March 27

Categories: Weekly Digest Tags: 2023

March 27, 2023

Department Name Change

The Office of Academic Affairs would like to announce the following department name change:

Effective immediately:

CURRENT NAME: Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management
NEW NAME: Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering

This change was endorsed by the Faculty Council on February 9, 2023, and approved by the Chancellor on February 14, 2023. Please note this change in your records and make applicable changes where necessary.

Free Expression at UNC Charlotte

The Free Expression and Constructive Dialogue Task Force invites students, faculty, and staff to a panel discussion about freedom of expression rights, parameters, and support on campus. We hope the program will create greater clarity about free speech, external group visits, and academic freedom and lead to positive discussions at UNC Charlotte.

  • Thursday, March 30, 4:00 – 5:30 PM, via Zoom or Halton Reading Room, J. Murrey Atkins Library

Deadline Approaching to Apply for Gambrell Faculty Fellowship Program

The UNC Charlotte Urban Institute is seeking the fifth cohort of faculty fellows to research issues related to economic mobility in the Charlotte region, with support from The Gambrell Foundation. This year, the Gambrell Faculty Fellowship program will fund up to six projects with grants up to $18,000 each. The fellows will join a growing group of researchers contributing to our community’s ongoing search for solutions that could foster greater equity. Previous cohorts of Gambrell Faculty Fellows include faculty from seven colleges and 15 different academic disciplines. The application deadline is 5:00 p.m. on April 3, 2023. More information.

49er Family Fund Allocations Now Open

The 49er Family Fund annually allocates grants to campus initiatives related to student life at UNC Charlotte. These allocations help fund programming on campus that might otherwise be unable to be funded by a campus department, student organizations, etc. The 49er Family Fund seeks to serve as a funding catalyst for innovative, high-impact programs that benefit the larger campus community. Proposals for the 2023-2024 academic year are available online and should be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on April 3. For questions, contact family@uncc.edu.

Registration Open: Film Screening & Panel on Black Maternal Health Crisis

Join the College of Health and Human Services’ Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Access (IDEA) Committee for their Annual Film Screening Event on Monday, April 3, to view and discuss Aftershock. This interactive event is being held in collaboration with the Charlotte Maternal Child Health (MCH) Workgroup and the Graduate Public Health Association to discuss the Black Maternal Health Crisis in the U.S. We are pleased to welcome an esteemed panel of experts to campus for a discussion moderated by UNC Charlotte Alumni, Dr. Kala Wilson; Dr. Pamela Cobb, Atrium Health; Whitney Coble, LCMHC, PMH-C, Raising Resilience Counseling LLC; Monique R. Smith, BSN, RN Labor and Delivery Nurse; Brandi Collins-Calhoun, Full Spectrum Doula.

About the film:
“Following the deaths of two young women due to childbirth complications, two bereaved families galvanize activists, birth-workers and physicians to reckon with one of the most pressing American crises today: the U.S. maternal health crisis.”

How to watch the film:
1. Community screening on April 3 from 4:00-5:30 PM in the Lucas Room, Cone University Center.
2. Independently view on Hulu (subscription required).

How to join the conversation:
1. Live panel discussion on April 3 from 5:45-7:00 PM in the Lucas Room, Cone University Center (Register).
2. Connect via Zoom for the live panel discussion (details will be emailed to all registrants).

For questions, contact Alicia Dahl or Lorenzo Hopper.

BRIDGES Academic Leadership Program

The BRIDGES Academic Leadership Program offers the opportunity to develop and strengthen leadership skills, knowledge, and networking in order to be successful change agents in communities. BRIDGES is an inclusive professional development program dedicated to supporting cisgender or transgender women and nonbinary colleagues in higher education who seek to gain or strengthen their academic leadership capabilities, and/or individuals who demonstrate a commitment to supporting women and gender issues and equity in the academy. Individuals of any gender identity who want to position themselves for advancement in the academy and/or who demonstrate a strong interest or commitment to supporting women and gender equity in the academy are encouraged to apply. Attend the virtual information session, Tuesday, April 11, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. via Zoom to learn about this unique leadership program and to hear from past BRIDGES participants. More information.

