Welcome back to an exciting new year. As we start the semester, I want to encourage all of you to get updates on important issues from your faculty senators and look for helpful communications from the Senate President, your deans, and Academic Affairs in addition to the monthly faculty newsletter. Thank you for providing an exceptional experience for our students and growing our university to what it has become today. I’m looking forward to a wonderful spring semester!
Spread the word—the Fulton Library has a beautiful new family study suite, and you’re invited to the open house! With a lactation room, restroom, play area, and study rooms, the newly remodeled suite meets the unique needs of parent-students, enabling them to excel at UVU while saving on childcare costs. Stop by the grand opening Jan. 17–20 during open hours, with guided tours held at 12:00 pm each day.
When you need to de-stress this semester, attend the Roots of Knowledge Speaker Series in the Bingham Gallery. Featuring a stunning stained-glass backdrop, these eight lectures explore topics that range from human history and familial relationships to anti-racism and post-Roe life. Mark your calendars for the speakers, then explore Roots of Knowledge at your own pace with a self-guided audio tour or virtual tour.
Schedule of the Spring 2023 Roots of Knowledge Speaker Series can be found here.
Research Institute at the Women’s Success CenterIn partnership with Academic Affairs and the Women’s Success Center, the Research Institute at the Women’s Success Center is delighted to announce the 2023 cycle for the Bonnie Ballif-Spanvill Endowed Fellowship (BBSEF), which can provide up to $10,000 to support scholarly and creative works that engage student workers. The purpose of the BBSEF is to support women scholars and their collaborators, scholars of any gender who mentor women students, and scholars of any gender whose work focuses on women. Interested candidates must submit a brief proposal by February 24, 2023. You can learn more about the fellowship and the application process here.
Questions about the fellowship and application process can be directed to Dr. Kelly Hall ([email protected]).
Faculty Development is offering trainings to assist all faculty in preparation for the new annual review template this year. Trainings will start in February and go through May and will be on teams. The dates listed below are hyperlinked to the trainings:
If you have any question or would like to schedule a department specific training please reach out to Laurie Toro or Trevor Morris.
The Student Collaborators on Teaching (SCOT) program enhances student learning by providing instructors feedback from an informed student perspective. SCOTs strive to contribute to the culture of engaged teaching and learning excellence at UVU through faculty-SCOT partnerships that promotes exploration of teaching practices. SCOTs can perform an observation, focus group with students, and Canvas reviews. You can request a SCOT on the SCOT webpage.
Peer Observation for the Enhancement of Teaching (POET) is program to engage reflect on your teaching by engaging with other faculty from across the campus. The goal of the program is to reflect on your teaching by observing and interacting with other faculty. Spring session begins February 8. Enroll here. For more information, contact [email protected]
Grab a bite, experience belonging! Join the Research Institute at WSC for a Connection-Building Lunch. Additional details to follow via email and UVAnnounce.
Adjunct Institute (for new adjuncts only) - Register Here!
Academic Innovation Award Nomination deadline
Annual Review Template Training, 3pm
Presenter deadline for UVU Adventures in Innovative Pedagogy
Provost Town Hall Meeting, 2pm
UVU Innovation Expo
Connection-Building Lunch at WSC from 12:00-1:00 pm
UVU Adventures in Innovative Pedagogy Event
Annual Review Template Training, 10am
Distinguished Service-Learning Faculty:
Happy first day of the new semester! As we welcome you back to campus, we are pleased to announce Juliann Fritz as the January Service-Learning Superstar! A faculty member in the Communication Dept., she teaches in the Public Relations and Strategic Communication major.
“Service-learning is an empowering experience,” she shared. “It puts students in the thick of real challenges organizations face. Students roll up their sleeves, apply learnings, and build their portfolios to share with future employers. However, the best part is how service learning helps students see the value of their education on improving our world.”
Fritz utilizes service-learning in her Comm-4850/PR Campaigns course. She supports students as they tackle a client problem. Examples include:
UVU Sustainability – With variousenvironmental issues affecting Utah, there is a need to create awareness and action. The students researched, strategized, and met with The Nature Conservancy, the Utah Transit Authority, and UVU. Their efforts resulted in digital and social media campaigns on the benefit of small habit changes, and a media relations program around pledging to ride public transit.
UVU Museum of Art – The pandemic hindered museum attendance. In addition, UVU’s has been without space as it moves to Lakemont Manor. Students sought to build and reignite an affinity to it. As research, they met with the museum and the SLC Airport which shares similar issues. Their campaigns brought the fun of artmaking to everyday campus life with hands-on activation booths and games that were extended through social media. They created a fan base connected to the museum and awareness about its reopening.
We welcome nominations for future Service-Learning Superstars on a rolling basis, and self-nominations are encouraged. To nominate, please send an email to Dr. Jon Westover ([email protected]) and Dr. Leandra Hernandez ([email protected].) with a 250-word description of the nominee, department affiliation, and service-learning course activities.
UVU Innovation ExpoFebruary 16th(National Innovation Day)
This is an open house event held at various places around campus throughout the day to highlight and celebrate innovation at UVU. We invite departments to showcase their research, the application of new ideas, cool equipment, etc.through interactive experiences. The Innovation Academy will work with colleges, schools, and AA offices to determine venues and organize this campus-wide event.
We will encourage participation through a social media challenge: students who share their experiences from at least 3 different venues using #uvuInnovationDays23 will receive Innovation Academy swag. We will provide more information soon, so please think about what kinds of experiences you would like to share with the greater UVU community.
UVU Adventures in Innovative Pedagogy February 23rd(1-4 pm at Center Stage)
The Innovation Academy invites all faculty to fearlessly share their teaching exploits during this casual round table event.
UVU Academic Innovation Awards
These awards have been established to celebrate and encourage innovative ways to help UVU students
succeed. Success may be defined as increased retention, completion rates, in-career
job placement, decreased time to degree, boosting diversity, etc...
They will be awarded based on specific initiatives that have been developed and implemented. These are not limited to the classroom
and do not need to be pedagogical, but they should affect the academic success of
our students.
Award Categories
Evaluation criteria: ingenuity, number of students impacted, sustainability, scalability, target population, strong assessment method(s), and overcoming challenges.
Eligibility
Nominations must be received by February 1
Innovation Award Nomination Prompts
UVU Academic Innovation Nomination Form
Awards will be presented during the UVU Adventures in Innovative Pedagogy event on February 23rd, 2023.
Please contact Tammy Clark, [email protected] or Beth Godoy [email protected] for more information about any UVU Innovation Days Events.
