Affinity Groups

The Association of Chinese Professors promotes the academic activities, career development and professional success of Chinese professors at UTSA. This association presents and represents Chinese professors at UTSA as a collectivity to the general university and external communities.

The Association of Chinese Professors serves as a means for members to keep in touch with one another; to share experiences, common concerns and information; to exchange professional achievements; to represent members’ common interests and develop collective professional projects; and to promote academic, scholarly exchanges between China and America, as well as other countries.

Our mission is to foster academic and professional development of black faculty, students and staff at UTSA. The organization accomplishes this mission by promoting cultural events, advancing professional development, providing scholarships, serving as an advocate for and developing support groups for faculty, staff and students. Additionally, we champion the recruitment, retention and advancement of black faculty, staff and students as we pursue the mission and vision of UTSA.

Contacts: Kelly Nash, Ph.D. and Yolanda Williams

Visit the Black Faculty and Staff Association website

Our mission is fostering community for Fixed Term Track (FTT) faculty in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA) to integrate FTT faculty into the fabric of our college. The COLFA FTT Affinity Group accomplishes these goals by providing resources, promoting curriculum development and developing networks for the retention and advancement of FTT faculty. The COLFA FTT Affinity Group supports COLFA FTT by advancing awareness of university resources, teaching awards and conferences. Additionally, the group fosters a community of fellowship and friends. This mission is in accordance with the university’s core values to encourage “an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.”

Contact: Deborah Werner

The mission of the Disability Advocacy Alliance is to create a brave space for faculty and staff with disabilities and their allies to connect and promote awareness and belonging at UTSA. We strive to promote accessibility in all areas of campus life, including physical spaces, technologies, communication and events, ensuring the university is a welcoming environment for everyone. Our primary goal is to cultivate an environment where all members can thrive both personally and professionally, while advocating for accessibility, equity and representation throughout the university.

Contacts: RaLynn McGuire, Vanessa Garza

Contact: Melinda Denton

Contact: Maggie Floyd

Leaving your home behind and starting a new position in a foreign country abroad can be challenging. The International Faculty Group provides a home for incoming faculty, helps them transition to their new home and serves as a forum to exchange thoughts and experiences.

Contacts: Matthias Hofferberth, Angela Speck

Contacts: Juan Gutiérrez, Belinda Saldaña Harmon

The purposes of the Postdoc Association are to:

• Provide a social network and support group for postdoctoral fellows in order to create a community of support, engagement and interdisciplinary research opportunities.
• Connect postdoctoral fellows with resources and support services that are essential to gaining the most from the UTSA employment experience.
• Increase communication among postdoctoral fellows, faculty, staff and administration at UTSA.
• Provide postdoctoral fellows with the opportunity to attend workshops, seminars and conferences that will help them with their research, grant writing and professional endeavors.
• Foster an environment in which postdoctoral fellows can freely express their ideas and opinions on current issues, cutting-edge research and other employee concerns.

Contacts: Althea Campuzano, Co-Chair

Email the Postdoc Association

By our organization, presence and visibility, the Pride Faculty and Staff Association endeavors to create a safe and supportive professional environment for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and ally faculty and staff of UTSA. The Pride Faculty and Staff Association is an inclusive professional organization that serves as a resource and advocacy group for employees and their families.

Among the functions of the Pride Faculty and Staff Association are the following:

• To provide a safe and confidential forum for discussing issues important to the LGBTQA+ community at UTSA.
• To encourage and promote scholarship, research and teaching that addresses questions relevant to LGBTQA+ persons and all university members from across disciplines concerned with understanding the role of gender, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation in culture and society.
• To help faculty across the university develop pedagogical approaches that are sensitive to the sexual diversity present both in our classrooms and in the larger community served by the undergraduates and graduates we are preparing for professional service.
• To help faculty and staff across the university understand and model behaviors that contribute to making UTSA a productive learning and working environment for gay and lesbian employees and students.
• To foster retention of LGBTQA+ faculty and staff.
• In the spirit of the university’s desire to establish a diverse community, the Pride Faculty and Staff Association shall seek to provide support and guidance for the university regarding issues that affect the wellbeing of LGBTQA+ employees of the university.

