Big Questions with Dean Allan Cole

It’s been four years now since you’ve been appointed to the position. What’s been your personal highlight reel from the past year?

In my more than 12 years on the Forty Acres, I think this may have been the best academic year I have experienced. It was our 75th anniversary as a school, which was marked with a three-day celebration highlighting our research, teaching, service and leadership. It was one of more than 100 events our school put together this past year.

We’ve enjoyed historic interest in development and donor support for our school in this past year and had another record number of applicants (more on that in a moment). and published significant research that continues to improve the world. In fact, we are among the most productive colleges and schools at UT (per capita) in sponsored research, which will continue to have a positive impact.

Also meaningful: I taught an Undergraduate Signature Course for the first time in several years, which always teaches me in surprising ways. My Persons, Pain, & Resilience course was filled with exceptionally bright students who reminded me daily why higher education is so important.

These highlights — among many more — make me grateful to work in this community in meaningful, impactful ways and with colleagues that change lives. It has been a remarkable year.

You’ve invested heavily this academic year in additional hiring. Why?

This has unquestionably been a significant year for faculty and staff appointments. As previously mentioned, that’s because we’ve had unprecedented interest in our school from applicants, with an increase of nearly 33% in applicants over the last two years. We are charged with helping develop the social work pipeline and Texas workforce, and we expect to enroll a record number of students this coming fall with one of the most competitive cohorts we’ve ever admitted.

To meet this growth, we added more than a dozen new staff members to UT Social Work this past year, as well as 13 colleagues to our adjunct faculty and additional appointments throughout UT Social Work. Notably, we successfully completed six searches for faculty appointments — which is the most in a single year that I can recall and we’re still just getting started.

You were recently appointed as the Strategic Administrative Officer for the School of Nursing. What does that new appointment entail?

In March, I was asked by UT leadership to work with Interim Dean Kavita Radhakrishnan as a collaborative partner during the School of Nursing’s transition to new leadership. This is a temporary role, and I continue serving as Dean of the School of Social Work during this appointment.

Still in the beginning phase of this appointment, I’ve been hosting conversations with nursing faculty and staff leaders. I’ve also been helping Dean Radhakrishnan with assessing the strengths of the Nursing School and opportunities that lie ahead.

The School of Nursing has long served as a key partner in several collaborations with UT Social Work. Supporting Nursing during their transition makes both schools stronger and increases the opportunity for interdisciplinary work.

You continue your work with Dell Medical School as their Deputy for Health Humanities and Technology. What’s happening in that space?

It’s an exciting time to partner with Dell Med, especially with the news of the landmark $750 million gift from Michael and Susan Dell for UT’s new hospital facility. My work at Dell Med invites our School to enhance and build upon close relationships and robust partnerships that include social work perspectives in health and behavioral health.

I recently spoke at the Life Sciences and Healthcare Innovation Summit, on a panel entitled “The Role of Humanities in Innovation.” UT President Jim Davis, Provost Will Inboden and I reflected on the invaluable role of the humanities in both social work and medical education.

I’ve also had the pleasure to present multiple times at Dell Medical School’s Grand Rounds, sharing insights on our collaborations, opportunities and partnership.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention collaborations with Dr. Greg Wallingford, Dr. Tyler Jorgenson, and others, on well-being and preventing physician burnout. We also support programs such as ATX-VINyL, the Music in Medicine series, various medical humanities writing groups, and more, as we stay anchored to value of both patient-centered care and physician well-being.

Human well-being is inextricably tied to social work. It is also a priority in our community. We know as social workers that people are more than their diagnoses and that healing occurs through connection, creativity, support and shared experience.

Placing well-being in the center of our school and community life calls upon us to maintain our mission to prepare leaders in responding to complex social challenges with empathy, ethics and evidence-informed practice. This initiative includes work with partners like Dell Medical School, the Moritz Center for Societal Impact, and the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health to build a culture that supports the health of students, faculty, staff and the communities we serve.

I’ve appointed clinical professor Sarah Sloan to help lead this work which occurs at the intersection of health, humanities and social work practice. Through curricular offerings, programmatic opportunities, and expanded research, we’re helping students and faculty integrate well-being into learning and practice.

You also say often that the arts and humanities are central to healing and well-being. What kind of investments have been made by UT Social Work in this space?

Evidence shows that the arts and humanities contribute to improved health, greater social cohesion and connection, and community well-being. In order to enhance individual practices to improve mental health, we’ve developed grants to create and strengthen a healthy arts and humanities ecosystem.

This spring, the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health — a part of Texas Social Work — launched a new grant initiative totaling $220,000 entitled “Arts and Humanities Research Grants for Early Career Faculty.” This initiative funds projects that integrate arts, humanities, mental health, and well-being projects by tenure-track, assistant professors throughout the State of Texas.

Social work educators and practitioners have the potential to contribute to healthy communities where all people can thrive and positively influence mental health.

In addition, the Moritz Center for Societal Impact is funding a new round of projects through the Social Impact Challenge. This student-led competition will consider behavioral health needs through integrating the arts and humanities to create and utilize innovative, impactful approaches with creative expression to support mental health and well-being.

The pitch competition is open to all UT graduate students and requires a community partner. By working with a community partner, these projects highlight how the arts and humanities can play a powerful role in advancing more rounded and holistic solutions to improving lives.

It’s an exciting time for innovation at UT Social Work.

Bonus: What have you been listening to and playing recently?

I’ve had the recent and great honor of organizing a fundraiser for the Parkinson’s Foundation, which included a benefit show played by Lyle Lovett and Hayes Carll. Having these singer-songwriters in my regular rotation again has been inspiring and motivating, to say the least. I continue to play in regular residencies with my band, The JAMBS, and I’ve been working on several original songs with the group. I performed one of our originals — entitled “Love Endures” — at Social Work’s Got Talent in April.