics, Trinity
- Patrick Smith, Divinity School
- Len White, Neurology, School of Medicine
Ex Officio & Committee Staff
- Yakut Gazi, Vice Provost for Learning Innovation & Lifetime Education
- Noah Pickus, Associate Provost
- Shana Lassiter, Faculty Advancement
Cross-School Teaching Committee (2024-25)
- David McAdams, Fuqua School of Business (Chair)
- Mark Borsuk, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering
- Kate Bundorf, Sanford School of Public Policy
- Katelyn Cai, Undergraduate Student Representative
- James Chappel, History, Trinity
- Megan Huchko, Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine
- Jacqui McMillian-Bohler, School of Nursing
- Hector Monterroso, Graduate Student Representative
- Chelsea Nielsen, Professional Student Representative
- Charlie Nunn, Evolutionary Anthropology, Trinity
- William Pan, Environmental Natural Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment
Ex Officio & Committee Staff
- Ed Balleisen, Senior Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Programs and Initiatives
- Meghan O’Neil, Interdisciplinary Programs