New Faculty Join the Catamount Community

by April Tallant | Sep 8, 2025 | Blog, CFC Insider, Teaching and Learning, University Support

The Office of the Provost and the Coulter Faculty Commons welcomed 60 new faculty on August 6-8 for New Faculty Orientation (NFO). Throughout the three-day event, new faculty members enjoyed a warm Catamount welcome from Chancellor Kelli R. Brown, Provost Starnes, Associate Provost Huffman, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management & Student Success Moultrie, and Faculty Senate Chair Alsayyed.

Some sessions that stood out that new faculty highly recommended were: Colleague Connection (an interactive networking bingo game), Welcome to Success & Supporting Our Students (a panel and case discussions with Student Success and Student Affairs), and Ask Us Anything (a faculty panel where Brian Byrd, David Jons, and Tracy Mensah fielded questions).

As a result of attending NFO, 81% of respondents said their confidence levels in their preparedness to teach at WCU increased significantly; 85% reported their preparedness to support students increased significantly; and 93% reported that NFO gave them a sense of connection with the university. One new feature that helped connect new faculty to WCU was a short history walk across campus that was led by Peter Koch, Associate Director of the Mountain Heritage Center.

Almost 40 campus partners participated in the resource fair, another highly rated component of NFO. One new faculty participant noted, “Overall, NFO was an outstanding experience. I learned so much about WCU’s rich history and how I can best service the university’s students and my colleagues. I’m very grateful to those who organized for providing new faculty with the space to meet and network with one another, too!”

Group picture of NFO participants during the History Walk.

Percentage breakdown of NFO attendees' satisfaction.

Two new faculty chatting with each other during bingo.

We Want to Hear from You!

by Jeffrey Seagle | Aug 29, 2025 | Blog, Feedback, University Support

Help Shape the Future of the Coulter Faculty Commons

At the Coulter Faculty Commons (CFC), everything we do is grounded in our commitment to supporting our teaching community members – as teachers, scholars, and leaders. This year, we’re taking a closer look at how you experience the resources and support available to you, and how we can better align our programs with what you truly need.

To start, we’ll soon launch an online survey/needs assessment. By taking part, you’ll help us better understand your teaching experiences, priorities, and challenges, so we can design programming that reflects your reality in the classroom and beyond.

Listening Sessions This Fall

Alongside the survey, we’ll also be hosting a series of listening sessions, both in-person and online, throughout the fall semester. These sessions are relaxed, open conversations where you’ll be invited to share your thoughts, ideas, and insights with the CFC staff.

Think of them as our way of asking: 
What do you need from us? What’s working? Where are the gaps? What would make your teaching and leadership journey easier or more inspiring?

Why Your Voice Matters

Your perspective will directly shape how the CFC evolves in the years ahead. The feedback you share will help us create programs, practices, and resources that are meaningful, practical, and innovative – designed to support you and, in turn, enrich the experience of our diverse community of students.

Join the Conversation

We’re excited to hear from you and to work alongside you as we plan for the future. Whether through the survey or a listening session, your voice will make a difference. Together, we’ll build a stronger, more connected community of teachers and learners. We can’t wait to listen, learn, and grow with you this year!

Upcoming Fulbright Specialist Panel

by Yanjun Yan | Aug 29, 2025 | Blog, Professional Development, Research, Teaching and Learning, University Support

Want to Learn More About Fubright Opportunities?

Flyer for Fulbright Specialist Panel on Friday, September 12, 2025.

Friday, September 12 from 1:00-2:00 p.m.

Hunter Library 186 or Zoom

Panelists:

Wes Milner, Director of Global Engagement, WCU Fulbright Liaison
Chuck Thomas, Dean of Library Services
Marie-Line Germain, Professor of HR and Leadership

Drop-ins welcome, pre-registration preferred
Pre-Register at http://bit.ly/4oQ7ci3

Finding the Right Fulbright Program for You

By Yanjun Yan, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical Engineering, UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching Winner 2023, Fulbright U.S. Scholar 2021

It is with mixed feelings that I write about this as the funding for Fulbright has been turbulent this year. The good news is that as of August 22, 2025, several Fulbright programs are among 28 programs at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) to get their FY25 budget released and Congress has a 15-day period to fully approve them by early September. Meanwhile, a budget of $287.8 million was proposed for Fulbright programs in FY26. Unfortunately, 22 other programs at ECA may get their FY25 budget cut. The Fulbright-Hays Program was funded through the Department of Education and was cancelled in FY25.

Despite the recent funding turmoil, Fulbright has been the flagship international exchange initiative since 1946. Every U.S. dollar invested in Fulbright leverages an additional 60 cents in funding from private sectors or other countries. People may not realize that there are various Fulbright programs for different stages in their careers. Fulbright programs in the FY26 budget proposal include:

Fulbright Scholar Program: for both U.S. scholars and visiting scholars, including the Distinguished Scholar Award, as well as the Fulbright International Education Administrators Award
Fulbright Specialist: for U.S. specialists
Fulbright Student: for U.S. students (including Study/Research and English Teaching Assistant), and visiting students
Fulbright Student MENA: for U.S. students who visit the Middle East and/or North Africa
Fulbright Teacher Exchanges: for U.S. K-12 teachers and visiting K-12 teachers
Fulbright University Vietnam: established in 2016, courses are taught in English
The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program: for visiting professionals

Fulbright programs require U.S. citizenship to be eligible. The most suitable programs for faculty are the U.S. Scholar (2-12 months) and/or the Specialist (2-6 weeks). I will provide some tips on the U.S. Scholar program below, and we will offer a panel on the Specialist program on Friday, September 12, 2025, in Hunter Library 186, 1:00-2:00 p.m. with Zoom option (pre-register at http://bit.ly/4oQ7ci3 but walk-ins are welcome).

