Faculty and Staff Resources

Good support for our faculty and staff runs alongside supporting our students. We will continue to develop our resource pages and appreciate your feedback in what additions would be helpful.

Last updated: August 11, 2025

Submit the academic forms that need a Dean's signature:

Staff/Faculty Forms and Resources

Listing of University System Forms available under UM Forms.

Dean's Office Contact

Cynthia Beard

SHSS Internal Directory
Holidays Calendar - For Planning. Request changes to this calendar by emailing shss@umkc.edu.
Chair Resources

Box Folder for Chairs - Sign into Box and the folder will be available to department chairs.

Administrative Resources

Outlook Calendar

Dean's Office Contact

Rachel Livingston

Awards

Nominations are called for via email for SHSS, UMKC, and UM System awards for faculty and staff.

Past SHSS Award Recipients

Spring 2025

Dean's Outstanding Teaching Award - Andrew Bergerson, Department of History

Outstanding Teaching Award - Lynnette Lockhart, Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology

Alumni Good Teaching Award - Cristina Albu, Department of Media, Art and Design

Staff Member of the Year Award - Cassandra Allen, Department of English

Spring 2024

Dean's Outstanding Teaching Award - Antonio Byrd, Department of English

Outstanding Teaching Award - Kevin Mullin, Department of Media, Art and Design

Alumni Good Teaching Award - Greg Vonnahme, Department of Political Science and Philosophy

Staff Member of the Year Award - Cynthia Beard, SHSS Dean's Office

2023-2024

Dean's Outstanding Teaching Award - Mona Lyne, Department of Political Science and Philosophy

Outstanding Teaching Award - Steven Melling, Department of Communication and Journalism

Alumni Good Teaching Award - Theresa Torres, Department of Race, Ethnic and Gender Studies

Staff Member of the Year Award - Christiana Rangel, SHSS Office of Recruitment

Recognition
Roo Recognition

Send recognition to your colleagues.

Dean's Office Contact

Rachel Lang

Send Information

Use this button to submit the happenings and news you would like to be known beyond the department. These can be events, faculty achievement news, information about an important deadline, or a story idea to highlight one of your students, faculty, alumni, and/or community partners.

Dean's Office Contact

Toya Like

Student Concerns

Student Forms and Resources aimed for students' use are available under Student Support.

Faculty & Staff Guide to Supporting Mental Health [pdf]

Related Systems
Pathway

Student Records Access Request Form
Pathway Help for Faculty/Staff

Grade Change Instructions [pdf]
Registrar's Resources for Faculty and Staff

Dean's Office Contact

Christen Melvin, HR Business Partner

Hannah Hohenstein-Flack (full-time hiring), Cynthia Beard (part-time hiring)

HR Service Center: Forms
All Academic Hiring Procedures and Resources

Academic Hiring - Faculty Affairs website

Full-Time Academic Hiring Procedures and Resources

Linked below is a version of the full-time faculty hiring checklist for tenured, tenure-track, and ranked positions specific to SHSS; the parent version is linked from the Tenure Track Faculty Titles page of the Academic Hiring website.

Part-Time Hiring Forms and Resources

Email Christen Melvin with the request to work out next steps.

Student Hiring Forms and Resources

For graduate assistants, there is a process each semester/academic year that will be communicated from the Dean's Office. See School of Graduate Studies website for form for appointments greater than 0.5 FTE.

For work study and undergraduate students: See Career Services. Other systems you might have/need access to:

  • Handshake - through Career Services (Goldie Gildehaus)
  • Work-study Management System - through Financial Aid Office (Mark Jeffries)
Volunteers and Other Unpaid Appointments
Supplemental Hiring Paperwork

FICA Form
Verification of HLC Credentials
FERPA Training Instructions

Leave of Absence

Leave of Absence Form UM-108 [pdf] - research/sabbatical
FMLA

Current Employee Forms and Resources

Flex Schedule Request Form [pdf]

Telework Request Form [Cherwell portal]

Overtime Approval Request [pdf]

Benefits Information and Forms

Email Christen Melvin to initiate conversations about extra compensation or salary increase forms.

Dean's Office Contacts

Jennifer Phegley (for faculty)
Beth Vonnahme (for staff)

Tenure/Tenure Track Faculty (including Chairs): myVita
Ranked Non-Tenure Track Faculty (Full-Time): myVita
Unranked Non-Tenure Track Faculty: myVita
Staff Evaluations: ePerformance in myHR
Course Evaluations: RooEval

Dean's Office Contact

Toya Like

Curriculum Development
Faculty

Course Load Reduction Request [pdf]

Department Administrators

These are updated at the start of each semester. If needed, request change of contact for schedulers or catalog editors by emailing Toya Like.

Scheduling

CourseLeaf Scheduling Software (CLSS)

UMKC Campus Recreation offers a number of services, including discounted membership rates to faculty and staff.

UMKC Community Counseling and Assessment Services (CCAS) provides a variety of affordable counseling and assessment services to the Greater Kansas City Community. CCAS is a counselor and psychologist training center for master’s and doctoral level students. Service fees are determined using a sliding scale fee structure based on income and the number of dependents.

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to all faculty, staff, and their dependents. UM System’s Total Rewards and UMKC Human Resources departments have partnered with Optum’s United Behavioral Health EAP to provide this service free of charge.

Lactation Spaces on Campus

Office of Equity and Title IX

RISE: Resources, Intervention, Support, & Education offers confidential support services to all UMKC students and employees who are victims and survivors of sexual assault and sexual violence, gender-based violence, stalking, and relationship abuse. RISE also provides information and assistance to family members, friends, colleagues, and allies of all victims and survivors.

UMKC Police Department

Pursuant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended, and CRR 600.080, UMKC is obligated to offer reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of a qualified individual with a disability who is an employee or applicant for employment, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the University. Learn more about workplace accommodations through HR.

If you have further questions about counseling or accessibility, please reach out to HRBP Christen Melvin. University Libraries also offers a helpful roundup of mental health resources

Please note that Counseling, Health, and Accessibility Services for students are offered by Roo Wellness

 

Dean's Office Contact

Jennifer Phegley

The retiring faculty member initiates the process by sending written notice to Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs Jennifer Phegley indicating a desire to receive emeritus status. Please note:

  • Ideally, this should be done at the time the intent-to-retire paperwork is submitted.
  • The faculty member must submit an up-to-date CV along with the written request and any supporting documentation as evidence of meritorious contributions to the department and the university.
Review the process here