Recent Announcements for Faculty
Faculty Opportunities & Information About Upcoming Events
Below you will find some of the information about opportunities shared in weekly emails from the Dean of Faculty. See Faculty Resources for additional resources to support your teaching, scholarship, professional and personal development, including faculty handbooks.
See this Professional Development Calendar for a list of professional development opportunities for faculty and staff this academic year. (The calendar that is/was below appears on the professional development calendar page.)
- Grant Writing Support – Preeti Chauhan, Distinguished Faculty Fellow for Research at OAR, works with faculty members to provide guidance on grant writing opportunities, share information about OAR resources, and assist with the review/editing of grants. To schedule time to consult, please email her at pchauhan@jjay.cuny.edu.
- Faculty/Staff Student Engagement Program supports faculty efforts to interact with students outside of the classroom (e.g., lunch with a group of students; a catered event for students, perhaps with an outside speaker) during the academic year. The Program is not yet accepting applications for the 2025-2026 academic year. When applying, please submit your request by the listed deadline date for your expected scheduled event (see website). Applications will receive a notification within 3-5 business days after submission. Please note that as they have seen an increase in applications, they have prioritized a selection process that honors new applicants. Apply at www.jjay.cuny.edu/fsse. If you have any questions or concerns about this program, please email fse@jjay.cuny.edu.
- Call for Proposals! The Faculty Opportunity Fund (FOF) supports full-time faculty members' professional development
- Refer to the application form for information on award eligibility, the application process and criteria, and funding categories.
- The FOF selection committee plans to evaluate applications 4-6 times per year, as needed: Feb 1, April 1, June 1, Sept 1, Nov 1.
| Date | Event | Details | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Sept 5 @ 1:30-3pm | 1st Friday: Successful Teaching @ JJ | 1st Friday | TLC - 335 HH |
| Mon, Sept 29 @ 1:30-2:45pm | Food for Thought: LLS | Lunch and learn with colleagues | Faculty/Staff Dining Room |
| Fri, Oct 3 @ 1:30-2:50pm | 1st Friday: Staying in the Lines: Policies & Faculty Responsibilities | Kinya Chandler & Myrna Forney | TLC - 335 HH |
| Tues, Oct 21 @ 1:30-2:45pm | Food for Thought: Art & Music | Lunch and learn with colleagues | Faculty/Staff Dining Room |
| Mon, Oct 27 @ 1:40-2:55pm | Workshop: Tenure & Promotion | Kyeanna Bailey, Angela Crossman | TLC - 335 HH & zoom |
| TBD | Workshop: Promotion to Full Professor (tentative) | Angela Crossman | TLC - 335 HH or Zoom |
| Fri, Nov 7 @ 1:30-3pm | 1st Friday; Thinking about Service Strategically + A Brief Personnel Process Primer | Karen Kaplowitz; Angela Crossman | TLC - 335 HH |
| Mon, Nov 24 @ 1:30-2:45pm | Food for Thought: English | Lunch and learn with colleagues | Faculty/Staff Dining Room |
| TUES, Nov 25 @ 1:30-3:30pm | Immigration Town Hall | TLC - 335 HH | |
| Fri, Dec 5 @ 1:30-3pm | 1st Friday: Enacting our 7 Principles in the Classroom | Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, Mangai Natarajan | TLC - 335 HH |
| Dec TBD @ 1:30-2:45pm | Food for Thought: History | Lunch and learn with colleagues | Faculty/Staff Dining Room |
| Fri, Feb 6 @ 1:30-3pm | 1st Friday: Resources for Scholarship & Creative Activity | OAR, library | TLC - 335 HH |
| Weds, Feb 25 @ 1:30-3pm | Workshop: Faculty Leaves | Learn about fellowship, travia and other leaves. Kyeanna Bailey (FacSvcs), Heather Grant (HR), Christina Lee (HR) | Zoom ID: 817 6976 2008; Passcode: 844971 |
| Fri, Mar 6 @ 1:30-3pm | 1st Friday: Faculty Panel: Wisdom & Reflections from New-ish Faculty Colleagues | TLC - 335 HH | |
| Fri, Apr 17 @ 1:40-2:50pm | Workshop: Caring vs Caretaking | Gina Rae Foster | TLC - 335 HH |
| Fri, Apr 24 @ 1:30-3pm | Lecturer Workshop - CCE: What is it and How Do I Get it? | Angela Crossman, Kyeanna Bailey | TLC - 335 HH |
| Fri, May 1 @ 1:30-3pm | Form C and the Personnel Process | Kyeanna Bailey, Angela Crossman | TLC - 335 HH |
Weekly Faculty Updates
December 10, 2025
December 3, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Week 15 Student Success Communication Campaign. Students receive weekly Tips for Success. This week: Bust Your Stress to Boost Your Finals. See Timely Teaching Tip below.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Address Stress to Ease the End of Fall Term. This week’s student success tip includes strategies to address end of term stress. We can take notes! Whether we make the most of the attached tips or find our own ways to take breaks and nurture our teaching and personal selves, as instructors we need to practice self-care. Being kind to ourselves helps us improve our focus, compassion, and overall quality of instruction. The attached PDF, designed by Cornelia Preda in Student Academic Success Programs (and lightly edited by TLC Director Gina Rae Foster), can be posted over your desk or kept open on your devices for quick consultation when you want ideas for returning to your center. And don’t forget to submit a proposal for Spring 2025 Faculty Development Day! See call for proposals below. Explore TLC News & Opportunities, JJ Distinguished Teaching Academy site and John Jay AI Plus hub. Contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