Explore Fulbright Opportunities

For Fulbright U.S. Scholar program:

The programs can be research, teaching, teaching/research, or professional. Some programs are set in one of the types, but other programs may allow you to choose the type. A Research-only grant is treated as a non-taxable fellowship, but if the grant is used to support teaching, even partially, it becomes taxable income. The monetary amount of the grant can vary depending on location and the number of awards. As reviewers, we have seen applications from community college faculty who identified an equivalent host abroad, or researchers who pioneered a research field. All applications were reviewed by the suitability of the project and the preparedness of the applicants, and none of them were at a disadvantage.

The programs may last from 2 months to 12 months. Some programs are set in their durations, while others may allow you to choose the number of months. The FLEX option may allow one to split their stay into two segments, but not all programs have the FLEX feature.

Many programs require an invitation letter from the host institution, but some are optional, and some prohibit you from submitting an invitation letter. If you do not have a connection beforehand, you may still find a program that suits you.

For a country with sizable Fulbright programs, there is often a Fulbright Commission with dedicated staff to manage the programs. Or else, the U.S. embassy in that country is the contact and manager of the programs. They often organize cultural and academic events while you are there. During the application process, you can also reach out to IIE (the platform for Fulbright applications) staff or alums if you have a question.

About 60% of the grants provide dependent support. While on-site, there can be mini grants for projects or travel grants for presentations. Every family’s situation is different. You may need to consider children’s education, spouse’s work relocation, and renting out your house or finding a house sitter and/or pet sitter. Most programs expect you to find a rental room locally and pay for it, although some programs may provide some lodging support, or the hosts may provide lodging. It’s okay to ask the local staff if there may be English schools for your children.

Most programs are in a single country, but there may be programs involving two or more countries.

There are two rounds of reviews, and some countries may call for an interview. The first round of reviews is in the U.S. based on merit and the decision may be released in late November. The second round of reviews is in the host country to make the match. The final decision can be awarded, rejected, being an alternative (if the awardee declines the offer, you will be awarded), or switched to a nearby country (if you agree).

At WCU, you could sync up your Fulbright U.S. Scholar application (due around September 15) with the WCU Scholarly Development Assignment Program (SDAP) application (due around October 1), with approval from your Department Head and Dean, or reach out to the Provost’s Office for more guidance on the timing.

As a Fulbright alum or a supporter of Fulbright, you are welcome to join the Fulbright Association (FBA). I have been on the NC FBA board since summer 2023, and we have organized several events such as a panel in Fall 2023 “Meet WCU Fulbrighters”, a panel in Spring 2024 on U.S. Scholar, and the upcoming panel on Specialist on Sep 12, 2025. If you’d like to encourage your students to consider Fulbright, please contact WCU ONIA (Office of National and International Awards) and watch out for the third annual WCU Fulbright Week events, expected in Spring 2026.

Essential Teaching Resources for a Strong Fall Semester

by Anabel Livengood | Aug 25, 2025 | Blog, Faculty Development Workshop, Teaching and Learning, University Support

The Coulter Faculty Commons is here to support you this Fall semester! With all the back-to-school emails, you might have missed hearing about these three opportunities:

1

Excellence in Teaching & Learning Event (ETLE)

Get students to read & discover tools on how to be an authentic professor

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

Our Excellence in Teaching and Learning Event, (ETLE), will feature two days of celebrating teaching and learning at WCU, September 11–12. Featured guest Dr. Liz Norell (University of Mississippi), author of The Present Professor, will lead a pre-ETLE workshop on Thursday afternoon.

Friday’s sessions will open with remarks from Chancellor Kelli R. Brown and will be followed by a keynote and an interactive session on authenticity and transformational teaching.

Learn more and register for ETLE.

2

Mid-semester Assessment

What are your students thinking? Don’t wait until the end of the semester to hear their feedback!

Optimize your teaching in less than 2 hours with a TAP. Coulter Faculty Commons

Teaching Analysis Polls (TAPs) have returned this fall! The TAP is a mid-semester feedback program designed to support instructors. It gives you the opportunity to hear directly from your students at a meaningful point in the semester, allowing you to make adjustments that can strengthen both your teaching and your students’ learning.

To sign up for a TAP please see registration details.

TAPs will run from Monday, September 22, to Friday, October 10, during the 2025 Fall semester.

3

Equality Policy

How does the UNC System Equality Policy impact my teaching?

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.

Faculty: Tuesday, September 9, 2:00-3:15 pm

Staff (SHRA and EHRA-non-faculty) who serve as the instructor of record for a course: Tuesday, September 9, 3:30-4:45 pm

Reserve your spot & register for the UNC System Equality Session.