Latest ACUE News: December 2023

Another holiday greeting…

A Message from ACUE’s CEO As 2023 comes to an end, I wanted to take time to express my gratitude for each of you and what we are doing together at ACUE to impact student success. I joined the team at ACUE in February, and I enjoyed meeting many of you at our National Higher Education Teaching Conference. I hope that you will be able to join us for NHETC 2024 this coming June in Minneapolis. Your dedication to our mission and commitment to our work is one of the reasons that I am thrilled to lead the team. As I reflect on 2023, I look forward to what is to come at ACUE in 2024. We are launching our first Quick Study Series on Generative AI the week of January 15th. As I talked to our partners and prospects this year, it was evident to me that you were interested in gaining support from ACUE on various tools and trends in education, and you will see that work through the Quick Study courses we launch throughout 2024. By the end of the year, we will have built a library of nearly a dozen. Additionally, for our certified faculty and those faculty on the certification pathway, we will continue to expand ACUE Commons, our community platform, to allow more opportunities to engage with talented educators across the country. I will continue to keep you updated as we progress on these initiatives. Wishing you a joyous holiday season and a prosperous new year! Paul Skordilis Chief Executive Officer​​​​​ Learn more at acue.org Follow Us     ​

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Happy holidays from ACUE

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A message from ACUE CEO  Scott Durand It’s hard to believe 2022 is almost over. As we turn the page, I want to express my gratitude for all you do to support your students through great teaching. We are so grateful for your dedication to your students and craft. Your hard work to learn, implement, and adopt evidenced-based teaching principles has been invaluable in creating a welcoming and motivating learning environment. Your commitment to your profession has made a real difference in your students’ lives, families, and communities. As we discovered in our meta-analysis earlier this fall, great teaching transforms students’ lives. From small private and community colleges to large public and research institutions alike, we know that great and effective teaching changes lives. And as an ACUE partner, be proud knowing your efforts lead to higher student retention and completion, better grades, lower DFW rates, and the closing of equity gaps. In this new year, I am incredibly excited about the addition of our latest microcredential, Fostering a Culture of Belonging (FCB). With FCB, we will elevate our efforts by helping everyone on campus—from faculty to staff—who is on the front line of student success. This microcredential will also help all professionals learn how they, in their role, can enhance the sense of belonging among students, because when students feel they belong, they stay, thrive, and have measurably better outcomes. On a final note, I invite you to join me in celebrating our accomplishments as partners over the last year in our latest video. It serves as a reminder that your work extends beyond the classroom and has a significant impact on the lives of others. By working together, we can shape a more effective higher education experience. There is much to be proud of in our accomplishments, and I am eager to see what 2023 has in store. I am in awe of your commitment to great teaching and thankful for our partnership. Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year. Fostering a Culture of Belonging Now Enrolling for January 2023 On a campus where everyone belongs, everyone is responsible. from president to resident directors from faculty and deans to marketing directors and HR professionals from safety officers and counselors to advisors and success coaches “It makes me feel important and that I can do anything because I have a village surrounding me.”—Tityana, student ​​​Hear more from students, administrative leaders, faculty, and staff about why it takes a village in the video below. New cohorts of ACUE’s Fostering a Culture of Belonging microcredential program begin January 2023. Contact our partnership team to join. Webinar Recap: Fostering a Culture of Belonging, Campus-Wide Earlier this month, 1,200 higher ed professionals joined an engaging virtual conversation about what it means to belong on campus. Thank you to the featured speakers, panelists, and everyone who joined to share resources and questions. In case you missed it… Watch a full recording Access articles, videos, tool kits, and more resources Bring ACUE’s Foster a Culture of Belonging to your campus Conversation Highlights What does belonging mean to you?  “The difference between belonging and being welcomed is relationship. I have been in a lot of situations where I was welcome. People were nice to me, they smiled at me, but I didn’t feel like I belonged. I didn’t feel comfortable enough to ask a question or participate in a certain way.” —Toni Johnson, Dean of Academic Services at North Central State College Demystifying the Campus Vernacular “As higher education professionals, we know the ins-and-outs of the college language. We can demystify the campus vernacular for students, by clearly defining resources, using full names with acronyms, and providing scaffolded support before and after they arrive on campus.” —Evelyn R. Espinoza, Director of Advising at California State University–Los Angeles An Opportunity to Reset the Stereotypes “Your interactions are an opportunity to reset the stereotypes. You can change the trajectory of a student’s academic and life experience by a simple positive interaction. That, to me, is a very powerful tool.” —Ali Shah, Director of Emergency Management at San Jacinto College The Student Lens In high school, Zybrea thought most people working in the science and medical fields were older white men. “All I knew was what I was taught and exposed to in high school,” Zybrea shares on the latest episode of The Student Lens. It wasn’t until Zybrea’s first-semester professor at Bennett College asked students to close their eyes and consider: “What does a scientist look like?” For the professor, Dr. Santiba Campbell, the conversation starter is a small but effective strategy to bring awareness to—and counteract—the impact of stereotype threat. For Zybrea, her initial answer to the prompt was the image of “an Einstein.” Over time, that changed. “My answer became: ‘I think of me.’” WATCH NOW Partner Highlights Maricopa Community Colleges Congratulations to the latest ACUE Certified faculty at Maricopa Community Colleges District! Last month, family and colleagues celebrated their achievement in earning ACUE’s full Certificate in Effective College Instruction at a pinning ceremony. We’re proud to partner with Maricopa Community Colleges, whose 10 colleges serve more than 220,000 students across the Phoenix Metropolitan Area each year. Now in its third phase, the partnership supports strategic initiatives to support and prepare adjunct faculty in evidence-based teaching practices to improve student achievement and close equity gaps. READ MORE University of Arkansas Last month, leaders from the University of Arkansas (UA) celebrated a cohort of 30 faculty members for completing the “Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment” microcredential. During the event, ACUE Partnership Success Director Frank Sesso recognized the college’s 100 percent microcredential completion rate during the event. Additionally, Lynn Meade, a UA co-facilitator, expressed great commendations to this fall cohort for their time in earning this microcredential. “It says a lot about the importance of teaching on our campus that we have so many who are committed to enhancing teaching skills.” READ MORE Universidad Central del Caribe Earlier this year, Universidad Central del Caribe held a pinning ceremony to celebrate all of their ACUE Certified faculty. “We prepare the doctors, scientists, and health care professionals to serve their communities in Puerto Rico and beyond. Our faculty are experts in their fields, but we wanted to ensure they were also equipped and supported for their role as educators,” said Waleska Crespo, President of the Universidad Central del Caribe. The university celebrated ACUE Certified faculty at a pinning ceremony earlier this year. READ MORE ACUE on the Road POD Network Conference The Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education (POD) celebrated its 47th annual POD Network Conference virtually from November 14–18 and in person from November 16–20 in Seattle, Washington. ACUE presented “Re:Imagining Student Feedback as Formative Rather Than Evaluative,”centered around the conference’s theme of “Re:Imaging, Re:Connect, and Re:Start.” SACSCOC Annual Meeting The 127th Annual Meeting of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) was held in Atlanta, Georgia