|
5. Community Events
|
6. Faculty Prizes/Awards/Participants
|
7. Faculty Voices: 3 Survey Invitations!
|
November 26, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC: Rest and Enjoy! No Student Success Communication Campaign message this week. Instead, we focus directly on you. If you are experiencing stress due to almost-end-of-semester pressures, or maybe from holiday pressures, here are some research-backed suggestions for relief:
For more support, the TLC Faculty Student Wellbeing Resource Page shares tips, readings, videos, and podcasts (curated by our colleague Stephanie Simpson). And all faculty (and our families) can access support with free services through the Employee Assistance Program: CCA@YourService. Call 1-800-833-8707, go to www.myccaonline.com, Code: CUNY. |
3. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
|
4. Community Events
|
5. Faculty Awards/Funding
|
6. Faculty Voices: 3 Survey Invitations!
|
November 19, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Week 13 Student Success Communication Campaign. Students receive weekly Tips for Success. This week: Preparing for Finals. See Timely Teaching Tip below.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC: Supporting Finals Prep As our students prepare for finals, here are some ways we can support their preparations.
Explore TLC News & Opportunities, JJ Distinguished Teaching Academy site and John Jay AI Plus hub. Contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
|
5. Community Events
|
6. Faculty Awards/Funding
|
7. Faculty Professional Development Resource Sharing
To add yourself to this organization, please follow these steps: 1. Click on “Discover” at the top of the Brightspace homepage.
|
November 12, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Week 12 Student Success Communication Campaign. Students receive weekly Tips for Success. This week: Winter & Spring Registration is Now Open. See Timely Teaching Tip below.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC: Celebrating our Teaching Wins As nominations for the Distinguished Teaching Prize come in, I’m reminded that our faculty have many, many teaching wins to celebrate. We can do this for ourselves at any time, and right now, just past the mid-term crush, is a critical time to remember what we do well. Counting our wins includes · being specific about what is working and why · reflecting on what is context-dependent (such as this group of students, this set of readings, activities, assignments, or classroom set up) · making notes about what we want to repeat next term or with the next class sessions · identifying common factors or features of our wins that define our teaching styles When we count our teaching wins, we validate and reactivate our commitments to our students and our disciplines. We also gather evidence to include in conversations about teaching with colleagues in our departments and across the college. Explore TLC News & Opportunities and JJ Distinguished Teaching Academy site celebrating our fantastic teachers! Contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
|
5. Community Events
|
6. Call for Faculty Participants
|
November 5, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Week 11 Student Success Communication Campaign. Students receive weekly Tips for Success. This week: Registering for Winter and Spring.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC: Plans and Connections This week, many of our students start registering for their spring courses. How can we support these plans while maintaining our students’ focus on their learning with us now? Encouraging our students to make plans to finish the term well and to make connections in their learning across terms are two easy strategies for academic success. End Goal Plans: With 6 weeks left, prompt students to plan backwards from their final projects and exams to the present. For each week, they can list their goals and assigned work, their available time, their resources, and any challenges they foresee in staying on track. The attached table may be helpful to modify for your needs and share with students. Learning Connections: Try a short freewriting exercise in which your students identify what they are learning now that they believe will be important to their success in spring courses. Or, support partner and small group discussion for 5-10 minutes on this topic. Invite students, live or asynchronously, to write down their connections and share for feedback. Making their ideas visible will amplify the connections and deepen critical thinking. Explore TLC News & Opportunities and JJ Distinguished Teaching Academy site celebrating our fantastic teachers! Contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
|
5. Community Events
|
6. Call for Faculty Participants
|
7. Cheering on our JJ Bloodhound Scholar Athletes! We know that JJ’s scholar athletes kill it inside the classroom. This semester, they are also, yet again, killing it in the gym and on the field! The #1 ranked Women’s Soccer team will play City College on Saturday, Nov 8, 11:30am at York College to defend their CUNYAC championship title. The game will be live streamed (https://johnjayathletics.com/), but drop by to watch if you’re in the area! Whatever your sport of choice (women’s volleyball won the regular season title last night; CUNYAC championships are Nov 13 & 14) – check out the Bloodhound contests livestreamed here. |
