January 16, 2024
In This Issue
Candidates Announced for Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Dean of University College
Call for Nominations: Early-Career Teaching Award and Excellence in Teaching Award
Harvey Gantt to Speak at Niner Nation King Week 2024
GUIDE, Empathic Communications Training for Staff & Faculty
First Year & Transition Programs
University Policies re: Records Retention
2024 de Silva, First Citizens Award Honorees Named
OUR Summer Faculty Recruitment
Training: Records Management Spring Cleaning
Early Alert Deadline/CONNECT Training Modules and Best Practice Sessions
Center for Teaching and Learning Workshops
Faculty Council News
Dissertation Defense
Latest AA News
Candidates Announced for Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Dean of University College
The search committee for the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Dean of University College is pleased to announce final candidates for the position. The campus community is invited to attend the candidate public presentations. For details, including candidate CVs, please visit the UCOL Dean search website. Following each candidate interview, we encourage you to provide feedback via the Candidate Evaluation Form. The form will be available until 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 6.
Call for Nominations: Early-Career Teaching Award and Excellence in Teaching Award
The Bonnie E. Cone Early-Career Professorship in Teaching award was established in 2006 and is awarded annually to a member of the faculty who has been awarded tenure within the last three years. The appointment is for a three-year term, and the announcement is made to the campus community at the annual Provost’s Awards Reception. The benefits of the appointment will include the inscription of the Professor’s name on a permanent plaque and the award of University resources above that normally given to faculty.
Bonnie E. Cone Early-Career Professorship in Teaching – Nomination Deadline: January 31, 2024
The Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching is granted biennially to an academic department, program, or unit in recognition of the collective responsibility of faculty members for maintaining high-quality teaching. The award is intended to recognize documented efforts that improve student learning and outcomes. The monetary award can be used at the discretion of the recipient unit for any purpose authorized for state appropriations. A permanent plaque has been created to move each year to the recipient unit in recognition of the award.
Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching – Nomination Deadline: January 31, 2024
Harvey Gantt to Speak at Niner Nation King Week 2024
Join us on Thursday, January 18, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. in Cone University Center, McKnight Hall, for “An Evening with Harvey Gantt, Civil Rights Leader and Charlotte’s First Black Mayor.” The conversation, moderated by Honors College student Serena Kamdem, will explore Gantt’s life, leadership and legacy. Registration required. Faculty are encouraged to offer extra credit to students who attend the event.
GUIDE, Empathic Communications Training for Staff & Faculty
The Center for Integrated Care invites you to register for GUIDE, an empathic communications training to empower faculty and staff to conduct effective student support. In this three hour session, educators will 1) learn how to identify & contextualize student needs; 2) participate in an iterative, supportive feedback process designed to prepare you for your next student interaction; 3) test, explore, and refine empathic communication skills; and 4) learn how to integrate GUIDE into your interactions with students. The training will occur on Friday, January 26th at 9:00 a.m. Contact Terrence Harper for more information. Register.
First Year & Transition Programs
The Office of Undergraduate Education would like to announce a restructuring of student success programs for new-to-Charlotte students. Dr. Carla Eastis will now serve as Director of First Year and Transition Programs. This newly-named unit, First Year and Transition Programs, houses the Prospect for Success initiative, the Learning Communities Program, and 49er Intensive Transition (FIT). To learn more about any of these programs, please contact Dr. Eastis.
University Policies re: Records Retention
University Policy: 402, Student Education Records (FERPA)
Federal law protects the confidentiality of records maintained by the University and relating directly to a student and also provides guidance for the proper handling of records by UNC Charlotte as a public institution. University Policy 402 defines what is considered a student education record and specifies when and how such records may be disclosed. Additionally, the policy addresses persons permitted access to such records and their responsibility for maintaining confidentiality in handling and accessing them. Please take an opportunity to review University Policy: 402, Student Education Records (FERPA).
