Announcing the Inaugural Executive Faculty Fellows

September 22, 2026

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce the inaugural cohort of Rutgers’ Executive Faculty Fellows, a new initiative within University Academic Affairs. Designed to strengthen faculty engagement in shaping institutional priorities, the fellowship creates meaningful opportunities for the fellows to partner with University Academic Affairs and colleagues across the university on issues that impact the faculty experience universitywide. 

The Executive Faculty Fellows will serve as strategic thought partners, ensuring faculty perspectives inform initiatives that advance faculty success, leadership development, mentoring, and innovation. As part of their one-year appointments, fellows will work in collaboration with my office and staff in Faculty Affairs and Engagement, a unit of University Academic Affairs, along with academic leadership across Rutgers. 

The inaugural 2026-2027 Executive Faculty Fellows cohort includes:

• Kimberly Mutcherson, JD, University Professor of Law, Rutgers Law School–Camden, who will serve as the Lead Faculty Fellow
• Paul Boxer, PhD, Professor, Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences–Newark, Rutgers–Newark
• Oscar Holmes IV, PhD, Professor, School of Business–Camden, and Interim Associate Provost, Rutgers–Camden
• Troy Roepke, PhD, Professor and Associate Dean of Faculty Development and Workplace Culture, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers–New Brunswick
• Nancy Walworth, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers Health

I am grateful to these distinguished faculty members for their willingness to serve in this important capacity. Their respective expertise and commitment to the university will be invaluable as we work together to elevate the faculty experience at Rutgers.

I invite you to follow the Executive Faculty Fellows' work on the fellowship's webpage, which will be updated throughout the academic year to share our collaborative efforts to advance faculty success and academic excellence at Rutgers.   

Please join me in congratulating our inaugural Executive Faculty Fellows. 

Sincerely, 

Keena Arbuthnot, PhD
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Chief Academic Officer
Distinguished Professor