News - Academic Personnel & Faculty

Meet a Few of the Featured Speakers: Day 1 of New Faculty Onboarding 2026

Starting a faculty appointment at a major research university means learning how to navigate a wide network of resources, opportunities, and collaborators. We’ve arranged for a way that you can begin this process within Faculty Welcome Week and New Faculty Onboarding events. Day 1 of New Faculty Onboarding on September 10 introduces new faculty to campus leaders whose work supports research, innovation, teaching, scholarly communication, graduate education, and faculty success across the University of Washington.

Throughout the day, faculty will hear from a variety of university leaders and campus partners. Below is a preview of just a few of the featured speakers participating in the virtual program.

Mari Ostendorf
Vice Provost for Research

Mari Ostendorf Vice Provost for Research Mari Ostendorf serves as the University of Washington’s Vice Provost for Research, a role she assumed in 2021. She is an Endowed Professor of System Design Methodologies in Electrical & Computer Engineering and previously served as Associate Vice Provost for Research, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Engineering, and Associate Chair for Research in Electrical & Computer Engineering. She also holds adjunct appointments in Computer Science & Engineering and Linguistics.

A nationally recognized researcher in speech and language technology, Ostendorf’s work focuses on dynamic and context-aware models for understanding and generating speech and text, with current research emphasizing conversational artificial intelligence. She was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2021 and is a Fellow of the IEEE, the International Speech Communication Association, and the Association for Computational Linguistics.

During New Faculty Onboarding, Ostendorf will introduce faculty to the Office of Research and the many resources available to support scholarship, funding, compliance, and research development at the UW.

François Baneyx
Vice Provost for Innovation and Director, CoMotion

François Baneyx Vice Provost for Innovation and Director, CoMotion François Baneyx has served as UW’s Vice Provost for Innovation and Director of CoMotion since 2019. He is the H. Harry and R. Metta Rehnberg Endowed Chair in Chemical Engineering, an adjunct professor of Bioengineering and Materials Science & Engineering, and an internationally recognized authority on protein production technologies and the biological fabrication of advanced materials.

His innovation leadership focuses on building connections among the university, industry, government, nonprofits, and regional and global innovation ecosystems. As Director of CoMotion, Baneyx oversees intellectual property protection and licensing, entrepreneurship training, and funding and mentorship programs that support startup creation and commercialization.

Faculty attending Day 1 will learn how CoMotion helps researchers translate discoveries and creative work into real-world impact through innovation support, funding opportunities, mentorship, and industry partnerships.

Joy Williamson-Lott
Dean of the Graduate School

Joy Williamson-Lott Dean of the Graduate School Joy Williamson-Lott serves as Dean of the University of Washington Graduate School. A professor of higher education in the College of Education, she is an accomplished scholar whose research examines the history of American higher education, the Black freedom struggle, and the pursuit of equity and access in educational institutions.

Williamson-Lott is the author of several influential books on Black higher educational history, including Jim Crow Campus: Higher Education and the Struggle for a New Southern Social Order. Her teaching and scholarship explore education as a moral endeavor, the evolving meanings of educational opportunity and liberation, and the educational experiences and histories of people of color. Throughout her career, she has been recognized for both her research and teaching excellence, including receiving the University of Washington’s Distinguished Teaching Award and the Mildred Garcia Award for Early Career Exemplary Scholarship from the Association for the Study of Higher Education.

During New Faculty Onboarding, Williamson-Lott will introduce faculty to the Graduate School’s mission and resources, highlighting opportunities that support graduate education, mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the success of graduate students across the University of Washington.

Verletta Kern
Director, Open Scholarship & Publishing and Arts & Humanities, UW Libraries

Verletta Kern Director, Open Scholarship & Publishing and Arts & Humanities, UW Libraries Verletta Kern’s work centers on connecting researchers with the people, services, and expertise they need to advance their scholarly projects. In discussing her role, she has described serving as a connector who helps faculty and students navigate questions related to digital scholarship, copyright, publishing, preservation, and access.

Kern has also emphasized the role of open scholarship and knowledge sharing, focusing on how research can reach broader audiences beyond the academy and how libraries can support researchers throughout the scholarly communication process.

Together with UW Libraries colleagues, she will introduce resources designed to strengthen faculty research, teaching, publishing, and scholarly impact.

Fredrick M. Nafukho
Vice Provost for Academic Personnel & Faculty

Fredrick M. Nafukho Vice Provost for Academic Personnel & Faculty Fredrick M. Nafukho serves as Vice Provost for the Office for Academic Personnel & Faculty and is Professor of Management and Organization in the Foster School of Business, Presidential Term Professor, and Adjunct Professor in the College of Education.

