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Welcome to our May/June Faculty Success Newsletter!
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Academic year 2021-22 is coming to a close. Collectively, we have been through so much over the past two years, and it is no wonder that so many feel as if they are running on fumes. At this point, most faculty are counting down the days, hours, and even the minutes until grades are posted, final reports completed, and the email autoresponder begins.
As understandable as these feelings are, this time of year nevertheless offers a powerful reminder of why we do what we do: Seeing a new cohort of graduates cross the stage to receive their diplomas, cheered on by loved ones who beam through their tears of pride. Commencement is something that it is impossible to feel tired of, especially when we work at an institution that serves so many first-generation students, whose achievement is not theirs alone, but also one that belongs to their families and communities.
As one of those former first-gen students, I distinctly recall how much my mother adored the pageantry of commencement, especially seeing faculty enter the processional in their colorful regalia. When the opening notes of “Pomp and Circumstance” play and we begin filing into the auditorium, the excited chatter of the audience becomes an awed hush—and at that moment, I can perfectly imagine how my mother’s eyes would light up at the sight.
As a doctoral graduate, I could not afford to purchase regalia; I rented the basic version from the bookstore and borrowed a friend’s hood and tam. I didn’t commit to buying it until I was post-tenure and knew it was something I would wear regularly. I look forward to this time of year when I pull it out from the back of my closet. As I shake out the gown and puff up the tam, I reflect on the respect and gratitude my mother had for my professors when she shook their hands on graduation day. When I don this traditional garb, it is a way to honor both my family and my faculty mentors who, working together though they had not met, made up the support team that helped me reach the finish line.
I encourage you to take a moment to consider your own journey from the student crossing the stage to the faculty member who now enables others to reach this milestone. Thank you for all you have done for your students and colleagues—in all the years you have been here, but for the past two pandemic years especially. May you have a restful and restorative summer, and we look forward to welcoming you back in the fall.
Abrazos,
Magdalena Barrera
Vice Provost for Faculty Success
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Center for Faculty Development News and Updates
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We are excited to announce an opportunity for you to learn more about and practice principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in anticipation of your Fall 2022 courses. Refining Course Materials: A UDL Experience is an asynchronous, module-based course in Canvas. The course begins on June 27, 2022 and requires completion of six brief, practical modules by July 27, 2022 in order to earn a certificate, badge, and $500 stipend. Structurally similar to Winter’s Purposeful Pivoting course, you can expect to complete the course in 5-7 hours. Topics include: Universal Design for Learning and its relationship to equity, inclusion, and belonging; considerations and practical strategies for course, content, and media design for accessibility; and use of Ally to assess and improve the accessibility of instructional materials. All faculty are welcome to apply;
applications
are due June 12, 2022.
In other exciting news, the Center for Faculty Development and eCampus are seeking applications for a
Faculty Associate Director
and
Faculty in Residence
. We hope you’ll consider applying or nominating a deserving colleague.
Faculty Associate Director
All tenured and tenure-track faculty are eligible to apply, though preference will be given to applicants who are post-tenure. The Associate Director position is an AY 2022-23 appointment at a fraction to be determined (ideally 0.4 or 16 hours/week) in consultation with the finalist and in consideration of CFD’s operating budget. Interested applicants must have experience and/or expertise in educational development or faculty development, whether generally or in the context of their discipline(s), as well as demonstrated achievement in equitable, inclusive and accessible student success.
Applications are due Friday, June 3rd
via Google form
.
If you're not applying, but you know of colleagues who would be well-suited to the role,
please nominate them
for consideration.
Faculty in Residence
All faculty--tenured, tenure-track and lecturer--are encouraged to apply, though preference will be given to colleagues who have taught at SJSU for five or more years. Faculty in residence will be appointed at 0.2 (8 hours/week), for AY 2022-23, in consultation with finalists and in consideration of CFD’s operating budget. Interested applicants must have experience and/or expertise in educational development or faculty development, as well as demonstrated achievement in equitable, inclusive and accessible student success, and an interest in/commitment to supporting faculty of all ranks.
Applications are due Friday, June 3rd
via Google form
.
