The 2024-2025 Faculty Meeting & Retreat will be held on Thursday, January 16th, 2025

The faculty retreat will be preceded by the 2025 Spring Semester Kickoff, hosted by the President's Office. Following the event, there will be an informal meet up at 3:00 pm at Old Caz Brewpub.

Agenda

Joint session with Interim President and the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

10:30 am - 11:30 am in Stevenson 1301 or Online

Remarks with Faculty and CFA leadership

11:30 am - 12:15 pm in Stevenson 1301 or Online

Lunch from Taqueria Sol Azteca

12:15 pm - 1:30 pm in the Stevenson Lobby

Concurrent Sessions 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm:

Enhancing Faculty Workflows with ChatGPT and other AI tools Beyond the Classroom with Dr. Sandy Ayala - Stevenson 1301 or Online

Let’s explore how ChatGPT and other AI tools can support your work in a way that complements and supports academic responsibilities. This will be a demonstration and hands-on workshop. Topics will include ways to incorporate this work into your research, teaching, and service.

Helpful Practices for Hard Times in Higher Ed with Dr. Matthew Paolucci-Callahan - Stevenson 1101 or Online

As a result of constant streams of bad news - or anticipation of forthcoming devastating news - it is likely that you are experiencing stress, overwhelm, hopelessness, despair, and even grief. In this session you will learn practices from the field of Positive Psychology that have been shown to reduce the onslaught of negative emotions and distress that difficult times bring. The practices you will learn include creating micro-connections, cultivating gratitude, and mindfulness-based stress reduction. I will be focusing on “on the spot” practices that we can do throughout the day, rather than establishing a formal practice. While these practices are not going to erase the pain that is brought by this awful budget crisis, they will reduce the toll on our physical and mental health and help us find and feel joy in our jobs.

Please contact the Office of the Academic Senate with any questions regarding the Faculty Retreat.