The Office of the Provost affirms the AAUP’s observation that the “complexity of … tasks performed by institutions of higher education produce an inescapable interdependence among governing board, administration, faculty, students, and others.”[1] In recognition of our interdependence, Provost Coltman established the Aspire Associate program, in which instructional faculty from each college participate in a workshop series designed to facilitate transparency, build collaborative relationships across the division, and facilitate opportunities for leadership development. Participants meet with academic leaders at JMU and beyond, build professional networks, and learn about Academic Affairs operations. The current cohort has learned about JMU budgeting, external accreditation, university organization, and leadership decision-making.

2023 Aspire Associates: 

Anca Constantin 

Zachary Dorsey 

Liz Edwards 

Brian Flota

Jamie Frye

Dayna Henry 

Jennifer Mangan 

Dan Schill

Irana Scott 

David Shonk

Paulo Steinberg

Isaiah Sumner 

Angela Webb

Emily Westkaemper 

Hao Zhang