Dr. Kelly Guyotte has been named the College of Education’s Director of Diversity Initiatives and Faculty Development with official duties beginning in the fall of 2022.
Guyotte is an Associate Professor of Qualitative Research in the Department of Educational Studies in Psychology, Research Methods, and Counseling at The University of Alabama. She is also Program Coordinator for Educational Research and, since 2015, has served as Co-Coordinator of the Qualitative Research Certificate Program. She is interested in women in higher education, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) education, pedagogy, visual activism and uses qualitative methodologies, visual/artful methodologies, arts-based research, narrative research, and poststructural and feminist research practices.
Guyotte stated, “The Director of Diversity Initiatives and Faculty Development position is a wonderful confluence of two of my passions: diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as academic mentoring. I look forward to both working with and supporting my colleagues in this new position, and I’m honored to serve the College of Education in this capacity.”
Dean Peter Hlebowitsh stated, “I am pleased to announce that Kelly Guyotte has agreed to serve as the College’s inaugural Director of Diversity Initiatives and Faculty Development. Dr. Guyotte will work to enhance the College’s minority faculty recruitment efforts and to create a strong mentoring program for young faculty. She will also aim to build a common discourse community in the College dedicated to reasoned and civil engagement of diversity-related issues. The entire COE community is excited to witness the good and important work that Dr. Guyotte will soon undertake this fall.”
The Director of Diversity Initiatives and Faculty Development develop a strategic plan that includes ways to enhance minority faculty recruitment and to strengthen the retention of faculty demonstrating high levels of professional accomplishment. The Director will have an ex officio appointment on the College’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee and a seat on each of the College’s faculty search committees. The design and implementation of a comprehensive faculty mentoring program, with special attention given to an onboarding program or early mentoring program for assistant professors, is also expected, as is the design of a program that results in a high rate of successful tenure and promotion decisions, a positive work climate and good responsiveness to work-life concerns. The Director is also expected to develop new programs and practices that increase awareness of diversity concerns and that create a common discourse community in the College dedicated to a reasoned and civil engagement of diversity-related issues. Duties also include the design and implementation of an ongoing evaluation of all diversity and faculty development initiatives undertaken by the Director’s Office.