Faculty Resources

From the Director of Faculty Development:

CREATE news: Starting next week, we will have a selection of cozy, autumn-themed beverages in the CREATE kitchen. Come visit us for hot cider and hot chocolate!

Midterm grading guide: If you misplaced the email that Lisa sent with some ideas for midterm grading strategies, you can find that guide here.

Sabbatical/Pre-Tenure Leave Reports: If you had a sabbatical or pre-tenure leave during the 2024/25 academic year, please remember to submit your leave report using the form on this page. For fall one-semester leaves, reports were due by March 31. For spring one-semester leaves and two-semester (fall/spring) leaves, reports are due by October 31. Questions can be directed to Lisa Whitenack  (lwhitena@allegheny.edu)

Allegheny Awesome: If you have a cool pedagogical thing that you’re doing and would like to share, please email me! If you’ve seen a colleague doing something awesome in the classroom or while advising that people should know about, please let me know! If you’ve discovered the key to staying productive in your scholarship while juggling all of the things, send me an email! From there, I will follow up with folks and work with them to write a paragraph or two for a future Faculty Development Digest.

Updates from the Library

Data Bites:  Please join us for “Faculty Toolbox: Talking and Teaching about AI in the Classroom” on Friday, October 17, 12:20-1:20 pm in the CREATE Lab, with a FULL LUNCH! Fill out this form to RSVP.  Join Lisa Whitenack and Doug Anderson for an interactive session on ways to talk and teach about AI in the classroom. This continues the conversation held at the Fall ERI session (you are welcome to attend this new session even if you did not attend the first session).

Canvas workshops: Doug Anderson will be offering a workshop on getting to know Canvas Commons on Tuesday October 21 from 10-11 am in the CREATE lab. There will also be a workshop on setting up your course in Canvas on Tuesday, October 28 in the CREATE lab. If you’re already thinking ahead to next semester and wanting a refresher, this is a great opportunity for you!

Merrick Archives Events: Please mark your calendars to attend the following events showcasing artifacts in the Merrick Archives:

• Out of the Vault Event: Tuesday, October 14, 4:00 – 5:00 pm, “Ancient Artifacts: the Cobern Collection” Archives student assistant Daphne Womack will be presenting on the Professor Camden M. Cobern Collection, which includes some of Allegheny College’s oldest artifacts,  some dating to around 3000 BCE. The event will be held in the Merrick Archives Reading Room on the 3rd Floor of the Pelletier Library.
• Fall Open House: Wednesday, October 22, 3:30 – 5:00 pm, our entire Allegheny Community is welcome! The event includes an opportunity to view a selection of archival and special collection items on display in the Reading Room. Have you seen the Original Library of Allegheny College? You will have access to this fascinating collection of books used in class by the earliest students at Allegheny College. You will also have access to the special collections vault and processing room. Light snacks and beverages will be provided outside the archives.

From the Office of Inclusive Excellence

Upcoming lecture: The Office of Student and Community Development and Stackpole Foundation invite you to a lecture by Dr. Joe-Joe McManus entitled “A Brother’s Insight” on November 10 from 5-7pm in Tippie. Please see this flyer for more information.

Readings, Slides, and Guides

Supporting student researchers: Student research in its many forms is a pillar of Allegheny’s curriculum, and this article by Tood & Moore in Faculty Focus gives some great advice and resources.

Misinformation and fact-checking: Shanna Kirschner sent along this article in The Conversation that describes a curricular approach to fact-checking and critical thinking that has been tested in various classrooms and the results of that work. The good news is that the interventions described in the article worked well! Thanks, Shanna!

Final projects that go beyond an essay: This article describes some ideas for creative final projects and how this could reduce unauthorized use of AI. If you’re interested in something like this, Lisa can share the rubric she uses for the “UnEssays” that she uses in her upper level biology courses – just send her an email!

Upcoming Opportunities

Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) AI Ready Program: You should have received an email from the AI Task Force outlining this program. This year-long series introduces foundational concepts of AI through topical discussions, practical examples, and guided virtual learning tailored to different campus roles. Whether you’re in academics, administration, or student support, there’s something for everyone, and we have unlimited spaces available as a perk of our membership in the cohort. If you are interested in participating, please contact Katrina Yeung (kyeung@allegheny.edu).

Upcoming webinars from the GLCA: The Great Lakes Colleges Association (to which Allegheny belongs) runs webinars related to teaching every few weeks. Upcoming webinars are:

The Teaching Professor Conference on Mental Health and Wellbeing: This is a one-day live virtual conference on November 6, 2025; “with two compelling plenaries and 15 targeted breakout sessions across six practical tracks, you’ll leave with research-backed, ready-to-apply strategies to prevent faculty burnout, support student mental health in your classroom, create a culture of care across your department or campus, and more.” Attendees earn a Credly digital badge to showcase their commitment to fostering mental wellness in higher education. You can read more about the conference schedule here, as well as find information about registration.