University Policy 605.3: Retention, Disposition, and Security of University Records Chapters 121 and 132 of the General Statutes of North Carolina govern the retention, disposition, and security of University records, including student education records. The UNC System Office provides minimum retention standards for the handling of student records in the UNC Records Retention and Disposition Schedule. Please take time to ensure the proper storing, handling, retention, and disposition of student education records. Please discuss this policy and schedule with all employees approved for access to handle these records. For more information, see University Policy 605.3, Retention, Disposition, and Security of University Records.
2024 de Silva, First Citizens Award Honorees Named
Adam Reitzel, professor of Biological Sciences, was awarded the 2024 First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal. Since 1988, this award has recognized a senior full-time faculty member annually for outstanding scholarship, creativity and/or research. Last year’s honoree was Kirill Afonin, professor of Chemistry.
The 2024 Harshini V. de Silva Graduate Mentor Award was presented to Juan Vivero-Escoto, professor of Chemistry. Established in memory of the noted professor of biology, the de Silva award recognizes a full-time member of the graduate faculty who evinces outstanding graduate mentoring. The 2023 award went to Margaret Quinlan, professor of Communication Studies.
Ceremonies honoring the two award winners will be scheduled in the spring semester, presided over by the Chancellor, the Interim Dean of the Graduate School and University officers. Read more about the de Silva Award, First Citizens Medal, and past winners on the Graduate School website.
OUR Summer Faculty Recruitment
Are you planning to throw yourself deeply into your research this summer? Have you considered engaging undergraduates on a research, scholarly, or creative project? Have you thought about how an undergraduate student can help your scholarly research program? Have you had students asking you questions that would be interesting to further investigate? Are you looking to test a new question or try something interdisciplinary? Do you have a need for a student, but not the means? Yes? Yes. or Yes! The Office of Undergraduate Research can help. The OUR Scholars program can help you find and employ students in collaborative learning through undergraduate research, scholarly and creative activities. The summer program is ten weeks long and students can log up to 400 hours working on a research project! New to mentoring summer students? Check out mentor expectations here.
We are pleased to announce that the Office of Undergraduate Research is now accepting submissions for faculty project descriptions for the 2024 OUR Summer Research Program. OUR will help support the scholars by also organizing professional development workshops for the summer students as well as hosting networking events and the Summer Research Symposium.
Are you ready to submit? If you’ve worked with OUR in the past, you’ll notice the faculty application looks different this year. Check out the faculty project proposal form. If you have questions about the form, the process, or how to attract students, attend one of OUR’s virtual faculty proposal workshops. When you’re ready, submit your project descriptions through experience. The deadline for submission is January 30, 2024.
Don’t forget that this is only step 1. Please help us broaden the applicant pool as much as possible and ensure that the students you’re looking for are in the applicant pool. Encourage your students to apply for the program starting February 1.
Training: Records Management Spring Cleaning
Records Management Spring Cleaning – It’s that time again!
Are you ready to come clean? Do you have records gathering dust? It’s time to tidy up. We will discuss disposing of records that no longer have administrative value and making space for records of current and continuing value. We will review the North Carolina Public Records Act requiring agencies to retain public records and prohibit the destruction EXCEPT following the guidelines established by the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources (Records Retention and Disposition Schedule). We will discuss best practices for reviewing your files annually. How to determine what should be destroyed? What should be transferred to the University Archives? What about litigation holds? What about digital spring cleaning? Join us for an in-depth presentation on cleaning out your files. Presented by: Tina Dadio, Public Records Officer/Legal Specialist, Maya Hood, Paralegal, and Katie Howell, University Archivist
Early Alert Deadline/CONNECT Training Modules and Best Practice Sessions
Early Alerts are due for all 1000/2000 level courses by noon on Friday, February 2. Are you new to Charlotte? Check out the Advisor Tool Kit page. CONNECT Best Practices training modules are located on Canvas under published courses. Advisors and faculty can request one-on-one or team session training centered around your departmental initiatives. After completion of the training modules, follow-up training requests can be made. For more information contact Gary Martinez, Advising Systems Specialist or LeeFredrick Bowen, Executive Director of Advising Systems.
