Faculty/Staff Announcements

Save the Date: 2026 Open Enrollment

2025-09-05T09:48:50-05:00

It’s almost that time of year: the 2026 Open Enrollment window is right around the corner! This year’s enrollment will run from Tuesday, October 14 – Tuesday, November 4.

Open Enrollment is your all-access pass to review and update your benefits lineup—whether it’s fine tuning your insurance elections or making changes to your covered dependents.

Mark your calendars now to get ready to Rock “Enroll”!

Date	Time	Location	Event / Description
Fri, Oct 10	11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.	University Fitness Center	Health & Wellness Fair
Tue, Oct 14			Open Enrollment Begins!
Tue, Oct 14	12:00 – 1:00 p.m.	SSB – Room 201	Benefits Educational Session – Learn about your benefits and upcoming changes
Mon, Oct 20	11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.	Virtual	HDHP & HSA Educational Session
Thu, Oct 23	12:00 – 4:00 p.m.	SKH Training Room 127	Enrollment Assistance / Benefits Q&A
Thu, Oct 30	3:00 – 4:00 p.m.	Virtual	Benefits & Open Enrollment Educational Session
Fri, Oct 31	9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.	SKH Training Room 127	Enrollment Assistance / Benefits Q&A
Tue, Nov 4			Last Day of Open Enrollment!

Special Event Featuring Astronaut Frank Rubio, MD

2025-09-04T13:24:16-05:00

Join us for a special event featuring NASA Astronaut and U.S. Army Colonel Frank Rubio, MD. Take an inspiring look at the evolving world of space: what's next for astronauts, exploration, and space education and programs, and how space is shaping the future of national security.

Monday, September 8, 2025

3:00-4:00 p.m.

Charger Union Theater

Free admission! Doors open at 2:00 p.m.

This event is open to all ��app students. UAH Faculty and staff are welcome to attend as well.

Welcome to Dr. Kristy Lee, Chief Administrative Officer

2025-09-03T09:10:15-05:00

Dear Charger Community,

I am pleased to share that Dr. Kristy Lee has joined ��app (UAH) as our new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), effective August 27, 2025. Her appointment was formally approved by The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees Compensation Committee, and we are excited to welcome her into this important new leadership role.

The CAO is a newly established position at UAH. This position, alongside the recent restructuring of our financial and administration divisions, will be key as we work to modernize and streamline our core business and administrative systems to better support our students, faculty and staff.

Dr. Lee will provide leadership across several key areas, including facilities and operations, human resources, information technology, campus police and safety, and risk management and compliance. She will also serve as a senior advisor to me on operational and strategic initiatives that support our long-term goals.

With more than 15 years of higher education experience, Dr. Lee has proven her ability to improve institutional operations in meaningful ways. I am confident she will be a driving force in building a more responsive, efficient and forward-thinking administrative foundation for UAH.

Dr. Lee holds both a Juris Doctor and a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration from The University of Alabama. She also earned a B.S. in Microbiology from Auburn University. Before joining UAH, she served as Senior Vice President for Administration and Liaison to the Board of Trustees at the University of Montevallo. She has been actively engaged in her community, and I know that she will soon find a welcome home here in Huntsville.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Lee to UAH. We are fortunate to have her on board as we take this next step in advancing our university.

Go Chargers!

Charles L. Karr

President

Interim CFO Position Transition

2025-09-02T10:33:49-05:00

Dear Charger Community,

I would like to share an update regarding leadership within the Finance Division.

Brad Cooper has served as our Interim Chief Financial Officer during the recent restructuring of the Finance and Administration Divisions. Under his leadership, the team has successfully navigated this transition and established a strong foundation to continue delivering exceptional service to our students, faculty and staff.

Brad has recently informed me that he has accepted a new position as Chief Financial Officer at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. We thank him for his dedicated service over the past year and wish him all the best in his new role.

