Director of Faculty Affairs Appointed: Terra Buttram has been named faculty affairs director, succeeding Tammy Michielsen who will transfer to the School of Medicine and Dentistry as the director of the Office of Academic Affairs on March 1. Terra joined the University’s Human Resources office in 2016 and most recently served as HR Business Partner for AS&E and the College. Terra will join AS&E in mid-March. Please join us in wishing Tammy well in her new role at the University and welcoming Terra formally to AS&E.
Spring 2023 Teaching Center Large Courses Discussion Group: Instructors of large courses (75+ students) are invited to join a 2023 spring semester teaching discussion group to share ideas and experiences. The theme will be “Taking the Pulse: Evaluating Learning in Large Class Settings.” It can be challenging to understand what students are learning and where they are struggling in large courses, especially between exams. Instructors will explore quick and easy-to-implement activities that can be incorporated into existing lessons. These activities enable instructors to assess students’ prior knowledge, recall, understanding, critical thinking, problem-solving, course-specific learning, and analytical skills. The group will meet in person every other Friday from 8:30 to 10 a.m. from January 20 to March 3. Register here to take part or contact the Teaching Center with any questions.
Spring 2023 Teaching Center Workshops: The Teaching Center is offering the following spring 2023 workshops on Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. EST via Zoom. Click on the workshop name to register for that session.
Learn more on the Teaching Center website or contact the Teaching Center with any questions.
Presidential Stronger as One Diversity Awards: President Sarah Mangelsdorf cordially invites you to attend the Presidential Stronger as One Diversity Awards honoring faculty, staff, students, members of the Greater Rochester Community, and Board of Trustees members whose actions, activities, and accomplishments support the five equity, diversity, and inclusion priorities for making the University a welcoming and inclusive environment. The awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, March 2, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. followed by a reception from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Feldman Ballroom, Douglass Commons, on the River Campus. RSVP by February 24. For questions or more information, please contact the Institutional Office of Equity and Inclusion at (585) 275-2125 or via email.
Join the Teaching Center Podcast Club: Instructors can explore new teaching ideas by listening to a podcast episode selected by Teaching Center staff and then gathering on Zoom to discuss on Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. EST. Upcoming podcasts include
- Student Mental Health, February 24
- Student Engagement, March 24
- Faculty Mindset’s Impact on Student Learning, April 28
Learn more about each topic or sign up for a session. Sign up for as many or as few individual sessions as you like.
Nominations open for Ferrari Humanities Research Award, Judith Kerman Faculty Teaching and Mentoring Award: Nominations are invited for the 2023 President’s Ferrari Humanities Research Award and the Judith Kerman Faculty Teaching and Mentoring Award in Culture and Technology.
The Ferrari Humanities Research Award promotes and supports humanities research by a tenured or tenure-track faculty member in AS&E who is affiliated with the University’s Humanities Center. The award is in the amount of $25,000, which may be spent over two or three academic years. Self-nominations or nominations by department chairs and peers at the University of Rochester must be submitted by February 28. Find more information and submission guidelines here.
The Judith Kerman Faculty Teaching and Mentoring Award in Culture and Technology is designed to recognize the important relationship between teaching, classroom learning, and mentorship through research opportunities, as well as to foster an awareness of the significance of technology from a humanities perspective. An award of $5,000 will be presented to a tenure-track faculty member in the School of Arts & Sciences who excels as a scholar, teacher, and research mentor to undergraduate students and who works at the intersection of technology and humanistic inquiry. In a proposal of fewer than 1,000 words, nominees should describe an activity that they propose to carry out for the benefit of the undergraduate educational experience; be multidisciplinary as well as humanistic in nature; and advance knowledge about the interaction/influence of technology as a cultural or social change agent. Self-nominations or nominations by department chairs or peers at the University must be submitted by February 28 to Michael Cochrane. The award winner will be notified by March 31 and announced in April during a luncheon presentation hosted by the Humanities Center.
Graduate Research Symposium Coming in March: The AS&E Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs office will be hosting its second annual research symposium on Thursday, March 23, from 3 to 5:30 p.m. in Feldman Ballroom, Douglass Commons. Faculty and staff members from a variety of disciplines are needed to serve as judges for the poster session running from 3 to 4:30 p.m. that day. This would include reviewing several posters in person and assisting with selecting the “best” poster in your discipline, which is eligible for a cash prize. All judges will be provided with a program of written abstracts in advance of the event as well as a judging rubric. Please reach out to Katie Ferruzza, assistant director of student services, by March 1 if you would be willing to serve as a judge this year or with any questions about the symposium.
Brian Magee Earns Student Affairs Educator Certification: Brian Magee, senior associate director of student activities and leadership education in Wilson Commons Student Activities, recently achieved the student affairs educator certification (CSAEd). He is also one of a few student affairs practitioners who achieved both additional certification in campus activities (CSAEd-CA) and college unions (CSAEd-CU) in the country.
Center for Education Abroad Summer and Fall Deadline: Students who are looking to go abroad on a program for summer 2023 or fall 2023 must have their application in by March 1. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Center for Education Abroad.
Mindfulness Classes: Are you looking to build your mindfulness skills in the new year? Join the Mindful University Project for one of its four-week Koru mindfulness offerings this semester. Research has shown that mindfulness techniques can reduce stress and anxiety, foster resilience and emotional regulation, strengthen relationships and communication with students, and promote a positive classroom environment. In these classes, you will learn short and accessible mindfulness practices that you can incorporate into your daily life as well as in between or during meetings and classes.
Open to all faculty, staff, and students. Registration is required.
Coffee Hour with the Dean: Joan Saab, interim dean of the faculty, will be hosting a coffee hour each month to speak with faculty and staff in AS&E. On Tuesday, March 7, she invites staff to drop by the 317 Lattimore conference room from 10 to 11 a.m.
Stay Up to Date on Wellness Offerings: Interested in knowing more about the offerings from the Health Promotion Office, such as PAWS for Stress Relief, STI testing, DeStress Fests, graduate student wellness offerings, and more? Sign up for their monthly newsletter.
Nominate a Colleague for an ACE Award: The University community is invited to nominate AS&E staff members who exemplify the University’s vision and values and go above and beyond their job to make AS&E and the University ever better. Successful nominations will highlight specific examples of tasks, projects, or activities where staff are exceeding their core functions. Staff can be nominated more than once, and winners will be chosen on the first of each month by Joan Saab, interim dean of the faculty.