Center for Teaching and Learning Workshops
Spring into Success Teaching Innovation Workshops
The Center for Teaching and Learning is here with resources to help you kickoff a great 2024 spring semester. Register now for workshops!
Part 1: Canvas Studio – Creating Video Assignments
Canvas Studio has replaced Kaltura Capture and My Media for instructional videos! This workshop will cover the basics of using Canvas Studio to create and share instructional media through your Canvas courses. Topics include: how to upload existing media, recording new media, captioning videos, editing media, embedding media on pages, understanding the video Library, and creating assignments that involve video submission and having students submit assignments involving videos.
Part 2: Active Learning with Poll Everywhere
Transform your classroom into an active learning experience. Explore Poll Everywhere’s features, design captivating poll questions, and incorporate interactive activities. Discover how to analyze data for valuable insights and explore best practices for seamless integration into your classroom. Don’t miss this opportunity to create engaging and participatory learning environments.
Syllabus and Classroom Communication on AI
Join us for an exciting information session on student facing communication and syllabus guidelines for AI Tools! Discover innovative strategies leveraging AI for student learning. Integrate cutting-edge technology ethically into your syllabus, empowering students and revolutionizing collaboration. Unleash the potential of AI in your classroom and revolutionize the way students collaborate and engage with course materials. Don’t miss this chance to transform your teaching experience and be at the forefront of educational innovation.
Getting Started with Active Teaching and Learning
Active learning requires students to be engaged in their learning rather than being passive listeners. To enhance learning, students must speak, write, think deeply, and collaborate with others about the content and concepts presented in class. This workshop provides an introduction to active teaching and an active learning framework that can be used to move toward active learning engagement and strategies in your classroom.
Supporting Students as Difficult Events Impact Our World
Difficult news is everywhere recently—climate disasters, refugee crises, political unrest, the war between Ukraine and Russia, and the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas for example. While these events can negatively impact our students’ ability to focus on academics, they can also create opportunities to engage in meaningful and honest discussions about difficult and important topics. This workshop is designed to provide faculty with the confidence, strategies, and resources to help students process their emotions and talk about the complex nature of these events with sensitivity to the diverse perspectives of all students.
Strategies for Making Your Course Inclusive
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is the current buzzword of education. We hear about the importance of incorporating DEI strategies in our courses, but are never given practical strategies to do so. In this session, we will begin to expand our vision of DEI from a checklist to specific ways to ensure that all of your students have access in your course.
Growth Mindset Activities for Your Class
Join our interactive workshop and discover five powerful activities that fosters growth mindset among your students, helping them overcome challenges and reach their full potential. Explore reflective journaling, collaborative problem-solving, effective feedback strategies, goal setting, and the influence of guest speakers and role models. Leave with practical tools and techniques to create a dynamic and empowering learning environment. Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your teaching and inspire student growth.
Canvas Quizzing
Learn how to create Canvas Quizzes for student assessments and manage online quizzes in a time-efficient manner. Giving frequent low-stake quizzes is considered a great student-centered learning technique that facilitates students becoming accountable for their learning. We recommend this workshop for anyone new to Canvas Quizzing or who needs to learn about updates to the Canvas Quizzing Tool. Migration of Canvas Quizzes created with the classic quiz tool is covered.
Please visit the Faculty Governance website for the latest news from the Faculty Council including:
The dissertation defense is one of the ways a new scholar demonstrates readiness to join the academy and is an opportunity to share their research widely. View All Dissertation Defense Announcements.
For up-to-the-minute news from Academic Affairs (faculty awards, research, recognition, initiatives), visit the Academic Affairs Division News webpage.
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