If you're not applying, but you know of colleagues who would be well-suited to the role,
please nominate them
for consideration.
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The eCampus Office of Quality Assurance (EOQA) is awarding faculty grants in the amount of $1,000 (USD) to enhance the quality of online courses and deliver inclusive and engaging online courses in the Getting
Ready for QM Certification (GRQC) program. EOQA’s goal is to provide access to high quality, student-centered courses that reflect best practices and promote excellence in online teaching and learning. GRQC will work with faculty who have taught an online course for more than two semesters, and are interested in redesigning courses to achieve the
Quality Matters certification
. EOQA will assist faculty with course design and development by providing tailored training and individualized support throughout the process. Review the entire
program description
for complete
program requirements and additional details. Submit your proposal
online
by June 23, 2022.
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As part of the CSU Student Quality Assurance Impact Research (SQuAIR) program, we are completing a study to evaluate the impact of course design on student experience and grades. There is a short questionnaire for faculty to complete based on one course of their choosing that they taught in Fall 2021, in any modality (in-person, online, or hybrid). The questionnaire asks about the features of Canvas you used for this course, and about the volume of questions you received from students about the features. Your input is very important for our evaluation of course design at SJSU and is much appreciated. Please complete this brief survey by June 7, 2022.
Please contact Sulekha Anand, sulekha.anand@sjsu.edu, Adjunct Faculty in Biological Sciences and Student Quality Assurance Impact Researcher for eCampus or Jennifer Redd jennifer.redd@sjsu.edu, Senior Director of eCampus if you have questions or concerns.
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One way to make your course content accessible to all students is by including ALT text (alternative text) to your images. ALT text is essential for students who use screen readers and for those with low bandwidth, ALT text provides them with instant access to the content description.
The best practice is to always add ALT text the moment you upload the image.
For tips on how to add ALT text please see:
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Registration is open for professional development courses available through Online Course Services in the CSU Chancellor’s Office. The three summer cycle program dates are June 6-26, July 5-25, and July 25-August 14. All training courses are asynchronous and 3-weeks in length. Learn more and register on the OCS Website.
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Congratulations to Dr. Nicholas Esker, who recently received a
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) early career faculty development grant of $300,000 to support the Esker group’s nuclear science and targetry research.
A member of the chemistry department, Dr. Nicholas Esker and his group investigate methods to produce and study nuclei far from stability. The proposed project will build the necessary capabilities in SJSU’s Nuclear Science Facility in Duncan Hall to produce thin film samples of low-activity actinides such as thorium & uranium. These thin films, known as targets, are used in low energy nuclear reaction studies to investigate the production and decay of heavy nuclei.
An important component in this project is student training, as this support will introduce SJSU students to nuclear science & train them in various thin film production and characterization techniques. Ultimately, the goal of this project is to revitalize the Nuclear Science Facility with a long-term research active faculty.
The Office for Faculty Success applauds Dr. Esker!
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May
18-24: Final exams
25-27: Commencement celebrations
27: Grades due from faculty
30: Memorial Day (campus closed)
June
1: President’s RTP and retention decisions released
July
4: Independence Day (campus closed)
August
3: AY 22-23 Chairs and Directors Welcome, 9 am - 4 pm
8-12: Jump Start (New Tenure Track Faculty Orientation) on campus programming
10: CFD + eCampus Course Prep Marathon, 9 am - 3 pm
17-18 Pre-Instruction Activities (first duty days)
17: New(er) Lecturer Welcome, 1-4 pm (on campus, location TBD, and in Zoom)
19: First day of instruction for Fall 2022
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Got five minutes before your next meeting, while waiting in line, or taking a break from work? Check out these short pieces related to different aspects of faculty life.
Tackling the Stack: How can you give good feedback to students yet avoid overworking yourself?
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Do you have a story, highlight, reading, or tip that you would like to share in this newsletter?
Please reach out anytime to
faculty-success@sjsu.edu
.
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Contact Us
Magdalena L. Barrera, Ph.D.
Deanna Fassett, Ph.D.
Jennifer Redd, Ph.D.
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