In his role as Vice Provost, Nafukho partners with academic units across the university to advance faculty and academic personnel success. His office supports faculty development, leadership development, faculty affairs, and initiatives that foster academic excellence and a welcoming environment for teaching, research, mentoring, and service.

During the opening session, Nafukho will introduce the Office for Academic Personnel & Faculty and discuss how the office supports faculty throughout their UW careers.

Join Us and Make the Most of Faculty Welcome Week

New Faculty Onboarding is one component of Faculty Welcome Week, a series of events designed for new faculty across all ranks, tracks, and disciplines.

Faculty Welcome Week also includes the Teaching@UW New Faculty Program, held September 8-9, 2026, and hosted by the Center for Teaching and Learning in the Office of Academic Strategy & Affairs. Teaching@UW is designed specifically for faculty with teaching responsibilities and introduces evidence-based teaching practices, student engagement strategies, and instructional resources that support effective teaching at the University of Washington.

While Day 1 of New Faculty Onboarding provides a virtual introduction to the people, programs, and services that support your success, we strongly encourage new faculty to register for both days. Day 2 offers an in-person opportunity to meet academic leaders, engage directly with faculty panelists and campus partners, explore university resources, and connect with fellow new faculty from across schools, colleges, and campuses. Through networking, mentoring conversations, and cross-disciplinary engagement, participants can begin building the professional relationships and community that support long-term success at the UW. [ap.washington.edu]

Register for both days of New Faculty Onboarding, September 10-11, 2026, and take full advantage of Faculty Welcome Week as you begin your UW journey.

New Faculty Onboarding Sept. 10–11, 2026

New Faculty Onboarding Helps Faculty Navigate the Opportunities of a Major Research University

The University of Washington offers extraordinary opportunities for scholarship, teaching, innovation, and public impact. For new faculty, however, one of the first challenges is learning how to navigate those opportunities effectively.

That is the purpose of New Faculty Onboarding.

Hosted by the Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty as part of Faculty Welcome Week, the program introduces new faculty to key partners from across the university, including the Office of Research, CoMotion, the Office of Global Affairs, UW Libraries, UW Human Resources, the Graduate School, and Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

Feedback from participants demonstrates the value of those introductions. Presentations from the Office of Research, Office of Global Affairs, CoMotion, UW Libraries, and Human Resources received particularly strong ratings from new faculty seeking practical guidance and support resources.

“The sessions introduced me to resources and offices I didn’t know existed. I left with a much clearer understanding of where to go for support with research, funding, and navigating the university.” — 2025 Participant

Faculty members often arrive with deep expertise in their disciplines. What they may not yet know is where to find support for grant development, innovation and commercialization, international partnerships, graduate education, or career advancement.

New Faculty Onboarding bridges that gap by helping attendees understand not just what resources exist, but how and when to access them.

“Starting at a large research university can feel overwhelming, but onboarding helped me feel more confident and connected. It gave me practical information that I could immediately apply during my first quarter at the UW.” — 2025 Participant

Survey respondents overwhelmingly reported that they felt better informed about university resources after participating in onboarding. That outcome reflects the program’s broader goal: ensuring that faculty begin their UW careers with the information, connections, and confidence necessary to pursue their ambitions.

Faculty Welcome Week takes place September 8–11, 2026. New Faculty Onboarding sessions will be held September 10–11.

New Faculty Onboarding Sept. 10–11, 2026

As part of Faculty Welcome Week, New Faculty Onboarding includes a virtual session on September 10 and an in-person session on September 11. For the most benefit, register for both days.

July 2026 eDigest

As the University of Washington prepares for the upcoming academic year, this month’s eDigest highlights key deadlines, new training requirements, policy updates, faculty onboarding opportunities, international scholar guidance, and community recognition initiatives. Academic personnel administrators will find important information to support hiring, appointments, faculty development, and compliance efforts in the months ahead.

Key Dates

Due Dates

August 19, 2026: Submit Appointments for September Board of Regents Meeting

Appointments requiring Board of Regents approval at the September Board meeting must processed in Workday and ready for review.

Training Opportunity

Sabbatical Leave Training

Wednesday, August 19, 2026 | 10–11 a.m.

Join us for a virtual training session in preparation for the upcoming sabbatical leave cycle. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the sabbatical process and highlight recent updates that may affect case initiation and management.

Topics include:

Key dates and deadlines
Updates to sabbatical workflow templates
Revisions to RPT forms
Overview of the sabbatical process
Enhancements to the sabbatical website

This session is designed to help participants feel informed, prepared, and equipped to navigate the upcoming cycle. All individuals involved in the process are encouraged to attend.