Contacts: John Shaffer, Chair; Kat Carrillo, Vice Chair; Tim Palese, Treasurer

Email the Pride Faculty and Staff Association

The Rowdy-Warrior Military Veterans Alliance promotes the inclusion of a diverse community and culture of Veterans, family members and supporters at UTSA.

Among the functions of the Rowdy-Warrior Military Veterans Alliance are the following:

• Represent the interests of Veteran faculty and staff.
• Assist and support the recruitment and retention of Veteran employment at UTSA.
• Promote cultural diversity and positive relations throughout the university community.
• Promote the individual and collective wellbeing of Veteran faculty and staff.
• Advocate for the career advancement of Veterans on campus.
• Ensure and facilitate the development and advancement of Veteran faculty and staff.
• Promote and celebrate the diverse Veteran culture at UTSA.
• Support, socialize and recognize our alliance members and build a cohesive campus community.
• Maintain an effective and positive relationship between the university and its Veteran constituency.
• Collaborate with other university organizations and the community at large to foster a greater understanding of veterans and transitioning service members’ issues and concerns.
• Build networks and foster partnerships Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and community organizations to advance diversity, equity and social justice.
• Be a resource for professional development, onboarding and mentorship for faculty, staff and students.
• Advance the recruitment, development and retention of Veteran faculty and staff.

Contacts: Kat Carrillo, Joshua Trigo

The purpose of the Survivors Faculty and Staff Alliance is to:

• Represent and protect the interests of survivors of sexual violence at UTSA.
• Promote the individual survivor and address the survivor’s specific needs to be successful during their time at UTSA.
• To encourage the support of new survivors to reach out for help and start their healing journey.
• Assist in and reinforce the cultural change process on campus to educate on sexual violence and end violence issues.

We recognize that healing is a lifelong journey, and we hope to foster healing through connection to other survivors and allies on campus.

Thrive Network creates a safe space for staff to share experiences, ideas and support. Thrive Network is meant to bring people together to engage, share resources, ignite collaboration and network to support staff in being successful in any position at UTSA. Thrive Network is open to all staff to share support and help each other go from surviving to thriving. Since the pandemic, embarking on new work modalities and other challenges in between, there has been greater need to pay attention staff issues and support systems. Thrive Network seeks to create a space for connection among staff to share, learn and help us thrive.

Contacts: Cyntha Arreola, Paula Castillo

Support for Ukraine expresses solidarity and support to people impacted by Russia’s violent and unprovoked attack on Ukraine. Our mission is consistent with UTSA’s commitment to democratic values that promote equity and social justice for all people around the globe. The group works on short-term and long-term advocacy initiatives and actionable projects to provide support to the people of Ukraine in areas such as humanitarian aid, wellbeing, social relations, education, research, art and culture.

The group functions as a meeting place and is engaged in sharing resources, promoting scholarly exchanges, building connections, facilitating USA-Ukraine relationships and offering forums for community conversations.

Embodying the motto “For Our Freedom and Yours,” the group:

• Supports peace through civic reflection, dialogue and action.
• Emphasizes the value of joint effort and collaboration.
• Upholds individual agency as the core of social responsibility on a local and global scale.

Overall, the group aims to be sensitive and responsive to the needs of the people of Ukraine affected by the war and welcomes ideas and resources to support them.

Contacts: Vittorio Marone, President; Bekisizwe Ndimande, Vice President

The UTSA Women’s Professional Development and Synergy Academy (WPASA) strives to empower and inspire a cross-section of women working in the academy, who are committed to leadership as a central component of their careers. WPASA achieves this by:

• Offering keynote addresses, panels, discussion groups and master-teacher led workshops that center on developing skills needed to advance one’s career.
• Learning to identify and build upon skills and experiences already possessed.
• Creating a pipeline of relationships through collaboration and networking opportunities.

Contact: Donna Edmondson