Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence

Teaching

• Teaching Tips
  Monthly Teaching Tips
• Difficult Dialogues
  Difficult Dialogues is a national program designed to promote and protect academic freedom and religious, cultural, and political pluralism on university campuses. Originally launched by two UAA/APU Ford Foundation grants, this project equips UAA faculty with the skills, knowledge and support to proactively and effectively introduce controversial topics into the classroom and, where necessary, field unanticipated controversy that arises.
• SoTL/Making Learning Visible
  SoTL is scholarly inquiry into student learning which advances the practice of teaching by making research findings public and open to critique and evaluation. The intent is to create a community of “scholarly teachers” who add to the body of knowledge about teaching and learning as well as benefiting from the SoTL research of others. Check out UAA's version of SoTL - Making Learning Visible.
• Team-Based Learning TBL
  Team-Based Learning™ (TBL) is a highly interactive, results-based educational strategy developed in the business school environment which has spread to other academic disciplines over the last decade. TBL can be used in classes as large as 200 and as small as 12. It transforms instruction into active learning and promotes the development of professional competencies in interpersonal skills, teamwork and peer feedback.  

Career Support

• Faculty Evaluation
  Faculty Evaluation (Faculty Services) – access the new and existing Faculty Evaluation Guidelines, Unit guidelines, union agreement policies, and statewide policies.
• Travel Grants & Sabbaticals

  Academic Affairs Grants- Information, deadlines, and applications for Faculty Development Fund and Research Travel Grants

  Sabbatical Information- purpose, eligibility, deadlines, forms and links

• Faculty Awards
  Faculty Awards:  Chancellor's Awards for Excellence, Community Engagement Awards, Governance Awards, Undergraduate Research Awards
• Faculty Unions
  UNAC - United Academics
  UAFT - University of Alaska Federation of Teachers

 Faculty Development Calendar   

 Fall Events 

• Faculty Learning Community: Advice to New Faculty

  September 20 | 11:30 AM - 1 PM | GHH 105

  Register Here

  Please​ ​join​ ​us for​ ​CAFE's​ ​New​ ​Faculty​ ​Book​ ​Group​ ​to​ ​discuss​ ​Robert​ ​Boice's​ ​book, 

  Advice​ ​to​ ​New​ ​Faculty. 

   

  The book​ ​introduces​ ​the​ ​"most​ ​reliable​ ​research differentiating​ ​between​ ​new​ ​faculty 

  who​ ​thrive​ ​and​ ​those​ ​who​ ​struggle.​ ​By​ ​following​ ​its​ ​practical,​ ​easy-to-use​ ​rules,​ ​new 

  faculty​ ​can​ ​learn​ ​to​ ​teach​ ​with​ ​the​ ​highest​ ​levels​ ​of​ ​student​ ​approval,​ ​involvement​ ​and 

  comprehension​ ​time​ ​--​ ​with​ ​only​ ​modest​ ​preparation​ ​time..." ​ ​The​ ​book​ ​offers​ ​similar 

  suggestions​ ​for​ ​writing​ ​and​ ​quickly​ ​integrating​ ​into​ ​academic​ ​culture.​ ​​ ​We'll​ ​talk​ ​about 

  the​ ​book​ ​and​ ​share​ ​ideas​ ​and​ ​support​ ​for​ ​navigating​ ​your​ ​first​ ​few​ ​months​ ​at​ ​UAA.  
• PublicDebate - Faculty Forum "Corporations are not people."
   

  Wednesday, September 20, 2017 | 7-9 pm
  UAA/APU CONSORTIUM LIBRARY RM 307

  
  Free of charge and open to the public
  featuring the award-winning UAA Seawolf Debate Program, a faculty response panel, and a facilitated public discussion.

   

  In 2010, the "Citizens United" Supreme Court ruling granted corporations the right to make unlimited contributions to a political campaign, based on the premise that they have the free speech rights of individuals. In 2017, a resolution (HJR48) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives calling for a Constitutional Amendment that recognizes that "the rights protected by the Constitution of the U.S. are the rights of natural persons only. Artificial entities, such as corporations, limited liability companies, and other entities...shall have no rights under this Constitution and are subject to regulation by the People... The privileges of artificial entities shall be determined by the People, through Federal, State, or local law, and shall not be construed to be inherent or inalienable."   It further states that : "Federal, State and local government shall regulate, limit, or prohibit contributions and expenditures...to ensure that all citizens, regardless of their economic status, have access to the political process, and that no person gains, as a result of that person's money, substantially more access or ability to influence in any way the election of any candidate for public office or any ballot measure....The judiciary shall not construe the spending of money to influence elections to be speech under the First Amendment.".   Please join us as we wrestle with the question of the rights and limits of corporations in the U.S.  This event is part of a series hosted by UAA's Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence since 2003 to offer the Anchorage community access to university resources as a basis for discussions of issues affecting our future.                                            For information contact Libby Roderick eroderick@alaska.edu | 786- 4605