Effective tomorrow, I have asked Tharanee Ravindran to serve as our Interim Chief Financial Officer. Tharanee currently serves as the Director of Internal Auditing for the University of Alabama (UA) System at UAH and brings over 20 years of experience in accounting, budgeting, contracts, grants and internal auditing. Her deep understanding of both the UA System and UAH uniquely positions her to lead the Finance Division during this interim period.

The following Finance units, along with their supporting services, will report to her:

Controller’s Office
Financial Planning and Analysis
Finance Strategy and Transformation
Procurement and Business Services

We will soon begin a national search to identify our next permanent CFO.

Please join me in expressing appreciation to Brad for his contributions and in offering your full support to Tharanee as she steps into this important role.

Charles L. Karr

President

FY2025 Year-End Closing Schedule

2025-08-20T16:06:09-05:00

The attached year-end provisions apply to purchase orders, procurement card transactions, vouchers, and other budget-related items for FY25.

Please review this memo carefully to ensure timely processing.

FY2025 Year-End Closing Schedule Memo

For additional questions, please contact:
➢ Joanne Jones, Controller – 824-2244
➢ Akeem Alexander, Director of Accounting and Financial Reporting – 824-6170
➢ Rosalin Speed, Manager of Accounts Payable – 824-2251
➢ Beatrice Ellis, Manager of Fixed Assets and Capital Improvements – 824-2233
➢ Carla Byrd, Director of Procurement and Business Services – 824-6484
➢ Freedom Bannerholt, Director of Financial Planning and Analysis – 824-2243
➢ Valarie King, Director of Contracts and Grants Accounting – 824-2231

Beware of Fake Job Scams Targeting Students

2025-08-25T14:07:57-05:00

We've received reports that ��app students are being targeted by fraudulent job offers, primarily through email. These scams often involve an offer for an easy, high-paying job, but they all have one thing in common: they'll try to get you to spend your own money with the promise of a fake check.

These fake jobs can take many forms, including mystery shopping, personal assistant roles, or internships. They often promise a high salary for only 5-10 hours of work per week. Remember, if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.

What to Look For

Scammers are getting more sophisticated, and they often impersonate UAH faculty or staff by name. However, a key giveaway is the sender's email address. The email will claim to be from a UAH employee but will come from a non-UAH email address, like gmail.com or optonline.net.

Understanding the Fake Check Scam

Here's how this type of scam typically works:

The scammer sends you a check—often for more than you're owed—and asks you to deposit it.
They'll then ask you to use a portion of that money to buy gift cards or wire money to a third party.
A few days later, your bank discovers the check is fraudulent and reverses the deposit.
You're now responsible for the money you sent to the scammer, and your bank may charge you fees.

It's crucial to understand that check images sent via email are not legal tender. No legitimate employer will ever issue a paycheck this way. For more detailed information on avoiding fake check scams, you can visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-eport-fake-check-scams.

What to Do If Targeted

Please advise students that if they receive a suspicious job offer, they should follow these steps to protect themselves:

Do not respond to the email or click any links.
Do not attempt to cash or deposit any checks you've received.
If you've already deposited a suspicious check, contact your bank immediately and inform them that it may be a scam.
If you've provided any personal financial information, notify your bank or financial institution right away.
Report the email as phishing. In Gmail, click the three dots in the top right corner of the message and select "Report Phishing." This will automatically notify both Google and UAH's Office of Information Technology (OIT) Security.

Stay vigilant and protect your finances. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact OIT at helpdesk@uah.edu.

College of Nursing leadership transition

2025-08-21T14:00:39-05:00

Dear Colleagues,

Dean Karen Frith has announced that she will be retiring from UAH during the summer of 2026.

Dr. Frith joined UAH as an associate professor in 2007. She was promoted to professor in 2015 and subsequently served as associate dean for undergraduate programs and then associate dean for graduate programs. Dr. Frith was selected to be dean of the College of Nursing in 2021.

