UNC System Equality Policy

by Anabel Livengood | Aug 19, 2025 | Blog, Faculty Development Workshop, Professional Development, Teaching and Learning, University Support

UNC System Equality Policy: Overview and Its Application to Faculty and Instructional Staff

The University of North Carolina System has adopted a revised policy on equality that emphasizes academic freedom, equal opportunity, and institutional neutrality. The Coulter Faculty Commons is hosting two separate information sessions with Shea Browning and Heather Baker from the Legal Counsel team. They will provide an overview of the policy and practical implications for faculty as well as staff who have a teaching role at WCU. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussion to better understand how these changes impact their roles and responsibilities.

We are offering the following two sessions, one designed for faculty and one for instructional staff.

Faculty

Tuesday, September 9, 2:00-3:15 pm
Location: Hunter Library Flex Room (1st Floor)

Staff (SHRA and EHRA-non-faculty) who serve as the instructor of record for a course

Tuesday, September 9, 3:30-4:45 pm
Location: Hunter Library Flex Room (1st Floor)

Register for Equality Policy Session

CFC Roadshow: Teaching & Learning Consults on the Go!

by April Tallant | Aug 5, 2025 | Blog, Teaching and Learning, University Support

The Coulter Faculty Commons Educational Developers are hitting the road!

We’re bringing the CFC to you with the CFC Road Show, a drop-in style, pop-up opportunity to connect about your teaching and learning questions at various locations on campus. Whether you want to brainstorm an assignment, explore ideas for student engagement, or troubleshoot a teaching challenge, we’re here for you. Registration is encouraged but not required.

Dates, times & locations:

Tuesday, August 19, 9:00 am – noon, Health & Human Sciences Building 240
Wednesday, August 20, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm, Apodaca 115
Thursday, August 21, 8:30 am – 10:30 am, Belk 210

Sign-up for the CFC Roadshow

Biltmore Park Day – September 2

by Anabel Livengood | Aug 5, 2025 | Biltmore Park, Blog, Event, Faculty Development Workshop, Teaching and Learning

Join us for a whole day of workshops in Biltmore Park

The Coulter Faculty Commons is heading to Asheville! We’re excited to host a Biltmore Park Day featuring four hands-on, practical workshops designed to support your teaching, wherever you’re based.

These workshops are open to any instructor who teaches at Biltmore Park, as well as main campus or online instructors who live nearby and would like to participate.

Join us for any or all of the following sessions on Tuesday, September 2, 2025:

Workshop 1: 9:00 – 10:00 am | BP 330

Teaching Philosophy Make & Take

It’s common for instructors to find it difficult to clearly express their teaching philosophy, even after years in the classroom. In this hands-on session, you’ll explore your core teaching beliefs, narrow them down to 3–5 guiding priorities, and learn how to express them in a clear, authentic narrative. Whether you’re preparing a statement for promotion and tenure or simply want to reconnect with your teaching purpose, you’ll leave with a strong draft and next steps.

Workshop 2: 10:30 – 11:30 am | BP 330

Active Learning for In-Person Classes

Looking to energize your classroom? Explore simple, research-backed strategies to get students thinking, talking, and engaging. You’ll leave with ready-to-use ideas and a renewed sense of what’s possible face-to-face.

Workshop 3: 1:00 – 1:45 pm | BP 330

Grading in Canvas: SpeedGrader, Rubrics & Feedback Tools

Simplify your grading workflow while maximizing feedback quality. Learn how to use SpeedGrader, apply rubrics, record video comments, and manage your gradebook with ease.

Workshop 4: 2:00 – 2:45 pm | BP 330

Communication in Canvas: Be Present, Be Heard

Stay connected with your students with built-in Canvas features. We’ll show you how to use announcements, feedback tools, the syllabus feature, and discussions to build an engaging and communicative course environment.

Come connect with colleagues, learn something new, and let the CFC come to you!

Register for Biltmore Park Sessions

Join us for ETLE 2025!

by Anabel Livengood | Aug 4, 2025 | Blog, Event, Faculty Development Workshop, Pedagogy, Professional Development, Teaching and Learning

ETLE 2025: A Celebration of Excellence in Teaching and Learning

The Coulter Faculty Commons invites the WCU campus community to join us for our annual Excellence in Teaching & Learning Event (ETLE) – a two-day celebration of innovative and impactful teaching practices.

