Initiatives

The Office of the Provost supports campus initiatives that align with the university’s mission and pursuit of academic excellence. These initiatives have been strategically identified as provost focus areas and will be provided administrative support so that they are clearly communicated and delivered in ways that lead to tangible success.

Provost Initiatives

Artificial Intelligence Workgroup

UMKC is forming an Artificial Intelligence (AI) working group to assess current AI practices across campus, and to provide recommendations and guidelines for AI use in academic, research, business operations, and community engagement contexts. The working group is expected to launch in late September with recommendations, 1-3 year goals, and actions steps to be established by the end of the academic year.

Campus Wellness

The Wellness task force will be conducting a comprehensive review of campus well-being resources, services, and structures to better support our students, faculty, and staff. This initiative includes identifying gaps and opportunities, learning from best practices at peer institutions, and developing high-level recommendations to guide the next steps in advancing well-being across campus.

Faculty Development/CAFE

Faculty development continues to be a key initiative for the provost through a range of professional development initiatives led by the Diane Filion Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE). These efforts focus on supporting innovative teaching, research, and service, while fostering an inclusive and collaborative academic community. CAFE offers workshops, mentoring, and resources that help faculty enhance their pedagogical skills, advance their scholarship, and thrive throughout their careers at UMKC.

Professional Career Escalators

The UMKC Professional Career Escalators program connects students with experiential learning opportunities, professional mentoring, leadership development and scholarship opportunities. Students from all majors will see how courses can translate into careers in four growing industries — health care, education, business and engineering, and law and justice.

Learn about Professional Career Escalators

Roomentum Collaboration with MCC/JCCC/KCKCC/NCMC

UMKC and local community colleges, including Metropolitan CC, Johnson County CC, Kansas City Kansas CC, and North Central Missouri College have partnered to create a seamless transfer pathway program that supports students from their first semester at the community college through graduation at UMKC, RooMentum. This collaborative initiative provides coordinated academic advising, shared student support services, and intentional programming to help students stay on track and feel connected to both institutions. The program is designed to simplify the transfer process and ensure students are well-prepared for continued success at UMKC.

Strategic Data Capacity for Decision Making

UMKC’s Department of University Analytics and Institutional Effectiveness is enhancing its data capacity and expanding personnel dedicated to institutional research and effectiveness to strengthen strategic decision-making across the university. By improving data infrastructure, analytics, and reporting capabilities, including the development of the Dean’s Dashboards, UMKC aims to provide more timely, accurate, and actionable insights that inform planning, resource allocation, and student success initiatives. These efforts support a culture of evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement at all levels of the institution.

Student Success

Development and implementation of comprehensive student retention, graduation, and career placement supports are continuing across the provost’s portfolio. As part of the university’s engagement with the National Institute for Student Success (NISS), these efforts include a redesigned orientation program (Jump Into UMKC), updated admissions and math placement processes, early alerts and intervention, connections to careers and majors, and targeted efforts to remove barriers that impact student progress. Additionally, both faculty leaders and student success staff were invited to participate in the Student Experience Project (SEP), through the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), and will begin implementation of classroom practices designed to improve student belonging.