October 29, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Week 10 Student Success Communication Campaign. Students receive weekly Tips for Success. This week: Staying Engaged for a Strong Finish. See Timely Teaching Tip below.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC: Staying Engaged for a Strong Finish Next week, students will decide whether they are staying in our classes or choosing to withdraw. How can we help them make informed, supported decisions? This is a great week not only to include the Student Success Communication slide linked above, but also to share this information in live class sessions and emails to our students. (Brightspace makes emailing our classes easy!) Some information you might add when you share: · Benefits that students experience when they attend classes and participate (e.g., additional information, different perspectives, opportunities to ask questions) · Academic Advisement Center: Note the virtual walk-in time, 11:15 am-2:45 pm We can invite questions about progress and make referrals early (Navigate360) when we sense students may need support to stay with their courses and achieve their goals. Explore TLC News & Opportunities and JJ Distinguished Teaching Academy site celebrating our fantastic teachers! Contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
|
5. Community Events
|
6. Asian American/Asian Research Institute Faculty Funding Opportunity NEW 2026 CUNY Faculty Research Support Program – Submissions Due 11/3/25 The Asian American/Asian Research Institute is accepting proposals for the 2026 CUNY Faculty Research Support Program to support research on Asian American and Asian diasporic communities. Focus: Research across all disciplines, including the social sciences, humanities, arts, and health sciences. Priority is given to projects that support a work in progress (e.g., a book, article, or major proposal) or address current policy questions. AAARI seeks to fund research on a diversity of Asian ethnic communities. Funding: Up to five (5) awards of up to $10,000 per award. Funds must be spent by the end of the Spring 2026 semester. Eligible to Apply: CUNY full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty, full-time Doctoral Lecturers Use of Funds: Funds are intended to support research in progress and can be paid as either:
Commitments: Awardees must agree to:
|
October 22, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Week 9 Student Success Communication Campaign. Students receive weekly Tips for Success. This week: Planning for Winter & Spring Registration. See Timely Teaching Tip about feedback.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC: Feedback Strategies At this point of the term, timely, effective feedback is increasingly important to our students. At the same time, some of us may be hitting our mid-term points of fatigue. With small, focused activities, we can meet students’ feedback needs and take care of our energies. Here are two excerpts on live feedback strategies that are quick, but impactful (with links). Formative Assessments in Large Classes. Formative assessments are often low stakes, with little or no point value. They engage students and provide timely feedback to students and faculty. Some ways to add formative assessments in class: short quizzes, polls, in-class problems, and discussion-oriented activities. Students practice course-related skills and demonstrate comprehension, but these do not require time intensive grading. Tulane University, Teaching Large Classes Guide. Immediate Versus Delayed Feedback Classes. Timing of feedback matters. Immediate feedback is helpful for learning concepts, delayed feedback for applying learning. Immediate feedback could include in-class concept questions where students know right away whether they understood material they just learned. Or in-class discussions, where students hear feedback on their ideas in real time. Delayed feedback (e.g., homework problem set, essays): students apply what they learned and receive ‘delayed’ feedback via grading. From MIT, Teaching+Learning Lab. Explore TLC News & Opportunities and JJ Distinguished Teaching Academy site celebrating our fantastic teachers! Contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
|
5. Community Events
|
6. IMPORTANT REMINDER: Sign up for MFA NOW… … Or Lose Brightspace (etc) Access. If you have not yet set up CUNY MFA - Please ACT NOW All JJ students, faculty, and staff will be required to use CUNY MFA to access key university systems. Without CUNY MFA the following university systems will be inaccessible to you:
If you have not setup CUNY MFA, please take immediate action to ensure continued access to university systems. The John Jay website with information on how to configure CUNY MFA for DUO and Microsoft Authenticator can be found here: https://doitapps2.jjay.cuny.edu/MFA/index.php For assistance configuring CUNY MFA, or for any other questions, please contact the John Jay Helpdesk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu, 212-237-8200 or in person floor L2 in the new building. |
7. AI Tools for Research and Pedagogy: 2 Calls for Faculty Participants
|