Sign Up for UNC Charlotte National Volunteer Week Opportunities

The 2023 National Volunteer Week is April 16-22. Faculty, staff, students, and alumni are invited to register for off-campus service opportunities.

Register for the 2023 Charlotte Black Families Summit

Families and community partners are invited to participate in the 2023 Charlotte Black Families Summit, hosted by the Women + Girls Research Alliance in partnership with the UNC Charlotte Office of Diversity and Inclusion, to hear information on topics such as wellness, education, policy, housing and more.

  • Thursday, April 27, 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM, The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City (Register)

Tamara Johnson Nominated for Charlotte Ledger’s 40 Over 40 Award

As part of Women’s History Month, we are celebrating the nomination of Dr. Tamara Johnson, Director of Engaged Scholarship in urbanCORE, for the Charlotte Ledger’s 40 over 40 Awards. Dr. Johnson was chosen as one of 122 people working to make an impact across Charlotte. Winners will be recognized in a special edition of the Ledger and at a 1980s-movie themed awards gala on April 27. More information.

Center for Teaching and Learning Workshops

Supporting Student Study Skills in the Age of A.I.
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).

  • Monday, March 27, 1:30 – 2:30 PM (Register)

Course Design Considerations for Inclusion and Representation
bell hooks eloquently stated, “To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin.” This quote encompasses a common goal faculty, instructional designers, and course developers aim to achieve in their course designs. Unfortunately, while these ideals may be interpreted as buzz words, they are fundamental concepts that many have not learned, explored, or incorporated as necessary components of high-quality course design. Building upon the QM white paper “Course Design Considerations for Inclusion and Representation,” join Dr. Racheal Brooks and Dr. Siobahn Day Grady in an examination of evidence-based models and theoretical approaches for fostering inclusion and representation to create emancipatory online learning environments.

  • Monday, April 3, 12:00 – 1:30 PM (Register)

Annual Faculty Showcase
Please join us for this year’s Faculty Professional Development Showcase and learn how fellow faculty made improvements in their teaching as a result of their participation in professional development activities around campus. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness and celebrate faculty best practices at UNC Charlotte. The showcase is hosted by the Office for Assessment and Accreditation, Center for Teaching and Learning, Atkins Library, and Communication Across the Curriculum.

  • Thursday, April 6, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM, Halton Reading Room, J. Murrey Atkins Library (Register by 3/24)

J. Murrey Atkins Library Events

Department of Religious Studies 50th Anniversary Exhibit Reception
Please join Atkins on Wednesday, April 12th as we look back on and celebrate fifty years of teaching and learning, research and publication, and service to the university and the discipline in Charlotte’s Department of Religious Studies. Atkins Library will showcase a special anniversary exhibit that explores the department’s indelible mark on our campus and the Charlotte community. Charlotte faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be provided.

  • Wednesday, April 12, 4:00 – 6:00 PM, Halton Reading Room, J. Murrey Atkins Library (Register)

The Julian D. Mason Talks on Book Collecting
The Princess Augusta Sophia Collection of Drama And Other Rare Treasures From Atkins Library

The family of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and King George III were avid fans of the theater, sometimes even inviting famous actors to their homes for play-readings. At the center of their enthusiasm for the theater is an extensive collection of English drama collected by Princess Augusta Sophia, George and Charlotte’s second-oldest daughter. Join us as we learn about the royal family’s bibliophilia and this collection’s fascinating journey on its way to a home at UNC Charlotte centuries later, in 1971. We will also glimpse highlights from the next 50 years of acquisitions and learn the rich histories of many of the rare and distinctive books that have fascinated students and scholars alike for generations. Speakers are Andrew Keener, Scholars Advisor in the Honors College, and Robin Brabham, the founding director of Special Collections at Atkins Library.

  • Wednesday, April 19, 4:00 PM, Halton Reading Room, J. Murrey Atkins Library (Register)

Faculty News Council

Please visit the Faculty Governance website for the latest news from the Faculty Council including:

Dissertation Defense

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.

Latest AA News

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.