Some of the college’s accomplishments under Dr. Frith’s leadership include: addition of educational programs and certifications in areas of need, such as the accelerated bachelor’s degree and concentration in psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner; first steps toward creating a certified registered nurse anesthetist program; launch of the Health Equity Symposium focused on community health challenges; established an associate dean for research position; and secured the college’s first naming gift with Maury Regional Medical naming the Basic to Advanced Lab in the Simulation Learning & Innovation Center.

I will be initiating a national search for a new dean this fall, with the goal of having someone in place during the summer of 2026. Dr. Frith is fully committed to her duties as dean, and we will work together for a smooth transition in leadership.

Please join me in thanking Dr. Frith for her nearly two decades of commitment to the College of Nursing and ��app.

Go Chargers!

Dr. David Puleo

Welcome Back to Fall 2025!

2025-08-20T08:56:39-05:00

Dear UAH Community,

It is with great pride and anticipation that I welcome all of you to the Fall 2025 semester at UAH.

It is an exciting time to be a Charger. As we begin a new academic year, the energy of growth and transformation is unmistakable. We’re seeing significant progress — across our programs, partnerships, infrastructure, and most importantly, in the opportunities we’re creating for our students.

This fall, we’re excited to welcome 21 new faculty members to campus. They bring a wide range of backgrounds, ideas and experiences that will not only enrich our classrooms, but also spark new conversations and connections across UAH and the broader global community. Whether through research, mentorship or creative teaching, our faculty is a key part of what makes ��app such a great place to learn and grow.

If you look to the ��app skyline, you can also see signs of growth. We recently celebrated the topping out of the Raymond B. Jones Engineering Building, the first new facility for UAH Engineering in over 30 years. When it opens next summer, it will reinforce UAH’s position as a leader in engineering and applied science — and reflect our deep commitment to preparing students for the future.

Over the summer, we proudly rolled out our refreshed athletics branding. This new look reflects our bold spirit, competitive excellence and pride in who we are. You’ll see it across campus, in our community and on the field as we cheer on our teams this season.

We’re also reimagining how we build community. I hope you will join us for our upcoming Family and Friends Weekend in September. This retooled weekend will feature several days of exciting events — an opportunity for students, guests and alumni to connect in meaningful, memorable ways while experiencing the best of UAH and the Huntsville community.

Whether you’re returning or joining us for the first time, I encourage you to make the most of your time here. Get involved, ask questions, seek out challenges and support one another along the way. This is a community of thinkers, doers and changemakers — and you are a vital part of it.

And while academics are important, we also want you to enjoy college life. Take in an ACE movie, join friends for an event on the greenway, cheer on the Chargers at a ballgame or explore one of our 190+ student clubs and organizations. This is your time — make the most of it.

Here’s to an exciting, successful and memorable year!

Charles L. Karr

President

Campus Energy Conservation Holiday Reminder - Labor Day 2025

2025-08-22T08:53:11-05:00

In support of the UAH Energy Management program, the Facilities and Operations (F&O) Department will be implementing some basic HVAC and lighting "unoccupied space" setbacks across campus to reduce utility costs and promote good stewardship/sustainability during the upcoming Labor Day holiday closure.

These energy conservation measures will not decrease the safety of those on campus nor degrade essential operations or preservation of sensitive assets. Facilities and Operations will monitor the building HVAC and lighting systems during limited operations and adjust any energy conservation measures as needed.

Requests for exceptions to workspace HVAC and lighting "unoccupied space" setbacks must be submitted with justification to the F&O Service Desk at facilities@uah.edu or (256)824-6490 by Thursday, August 28, 2025.

Convocation and Faculty/Staff Mixer - Tuesday, August 19

2025-08-13T09:17:00-05:00

The Office of Academic Affairs invites you to a Faculty/Staff Mixer and Convocation this coming Tuesday, August 19, in Spragins Hall.

The Mixer will begin at 5:00pm in the Varsity Room (SPR 109) and Convocation will be from 6-6:30pm on the main court. We look forward to seeing you and kicking off the new academic year together.

Go Chargers!