Events

The Chairs' and Directors' Community of Practice is open to all current department chairs and chairs-elect, program directors and directors-elect.

We gather twice per quarter.

Further details are available on the Community of Practice page here.

» Register (separate registration form from other events)

Tuesdays: Jan 21, Feb 4, Feb 11 | 10:30–11:30 | Via Zoom | Zoom link provided upon registration

Facilitated by Brooke Gialopsos (Criminal Justice)

The Center for Faculty Development continues to offer an affinity group for faculty parents of school-age children. The challenges of parenting while maintaining a schedule of teaching, research, and/or service to the university is well-known.  Finding a community of parents seeking balance can be a critical source of support and solace.  In this space we will empathize, explore, and problem-solve the unique trials faced by faculty who have children in their care. 

Why an affinity group?

The psychological benefits of convening groups of people around common identities and experiences are well known. Research on affinity groups has shown that they enhance agency and optimism, while also providing access to beneficial information and support.   

Aims of the group

At its most basic level, we hope that this group offers a space where you can feel less isolated in your experience. We hope to foster a community of support amongst faculty parents, where they can share experiences, offer suggestions, and explore how to navigate shared challenges.    
   
Note: if you are interested in this group but cannot make the time scheduled, please email faculty-development@seattleu.edu and let us know. We would like to support all faculty parents and will work with you to find ways to offer support. 

» Register

Wednesdays: Jan 22, Feb 5, and Feb 19 | 9:30–10:30 | LOYA 200 (Wismer Center) | Coffee and tea provided

Co-sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Facilitated by Juan Reyes (Department of English)

The Center for Faculty Development and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion continue to offer an affinity group for tenure-track faculty of color. The group's purpose is to provide a space for the collective exploration of the impact of race, power, and privilege on the academic life of colleagues immersed in teaching, scholarship, and service at pre-tenure stages of their careers.

Why create a group for tenure-track faculty of color?

There are three primary reasons. First, the Task Force on Diversity and Inclusive Excellence report recommended boosting our capacity to retain talented minoritized faculty and facilitate professional development opportunities. Second, research on affinity groups indicates they enhance participants’ agency and optimism, while providing access to beneficial information and support. Third, from our own conversations with members of the Seattle University community, we know that faculty of color need a space where they can discuss their unique experiences in a supportive environment with peers who are similarly situated.

This professional development opportunity aims to empower tenure-track faculty of color to build community, share experiences, and pursue their academic life with more confidence and agency. We hope that this caucus process gives participants the space to determine “what solidarity could look like for...as people of color committed to the work of social, racial, and gender justice” (Kad Smith, Compass Point) at Seattle University.

» Register

Wed, Jan 22 | 11:00–12:00 | LOYA 201

Co-sponsored by the Office of Sponsored Projects

Facilitated by Andrea Verdan

The “research on research” gives us good evidence on what helps faculty progress with their research, and in response, we’ve been launching Faculty “Writing” Groups since 2007. “Writing” encapsulates whatever is involved from the inception of your idea to the completion of the final “product.” These groups provide you with camaraderie and accountability to achieve more in your scholarship. And they are intentionally interdisciplinary so that you remain the expert in your own field throughout. 

Additionally, we are organizing groups based on your career stage so that no one feels the need to mentor or to request mentoring within the group.

This quarter’s launch is specifically for faculty who see themselves as mid-career.  

By the end of this session, you will be grouped with two or three other colleagues from across campus and will be ready to meet with your group independently and regularly to help you achieve more in your research – and with less stress.   

Click here for our webpage with full details on Faculty Writing Groups.

» Register

Fridays: 12:00–1:30 | Jan 24, Feb 28, Apr 11, May 16 | Zoom (link provided on registration)

Co-sponsored by SU-ADVANCE

Facilitated by Angelique Davis (Political Science)

SU ADVANCE hosts a 4-part workshop series to discuss and provide support for the unique challenges and opportunities experienced by faculty of color who are associate professors. This series is specifically geared to faculty preparing the dossier for submission but is open to any associate professor interested in learning more about the promotion process. The specific topics for each session will be provided closer to the date of the workshop.

What are the dates?

This series will span both Winter and Spring Quarters.

