Housed within the College of Arts and Sciences, the Institute for the Arts and Humanities was founded in 1987 by religious studies professor Ruel W. Tyson Jr. and College dean Gillian T. Cell. Then called the Program for the Arts and Humanities, its early mission was to nurture liberal arts learning and to support faculty excellence.

Today, the Institute empowers faculty to achieve their full potential by creating community and cultivating leadership. At the heart of this mission is the affirmation of the crucial value of the arts and humanities to the life of the university and the world.

The IAH supports its mission through its commitment to three interrelated areas of faculty life: scholarship, leadership, and fellowship. The IAH promotes scholarship through its Faculty Fellows Program (founded in 1988) and grant opportunities and by sponsoring conferences, lectures, and public conversations. The Institute develops current and emerging university leaders through the Academic Leadership Program (founded in 2001) and the Chairs Leadership Program (founded in 2007). The Institute promotes fellowship—the collegiality that fosters strong community and professional collaboration—in all its programs and affinity groups, including the New Faculty, Associate Professor, and Retired Faculty Programs, along with the Faculty of Color and Indigenous Faculty Group. These Faculty Programs and Groups build mentoring networks for faculty at all stages of their academic careers.

Mission, Vision and Values

• Mission
  • The Institute for the Arts and Humanities empowers faculty to achieve their full potential by creating community and cultivating leadership.
• Vision
  • We aim to create a national model of faculty support in the service of students and the public good.
•  Values
  • Community: We foster a diverse, inclusive, and affirming culture that develops UNC faculty.
  • Collaboration: We believe in teamwork, harnessing the collective power of our strengths for the betterment of the whole.
  • Inquiry: We promote understanding by engaging with hard questions and investigating avenues of change.

About Hyde Hall

Hyde Hall was dedicated in 2002 as the home for the Institute for the Arts and Humanities.  It was funded entirely by private gifts; after a generous lead gift from the Hyde Family Foundation (led by UNC-Chapel Hill alumni Barbara ’83 and Pitt ’65), it was named Hyde Hall. Prior to Hyde Hall’s construction, the Institute’s first home was West House, a small building formerly situated behind Swain Hall. (West House was demolished in 2006.)

The Institute manages Hyde Hall and maintains its use for the IAH’s faculty development programs and activities. Hyde Hall is typically open from Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with reduced hours during the summer and university breaks. Hyde Hall is a space for faculty use, but when available its rooms may be reserved for activities related to our mission.

The University Room and Incubator Room are available for room reservations. Faculty, especially those in the arts and humanities, are welcome to visit Hyde Hall or utilize the Leadership Library for small gatherings or the Incubator Room’s Thursday co-working sessions.