The Office of Faculty Affairs is housed in the Office of the Provost. Faculty Affairs initiatives are led by the Director of Faculty Affairs in concert with the Office of the Provost, Academic Council and the Institute Diversity Officer, among others. 

The Director of Faculty Affairs serves, generally, to strengthen and support all aspects of the faculty’s teaching and working life. It is intended to support those bodies and their work and focus on initiatives around the teaching and working life of the faculty, serving as a point person for faculty as they navigate the various processes, policies and cultures of the school. 

The current Director of Faculty Affairs, Lee Anne Schmitt, has taught at CalArts for over 15 years in the Film School and became the Director of Faculty Affairs in 2019/20. She continues to teach, if you want to contact her, please reach out at dofa@calarts.edu. The Office of Faculty Affairs is also staffed by the Faculty Affairs Manager who provides support for the Director of Faculty Affairs and the Office of the Provost.

The Office of Faculty Affairs is tasked with:

• Overseeing faculty searches and strengthening avenues of recruitment and retention while helping to ensure equitable processes;
• Facilitating the implementation of the new faculty merit plan, offering guidance on the application and process to faculty members while overseeing the program across the Institute;
• Working to affirm the faculty’s leadership in curricular planning while creating dialogues around teaching and the teaching environment; and
• Supporting existing faculty development opportunities while working to create new structures and opportunities for faculty development of all kinds.
• Overseeing and administering faculty grant programs like the Faculty Development Fund and Creative Leave among others