March 23

University employees play an important role in helping maintain a campus environment that is safe, supportive and responsive to student needs. Daily interactions often position our faculty and staff to notice when a student may be experiencing distress. This session will help you recognize behavioral and situational indicators of distress, and attendees will leave with practical guidance on how to document observations in a clear and responsible manner. Join us as we outline how thoughtful reporting can help ensure students receive timely support and intervention.

Presenters: Larry Gourdine, Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Assistance and Support Services; and Jonathan Harrison, Assistant General Counsel

• Wednesday, March 25, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, via Zoom* (Register)
  *Registrants will receive the Zoom link prior to the presentation.

Join the Urban Institute CORE Series Ignite session and connect to the resources that will help you achieve your community engagement goals! Eleven presenters will have three minutes and three slides each to share their unit’s community-engagement purpose and what they do to support faculty and staff who want to get involved. The presentations will be followed by a Q&A.

Presenters:
Adreonna Bennett, Special Collections & University Archives
Joshua Boyd, Jamil Niner Student Pantry
Sydney Gallup, Career Center
Jillian Grant, Charlotte Global
Mikala Harvey, Leadership & Community Engagement
Tiffany Kelley, Levine Scholars
Holly Middleton, Charlotte Urban Institute
Kourtney Peterson, Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Sarah Powell, Office of Undergraduate Research
Angela Preston, Mebane Early Literacy Center
Jennifer Warner, LEADS

• Wednesday, March 25, 2:30 – 3:30 PM, via Zoom (Register)

Digital Accessibility Compliance Alert

By April 24, 2026, all public entities, including UNC Charlotte, must ensure their websites and mobile apps comply with a technical standard that requires websites and digital tools to be usable for everyone, including individuals with disabilities. This means all digital instructional materials, documents, forms, audio, video, and websites produced after April 24, 2026, on the University’s behalf, must comply with The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA, which is the technical standard required by the Department of Justice’s regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Campus Accessibility Awareness Month

With the launch of the University Policy 319: Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Applications, the campus is moving beyond compliance to a “culture of care.” Accessibility isn’t just a technical requirement, but a pedagogical commitment that ensures all learners have universal access to course content. 

Join the Campaign! 

Come together for Campus April Accessibility Month to connect policy to practice with practical, low-barrier supports that help faculty make meaningful, immediate improvements to teaching materials in their courses.

Join the Information Session – New Accessibility Policy: What It Means for Teaching

Register for the information session on April 1 from 11:30-12:30 to learn more about University Policy 319 and what it means for you and your students. 

Attend a Workshop on Digital Accessibility

Canvas Accessibility with UDOIT: Universal Design Online Content Inspection Tool

• April 1, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
• April 2, 2:30 – 3:30 pm
• April 15, 11:30 – 12:30 pm

Files and PDF Accessibility Checkers: Using Grackle, Adobe, and Microsoft Tools

• April 6, 11:30 – 12:30 pm
• April 7, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
• April 16, 9:00 – 10:00 am

Digital Accessibility “Fix-it Clinic” (Bring one thing to fix)

• April 21, 10:00 – 11:00 am
• April 22, 11:30 – 12:30 am
• April 23, 1:00 – 2:00 pm

Get Personalized Support!

Policy Links

• University Policy 319: Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Applications
• Procedures Supplemental to University Policy 319: Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Applications

Need help on Accessibility?

• Submit a ticket or schedule a 1-1 consultation
• How to Use the UDOIT: Universal Design Online Content Inspection Tool for Canvas Course Accessibility

Dr. Hania al-Shamat is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Public Policy from the University of Southern California. Dr. al-Shamat’s teaching approach emphasizes the internationalization of students’ learning experiences through globally engaged assignments, simulations, and experiential projects, including virtual collaborations with international universities and a study abroad course in Morocco. She integrates social entrepreneurship into her curriculum to encourage students to connect theory with real-world solutions to global and local challenges. In addition to teaching courses on international and Middle Eastern and North African politics, she serves as the academic advisor for the university’s Model United Notions program. More information.

• Thursday, April 2, 12:00 – 1:00 PM, Student Union 263

Upcoming Change to Default Library Search

Beginning on March 30, the default search will show Atkins library holdings first. Users can still search Atkins and additional libraries’ holdings by selecting “expand your search.” Materials available through Rapido and partner libraries can still be requested as usual. Starting with local holdings helps users identify immediately available materials more quickly. This adjustment simply layers the search experience so that local holdings appear first, while still allowing easy access to materials from partner libraries. We remain committed to ensuring quick and reliable access to materials from across our partner network. 

