University of Missouri – Kansas City
Abstract
This VELI project strengthens leadership and shared-governance capacity in the humanities and visual arts by linking values-informed strategic planning to practical budgeting and advancement strategy. Anchored in UMKC’s Department of Media, Art and Design (MAD), the team will convene a stakeholder retreat—including faculty, staff, students, school leaders, alumni, and Kansas City arts partners—to develop a living five-year roadmap for launching a BFA pathway. The process will translate departmental mission and program goals into implementable resource logic: clear governance routes, defined leadership and mentoring roles, sustainable workload expectations for a studio-intensive degree, and a budget and fundraising narrative that is legible in institutional priority-setting. MAD will pilot a transparent, broad-participation planning framework using two test cases: selective BA-to-BFA transitions and expansion of experiential learning through internships and studio assistantships with community partners. Through CAFE, the team will convert the framework into professional learning for department chairs, providing facilitation tools and decision protocols that align mission, resources, and external partnerships to support student access, retention, career preparation, and post-graduate success.
Meet the Team
Since 2022, Tamara Falicov has served as the inaugural Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Tamara came to UMKC from the University of Kansas, where she was associate dean for research in the Arts and Humanities for five years and a professor in the Department of Film and Media Studies and the Center of Latin American and Caribbean Studies for 24 years.
Caitlin Horsman is an artist, curator, and teacher based in Kansas City, Missouri. Grounded in the moving image but integrating installation, sound, sculpture, collaborations, curatorial work, and community programming, her work investigates the landscapes of the everyday. It has been exhibited around the world, receiving numerous awards and grants. Caitlin is a former director of the artist-run space Plug Projects and a founder of Stray Cat Film Center. She is Associate Professor of Film and Media Arts at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she serves as the Interim Chair of the Media, Art and Design department and is a member of the Women’s and Gender Studies and Doctoral Faculties. Her work is distributed by The Collectif Jeune Cinéma.
Dr. Toya Like is an Associate Dean and Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology and Race, Ethnic and Gender Studies in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). In her administrative capacity, she has served as the associate dean for undergraduate programs and student affairs for nearly three years. She has also been a member of the faculty since 2006 where her research and teaching have centered on crime and justice, and on intersectionality frameworks in the study of crime.
Alexis Petri is a faculty leader, writer, and strategist committed to strengthening academic culture through thoughtful design and practical innovation. She serves as Director of the Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE) at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she develops initiatives that support faculty success across five pillars: teaching and learning, digital instruction and design, research and creativity, service and engagement, and faculty life and leadership. Her work often bridges policy and practice, translating research on equity, mentoring, and institutional systems into concrete, helpful tools.
Alexis’s research interests focus on community engaged learning, systemic equity, and the transition of neurodivergent students into the workforce.
Known for her collaborative approach, Alexis brings rigor and creativity to complex institutional challenges. She believes strong universities are built through shared purpose, careful listening, and well-crafted structures that help talented people do their best work.
