University Professors receive a permanent salary increase of $10,000 and a yearly academic support of $5,000. Nominations from the deans of UGA’s schools and colleges are reviewed by a committee, which makes a recommendation to the provost.
John Maltese (Photo by Chamberlain Smith/UGA)
John Maltese
Albert Berry Saye Professor of Political Science
Associate Dean
School of Public and International Affairs
John Maltese has been a faculty member at UGA since 1989. During his time in the School of Public and International Affairs, he has continually worked to be a change-agent for his department and school.
“The case for John Maltese as University Professor could not be more vivid and persuasive,” said Matthew Auer, dean of the School of Public and International Affairs and Arch Professor of Public and International Affairs. “He hits every mark, resoundingly, of the list of expected attributes for a University Professor, from his outstanding teaching, his contributions to curriculum development, his leadership in sponsoring innovative programming at UGA that brings welcome attention to the university and his unstinting career of service to more than four dozen prominent university committees.”
As head of the political science department, Maltese secured funding for research, graduate assistants and travel for faculty. In addition, he made a concerted effort to bring in speakers and establish conferences, including “The Carter Presidency: Lessons for the 21st Century,” held in 2007.
Maltese’s influence can be felt in the school’s curriculum, as well. He shepherded the creation of the Certificate in Applied Politics and Public Affairs, initiated in 2013 and approved in the 2015-2016 academic year, and helped launch SPIA’s Survey Research Center in 2015-2016. He also created and led the first SPIA at Oxford study abroad program.
“His commitment to students shines through in his service, as well,” Auer said, adding that he has served as member, panelist or chair of 52 different university-level task forces, boards, academies and committees since 1998.
Beyond his work with SPIA, Maltese’s love of the arts is demonstrated in his extracurricular research and service related to music. He helped bring a “Heifetz Celebration” to UGA in 2011, established the first undergraduate violin scholarship in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music and is writing the definitive biography of violinist Jascha Heifetz with the support of the Heifetz family.
“His leadership in the arts is a striking and extraordinary testament to a campus leader whose intellectual passions and service extend well beyond his school-wide responsibilities,” Auer said.
In his years at UGA, Maltese has made an impact that extends past the classroom. That includes several books and other writings, and many awards, including a Grammy for Best Historical Album for “The Heifetz Collection.”
“In these and other ways above and beyond my normally budgeted research and teaching, I have tried to have a lasting positive impact on the University of Georgia,” Maltese said.
Jean F. Martin-Williams (Submitted photo)
Jean Martin-Williams
Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor
Hugh Hodgson School of Music
Associate Dean
Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
Jean Martin-Williams, who has been a faculty member in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music since 1990, sees similarities between her role as a professor and her role as an administrator.
As a performer, she’s taught her students to think in the moment, persevere and learn from mishaps to create beautiful sounds. As an administrator, she’s led efforts to bring people together to create a rich and diverse campus.
“Dr. Jean Martin-Williams has not only excelled in her teaching and creative work at UGA, but has also had a positive and lasting effect on the university through her administrative work,” said Alan Dorsey, dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.
In fact, Martin-Williams’ time at UGA began with a series of firsts. She was the first female brass player to be tenured by the New York Pops Orchestra and then at UGA, the first woman hired into a tenure-track instrumental position.
Today, Martin-Williams leads Franklin College’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and helped develop the five-year Franklin College Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Plan. As part of that plan, she organized a two-day intensive workshop, “Reflections on Race,” in May 2022 that included speakers and interactive sessions.
For more than a decade, Martin-Williams directed the Lilly Teaching Fellows, providing leadership to each cohort and facilitating discussions. She instituted a poster session for their instructional projects and a peer observation of teaching program. According to Martin-Williams, this led to a number of Fellows giving pedagogical presentations at national conferences in their discipline and funded interdisciplinary research projects.
She’s also committed to providing cohort-based opportunities for students to find their voice. In 2009, and again in 2019, Martin-Williams served on the university’s selection committee to identify a Quality Enhancement Plan that would have meaningful impact on undergraduates.
She has served on several other university-wide committees, presented at numerous conferences, published in a variety of media and performed worldwide with several ensembles, including in the Atlanta Symphony for a Grammy-winning CD.
“I look forward to continuing my contributions to the creative research of my discipline and advocating for inclusive opportunities for the next generation,” Martin-Williams said. “At the University of Georgia, I will continue to lead with intention by asking fruitful questions to elevate discussions to a new level and by building cohorts in a way that invites participation from all voices.”