Philosophy, Critical Theory, and Critical Times

The UNC Charlotte Center for Professional and Applied Ethics, the Philosophy and Critical Theory Lab and Atkins Library invite you to a roundtable discussion inspired by and a celebratory book launch of “Feminist Making, Doing, and Sensing: Experiments in Philosophy,” eds. Lauren Giulmette and Ada Jaarsma (Duke University Press, 2026). Featuring editor Lauren Giulmette (Elon University) and contributors Amanda Bennett (Independent), Lynne Huffer (Emory University), Ryan Johnson (Elon University), Qrescent Mason (Haverford College), Maria Mejia (Elon University), and Martin Shuster (UNC Charlotte). Audience participation is encouraged and welcome – no familiarity with the book required. Bring your questions about the current moment.

• Thursday, March 26, 4:30 PM, with a cocktail hour after, Halton Room, Atkins Library (RSVP)

Digital Humanities Meetup: Collaborating Across Disciplines

Accomplishing digital humanities (DH) work often involves and requires collaborations across disciplines and even sometimes institutions. Finding those with complementary skill sets to join a DH project is not always easy, but it is possible when it presents learning and research growth opportunities for both. Hear about several DH collaborations from UNC Charlotte faculty (from History, Geography, Anthropology and Atkins Library), share your own, and hopefully get ideas for how you can approach a new project that could benefit from a collaboration with colleagues across campus. Please register if you plan to attend. Open to UNC Charlotte faculty, staff and students. Snacks will be provided.

• Wednesday, April 1, 3:00 – 4:00 PM, Vis Lab – Area 49 (2nd Floor of Atkins Library)

Media Literacy Matters Conference

Join the Critical Media Literacy Collaborative, Niner Times, and Atkins Library for “Media Literacy Matters: Empowering Critical Thinkers in a Digital World” on April 2. This half-day conference will bring faculty, students, and researchers across campus together to discuss issues related to media literacy. 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 critically as engaged, well-informed citizens. Light breakfast refreshments will be provided. More information and registration.

For Mid-Career Faculty
Faculty Forum for Faculty Interested in Promotion to Full Professor
The Provost and Deans of all colleges will facilitate the forum.

• Thursday, March 26, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Cone 210 (Register)

For Mid-Career Faculty
Recently-Tenured Associate Professor Orientation
Deans or their representatives of all colleges will facilitate the forum.

• Thursday, March 26, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Cone 210 (Register) 

For All Faculty and Administrators
Presenting to Decision Makers: Melissa Marshall, Founder of Present Your Science 

This workshop is a practical workshop designed to help faculty, researchers, and academic leaders communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to university leadership and other stakeholders. Participants learn how to adapt material for audiences with diverse backgrounds, filter and focus key details that support strategic decisions, and transform slide design into clear, visually compelling slides. 

• Wednesday, April 29, 9:00 – 11:00 AM OR 1:00 – 3:00 PM, Foundation Bldg, Room 112 (Register)

What’s New in the CTL?

Register for new and exciting Upcoming Events!

Spring Workshops

• A Walkshop on Narrative Intelligence: The Power of Story in Your Teaching 
• Building Community with the Periodic Table of Human Emotions 
• Canvas Accessibility with UDOIT
• Files and PDF Accessibility Checkers: Using Grackle, Adobe, and Microsoft Tools
• Digital Accessibility ‘Fix-It Clinic’

Level Up Your Teaching Toolkit

Work Towards a *NEW* Microcredential on Essentials of Learning Technologies

Register for Online Training Courses on: 

• Canvas Foundations and Tools
• Student Success Strategies
• Teaching Essentials

See Your Learning Journey

• Access your CTL Professional Development Transcript!

AI Resources for You

• Browse AI Across the Curriculum Resources!
• Gear up for the2026 AI Summit!

Enhance Your Courses with Professional Media Production from the Center for Teaching and Learning

Bring your courses to life with high-quality, engaging instructional media! The Center for Teaching and Learning’s Media Production team partners with faculty to create dynamic, accessible, and professionally produced media that supports teaching goals and enhances student learning experiences.

Whether you’re developing a new course, refreshing existing content, or looking to increase student engagement, the Media Production team provides start-to-finish support, from initial consultation through final delivery. Services include studio-based recording in a fully equipped on-campus facility and field production for on or off-site demonstrations, interviews, labs, and simulations.

Faculty work directly with a dedicated project lead to plan, record, and produce media aligned with course objectives. Projects are delivered ready for integration into courses, designed for clarity, accessibility, and student learning success.
Getting started is easy: submit a Media Request form and collaborate with the team to plan your project for the upcoming semester. Let us help you transform your course content and enhance the learning experience for your students. Learn more.