from December 3–6. This year’s theme was “Georgia on Our Minds” and it offered sessions on how educators can keep doing their job during the pandemic. ACUE hosted a booth and held the session, “Building Community and Re-Igniting Passion for Teaching Through Faculty Development,” featured ACUE’s Regional Director of Academic Programs, Barbara Rodriguez, PhD; Texas A&M University’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Shonda Gibson; and Dallas College Provost, Dr. Shawnda Navarro Floyd. MSCHE Annual Conference ACUE was proud to be a sponsor at this year’s Middle States Commission on Higher Education Annual Conference (MSCHE) on December 7–9 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The conference focused on the theme of “Empowering Higher Education.” As part of the sponsorship, ACUE team members Marianne Dombroski, Bacari Brown, Jodi Robson, and Dr. Jim Catanzaro hosted a booth in the Exhibitor Hall. HERDI South Winter Think Tank The Higher Education Research and Development Institute (HERDI) South, which focuses on community colleges and serves in 11 southern states, held its annual Winter 2022 Think Tank in Atlanta, Georgia—with this year’s event being its biggest yet. ACUE’s Petra Kohlmann, Meghan Snow, and Paul Grillos attended the event, finding it highly beneficial. Paul shared that he and his colleagues spent three hours productively positioning various aspects of our service and strategy that will directly impact our messages. NASH Superconvening ACUE President and Co-Founder Jonathan Gyurko attended the National Association of System Heads (NASH) Superconvening 2022 in National Harbor, Maryland, on December 7–8. This year’s theme is entitled “What Gets Measured Gets Done.” Jonathan expressed his pride in NASH and its bold leadership during the event. Upcoming Events The ACUE team is looking forward to connecting with you in 2023! If you are attending any of the upcoming events, email partnerships@acue.org to set up a time to chat. Jan. 4–7 Council of Independent Colleges Presidents Institute San Francisco, California Learn More » Jan. 18–20 American Association of Colleges and Universities Annual Meeting San Francisco, California Learn More » Feb. 14–17 Achieving the Dream DREAM Annual Convening Chicago, Illinois Learn More » Key Developments ACE, Higher Ed Groups Launch Task Force to Improve Student Aid Offers and Price Transparency In December, the American Council on Education (ACE) joined forces with the National Association for College Admission Counseling as well as seven other higher education associations to create a task force dedicated to developing standards and principles for the information that should be included in student financial aid offer letters. This task force aims to ensure that all students have the same access to clear and concise financial aid offer letters. LEARN MORE News in Brief Proving College Is “Worth It” The National Association of System Heads has launched an initiative to bolster the public’s view of higher education by demonstrating—and where necessary improving—how institutions drive social mobility and individual prosperity. A New Recipe for Student Success  To ensure teaching is prioritized the way students deserve, instructional excellence should be a central part of higher ed’s pursuit for prestige, writes ACUE President Jonathan Gyurko. The L Word “Any serious effort to engage faculty in the student success movement will require grappling with the realities of faculty labor and limits on their time,” explains the University of California Santa Cruz’s Jody Greene. “The problem is structural and cannot be fixed simply by asking individuals to ‘do better.'” Faculty Morale  COVID-19’s ripple effects continue to place strain on faculty members’ personal and professional lives, according to the results of a survey. To combat this strain, colleges and universities across the nation are boosting morale by ACUE certifying their faculty. Stalling Completion Rates  Six-year postsecondary completion rates have stalled, according to the latest Completing College report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. As higher education grapples with re-engaging students post-pandemic, findings from ACUE’s meta-analysis further demonstrate student outcomes can be significantly improved through effective teaching. LinkedIn  •  Twitter  •  Facebook  •  Forward to FriendCopyright © 2022, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: ACUE 745 Fifth Avenue, #500 New York, NY 10151

