New Faculty Teaching Pathway

Strategies & Tools for New Full-Time Faculty (NF)
Strategies and Tools is designed for new faculty at URI who seek to implement teaching practices that promote equity, diversity, and inclusive learning environments. This program will explore methods for aligning assignments with course learning outcomes and strategies to help students develop the skills necessary for academic success. The program also provides an introduction to key university offices and personnel who offer support for teaching excellence and professional growth at URI. We know that orienting to teaching at a new institution is more than a 3-day process. This program is therefore the first step and a required component for completion of URI’s year-long New Faculty Teaching Pathway. Additional details, including learning outcomes and schedule can be found here: Strategies & Tools 2026

Dates: August 17th – August 19th
Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm EDT Daily 
Location: Zoom & Brightspace
Registration & More information

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Faculty Tools to Support Students (ALL) (NF)
Join us for a conversation about URI software and tools for instructors to use in support of student success (Starfish, eCampus, Report It).

Dates: September 29th & September 30th
Time: Sept. 29th from 3:30pm – 4:30pm; Sept. 30th from 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Location: Zoom
Registration & More Information

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IDEA: More than a Number (NF)
Join us as we explore how to use IDEA and mid-semester feedback as meaningful tools to foster your learning and professional growth.

Dates: October 5th & October 6th
Time: October 5th from 1:00pm – 2:00pm; October 6th from 9:30am – 10:30am
Location: October 5th via Zoom; October 6th In-Person, Tyler Hall, 225
Registration & More Information

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Finishing the Semester Strong (NF)
Finish your semester strong by discovering strategies for “landing the plane” with confidence and success.

Dates: November 16th & November 17th
Time: Nov. 16th from 1:00pm – 2:00pm; Nov. 17th from 9:30am – 10:30am
Location: Nov. 16th via Zoom; Nov. 17th In-Person, Tyler Hall, 225
Registration & More Information

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Assessing Learning (NF)
Join us for a conversation about best practices for measuring your students learning in viable and practical ways over time.

Dates: November 30th & December 1st
Time: Nov. 30th from 1:00pm – 2:00pm; Dec. 1st from 9:30am – 10:30am
Location: Nov. 30th via Zoom; Dec. 1st In-Person, Tyler Hall, 225
Registration & More Information

SoTL

The SoTL Guide Book Club (ALL)
If you’ve ever considered turning a teaching question into a research project, take the next steps in this book club on The SoTL Guide. This newly published practical resource explicitly guides readers through clear steps to develop their own scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) project.

Additional Dates: Oct. 1st, Oct. 15th, Nov. 5th, Dec. 3rd, & Dec. 17th

Dates: September 17th
Time: 9:30am – 10:45am
Location: In-Person; Multicultural Student Services Center, Room 203
Registration & More Information

Faculty Vitality & Wellness

ATL Walk & Talk (ALL)
ATL’s Walk & Talk is back! Looking for a way to connect with colleagues? Need a break from the stresses of faculty life? Come walk with us! This opportunity gives you an informal way to engage with peers, take a leisurely stroll/roll around campus, and discuss teaching and learning topics that are top of mind. Bring a colleague or join on your own! Sign up here to let us know your interest and needs, and to receive email updates during the semester. Or, just drop by the Flagpole on the Quad any Thursday at 11am to enjoy a conversation and stroll/roll!

Walking & Talking weekly on Thursdays from 11:00-11:45pm, beginning Sept. 17th. No Walk & Talk on 11/26. Last Walk Dec. 17th

Dates: Thursdays
Time: 11:00am – 11:45am
Location: Meet at the flagpole the Quad 
Express Interest & More Information

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Cultivating Vitality Through Intentional Rest (ALL) 
Faculty roles (of all kinds) can be tough. Academic capitalism and grind culture suggest rest is for when you’re finished with all the things. Not so! Rest is essential to being and doing what we care most about. Join this virtual session to deepen your understanding of the different types of rest. Leave with ideas for incorporating rest-breaks into your schedule.
Dates: September 24th & September 28th
Time: Sept. 24th from 9:30am – 10:30am & Sept. 28th from 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Location: Zoom
Registration & More Information