• Faculty Learning Community: EXITO Student Mentoring

  October 6, 13 & 29 | 9:30-11:30 AM | LIB 214 | Register Here

  Training offered for faculty and grad student mentors of undergraduate researchers

  The National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) provides training and support for research mentors and mentees across the researcher lifespan.  In association with the NIH-sponsored BUILD initiative, NRMN has developed a curriculum specifically for mentoring undergraduate research students.   

  Through UAA’s participation in BUILD EXITO, and in collaboration with the Office of Undergraduate Research & Scholarship, the NRMN training is available to UAA faculty.  This will be the first time it has been offered to faculty or graduate students beyond the EXITO program.  

   This fall, a 3-part training is offered on 3 consecutive Friday mornings: September 29, October 6, and October 13, all 9:30-11:30, LIB 214.  Seats for non-EXITO mentors are limited.  It is recommended for all faculty members associated with the Office of Undergraduate Research & Scholarship or who supervise undergraduate researchers.

• Faculty Learning Community: Adjunct Teaching Support
  September 28  | 5:30 - 7:00 PM | LIB 302A & via distance | Register Here

  
  

  What has gone well in your classes?

  What are some areas where you need support, assistance or suggested resources?  

   

  In August, over 30 adjunct faculty joined us for an an adjunct-focused session at our Fall Teaching Academy. These September sessions represent a continuation of our support for those who are teaching part-time at UAA. Any interested adjunct faculty member is  welcome to attend or call in. 

   

  The session will explore specific evidence-based practices in teaching and learning (registrants will receive a link to a brief reading as a springboard for discussion), and will respond to questions raised by participants. Note that these two sessions are being offered in the evening and on different days (a Wednesday and a Thursday) as a way to enable broader participation across the part-time faculty community.

   

  Not an adjunct? This session may be appropriate for GTAs, Postdocs, and others who interface with students but may not be as able to connect as fully with CAFE resources as full-time faculty. 
• Faculty Learning Community: Fostering Student Success with Open Educational Resources
   September 28 | 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM  | (9/11 GHH 105)  (9/28 LIB 214) | Register Here
  
  

   

  Open Educational Resources (OERs) can be one way for faculty to see a big impact in their courses. Students using OER resources are more likely to have access to required course materials, perform better in courses, and take more credits. Come learn how OER can improve student accessibility and course success. This session will be the first in a series on finding, creating, and using OER resources.

   

  This session will review research surrounding student metrics of success when using OER -- academic performance, retention, persistence, and course load.

   

  Learning outcomes:

  Participants will learn what OER resources are, the evidence-based impact OER can have on student learning, and learn where they may find pre-created open resources using services like the Open Textbook Library, Creative Commons, and Merlot.

   

  Is this session for me? 

  Open to all faculty. This information will be most helpful to those who are teaching GER courses involving substantial numbers of our students.

   

  Questions may be directed to 
  Veronica Howard, Psychology, 907-786-6128

   

  Co-presenters are 

  Lorelei Sterling, UAA/APU Consortium Library

  D'arcy Hutchings, UAA/APU Consortium Library
• Faculty Learning Community: Accessibility in Higher Education

  October 13, 20, & 27 | 11:30 AM - 1 PM | LIB 214 | Register Here 

  In a cooperative venture with Disability Support Services (DSS), CAFE is offering UAA faculty the opportunity to meet three times during the fall 2017 semester to discuss best practices for ensuring access for all students and implementing the principles of Universal Design. There will also be one lab session in which hands-on assistance will be available. Faculty Fellows who are selected for the program will attend all three sessions, receive the book The Guide to Assisting Students With Disabilities: Equal Access in Health Science and Professional Education, and may be invited to showcase the results of their work at CAFE's Faculty Development Celebration in April (see application criteria below).

   

  Eligibility:

  All UAA faculty are eligible to apply for the Fellowship, with the understanding that you must be able to:

  • Read and discuss the text, The Guide to Assisting Students with Disabilities;
  • Attend all three sessions; 
  • Bring a course or series of assignments to the sessions and adapt them to conform to ADA requirements;
  • Share the outcome of your efforts with your colleagues in Spring 2017, in your department, at the Faculty Development Celebration, or both.