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September 23, 2021

Back to School Webinar Recap & Toolkit Over the past month, thousands of higher education leaders and faculty across hundreds of institutions took part in an important conversation about how to serve students amidst unique challenges this semester. In ACUE’s Back to School webinar series, panelists shared practical strategies and resources on a range of topics, much of which has now been organized into a set of free resources—including videos and downloadable planning guides—that can be immediately put to use to benefit both faculty and their students. A welcoming learning environment for students is key to a strong start. Webinar Recap Toolkit: Welcoming Students Back  An asset-based approach to teaching can unlock students’ potential. Webinar Recap Toolkit: Meeting Students Where They Are To “future-proof” your campus, every instructor must be prepared to teach effectively online. Webinar Recap Toolkit: Preparing for Online and Hybrid Learning Practical teaching resources: Inclusive syllabi Ice-breakers Student surveys Microlectures And a lot more! Explore the full toolkit. Share Your Story: Building a Culture of Instructional Excellence The culture of an institution can accelerate — or bring to a screeching halt — efforts to make evidence-based instruction central to any student success strategy. At your institution, to what extent are communications, incentives and other culture-building activities generating faculty and staff enthusiasm – and meaningful participation in – high-quality learning opportunities? Share your story! ‘The Other Side of the Desk’  As part of Bryant University’s commitment to cultivating teaching excellence, student learning is at the center of faculty efforts in partnership with ACUE. (Bryant University) Teaching Digital Reading College students are reading on-screen more than ever. In her new book, Skim, Dive, Surface: Teaching Digital Reading, Dr. Jenae Cohn explores the implications for digital reading and shares strategies for how instructors can support reading on multiple modalities. Read the interview. Open Enrollment Opportunities Elevate your teaching and begin your journey to becoming ACUE Certified through our open-enrollment, microcredential courses. Now enrolling:  Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment (Oct. 9) Promoting Active Learning (Oct. 9) Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong Learners (Oct. 9) Designing Student-Centered Courses (Oct. 9) Inclusive Teaching for Equitable Learning (Oct. 16) Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong Learners in Your Online Course (Jan. 22, 2022) Apply today. Featured ACUE Podcast  This month, Kelly Fitzsimmons Burton, a Residential Faculty member who teaches philosophy at Paradise Valley Community College, discussed her journey as a first-generation college student on this week’s Teaching in Higher Ed podcast with Bonni Stachowiak. Burton is among the faculty and SOTL experts who are featured in ACUE’s Effective Online Teaching Practices course. Listen to the episode. Partner News  Bowie State University: Bowie State University Faculty Join Initiative to Strengthen HBCU Online Instruction. (Bowie State News) Congratulations to ACUE-certified educator Dr. Lisa Long, who was named acting president of Talladega College. Dr. Long has been recognized for her work as an ACUE course facilitator in helping faculty colleagues develop their instructional practice. (Black Star News) Welcome, New Partners! Alamo Colleges District Northeast State Community College San Jacinto Community College Crafton Hills College News in Brief The latest news and opinions in higher education How One College Created a Set of Pandemic-Related Coursework During the pandemic, many faculty have been encouraging students to examine the experience through new lenses. One example is the Pandemic Teaching Initiative at Northeastern University. Topics span disciplines and cover different niches — “The Stories We Tell About Epidemics and Why They Matter” and “Why Markets Fail: The Economics of Covid-19” are two examples — and the course materials are accessible to external instructors and students. (The Chronicle of Higher Education Teaching Newsletter) Buying Time With Outdoor Classrooms With many instructors concerned about in-person teaching in light of COVID-19, Martin Skladany believes institutions should go beyond allowing faculty to teach outdoors. For example, he encourages them to draw maps showing which outdoor spaces are appropriate for teaching and potentially repurpose equipment, such as chairs for ceremonies, for use as makeshift classrooms. (Inside Higher Ed) Living Through History “Now, for the first time in their lives, our students are living through history,” Steven Mintz writes. He suggests challenging students to learn how to recognize the significance of this historical moment, pinpoint the forces transforming our lives, and move past history in order to develop a positive vision for the future. (Higher Ed Gamma) How “Disney Magic” Can Inspire Higher Ed to Modernize the Student Experience Grace Anderson points to Disney World’s Next Generation Experience project, which explores how technology can transform the customer experience through personalization, as a model for how higher ed can adapt. This, she writes, involves mapping student experiences and identifying pain points, investing in a modern digital infrastructure, and redesigning the student experience to solve new challenges. (EAB) How to Find Your Teaching Buddies “Teaching well is intellectually demanding,” Beckie Supiano writes. She spoke with Regan A.R. Gurung about how to connect with other instructors. His ideas include looking for a journal in your discipline, turning to your disciplinary society, proposing a conference session, and using Twitter to find and engage with colleagues to build a teaching community. (The Chronicle of Higher Education Teaching Newsletter) Delivering the Experience Modern Learners Expect In this interview, Thomas Cavanagh discusses modern learners’ expectations and the challenges imposed by them. He says students want institutions to care about their success and demonstrate this care by, for example, ensuring intentional course design and individualizing instruction. They also want empathetic and responsive faculty. Strategies to improve these qualities should be informed by data, he adds, and align with overall institutional goals. (The EvoLLLution)

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Happy New Year from ACUE

The fourth holiday greeting for today.

Hello, We are hopeful for the opportunities a new year brings. ACUE is here to support success for you and your students in 2021. Happy New Year! ​​​​ Watch the video

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