October 15, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Week 8 Student Success Communication Campaign. Students receive weekly Tips for Success. This week: Mid-Semester Progress. See the Timely Teaching Tip about the halfway point.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC: Mid-Semester Progress Midterm weeks are excellent times to check in with students on their progress. It supports their time management, prioritization, planning, and other academic and professional skills. Be sure to remind students of advising support, tutoring/academic supports, and withdrawal deadlines (Nov 6; Grad 8-Wk-2: Nov 7). Perhaps try one of these strategies: Brightspace: Remind students to check their Brightspace courses under the top menu item “Course Progress.” Offer tips on how much of the course overall you expect them to have completed and how they can make steps towards recovery, if needed. Syllabi: Ask students to review the syllabus schedule and check off what they’ve already accomplished. Reflective writing, peer discussion, and online anonymous polls can help students make connections and form insights about their learning over the past 7.5 weeks. Learning objectives: Try reflective writing, small group, partner or class discussion to identify evidence of learning objective progress. What has been accomplished? What needs to be learned to meet the objectives? Remind students that you will work together for success. Explore TLC News & Opportunities and JJ Distinguished Teaching Academy site celebrating our fantastic teachers! Contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
|
5. Community Events
|
6. AI Tools for Research and Pedagogy: 2 Calls for Faculty Participants
|
October 8, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Week 7 Student Success Communication Campaign. Students receive weekly Tips for Success. This week: Career Engagement. See the Timely Teaching Tip about making career connections.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC: Supporting Career Connections This week’s Student Success Campaign message encourages students to take practical steps towards their career goals. We can also support our students progress towards their careers through making these connections:
There are many more ways we can make career connections meaningful in our courses: try sharing practices when waiting for meetings to start or during a coffee/tea break with your peers! And don’t forget to remind students about CareerCon! (See flier below.) Explore the TLC News & Opportunities page and our new John Jay Distinguished Teaching Academy site that celebrates our fantastic teachers! To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
|
5. Community Events
|
6. Call for Participants: Innovative Pedagogy with Gen AI Challenge Join the first 50 faculty to complete Innovative Pedagogy with Gen AI! Your AAC&U AI, Pedagogy, & the Curriculum team has set a challenge for JJ! We are looking for 50 faculty (or more) to complete the self-paced Innovative Pedagogy with Gen AI workshop on Brightspace. This workshop was designed by our Office for Digital Learning instructional designers and is available for self-enrollment. Whether you are already experimenting with AI or haven't tried it yet, this workshop meets you where you are. It's designed for faculty across disciplines and requires no technical background. To access it, log into Brightspace and look for the Discover tab. Then type “genai” in the search bar and enroll in the course. We will offer trainings and licenses for selected Gen AI apps in January. Complete this course if you’re interested in access! |
October 1, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Week 6 Student Success Communication Campaign. Students receive weekly Tips for Success. This week: Finding and Accessing Resources – with EAB Navigate! See the Timely Teaching Tip.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip: Helping Students Find & Access Resources Navigate360 Updates: Strengthening Coordinated Care This fall, Navigate360 continues to expand as a hub for coordinated student support: our shared effort to connect students with the right help at the right time. Early Check-In requests should be in your mailboxes. Submissions are open until October 8. Your participation helps us connect students with resources before they fall too far behind. Faculty can also submit on-going Alerts, as needed, about emerging concerns (e.g., “missing assignments,” “attendance concerns”) that trigger follow-up from advising or support staff. These alerts may prompt an advisor to reach out and help the student get back on track. Students can now also submit their own “Hand Raises” in Navigate to request help directly. Faculty engagement is vital to making these tools effective. To learn more or for suggestions, email Kate Szur, Associate Dean for Student Success and Innovation kszur@jjay.cuny.edu. For Navigate360 technical assistance, email navigatesupport@jjay.cuny.edu. And bookmark the TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
Description: Redesign assignments that value human creativity and critical thinking. Participants will prompt their LLM of choice to attempt existing assignments, analyze where AI shortcuts are possible and revise prompts to require reflection, iteration, and synthesis. Participants will consider how to use this activity to build student skills to critique and improve their responses, while also making it harder to cheat.