Winter Quarter

• SU ADVANCE Faculty of Color (FOC) Promotion Workshop I | Fri, Jan 24 | 12:00–1:30 | Via Zoom | Zoom link provided upon registration
• SU ADVANCE Faculty of Color (FOC) Promotion Workshop II | Fri, Feb 29 | 12:00–1:30 | Via Zoom | Zoom link provided upon registration

Spring Quarter

• SU ADVANCE Faculty of Color (FOC) Promotion Workshop III | Fri, Apr 1 | 12:00–1:30 | Via Zoom | Zoom link provided upon registration
• SU ADVANCE Faculty of Color (FOC) Promotion Workshop IV | Fri, May 16 | 12:00–1:30 | Via Zoom | Zoom link provided upon registration

Facilitator, Angelique Davis, is professor in the department of Political Science, an SU ADVANCE Fellow, and an NCFDD-trained Faculty Coach (National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity).

» Register

Mondays | 11:00–12:15 | Jan 27, Feb 24, Apr 7, May 12 | LOYA 301

Co-sponsored by the Center for Jesuit Education

Facilitated by Jenny Loertscher (Chemistry/CJE) and Kerry Von Esch (Education/CJE)

The Center for Jesuit Education and the Center for Faculty Development are excited to announce a new series for faculty who would like to take a deeper dive into how to integrate Ignatian pedagogical strategies, approaches, and materials into their teaching.   

This series is designed for faculty with foundational knowledge of Ignatian Pedagogy who are interested in deepening their use of Ignatian Pedagogy in community with colleagues.  

Participants will build a Community of Ignatian Pedagogical Practice (COIPP) where they will take an inquiry approach to teaching. They will try out new strategies or practices (or refine existing ones) in their teaching and gather student work/data/information.

The COIPP will begin with a launch where the IPP is very briefly reviewed and instructional strategies will be chosen. Then, once a month, participants will gather together in the COIPP to analyze their student work/data/information and reflect on their instruction. They will also learn about and choose another Ignatian pedagogical practice or strategy to try out, or they may choose to refine the one they have been working on.

In between gatherings, participants will partner to observe each other’s class session and/or meet once to help with planning, debrief, share resources, etc. This time will be instructor-driven and an opportunity for extra peer support with whatever each person may need. Participants will meet with their partner between COIPP meetings 2–3 times over the course of the series.

In May, participants will have the opportunity to share what they learned and their Ignatian pedagogy with colleagues, as well as complete a reflection.

Participants will receive a $250 stipend.

Key Dates:  

Mon, Jan 27, 11:00–12:15: Launch  

• Jan/Feb: Peer session  

Mon, Feb 24, 11:00–12:15: COIPP  

• Feb/Mar: Peer session  

Mon, Apr 7, 11:00–12:15: COIPP  

• Apr/May: Peer session  

Mon, May 12, 11:00–12:15 : Showcase and reflection  

Please note that on completing your registration, you will receive a separate message asking for further details to help the facilitators tailor the sessions to the group members.

Feel free to contact Kerry Von Esch at voneschk@seattleu.edu or Jenny Loertscher at loertscher@seattleu.edu with any questions you might have. 

» Register (separate link from other sessions)

Tuessdays: Jan 28, Feb 18, Mar 4  | 11:00–12:00 | Via Zoom with hyflex final session in LOYA 201 | Zoom link provided upon registration

Co-sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Facilitated by Andrea Verdan

The Center for Faculty Development and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion continue to offer an affinity group for term faculty of color. The group is open to both full-time and part-time term faculty of color.

Aims of the group

In this space, participants will aim to support one another in

• sharing experiences to increase community and belonging across campus,
• exploring the impact of race, power, and privilege on our various facets of work, at all stages of our careers, and
• pursuing our work and personal lives with more balance, confidence, and agency.

Why create a group for term faculty of color?

The university’s goal to Promote Inclusive Excellence (RSD Goals 4) calls for initiatives to support diverse faculty to develop and thrive at Seattle University. This includes term faculty of color, whose intersecting identities are minoritized both socially (as a person of color) and professionally (as a non-tenure-track faculty member).

This affinity group aims to foster an equitable faculty culture and structure where all members of the community thrive and experience fulfilling work. Additionally, research on affinity groups shows that they enhance participants’ agency and optimism, while providing access to beneficial information and support. Finally, from our own conversations with members of the SU community, we know that term faculty with marginalized identities need a space where they can discuss their unique experiences in a supportive environment with peers who are similarly situated.

