February 12

Dining Services invites faculty and staff to a special Valentine’s Day event from 3:00-4:00 p.m., on February 14 the Bistro in the Popp Martin Student Union. Bring a colleague and enjoy complimentary drinks, desserts and a Valentine’s goodie bag! RSVP for the event.

The Graduate School staff and guests invite Graduate Program Directors and graduate education champions to learn more about new initiatives and opportunities for graduate programs during the Spring Graduate Education Summit on Thursday, February 15, 9:00-11:30 a.m. in the Atkins Library Halton Reading Room. Register today.

Cool breezes, shorter days, leaves changing color, apple cider, pumpkin spice, and OUR Scholars doing research. You guessed it, all things we love about fall! Do you have a plan to launch a new research project or collaboration soon? 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 fall semester program can last up to 16 weeks long and students can log up to 160 hours working on a research project!  New to mentoring undergraduate students?  Check out our mentor expectations

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is now accepting submissions for mentor project descriptions for the 2024 OUR Fall Research Program. OUR will help support the scholars by also organizing professional development workshops for the students as well as co-hosting the Honors Research Symposium. Learn more. Are you ready to submit?  If you’ve worked with OUR in the past, you’ll notice the mentor application looks a little different now. Check out the mentor project proposal form and use this template to help you.  If you have questions about the form, the process, or how to attract students, feel free to attend one of OUR’s virtual mentor proposal workshops. When you’re ready, submit your project descriptions. The deadline for submission is February 28. Don’t forget that this is only step one. 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 March 1.

The Office of Undergraduate Research is pleased to announce that UNC Charlotte’s Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) 2024 abstract submission form is open. Students may submit their research abstracts until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 1. More details.

Digital Humanities Resource Guide

Atkins librarians have created several resources to support students, faculty and staff interested in Digital Humanities (DH). The DH guide can help you explore resources for developing skills, networking, and planning for DH projects in your research and in the classroom. What is DH and what does it look like? Get started with the DH Resource Guide

If There Is No Struggle: Early Grassroots Activism in Charlotte

A fireside-style discussion with NC Representative Kelly M. Alexander Jr. and UNC Charlotte professor Dr. Willie Griffin about the birth of grassroots activism in Charlotte starting in the 1930s and into the 1970s. They will discuss Charlotte’s influence on the nationwide Civil Rights movement with special attention to battles on the home front. In collaboration with the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture and the National Endowment for the Humanities “Big Read.”  

  • Wednesday, February 28, 6:00 – 7:00 PM, Halton Reading Room, Atkins Library (Register)

Media Literacy Conference

Join the J. Murrey Atkins Library Critical Media Literacy Collaborative and Niner Times for the Media Literacy Matters: Current Landscape, Student Actions, and Future Directions Conference on Thursday, March 21 from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30.p.m.  This half-day conference will bring faculty, students, and researchers across campus together to discuss issues related to media literacy. The conference will feature keynote speaker Ryan Pitkin (co-founder and editor-in-chief of Queen City Nerve), student work on media literacy, a Niner Times panel on the importance of campus journalism, and lightning talks by UNC Charlotte faculty. Media literacy is the ability to use critical thinking and rhetorical reasoning to find, evaluate, and create information in online environments. Media literacy guides people toward consuming digital media in a critical manner as engaged, well-informed citizens. The event is free and all are welcome. More information and registration.

Faculty Call for Lightning Talk Proposals

The Atkins Library Critical Media Literacy Collaborative and Niner Times are hosting the Media Literacy Matters: Current Landscape, Student Actions, Future Directions Conference on Thursday, March 21. If you are interested in presenting a 4-5 minute lightning talk on the work you are doing with media literacy in your classes and/or your research, complete the proposal form.

The 2nd Annual Charlotte AI Institute for Smarter Learning will be held on Wednesday, May 15, from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM at the Dubois Center. The Call for Proposals is open through March 8. Faculty and administrators are encouraged to submit proposals for lightning talks, lesson demonstrations, and digital poster presentations on generative AI in teaching and learning. We are excited to engage with you as we explore a year’s worth of experience using generative AI in your classroom! Learn more about the 2024 AI Institute for Smarter Learning

Important Dates:

  • Call for Proposals Opens: February 1, 2024
  • Registration Opens: March 1, 2024
  • Call for Proposals Closes: March 8, 2024
  • Notice of Acceptances: March 22, 2024
  • Registration Closes: April 15, 2024
  • Conference Day: May 15, 2024

Strategies for Making your Course Inclusive

Looking to make your Canvas course inclusive and accessible to all students? Join this session to learn universal design for learning strategies for creating an accessible course, reflect on ways to improve your course, and identify specific methods for ensuring that all of your students have access.

  • Wednesday, February 21, 10:00 – 11:00 AM | (Register)

Part 2: Student Study Skills with ChatGPT
Join this session to learn how to better support students’ study skills in the age of A.I.. We will demonstrate how to prompt A.I. tools (like ChatGPT) to develop self-study guides, practice assessments, and serve as a personal learning assistant for students. By the end of the hour, you will have an action plan for how to communicate these strategies to students in your course(s).

  • Tuesday, February 13, 10:00 – 11:00 AM | (Register)

Part 2: Canvas Studio for Video Quizzes

Canvas Studio’s in-video quiz feature allows instructors to embed interactive quiz questions at specific points in videos. Students can respond to multiple-choice, true/false, or other types of prompts while watching the video. This feature enhances student engagement, reinforces key concepts, and provides a way for instructors to assess understanding. Customization includes time limits and multiple attempts. Learn how to use this tool with your videos to increase student engagement!

  • Thursday, February 15, 1:30 – 2:30 PM | (Register)

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.

To have items included in the digest, complete the NEWS DIGEST REQUEST FORM

Deadline for submission is 11:00 a.m. every Friday.