Center for Faculty Excellence

Last Day to Register for Spring 2025 CFE Programs
2025-01-17
Register to participate in any or all of the following programs offered in Spring 2025.
REGISTER FOR SPRING 2025 PROGRAMMING!

LEAP Indiana Virtual Prof. Dev. Speaker – Sarah Silverman
2025-01-24 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
This session is part of the LEAP Indiana Virtual Professional Development Series
Neurodiversity and UDL: A Friendship Worth Fostering
Dr. Sarah Silverman
REGISTER TO ATTEND!

Neurodiversity and Universal Design for Learning are often mentioned alongside each other in higher education – but what is the connection between the two? Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework used to design learning that is accessible to the greatest number of students with less need for individual accommodations, while neurodiversity describes the variation that naturally exists in human cognition. Neurodiversity as a framework and UDL have several major points of agreement. The first is that there is no average or standard regarding cognition and learning. UDL frames this in terms of there being no “average learner,” instead focusing on “learner variability.” The Neurodiversity paradigm introduced by Nick Walker suggests that “There is no ‘normal’ or ‘right’ style of the human mind, any more than there is one ‘normal’ or ‘right’ ethnicity, gender, or culture,” although some cognitive styles are more marginalized in society than others. Neurodiversity theory and UDL both endeavor to break down this “myth” of normality. The first part of this workshop will offer participants a tour through the histories of both the neurodiversity and UDL concepts. Then, we will clarify the areas of overlap between Neurodiversity theory and UDL, and where these two frameworks may disagree or diverge. We will discuss ways in which neurodiversity theory and activism may help to inform and shape the implementation of the UDL to support neurodivergent students, with a specific focus on how communication differences can be respected and honored using UDL. The second part of the workshop will offer participants an opportunity to consider three elements of course design that can benefit from a neurodiversity perspective: the disability accommodations statement, class participation guidelines, and framing for collaborative group activities.
Location
Virtual – register for connection information
Audience
All Faculty and Instructors

Promotion & Tenure Peer Support Network Meeting
2025-01-29 11:00 - 12:00
REGISTER TO ATTEND
TOPIC: Interfolio
Raida Abuizam, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and Maria Watson, Senior Administrative Assistant for the Associate Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs, will be present to answer questions about Interfolio and demonstrate how materials display for different roles (e.g., see how a case appears to a reviewer).

The Promotion & Tenure Peer Support Network is open to all faculty navigating the tenure and/or promotion pathway.
Each month, faculty are invited to join a meeting where we can openly discuss the promotion and tenure (P&T) process. These gatherings are designed to be informal and conversational, allowing participants to:

Ask and answer questions about the P&T process.
Share personal experiences and helpful resources.
Engage in discussions on a variety of P&T-related topics.

Location
Virtual via Zoom. Register for connection information.
Audience
Meetings are open to all faculty members and instructors, including those who are on the tenure-track, seeking promotion to Professor, are in a promotable position, and/or are seeking a tenure-track and/or promotable teaching position.