» Register

Wednesdays | 11:00–12:15 | Jan 29, Feb 12, Feb 26 | LOYA 201

Co-sponsored by Technology Ethics Initiative and Reimagine & Revise the Curriculum

Facilitated by Julie Homchick Crowe (Communication; Provost Fellow for AI in Teaching)

With the rising prominence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our lives, misinformation about the abilities of this technology abound. As such, faculty on college campuses are not only feeling the pressure to adapt their teaching in respect to AI, but they likewise are charged with sifting through information about AI’s capacity, its potential benefits, and its risks. In such conditions, how can faculty effectively manage their pedagogical approaches to AI?

In AI Snake Oil, computer scientists Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor seek to help us understand the mechanics of AI, its uses and harms, and the ways in which companies sell problematic AI products. The authors guide readers through understanding the types of AI, its applications and limits, as well as concerns about accountability and big tech corporations. 

Especially relevant to SU faculty is Narayanan and Kapoor’s focus on how AI is being built and used within education, along with their discussion of industries like medicine, finance, and criminal justice that will change the job prospects of our current students. Ultimately, the text offers provocations for discussion about the limits and risks of AI in our personal and professional lives.

In this three-session learning community for faculty, facilitated by Julie Homchick Crowe (Department of Communication & Media), you’ll read through the book with colleagues to explore how we can better understand AI and its impact on our work.

Who is it suited to? 

This community is open to all AI-curious faculty interested in adjusting their pedagogy and practice.

20 places are available. 

AI Snake Oil is 360 pages long, and the reading will be split across the three sessions to be manageable for participants.

» Register by 9:00 am on Wed, Jan 15

Wed, Feb 5 | 12:30–1:45 | Zoom (link provided upon registration)

Facilitated by Therese Huston (Faculty Development)

The new year brings new opportunities as well as the same old challenges:  Packed schedules, high stress, and limited energy. We’ve all heard the phrase, “work smarter, not harder,” but how, exactly, does one do that?

In this interactive session, we’ll leverage cutting-edge research in neuroscience and psychology to equip you with tools for a more productive yet still balanced year. We’ll focus on three big goals:

• Dialing down your stress
• Jump-starting your work to create more breathing room
• Absorbing new knowledge in a way that works for you

» Register

Thursdays | 10:00–11:15 | Jan 30, Feb 13, Feb 27, Mar 13 | Loyola 201

Co-sponsored by Reimagine and Revise the Curriculum

Facilitated by Katherine Raichle

How do you intentionally design a course with purpose that promotes student learning and, thus, student success? Edmund Hansen’s Idea-Based Learning provides a step-by-step process for thinking about and designing a course, focusing on key elements that will help maximize our students’ potential. 

In this four-session Faculty Learning Community, we will progress through the chapters and develop or revise our own courses following Hansen’s recommendations, and we’ll discuss the sticking points and epiphanies we discover along the way.

How might you benefit from this FLC?

Over the four sessions, this book and our discussions will help you:

• Reconceptualize your discipline based on big ideas, not just a series of topics
• Develop a strong, but flexible, course structure  
• Promote longer-lasting learning in our students
• Practice following a course-design process that you can use for any future course  

Who is it suited to?

This community is for any faculty member who is either designing a new course or revising an existing one.

» Register by 9:00 am on Wed, Jan 15

Mon, Feb 3 | 11:00-12:00 | Via Zoom (link provided upon registration)

Facilitated by David Green

If your future might involve a stint as a department chair or a program director, do you face that prospect with a feeling of excitement, of dread, of curiosity, or of something else entirely? What does it mean to lead and represent a group of fellow faculty on a fixed-term basis, knowing that you’ll then return to being a peer?

In this candid discussion, you’ll meet a panel of current chairs and directors to discover what their roles entail and the extent to which they can contribute to the smooth functioning of their areas, revitalize their disciplines and programs, and take on academic leadership within the university. 

Learn about some of the possible pitfalls and hidden pleasures of chairing to help you figure out whether the opportunity to chair presents you personally with a preponderance of clouds or of silver linings. 

The session also includes a Q&A in a confidential environment.

» Register

Tue, Feb 4 | 12:15–1:30 | Via Zoom (Link to follow upon registration)

Co-sponsored by the Center for Jesuit Education and University Core

Facilitated by Lydia Cooper (University Core), Jenny Loertscher (Chemistry/CJE) and Jen Tilghman-Havens (CJE)

This workshop invites faculty who are new to Jesuit education to engage in conversation about teaching and learning at a 21st century Jesuit university.