Policy and Process Updates

Pilot Program Launches for Faculty Search Committee Training

Effective July 1, 2026, the Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty (APF) requires faculty search committees to complete a 90-minute training before reviewing applications. In non-SOM units, Interfolio Administrators should not grant Evaluator access to faculty search committee members until the training requirement has been met. Interfolio User Guides are being updated to reflect this process change.

School of Medicine (SOM) Units
Interfolio Administrators in the School of Medicine should continue to follow SOM-specific guidance and processes, which differ from those described below. SOM offers its own required training for faculty search committees and maintains a separate system for tracking training certification.

Details on completing the SOM training and verifying certification status are available on the SOM Faculty Recruitment and Retention webpage. Questions may be directed to Sylvia Woods, SOM Academic HR Manager.

Non-SOM Units
For the 2026–27 pilot year, only the chairs of tenure-track and teaching-track faculty search committees must complete the APF training before any committee members are granted access to application files in Interfolio.

Beginning in future years, all faculty serving on faculty search committees outside of SOM will be required to complete the training before gaining access to application materials.

Training certification is valid for three years. Until a self-service verification option becomes available, certification status for non-SOM faculty can be verified by emailing facadv@uw.edu.

Please note that this APF training is separate from the UWHR 20-minute Workday Learning training required for hiring authorities. The APF and UWHR trainings serve different purposes and are not interchangeable.

Training Opportunities
APF will offer multiple sessions of the required 90-minute faculty search committee training beginning in early October (dates and locations to be announced). Sessions will be available both online and in person across all three campuses. Units that need training before October may request a custom session by contacting facadv@uw.edu.

APF will also offer a two-hour companion training for Interfolio Administrators in non-SOM units. The session will cover:

Updates to the Evaluator access process in Interfolio
Verification of faculty search committee training certification
Key content from the faculty search committee training

Save the Date the Interfolio Administrator Training
In person: Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, 10 a.m.–noon
Online: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, 2:30–4:30 p.m.

Registration details will be shared in the August eDigest.

Additional information about the APF training requirement will be posted on the APF Inclusive Excellence website in the coming weeks.

Review Upcoming Administrative Appointments and Supplements

Units are encouraged to review locally appointed administrative roles — such as associate chair and program director appointments — and any associated Administrative Duty Supplements (ADS) that may be approaching expiration.

For straightforward renewals, units should update the appointment and associated ADS in Workday. If there are changes to the duties associated with an administrative appointment, a new appointment letter should be uploaded in Workday.

If changes to an Administrative Duty Supplement are needed, units should end the existing allowance and create a new one. Please include a brief explanation in the notes field describing how the revised supplement amount was determined.

Conducting a periodic review of administrative appointments and supplements can help ensure records remain current and accurately reflect assigned responsibilities.

Updated Criminal Background Check Guidance Clarifies Hiring Requirements

The Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty (APF) has updated its guidance on criminal background checks for academic personnel positions. The revised policy provides expanded guidance on the types of positions that require background checks, including certain roles with access to sensitive information, financial resources, IT systems, controlled substances, and other security-sensitive infrastructure.

The update also introduces a new Criminal History Disclosure process for finalists in Child and Adult Abuse Law (CAAL)-covered positions and clarifies unit responsibilities related to initiating background checks, contingent employment offers, review of criminal history findings, and records retention.

Academic administrators involved in recruitment and hiring are encouraged to review the revised guidance and ensure local hiring practices align with the updated requirements.

Learn more: Academic Personnel Criminal Background Checks.

Please Share with Faculty

New Academic Leaders Onboarding

Please share this information with newly appointed associate deans and department chairs in your unit.

New Academic Leader Onboarding will take place Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. Designed specifically for faculty who are stepping into academic leadership roles at the University of Washington, this in-person program introduces new leaders to the people, programs, and resources that support success in their administrative responsibilities.

Participants will have opportunities to build connections with colleagues across the University and learn about key resources available to academic leaders.

Formal invitations and additional event details will be shared in the coming weeks.

Welcome Week for New Faculty

Please share this information with faculty in your unit who are newly joining the University of Washington.

To support the successful transition, development, and engagement of new faculty members, the University will offer Faculty Welcome Week from Sept. 8–11, 2026, in partnership with colleagues across all three campuses. These University-wide programs complement school-, college-, and department-level onboarding by introducing new faculty to UW’s teaching resources, research ecosystem, academic policies, and professional communities.

Teaching@UW

Sept. 8–9, 2026 | In person and Zoom
Hosted by the UW Center for Teaching and Learning, this two-day program introduces incoming faculty to evidence-based teaching practices, instructional resources, and UW’s core expectations for effective teaching. Register for Teaching@UW.