|
5. Community Events
|
6. Call for Applications: Be a Faculty Mentor, Find a Faculty Mentor
The spring Faculty Success Program begins Jan 26, 2026. Full-time faculty can apply for funding to participate with the Faculty Opportunity Fund (application): Please apply for funds by Oct 8. The next 14-day writing challenge runs Nov 3-Nov 16 (register by Oct 24). To claim your NCFDD account: (a) Go to https://www.ncfdd.org/join; (b) choose John Jay from the drop-down menu; (c) select “Activate my Membership”; (d) complete registration with your jjay email address; (e) confirm in jjay email by clicking “Activate Account”. |
September 24, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Week 5 Student Success Communication Campaign. Students receive weekly Tips for Success. This week: Academic Support. Knowing when we need help and asking for it is an important skill that we can help students build. See Timely Teaching Tip for ideas.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Helping Students Seek Help. Reaching out for the help we want and need is a learned skill. In some cases, we may feel nearly as anxious as our students about sending emails, making phone calls, and dropping into offices for the first time, particularly when we feel vulnerable. We can help our students learn to advocate for themselves and find help by:
A commitment to learning is also a commitment to humility: we don’t know it all. We learn through practice, errors, and guidance. This is a great mindset to share with students. Be sure to bookmark the TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
|
5. Community Events
|
6. Call for Applications: Be a Faculty Mentor, Find a Faculty Mentor
|
September 17, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Week 4 Student Success Communication Campaign. Students receive weekly Tips for Success. We invite you to share the weekly slide and information to emphasize the recommendations. This week’s theme: Make the Most of Your Time! A great way students set themselves up for success is with effective time management – a skill we can help them to build. See the Timely Teaching Tip for ways to help students understand and practice their timing skills.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Time Management – A Strategy for Life! We know that effective time management is an important skill for success. The start of a term is a great time to encourage students to build time management plans matched to their course syllabi (during office hours? see Week 3). Do students know how? In addition to sharing this week’s Tip for Success on time management (see infographic, shown below), here are a few ways to help:
Be sure to bookmark the TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
|
5. Community Events
|
6. Call for Applications: Be a Faculty Mentor, Find a Faculty Mentor
|
September 10, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Week 3 Week 3: Student Success Communication Campaign! Students receive weekly Tips for Success messages. We invite you to share the weekly companion slide and information in class (or online) to emphasize these recommendations. This week’s theme: Connect with Your Professors! Attendance is great – even better is when students engage with faculty during and beyond class time. See the Timely Teaching Tip for more on student engagement via Office Hours – or Power Hours.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Connections. Here are some ideas for helping students understand that the benefits of connecting with their professors go well beyond being present (see Week 2).
Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page to find more opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
|
5. Community Events & Opportunities
|
6. Volunteers Needed! Days of 9/11 Remembrance & Service Call for volunteers! as John Jay commemorates 9/11 with memorial and community service events. Visit the website for more details and to RSVP (links for each event below as well).
|
7. Multi-Factor Authentication CUNY Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): CUNY has added cybersecurity measures to protect its systems. Faculty, students and staff must use CUNY MFA to access these CUNY systems (among others): Brightspace, CUNYBuy, CUNYfirst, DegreeWorks, EAB Navigate, FACTS, CUNY Library Ezproxy, LinkedIn Learning, Zoom, etc. [CUNY MFA is not the same as Microsoft 365 MFA or John Jay DUO, which we use to access JJ webmail]. Instructions to setup CUNY MFA are below. You will need a computer and cell phone. For assistance/questions, contact the JJ Helpdesk: helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu, 212-237-8200.
|
8. Compliance Corner: A Few CUNY Policy Reminders
|
September 3, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Resources for Faculty Week 2: Student Success Communication Campaign! Our students are receiving weekly Tips for Success messages. We invite you to share the weekly companion slide and information in class (or online) to emphasize these recommendations. This week’s theme: Attend Class Like You Mean It! Let’s keep our students enrolled! Remind students to engage with their classes and Brightspace in time for the verification of attendance deadline and in time to meet the drop deadline. See the Timely Teaching Tip for more on student attendance.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Attend Class Like You Mean It! Once our students find us (see Week 1) – it’s important that they continue to show up. Some absences may be inevitable and the College provides guidance on attendance in the Faculty Handbook (under College Bulletins: Attendance Policy). Faculty have discretion in setting attendance policies for their courses and these should be clearly stated on syllabi, including clear makeup policies for missed time or work. Are there ways to encourage student attendance (engagement online)? We know that meaningful interactions keep students interested: try sharing a story about your path to your profession and what made the difference in your academic success. Invite students to share their stories of what brought them John Jay and your course (this can be done on discussion boards, in partner or small groups, or free writing in class). Prioritizing introductory and early activities that make class time transparently valuable to their learning might help as well. Short informal writing activities, low stakes quizzes, or small group conversations in which students discuss assignment instructions to predict the time, skills, and resources they will need to complete the work are useful. However, if a student is already frequently absent or demonstrates a lack of necessary skills or knowledge in early assignments, we have excellent support resources. Please refer such students to the Counseling Center, Wellness Center and/or Office of Accessibility Services. Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page to find more opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities Professional Development Calendar
|
5. Community Events
|
6. Volunteers Needed! Days of 9/11 Remembrance & Service Call for faculty, staff and student volunteers! As we do each year, John Jay commemorates 9/11 with a series of memorial and community service events. Please join – bring a colleague, encourage a student to attend! Volunteers welcome and needed! Visit the website for more details and to RSVP (links for each event below as well).
