One Team Approach: FASA and OFASD Integration

Sept. 17, 2025

Dear Faculty and Academic Staff,

I am excited to announce that as of July 1, the Office for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs (FASA) and the Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development (OFASD) have been unified into one cohesive unit to better align MSU’s support for faculty, academic staff and leadership.

This merger of OFASD into FASA will provide an integrated structure and expanded capacity to enhance collaboration and streamline support for the campus community, while also aligning with the university’s broader “One Team” approach. Our goal throughout this merger is to provide continuity of support: all programming and services will be maintained, and your access to resources will not change. As part of this transition, Marilyn Amey has returned to her faculty position in the College of Education; I thank her for her dedicated service and wish her all the best.

As part of this transition, throughout fall semester, we will be:
•    continuing to develop faculty and academic staff via our Lunch & Learn series, Thrive sessions, Faculty & Academic Staff Orientation, and New Administrator Orientation;
•    assessing our training and programming to ensure they align with community needs and the university landscape;
•    developing new learning modules for both new and seasoned academic leaders; and 
•    outlining our future, integrated FASA web presence.

Additionally, as we continue to align our services and support for faculty and academic staff, all programming related to teaching and learning, including the Adams and Lilly Fellowships, the Learning Communities, and the Student Perceptions of Learning Survey, will now be part of the Teaching and Learning Innovation (TLI) unit, led by Vice Provost Marcio Oliveira. This integration will strengthen institutional alignment, as we partner to advance MSU’s educational mission. These resources and programs will be fully integrated into TLI’s portfolio with coordinated planning for their continued development and expansion.

The integrated FASA team remains committed to the success of all faculty, academic staff, and academic leaders. As we continue to navigate this time of change, we will send out additional updates and information about any impacts to this community. We look forward to leveraging our collective strengths to enhance faculty and academic staff development, resources, programming, and more. Our priorities for this year fall into and across three categories: Strengthening Foundations, Faculty and Academic Staff Career Success, and Leadership Development.

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to fasaffairs@msu.edu.

Sincerely,

Teresa Mastin, Ph.D.
Vice Provost and Associate Vice President for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs
Michigan State University