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Book Club – The Slow Professor: Challenging the Culture of Speed in the Academy (10th Anniversary Edition) (ALL) 
Academic life can be overwhelming. Could slowing down help us better connect with our professional purpose? Join us for a 5-session book discussion on the 10th Anniversary Edition of The Slow Professor: Challenging the Culture of Speed in the Academy (Berg & Seeber, 2025). In this book, the authors explore how embracing principles of the “slow” movement can create a more reflective, balanced, and meaningful academic environment by alleviating stress and improving collegiality. This new edition includes 16 stories from faculty and academic professionals about how they engage in slow practices. Connect with fellow instructors and share ideas for slowing down in a fast-paced academic world. Repeat book club participants are welcome!
Logistics:
-Books will be provided for each participant.
-To help us slow down and connect with colleagues, we aim to meet in-person in Tyler Hall room 225.
-Session times & dates are from 11:00am – 12:15pm on Tuesdays, 9/29, 10/13, 10/27, 11/10, 12/1.
-While participation in all 5 sessions is preferred, we understand you may need to miss a session.

Dates: Sept. 29th, Oct. 13th, Oct. 27th, Nov. 10th & Dec. 1st
Time: 11:00am – 12:15pm
Location: In-person, Tyler Hall 225
Registration & More Information

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Understanding and Mitigating Burnout Workshop (ALL)
Feeling exhausted, more cynical, or less effective in your work? Burnout may be knocking at your door. Working in higher education can be overwhelming, especially right now. Join this virtual session to learn more about the components and causes of burnout, how to identify it, and ways to prevent (or manage) burnout for your situation.

Dates: October 28th & October 29th
Time: Oct. 28th from 1:00pm – 2:00pm; Oct. 29th from 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Location: Zoom
Registration & More Information

Part-time Faculty

Part-time Faculty Specific Course Prep & Teaching Consultations (PTF)
Need to ask a quick teaching-related question? Maybe brainstorm an idea or work through an assignment while prepping your course(s)? Visit a virtual consultation session just for PT Faculty! 

Available all semester, with a special focus early on for course prep support (Aug. 17-Sept. 18).

Dates: August 17th & September 18th
Time: Times vary all term, but with an early focus Aug. 17th – Sept. 18th
Location: Zoom
Registration & More Information

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Part-time Faculty Meet & Greet (PTF)
Interested in meeting other part-time faculty at URI? Want to discuss your teaching experiences with your peers and learn from them? Join this informal virtual session! Designed as a meet & greet for community-building, this session is offered several times across the semester. Choose any sessions that work with your schedule and potentially meet new people each time. You’re also encouraged to bring a colleague with you! 
This opportunity is open to any URI employee who teaches in a part-time capacity, including instructional staff/administrators, per-course instructors, and those on a limited-term/temporary teaching contract.

Dates: Sept. 14th, Oct. 6th, Oct. 21st & Nov. 5th
Times: Sept. 14th from 4:00pm – 5:00pm; Oct. 6th from 12:30pm – 1:30pm; Oct. 21st from 12:00pm – 1:00pm; Nov. 5th from 3:30pm – 4:30pm
Location: Zoom
Registration & More Information

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Part-time Faculty Community of Practice (PTF)
Designed for all Part-time Faculty teaching at URI, this four-session Community of Practice will help you develop relationships with colleagues, explore teaching successes and challenges, and further establish your teaching practice. Repeat participants are welcome! 

Registration for this opportunity closes on Tues. Sept. 22nd.

Sessions will be held from 12-1pm via Zoom.
Session #1, Wed, Sept. 23rd – Program welcome, community-building, and a general teaching-related Q&A (during each session).
Session #2, Wed, Oct. 14th – Mid-semester challenges and recognizing early successes.
Session #3, Wed, Nov. 4th – Reflective teaching practice and gearing up for end-of-term.
Session #4, Wed, Dec. 2nd – Celebrate successes and strategize ongoing reflective teaching practice.

Dates: Sept. 23rd, Oct. 14th, Nov. 4th & Dec. 2nd
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Location: Zoom
Registration & More Information

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