|
August 27, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Student Success Communication Campaign: Resources for Faculty We know that students value, and often hear, faculty voices best. So, we are collaborating across Academic Affairs to share a new faculty and student support resource. We call it the Student Success Communication Campaign! We connect the weekly Tips for Success messages that students receive with a companion slide that faculty can share in class (or online) that amplifies the same message. The goal: by collaborating to reinforce the same messages, we hope to help students stay on track and strengthen their success skills.
Each week addresses new theme. This week’s theme: Finding each other! Students: They receive the message posted HERE under Week 1. Faculty: can reinforce this week’s message with this Infographic, PDF or Slide. |
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Finding each other! As an academic and human community, each of us wants to believe that we belong together, and we want tangible, practical evidence to validate our roles in our community. The success message students receive this week is an early step in creating our class communities: let’s make sure our students know how, when, and where to find us!
To help students feel that they belong, I encourage you to learn your students’ names and ask them to do this for each other. This can be daunting with multiple classes, so you can find some tips here. And thanks to our colleague Nancy Yang, some additional resources:
Let’s connect with our students, and let’s help them connect with each other and John Jay!TLC News & Opportunities here. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Professional Development Opportunities On Monday, Provost Pease shared ways in which Academic Affairs will be supporting our community to continued excellence in education, research and the success of students, faculty and staff this year. She included our Professional Development Calendar, which will be updated regularly, so check it out! A few samples are below.
|
5. Community Events
|
6. CUNY MFA: Coordinated Message for your students CUNY added cybersecurity measures, like CUNY MFA, for students, faculty and staff to protect its systems, like CUNY First and Brightspace. Hopefully by now you have gotten your own authentication set up. The instructions are below, just in case. When students return and attempt to sign on to Brightspace, they may run into problems. To help coordinate messages to students – we invite faculty to share this infographic, PDF, or slidewith your students Week 1 of class (per our Student Success Communication Campaign described above). It will amplify the Tips for Success message they receive about setting up MFA to ensure students engage actively from the start class to be successful. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Students, faculty, and staff will be required to use CUNY MFA to access key CUNY systems (e.g., Brightspace, CUNYfirst, EAB Navigate, Zoom). [CUNY MFA is not the same as Microsoft 365 MFA or John Jay DUO]. To setup CUNY MFA:
For assistance/questions, contact the JJ Helpdesk: helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu, 212-237-8200. |
August 20, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC With fall semester fast approaching and teaching preparations underway, we hope you enjoyed this week’s Design, Refine & Shine! workshops and this month’s 10-part course prep reminder series (two parts to go; you can review the whole series here.) As you ponder day 1 of class – beyond going over your excellent syllabus (see 1a above) and reviewing part 8 of the course prep series – consider these resources from our colleague Nancy Yang, Associate Director of First Year Programs. Nancy recently wrote and shared two excellent Substack posts that may be useful as you update your teaching toolkits and consider how to welcome and empower students on day 1.
