Interdisciplinary Insight: Kelly Eitzen Smith, Assessment Coordinator and Research Specialist

Dec. 14, 2022

Who

Kelly Eitzen Smith, Assessment Coordinator, School of Landscape Architecture and Planning, and Research Specialist, Native Peoples Technical Assistance Office

What

Staff Profile

What brought you to CAPLA, and where did you work before joining the college?

I received my bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and PhD all from the University of Arizona in Sociology. Upon getting my PhD, I taught in the Sociology Department (now called the School of Sociology) as an adjunct lecturer from 1999 to 2009. In that last year I was assistant director of the Center for Applied Sociology, where I did a project with the Drachman Institute. I loved the work that Drachman Institute was doing and when offered a position, I joined CAPLA.

Tell us about your current work.

I have lots of different roles at the university and personally. At CAPLA, I oversee the assessment of all five programs in the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning. That includes all aspects of accreditation for the Master of Landscape Architecture and Master of Science in Urban Planning programs, and yearly assessment for the Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Built Environments, Master of Real Estate Development and our new Bachelor of Landscape Architecture. I assist the school director with annual performance reviews of faculty and, moving forward, I will assist with the hiring of graduate assistants and new and returning faculty. I also assist programs with strategic planning, and conduct alumni surveys of our students.

At the Native Peoples Technical Assistance Office (NPTAO), I am a research specialist that collects tribal data on the 22 federally recognized tribes in Arizona. I also oversee the content of the Native American Advancement, Initiatives and Research website, which includes all things happening on campus concerning our Native communities.

And personally, I write college textbooks on sociology. My father, D. Stanley Eitzen, started the textbooks in the 1970s on a typewriter. After I got my degree, I started assisting with some of the chapters. Since the passing of my dad in 2017, I am now the sole author of In Conflict and Order: Understanding Society and Social Problems.

What do you most enjoy about your current job?

I really enjoy the college environment, interacting with faculty and students. And I love working with data and writing. And most importantly, our school staff works very well as a team. They are the best coworkers I could ask for.

What do you find most challenging about your job?

There are not enough hours in the day—and nothing I can do about it!

Can you share a favorite story working with students, faculty, alumni, or the community?

Through NPTAO, I have worked on a couple of projects with Senior Lecturer in Architecture Laura Carr and Associate Dean for Research and Drachman Institute Interim Director Bo Yang in tribal communities. Through these projects I’ve learned much more about architecture, landscape architecture, cultural sensitivity and the incredible possibilities for community engagement. Right now, I am working with Laura and her students on a project to envision a cultural center and physical home on the UArizona campus for our Native students, faculty, staff and tribal communities. As part of that project, we collected feedback from more than 400 of our Native Wildcat community members. I can’t wait to watch this project unfold!

Beyond your job, what are your passions?

I have a t-shirt that says: Books, Coffee and Puzzles. That about sums it up. I also enjoy hiking and spinning, and I plan to start playing golf when I can find the time.

Learn more about Kelly Eitzen Smith, or explore how you can support college-wide assessment, research and other CAPLA needs.