Dear Faculty,

Spring in Vermont is always a bumpy ride (literally, if you live on a dirt road like I do) and this week is no exception, with rain, sunny skies, and snow flurries rotating through the weather lineup. We accept this upheaval as part of Spring because we know it leads to the beauty of flowering trees, greenery, and opportunities to enjoy all of the natural beauty and outdoor activities our state has to offer. As we push through the last few weeks of the semester, I know we are all continuing to manage the challenges of the pandemic. Your concern for our students, your efforts to support colleagues, friends and family, and the time you set aside for your own research, scholarship and creative work, are essential to what makes UVM so special, but I suspect it has been, at times, a ‘bumpy’ ride just like Spring in Vermont. 

So, in these pressured last weeks of the semester, I encourage you to set aside a few moments to pause and think ahead about what you most look forward to at the end of the semester. Might it be returning to an old theoretical problem in your research? How about a new endeavor that excites you?  Is restructuring a class you are teaching something you are considering? Maybe taking time to connect with loved ones or working towards a wellness goal is a priority for you?  There is value in taking a few minutes to think about what is next, and plan for something that fulfills you–a personal promise of self-renewal and growth that springtime brings.

As is done in each digest, we try to highlight the professional development and engagement opportunities available to faculty—there may even be some considerations for your renewal plans this Spring. I hope you find the information below useful.

Engagement Opportunities

  • Happening TODAY, Friday, April 15, 1:10 – 2:00pm (Innovation E105): Hosted by the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, UVM President Garimella will provide a fascinating look at the National Science Board's Vision 2030. Dr. Garimella will discuss developing STEM talent, expanding the geography of innovation, and fostering a global S & E community. Learn more about A Conversation with President Garimella: National Science & Engineering Policy Directions and UVM Opportunities. Reception to follow.
  • Also TODAY, as part of the Launch of Earth Week 2022, Dr. Drew Lanham, will be offering a keynote, Coloring the Conservation Conversation, in the Ira Allen Chapel or via Microsoft Teams from 4:30-6:00 pm. Registration is required. Learn more here.
  • If you were the first in your family to graduate with a college degree from a U.S. institution please consider attending the UVM Staff and Faculty First Generation Network reception on Tuesday, April 19 from 3:30-4:30 in the Old Mill John Dewey Lounge  More information about the UVMFirsts student group and the FirstGen@UVM initiative can be found here.

Faculty Professional Development

  • The WID Institute for Course and Assignment Design, will be held May 17-19. The institute will emphasize course planning in the context of UVM’s new general education program, the Catamount Core. During the Institute, faculty will create or revise a course with smart, sustainable plans for assignments that support their writing and information-literacy goals. Spaces are limited, so please request a spot by April 29.

  • CTL invites you to join a conversation “The National Survey of Student Engagement: Using UVM Student Data to Inform Teaching” on May 3 or May 16. Led by CTL faculty associates, you will learn about UVM's "NSSE" survey data and how it can be used to inform teaching and support faculty professional development.

  • Emergent Resilience’s Climate Wisdom Lab returns on May 17 with two sessions: “Future-Scaping” and “Change-Vision-Action.” These sessions, while addressing the psychosocial impacts of climate change and other structural stressors on our students and ourselves, focus on creating stories and visions for the future that support active social engagement in times of rapid social and ecological change. You can find more information and register here.

  • The Kroepsch-Maurice Faculty Development and Lecture Series presents a Project-Based Learning Primer and Strategies for Successful Teamwork on May 24 and 25. Project Based Learning (PBL) is an evidence-based, high-impact, educational practice that invites students to tackle open-ended, real-world problems and complex questions. These sessions, facilitated by Dr. Kristin Wobbe, a national leader in PBL, provide an opportunity to learn about this powerful practice and how to use it in your teaching. You can find more information and register here.

Reminders and Recent Communications

  • The Learning Communities are seeking faculty to facilitate New Student Orientation small-group book discussions on the morning of Friday, August 26. For more information, email John Sama.

  • The application deadline for the inaugural cohort of Kroepsch-Maurice Faculty Fellows is April 22.  Starting Fall 2022, Fellows will lead communities of practice in Inclusive Pedagogy, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and Community-Engaged Learning (Civic Learning and Service-Learning). Check here for additional program and application information.

  • As discussed in more detail in the last digest, it is important to note there are a number of significant religious holidays that may impact students’ academic engagement in April, including Ramadan (continuing through May 1), Passover, and Easter. For many individuals, these particular times of the year hold special meaning and invite greater participation in rituals that might not be ordinarily practiced throughout the year.

  • The addendum to the existing UVM Travel Policy will be sunsetting on May 13, 2022. All travel after that date will be required to comply with the Travel Policy, which will include the following requirement: “Travel Authorizations are required for both international travel and out-of-state domestic travel requiring an overnight stay. Travel Authorizations are approved at the departmental level. Travel must not commence without official authorization being given.” Students, faculty and staff should not purchase tickets for international or out-of-state domestic overnight travel after May 13 unless officially approved at the department level. Please contact the Travel and Expense Team if you have questions.

One of the great joys of this job is recognizing our faculty’s excellence in teaching. Please join me in congratulating this year’s Kroepsch-Maurice Excellence in Teaching Award recipients: Stephen Wadsworth, Lecturer in the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences; Jay Silveira, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry; Jason Garbarino, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Nursing; and Christopher Danforth, Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Congratulations to these remarkable teachers!

Warmly,
Patty