Christopher R. Friese, the Elizabeth Tone Hosmer Professor of Nursing and Professor of Health Management and Policy, began his 5-year term as Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs on June 1, 2024. In partnership with Vice Provost Sara Blair, he is responsible for overseeing core faculty-centered processes, including the promotion and tenure process, as well as the Provost Office’s funding programs in support of recruiting, hiring, retaining, and promoting faculty. Friese will have oversight of the seven health science schools and the Life Sciences Institute, as well as the Ross School of Business, the Marsal School of Education, the College of Engineering, the School for Environment and Sustainability, the Law School, and the Ford School of Public Policy.

What are your initial and long-term goals for the position?

I was attracted to this position because I have benefited greatly from various faculty-focused initiatives that have been led from this office. I’m excited to pay forward the tremendous support I’ve received over my 16 years at Michigan and develop initiatives and policies that allow Michigan faculty to learn, grow, and thrive. 

My predecessor Dr. Lori Pierce served in the Provost’s Office for 19 years and accumulated exceptional wisdom and acumen in this multifaceted role. In my first three months, I will focus on connecting – across schools and units – with our various partners across the University to better understand our core functions and generate aspirational goals. Following this, the team and I are poised to examine existing practices and propose new efforts that align with both the Vision 2034 framework and mission of the Provost’s Office. My long-term goal is for Michigan to be recognized among its peers as providing exceptional support to our faculty community. 

The University faces a unique fulcrum with regard to faculty support: the higher education climate writ large poses challenges for successful faculty recruitment and retention. So what can we do here at Michigan to better support faculty we are hoping to attract and make Michigan their career destination? We are well-positioned to foster an exceptional climate for faculty creativity, scholarship, and teaching excellence, and that’s incredibly exciting work to be doing right now.

What are some of the key areas of focus for the next year?

I won’t be doing this work alone. We have an exceptional team in the office, as well as partners across the Schools and Colleges. It’s an honor to work with them to ensure our policies and processes are sound. As time demands continue to increase, we’ll be monitoring ways in which the promotions and tenure process can be managed efficiently, while maintaining rigorous standards and ensuring equitable treatment. The diversity of scholarship and creative activities across our campus is a wonderful challenge to have: we want to be sure we recognize all the many ways our faculty contribute to the community.

I am also interested in examining ways in which we can make working at Michigan easier for faculty, especially those among our community with a disability or who have caregiving responsibilities. Both of those resonate for me as I was a remote caregiver as a newly-appointed Assistant Professor. The faculty are the engine of this academic enterprise. By identifying ways in which we can align policies, resources, and partnerships to support faculty in their individual endeavors, the University will stand to gain as well.

How do you plan to approach this work?

People who know me would tell you I’m a pretty informal person. On multiple leadership style inventories, I’ve been termed a “connector.” I get excited about connecting ideas and people and it’s not unusual for me to hear one idea at a meeting and bring it to another colleague. This fall, I’m looking forward to a listening tour with my colleagues in schools who lead faculty affairs efforts to better understand and address their needs. It’s also incredibly humbling to review casebooks from our faculty and those who wish to join our campus. The work our faculty do is inspiring. Whenever and wherever I can, I will be celebrating – virtually or in person – the accomplishments of our faculty and asking them, “What more can we do?,” and integrating their feedback into our future work. I also want to publicly thank the many members of our community who contribute to this work, by serving as reviewers, committee members, volunteers for ad hoc working groups, and the like. This team effort is essential to the university.

What are some of your favorite events on campus?

I have sung with the UMS Choral Union for many years. I always enjoy our concerts in Hill Auditorium, including the complete Handel’s Messiah every December. I am a fan of Michigan football and basketball, in good times and bad. Because I was on sabbatical during the national title game, I streamed the game on German sports television at around 1 a.m., while listening to the Ann Arbor radio broadcast (thanks, technology). A favorite day of the year is the May Regents’ meeting when all faculty promotions are announced. I’m thrilled to get to support that effort in the years ahead in this new role.