Faye Chatman

As the Program Director and Academic Advisor for the Franklin College’s undergraduate degree-completion programs in Microbiology and Interdisciplinary Studies offered at the UGA Griffin Campus, Faye is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Franklin College on the Griffin Campus. Her duties include developing informational and outreach materials, conducting outreach activities, coordinating the admissions process with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, advising students, handling student and faculty problems and concerns, and putting together the class schedule each semester.  Since Spring Semester 2009, she has had the pleasure and honor of serving as a co-advisor to the UGA Griffin Ambassadors, a leadership organization for a select group of UGA Griffin students.

Faye received her A.B. in English from Georgia Southern University and her M.A. in English from the University of Georgia. She began her academic career as an instructor of English in the Developmental Studies program at Gainesville Junior College, now the University of North Georgia Gainesville Campus. In 1981, she assumed her first position at UGA when she was hired as one of the first four Pre-Journalism advisors in the Franklin College’s Office of Academic Advising. Prior to assuming the position of Program Director for the Franklin College’s undergraduate degree program at the UGA Griffin Campus, Faye held a variety of positions at UGA: freshman English instructor in the Evening Classes program; academic advisor in the Evening Classes program; education program specialist in the Evening Classes program, eventually assuming the position of Coordinator of Admissions and Academic Advising; instructor and academic advisor in the English Department; academic advisor/pre-admissions counselor with the University Studies and ANSERS (Adult Non-traditional Student Educational Resources and Services) program; and program director for the Franklin College’s two undergraduate degree-completion programs offered at the UGA-Gwinnett Campus from Fall Semester 2002 through Spring Semester 2008. Among the most rewarding experiences of her 30+ year career at UGA have been teaching freshman English to non-native speakers and to non-traditional students and assisting adults in developing a plan to begin college or to return to college.

Faye served for 12 years (1986-1998) on the Board of Directors of the Jeannette Rankin Foundation, which provides scholarships to women aged 35 and over, and is a long-time member of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA).  Faye has been a member of the Georgia Association for Women in Higher Education (GAWHE) since the late 1980s, when it was known as GAWDAC (Georgia Association for Women Deans, Administrators, and Counselors).  She served for five years on the GAWHE Scholarship Committee, served as Co-Vice President for Program Development with Dr. Margaret Thompson of Clayton State University from 2011-2013, and is currently in the final year of her term as GAWHE President. 

Outside of work, Faye likes to read, especially novels and non-fiction; go on walks; and spend time with her family and friends.  Among the things she most enjoys outside work are folk music and dance; thus, Faye’s a firm believer in Nietzsche’s words: “Consider lost any day on which you have not danced at least once.”