Our Purpose
The Faculty Development Center supports faculty and instructors in their teaching role at the University by providing a comprehensive program of services and resources.
All consultation services provided faculty are confidential and are not used by administrators or committees in making personnel decisions.
Our History
The Faculty Development Center (FDC) was established in 1999 in response to faculty calls for more developmental activities and resources at UMBC. The Center began as a place for faculty to come together and as a clearinghouse for the best scholarship available on teaching. In 2000, under the guidance of the Center’s first full-time Director, Jack Prostko, the Center’s work became more formalized with a number of standard services and programs. The Center’s director from 2010 through 2023, Linda Hodges, drove the expansion of staff and services with a new focus on the scholarship of teaching and learning and support for pedagogical research. Today the Center provides programming and consultations related to all aspects of teaching, pedagogical innovation, and assessment of student learning outcomes.
On October 7, 2020, the Provost announced the establishment of the Center for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching (CALT) and convened a task force to make recommendations on the development of the new Center. Initially, the Center will incorporate and extend the work of the FDC. A core recommendation of UMBC’s Strategic Plan, the Center will “provide support for research and training in best pedagogical practices.” At the heart of the Center’s work is UMBC’s distinctive commitment to, and engagement with, inclusive excellence. The new Center will not only perpetuate best practices, but also produce and support research-based initiatives designed to foster the learning and development of all students. Undergirding and informing this work is a dedication to learning analytics, assessment, and evaluation at the levels of course, program, and institution. CALT will act as both a central resource and a coordinating nexus for educational innovation, research, and student success to conserve campus resources and expedite success.
Throughout the transformation from FDC to CALT, the Center will continue to catalyze and support faculty efforts in sharing, exploring, and celebrating teaching and learning.
Former Leadership
The FDC gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the following former leaders:
- Linda C. Hodges, Ph.D. served as the Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Director of the FDC from 2010 until her retirement at the end of 2023. Linda drove the expansion of the FDC staff and services with a new focus on the scholarship of teaching and learning and support for pedagogical research. She started the center’s certificate programs and brought Faculty Learning Communities to UMBC to provide sustained opportunities for faculty to learn and innovate in an interdisciplinary community of peers. Linda led programs around all aspects of faculty development, consulted with faculty and departments/programs, and supported UMBC’s Middle States accreditation efforts. Linda has published widely on her work in faculty development, engaged student learning, and effective teaching practices including her book, Teaching Undergraduate Science: A Guide to Overcoming Obstacles to Student Learning, 2nd Edition (Routledge, 2026).
- Barry Casey, Ph.D. served as the Interim Director of the FDC from 2008 through 2010. He maintained programming, services, and connection during a time of transition for the Center.
- Jack Prostko, Ph.D. served as the first full-time Director of the FDC from 2000, when the center was only a year old, through 2008, when he joined George Washington University as Associate Dean for Learning and Faculty Affairs. Jack forged strong connections with faculty and staff across disciplines and built a community around teaching and learning at UMBC. He also catalyzed and coordinated early curricular innovations. This laid a respected foundation for faculty development at UMBC.
- Kenneth Baldwin, Ph.D., a faculty member in English, served as half-time Director from 1999-2000. He worked closely with an independent consultant and faculty advisors to gather input about the appropriate activities and services for the Center as its role was being established.
Former Staff
The FDC gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the following former staff members:
- Jennifer M. Harrison, Ph.D. served as the Associate Director for Assessment in the FDC from 2015 until her retirement in 2026. Jennifer consulted with faculty and departments/programs to develop effective assessment practices, supported UMBC’s Middle States accreditation efforts, led programs around all aspects of assessment and faculty development, developed and published curriculum mapping templates, and created and led dynamic curriculum mapping workshops. She presented for a range of higher education audiences and co-authored a book, A Guide to Curriculum Mapping: Creating a Collaborative, Transformative, and Learner-Centered Curriculum (Routledge, 2024).
- Tory Williams, Ph.D. served as the Assistant Director for Pedagogical Research and a Research Assistant Professor supporting the FDC from 2019 through 2024, before joining the Division of Research and Creative Achievement as IRB manager. In the FDC, she supported the design, analysis, and interpretation of pedagogical research projects at UMBC and led programs around teaching and learning in the diverse classroom. Tory also held a lead role in the data compilation, analysis, interpretation, and results dissemination for the UMBC NSF IUSE grant.
- Lynn Knazik served as the Administrative Assistant to the FDC from 2010 until her retirement in 2017. She was essential to marketing Center activities, arranging program needs, communicating with faculty, and monitoring the Center’s budget.
- Ann Garner, Ph.D. served as the Assistant Director from 2012 until 2013. Ann brought the Classroom Assessment for Teaching And Learning, or CATALyst Midterm Feedback Process, to the FDC. She also worked closely with DoIT to support faculty in their use of Blackboard.
- Sue Hahn served as an Administrative Assistant for the FDC from 1999 to 2009. She supported the Center by arranging program needs and monitoring the Center’s budget.
In Memoriam: Jack Prostko 1954-2020
It is with great sadness that we recognize the passing of the first full-time Director of the Faculty Development Center, Dr. Jack Prostko, on September 23, 2020. He was 66. Jack came to UMBC to direct the year-old Center in 2000. He came with a wealth of experience in the field of professional development having been Associate Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Stanford, one of the nation’s oldest such centers. Jack’s disciplinary background was in English, but his expertise, coupled with his warmth and collegiality, allowed him to connect with faculty across disciplines, supporting them in their pursuit of excellence in not only teaching but also research. He forged strong connections with integral units across campus and often acted to catalyze and coordinate early curricular innovations at the University. Specifically, he enabled and supported early efforts to establish First Year Seminars and Writing-Intensive Courses, initiatives that were eventually consolidated and recognized in an Office of Undergraduate Education. He also partnered informally with the nascent Instructional Technology team, extending their reach and collaborating on workshops and the development of the Alternate Delivery Program. Working only with the help of a part-time administrative assistant, Jack built a respected foundation for subsequent efforts in faculty development, allowing later directors to build on a positive base of faculty trust and appreciation of the work. He left UMBC in 2008 and joined George Washington University to be closer to his home. He retired as Associate Dean for Learning and Faculty Affairs there in May 2020.
Jack will be remembered with respect and affection by the many colleagues who benefitted from his kindly wisdom and generous support. He was always available to help formulate an idea or identify next steps. The University was in many ways transformed by the way he built a community around teaching and learning and valued the contributions of everyone in that effort.