We will explore practical teaching approaches for use in any discipline that foster personal and cooperative insight, discovery, creativity, and reflection to promote life-long learning and the formation of leaders for a just and humane world, consistent with SU’s Jesuit educational mission.

Participants will receive pedagogical tools that they can use this quarter, as well as share with colleagues effective teaching strategies and questions that have arisen in their time at SU. 

All are welcome; visiting faculty, instructors, adjuncts, and lecturers are especially welcome to attend.

» Register

Thu, Feb 6 | 11:30–12:45 | Via Zoom (link provided upon registration)

Co-sponsored by Learning Assistance Programs and the Center for Faculty Development

Co-facilitated by Angelique Jenkins (Learning Assistance Programs) and David Green (Center for Faculty Development)

Join us for our next gathering of faculty and student-facing staff focused on student success and wellbeing, this time with a focus on international, ESL, and undocumented students.

What is happening for these students in our classrooms and office hours this term? What are some of our key partners in supporting them – English Language Learning Center, International Student Center, MOSAIC Center, and Learning Assistance Programs – noticing in their own interactions with them?

This metaphorical “half-time huddle” provides us an opportunity to share observations, experiences, and ideas that will help us all better understand shifts and patterns among this important subset of our students. 

Our goal here is to work in partnership to be better placed to support students’ success and to connect them with the right resources in a timely manner. It may also help faculty refine future courses in response to emergent issues, as well as shaping offices’ and centers’ future programming for both students and faculty.

» Register

Tue, Feb 25 | 11:00AM–12:30PM | In person | LOYA 201, OR
Wed, Feb 26 | 12:30–2PM | Via Zoom (Link for follow upon registration) 

Facilitated by Katherine Raichle and Andrea Verdan  

Are you overwhelmed by course content and grading? Are your students emphasizing grades over learning? Research shows that students take deeper approaches to learning when they don’t feel overloaded with course content or with a barrage of assignments in a course. With the right design, low-stakes*, minimally graded assignments can lead to a richer learning experience for your students and less grading for you.   

By “low-stakes,” we mean assignments that: 

• are worth only a few percentage points of the final grade (e.g., maximum 10%), or  
• don’t receive a grade in themselves but receive formative feedback. 

As a follow-up to our fall quarter session, this workshop will delve into the process of creating minimally graded assignments that prioritize formative feedback starting early in the quarter. Such feedback can  

• reduce student anxiety,  
• provide meaningful growth-related insights, and  
• create more supportive learning environments.  

Moreover, we know that administering such assignments early in the quarter can set students up for success through the duration of your course.    

Giving students early feedback on their learning is a high-impact educational practice and is soon to become a requirement for all courses, following a vote of the Academic Assembly. This workshop helps you get your course in good shape before that policy is implemented. 

Choose a current or upcoming course you are teaching and bring an assignment that you assign within the first three weeks of the quarter. If you don’t currently have an early assignment, bring the earliest one in your course with a view to breaking it down into “scaffolded” assignments. You will leave the workshop with your own strategies to provide formative feedback and enhance student success.

» Register

Wed, Mar 5 | 11:00–12:00 | Via Zoom (Link to follow upon registration)

Facilitated by Brooke Gialopsos (Criminal Justice, Criminology, and Forensic Science) and Katherine Raichle (CFD/Psychology)

Following a first session last spring, the Center for Faculty Development is offering another gathering for faculty parents who are raising school-aged kids with diverse and special needs.

The challenges of parenting while maintaining a schedule of teaching, research, and/or service to the university is well-known.

Raising children with diverse and special needs can challenge our attempts to balance the demands of work and the additional needs of our children. There are many of us out there, and we have found one another through the invaluable connections forged among parents in our existing affinity groups. We hope that you will join us for this one-time meet-up to empathize, problem-solve, champion, and celebrate the unique path of those raising children with diverse and special needs.

If you cannot make this meeting but would like to make a connection with other faculty parents, please contact faculty-development@seattleu.edu.

Please note that ALL faculty parents with school-aged children are welcome to join the Center for Faculty Development’s other Parents’ Affinity Group sessions.

How could this be helpful?

The psychological benefits of convening groups of people around common identities and experiences are well known. Research on affinity groups has shown that they enhance agency and optimism, while also providing access to beneficial information and support.

Aims of the meet-up

At its most basic level, we hope that this meet-up offers a space where you can feel less isolated in your experience. We hope to foster a community of support amongst parents raising kids with diverse and special needs, where they can share experiences, offer suggestions, and explore how to navigate shared challenges.

» Register