ETLE 2025 will feature a dynamic lineup of workshops, presentations, and opportunities to connect with colleagues who care deeply about student success. This year, we are especially thrilled to welcome Dr. Liz Norell – widely known as The Present Professor – as our invited speaker. Dr. Norell serves as the Associate Director of Instructional Support at the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at the University of Mississippi.

Flyer for the Excellence in Teaching and Learning Event 2025, including information about the speaking times and titles

In addition to delivering the ETLE keynote and a featured workshop, based on her recent book, The Present Professor – Authenticity and Transformational Teaching, Dr. Norell will lead a special pre-ETLE workshop entitled “When and Why do Students Read for Class?”

Her work centers on the power of showing up fully – with honesty, heart, and presence – in the classroom and beyond.

Whether you’re looking for fresh inspiration or eager to share your own experiences,
ETLE 2025 is for you!

Explore session descriptions and register now on the ETLE 2025 website.

New to WCU? Start Strong with These Two Faculty Programs

by Anabel Livengood | Aug 1, 2025 | Blog, Faculty Development Workshop, Learning Community, Teaching and Learning

Start your WCU Journey with Momentum

Starting a new faculty or teaching position can be both exciting and overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your teaching practice, build connections, or chart a path toward tenure, two programs offered through the Coulter Faculty Commons (CFC) are designed to support you from year one.

🌱 Faculty Forward

Faculty Forward is a supportive program designed specifically for early-career faculty who want to build a strong foundation in teaching. Faculty Forward is open to faculty and instructors in years 1-3 at WCU.

Through a series of interactive sessions during your first semester, you’ll explore effective, evidence-based strategies to create engaging learning environments, foster student success, and grow your teaching confidence. You’ll also connect with peers from across campus who are on a similar journey – because good teaching doesn’t happen in isolation.

Facilitators:

Alesia Jennings, PhD – Chemistry Instructor, CFC Faculty Fellow
Anabel Livengood, PhD – CFC Senior Educational Developer

Fall 2025 Meeting Dates
Thursdays | 11:00 am – 12:15 pm

August 28
September 18
October 9
November 6

Sign up for Faculty Forward!

🤝 Faculty Mentoring

The Faculty Mentoring Learning Community is a year-long program that empowers new tenure-track faculty to thrive across all areas of academic life.

Rooted in an evidence-based learning community model, the FMLC offers an inclusive, interdisciplinary space where experienced faculty mentors guide you through collaborative growth and goal setting. You’ll explore essential topics like:

Promotion and tenure
Engaged and effective teaching
Scholarly and creative development
Work-life integration
Building successful mentoring relationships

Each cohort’s experience is tailored to their specific needs, making the learning community both personal and practical.

Facilitators:

Resa Chandler, PhD, Associate Professor, CFC Faculty Fellow for Mentoring
Derek Becker, PhD, Associate Professor

Fall 2025 Meeting Dates
Mondays | 3:30 – 5:15 pm

September 8 (2-hour meeting)
September 29
October 27
November 17
December 1

Apply for Faculty Mentoring!

Jumpstart Your Semester with the CFC: Week Zero is Here!

by Anabel Livengood | Jul 21, 2025 | Active Learning, Assessment, Blog, Canvas, Faculty Development Workshop, Teaching and Learning

Week Zero

Looking to start the semester with confidence? The Coulter Faculty Commons (CFC) is launching a brand-new initiative this fall: Week Zero, a series of practical, faculty-focused sessions running the week before classes begin from August 11–15.

Designed to help you hit the ground running, Week Zero offers workshops on assignment design, Canvas, accessibility, and active learning. Whether you’re completely new to teaching or you’re looking to brush up on your teaching toolkit, there’s something for everyone.

With just four weeks to go until kickoff…

… now is the perfect time to:

Sign up for sessions that spark your interest

OR

Schedule a consultation with the CFC team if you’d like more tailored support

Register for Sessions

Week Zero Schedule

Schedule a consult