New Faculty Onboarding

Sept. 10–11, 2026 | In person and Zoom
Presented by the Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty in collaboration with partners from across the University, this program provides an overview of research resources, academic policies, professional development opportunities, and services that support faculty success. Sessions also offer opportunities for new colleagues to build connections across disciplines and campuses. Register for New Faculty Onboarding.

Invitations and registration information will be sent directly to new faculty and will also be available at New Faculty@UW.

Note: Unlike the Sept. 2 New Academic Leader Onboarding event, which is designed for faculty entering leadership positions such as department chair or associate dean, Faculty Welcome Week is intended for faculty who are newly hired to the University, regardless of leadership role.

International Scholar Updates

New Rule Ending “Duration of Status” for J-1 Exchange Visitors

International Scholars Operations (ISO) is aware of recently-announced changes to “duration of status” for J-1 exchange visitors, which will be published in the Federal Register on July 17, 2026. ISO is analyzing these changes in partnership with peers across campus and in the immigration field. The new rule will not go into effect until September 15, 2026.

This new rule will take time to analyze and understand fully. Once our analysis is complete, we will reach out to affected parties and to campus with information and next steps. Updates will also be added to this blog post.

We understand the anxiety that this change represents for international scholars, whom we greatly value at the UW. Our priority is to complete the analysis and reach out with more information as quickly as possible. To enable this work to happen quickly, we respectfully request that scholars and units not send emails about individual affected cases or scholars until we develop and share these updates.

ISO Walk-In Availability & J-1 Check-In Resources

ISO would like to remind units where to find current and relevant information surrounding our Walk-In Service Hours and our procedures for J-1 Check-In and Validations.

Walk-In Service Hours are updated quarterly and can change location based on closures of Gerberding Hall to the public. ISO staff are available by appointment only outside of these service hours and scholars should not attempt to enter Gerberding when it is closed to the public without an appointment. Please refer scholars to our scholar resources landing page for current in-person service hours as well as a calendar of availability and location.

Since 2020, ISO has been conducting all mandatory check-ins for J-1 scholars remotely. Scholars do not need to come in person to the ISO office to initiate this process. Details regarding the procedure can be found on our Mandatory Remote J-1 Check-In and Travel Validation Signature page. When a J-1 scholar arrives in the U.S., please have them email ISO at acadvisa@uw.edu as soon as possible instead referring them to our walk-in service hours for check-in.

ISO Resources for New Unit Administrators

If you are new to the visa process (or just need a refresher), we invite you to check out the following resources:

Visa Guidance for Unit Administrators — ISO’s landing page for unit administrators, with links to Visa Intake Forms, Visa Request Forms, How to Sponsor pages, and more
Training Resources Archive — Slide decks from past ISO presentations, including Visa Basics 1 (Visa Types), Visa Basics 2 (Process & Tools), as well as more in-depth presentations on specific visa types (J-1, H-1B, etc.)
Stay up-to-date on immigration changes by subscribing to the ISOcontacts mailing list! Email acadvisa@uw.edu to join.

Introducing Darya Anoshei, ISO’s new Specialist

ISO welcomes Darya Anoshei as our new ISO Specialist! Darya has worked at UW since 2017 across several different units and has deep and varied experience with academic immigration matters, and we’re excited to have her join the ISO team.

Professional headshot of Darya Anoshei, International Scholar Operations Specialist. She is shown with shoulder-length wavy dark hair, facing the camera against a softly blurred burgundy background. The person is wearing a light-colored top and is centered in the frame, with the image cropped from the shoulders up and evenly lit.

I’m excited to join UW International Scholar Operations and APF. I have extensive experience in international enrollment management, F-1 and J-1 immigration advising, and global partnership development. Most recently, I served as the International Admissions and Outreach Lead at UW Continuum College. I also currently serve as a NAFSA Academy Coach, mentoring emerging professionals in the field of international education.

Before moving to the United States, I practiced immigration law in Rome, Italy, where I supported low-income immigrants and refugees. Outside of work, I’m a proud soccer mom and spend many weekends cheering from the sidelines at youth soccer tournaments.

Darya AnosheiISO Specialist

Recognition and Community

Help Us Celebrate a Colleague Who Inspires

Nominate an APF Team Member for the 2026 Core Values Achievement Award

Have you worked with someone in the Office for Academic Personnel & Faculty (APF) who consistently brings excellence, collaboration, innovation, diversity, respect, service, or integrity to everything they do?

Here’s your chance to recognize their dedication. Nominations are now open for the 2026 Core Values Achievement Award, which honors APF staff who exemplify these values in their daily work.

Submit your nomination for a current APF team member by August 10, 2026 using the nomination form.

Your perspective matters — and your recognition can make a meaningful difference. Questions? Contact us at vpap@uw.edu.