TLC News & Opportunities here. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. ODL August 2025 Brightspace Training Opportunities August workshops and offerings from the Office of Digital Learning (ODL): ODL Brightspace Open Q & A, Monday, August 25, 2-3pm Link: https://jjay-cuny.zoom.us/j/86457509066?pwd=eZ2XjK6wxdltqPbek0fe9lPYXDYV89.1 ODL Brightspace Drop in Lab, Thursday, August 28, 1:40-2:50pm (Comm Hr), L2.72.03NB See John Jay’s ODL Learning Management System news and resources for Brightspace help and training. Faculty and staff Brightspace LMS inquiries to LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu and student inquiries to LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. The Office of Digital Learning website has information on ODL services. Schedule an appointment with an Instructional Designer. |
4. CUNY MFA: Coordinated Message for your students CUNY has added cybersecurity measures, like CUNY MFA, for students, faculty and staff to protect its systems, like CUNY First and Brightspace. Hopefully by now you have gotten your own authentication set up. The instructions are below, just in case. When students return and attempt to sign on to Brightspace, they may run into problems. To help coordinate messages to students – we invite faculty to share this infographic with your students on DAY 1 of class (we will send a slide next week). It will amplify the message they receive from Academic Affairs about setting up MFA and ensuring students engage actively Day 1 of class to be successful. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): John Jay students, faculty, and staff will be required to use CUNY MFA to access key university systems. [CUNY MFA is not the same as Microsoft 365 MFA or John Jay DUO, which we use to access JJ webmail]. CUNY MFA will be needed to access systems, such as: Brightspace, CUNYfirst, EAB Navigate, Library Ezproxy, Zoom, etc. To setup CUNY MFA:
For assistance/questions, contact the JJ Helpdesk: helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu, 212-237-8200. |
August 13, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Syllabus Guidelines and Resources. Fall classes begin in 2 weeks. How can we make writing and revising syllabi easier, faster, and even more effective? We have resources to share! John Jay has a 20-page guide with model syllabus sections and sample policy statements: Guidelines for Creating Your Syllabus as well as a syllabus template the incorporates required content. Yes, there are AI syllabus policies to fit nearly every course and instructional need: AI Syllabi Policies: A look at the collection (Lance Eaton): And of course, your TLC has a course prep reminder series conveniently compiled into one file (Parts 1-7 with Parts 8-10 to be added) AND a page of teaching resources on syllabi, assignments, assessment, and multiple pedagogies: Course Prep Reminder Series & Teaching Essentials. Borrow, quote, paraphrase, revise, and please give credit for your sources! Happy syllabus writing! TLC News & Opportunities here. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Pedagogy Workshops for Fall Fall 2025 Faculty Development Day is Thursday, August 21. RSVP and schedule are here. But first … Define, Refine & Shine workshops are next week! Lineup is below. Modifying syllabi for Gen Alpha and Gen Z students in a time of change: Lessons learned from POL 101. Presenters: Rosa Squillacote & Utku Sezgin (POL), Mon, Aug 18, 10-11:30 am. Zoom Registration Link.
Mixing it Up: Strategies for an Engaged Classroom. Presenter: Dustin Meier (HIS), Mon, Aug 18, 12-1:30 pm. Zoom Registration Link.
Liberatory Assessment: Reimagining How We Evaluate, Empower, and Engage Students, Presenter: Shari Simon (SEEK), Tues, Aug 19, 12-1:30 pm. Zoom Registration Link.
Questions? Contact your Teaching & Learning Center: TLC@jjay.cuny.edu |
4. ODL August 2025 Brightspace Training Opportunities August workshops and offerings from the Office of Digital Learning (ODL): ODL TwT 3: PlayPosit by WeVideo, Wednesday, August 13, 11:30am-12:30pm. ZOOM link. ODL TwT 4: Perusall, Wednesday, August 13, 2-3pm. ZOOM link. ODL Brightspace Semester Quick Start, Monday, August 18, 2-3pm. ZOOM link. ODL Brightspace Open Q & A, Tuesday, August 19, 2-3pm. ZOOM link. ODL Brightspace Open Q & A, Monday, August 25, 2-3pm. ZOOM link. ODL Brightspace Drop in Lab, Thursday, August 28, 1:40-2:50pm (Comm Hr), L2.72.03NB See John Jay’s ODL Learning Management System news and resources for Brightspace help and training. Faculty and staff Brightspace LMS inquiries to LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu and student inquiries to LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. The Office of Digital Learning website has information on ODL services. Schedule an appointment with an Instructional Designer. |
5. Important: Set Up Your CUNY MFA Today I know I’m repeating myself, but this is going to come up big time when students return. So it’s good to get your authentication set up now. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): John Jay students, faculty, and staff will be required to use CUNY MFA to access key university systems. [CUNY MFA is not the same as Microsoft 365 MFA or John Jay DUO, which we use to access JJ webmail]. CUNY MFA will be needed to access these CUNY systems (among others): Brightspace, CUNYBuy, CUNYfirst, DegreeWorks, EAB Navigate, FACTS, CUNY Library Ezproxy, LinkedIn Learning, Zoom, etc. What should you do? Set up CUNY MFA to prevent lost access to university systems. To setup CUNY MFA:
For assistance/questions, contact the JJ Helpdesk: helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu, 212-237-8200. |
August 6, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Planning for Building Writing & QR Skills. Beyond technology skills (see July 30), we seek to help students build their “analog toolkits”: writing and quantitative reasoning (QR) skills. Here are some writing and QR resources to explore to help facilitate course planning:
Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. ODL: Teaching with Technology Week Next week: The Office of Digital Learning (ODL; formerly DOES) is offering Teaching with Technology Week (TwT)! Monday, August 11, 2-3pm, Exploring VoiceThread Tuesday, August 12, 10am-1pm, Brightspace Bootcamp Wednesday, Aug 13, 11:30am-12:30pm, Personalization with PlayPosit Wednesday, August 13, 2-3pm, Getting Started with Perusall See John Jay’s ODL Learning Management System news and resources for Brightspace help and training. Faculty and staff Brightspace LMS inquiries to LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu and student inquiries to LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. The Office of Digital Learning website has information on ODL services. Schedule an appointment with an Instructional Designer. |
4. Important Cybersecurity Information CUNY and JJ are making changes to protect our systems (including required Cybersecurity Awareness training). Please be aware of this important information. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA):All John Jay students, faculty, and staff will be required to use CUNY MFA to access key university systems. CUNY MFA is not the same as Microsoft 365 MFA or John Jay DUO (which we use to access JJ webmail). Without CUNY MFA the following university systems will soon be inaccessible (among others): Brightspace, CUNYfirst, CUNYBuy, DegreeWorks, EAB Navigate, FACTS, CUNY Library Ezproxy, LinkedIn Learning, Zoom, etc. What should you do? Set up CUNY MFA to prevent lost access to university systems. To setup CUNY MFA:
For help or questions, contact the John Jay Helpdesk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212-237-8200. |
5. NCFDD Community John Jay has an NCFDD institutional membership – so all faculty – part-time, full-time, and doctoral students – have access to a free individual account. And NCFDD just introduced a new resource to which we all have access: the NCFDD Community. NCFDD Community is a members-only space for connection, support, solidarity, peer development, and for sharing strategies to overcome challenges. The community allows faculty to:
Wednesday Wisdom Giveaways in August provide faculty the chance to win full scholarships to NCFDD’s fall programs, including the Faculty Success Program and Department Chair Success Program. Learn more here: Why We Built a New Online Community for Academics To claim your NCFDD account: (a) Go to https://www.ncfdd.org/join; (b) choose John Jay from the drop-down menu; (c) select “Activate my Membership”; (d) complete registration with your jjay email address; (e) confirm in jjay email by clicking “Activate Account”. |
July 30, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Fall 2025 classes start in four weeks on Tuesday, August 26. If your courses are ready to go, congratulations! For the remaining 99% of us, here are some thoughts on technology. Brightspace: While many of us know the basics, we may not know how to streamline communications and grading or which tools and settings to use to support student accessibility needs. ODL workshops and guides can help! See links below. AI: What will your AI policies be? Will you use and permit use of AI in your courses? If so, what are the parameters? Revisit the college’s AI Responsible Use Guidelines and CUNY Academic Integrity policy. This article by Law Professor John Lande speaks to faculty fears about AI and offers practical suggestions and strategies, if you are interested. Access: Although many students use ChatGPT, there are free and paid versions. Free versions offer limited use and support. Similar to high textbook costs, app costs can block student access. This is also true for students’ devices. What resources will students need to access any technology you expect them to use and is it available on campus (e.g., library)? Learning Curves: Some students will be unfamiliar with technology we ask them to use (e.g., MS Word, MS Excel, VoiceThread, ePortfolio, Perusall). You might want to anticipate time students will need to learn these tools when planning. Starting Friday, August 1, the TLC will be sharing course prep reminders every few days until Friday, August 22. Keep an eye on your email and follow us on LinkedIn! Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. ODL August 2025 Brightspace Training Opportunities The Office of Digital Learning (ODL; formerly DOES) is offering Brightspace faculty training opportunities in August 2025. They especially welcome new faculty to join these sessions! Teaching with Technology Week (TwT): Mon, Aug 11 to Weds, Aug 13. It features ODL Brightspace Bootcamp, a comprehensive, 3-hour webinar of Brightspace basics. TwT Week also includes sessions on the most popular supplemental tools integrated into Brightspace. More Brightspace webinars and a Drop-in Lab with the LMS Support Team follow. See John Jay’s ODL Learning Management System news and resources for Brightspace help and training. Faculty and staff Brightspace LMS inquiries to LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu and student inquiries to LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. The Office of Digital Learning website has information on ODL services. Schedule an appointment with an Instructional Designer.
Schedule ODL Teaching with Technology Week (TwT) 1: VoiceThread, Monday, August 11, 2-3pm ODL TwT 2: Brightspace Bootcamp, Tuesday, August 12, 10am-1pm ODL TwT 3: PlayPosit by WeVideo, Wednesday, August 13, 11:30am-12:30pm ODL TwT 4: Perusall, Wednesday, August 13, 2-3pm ODL Brightspace Semester Quick Start, Monday, August 18, 2-3pm ODL Brightspace Open Q & A, Tuesday, August 19, 2-3pm ODL Brightspace Open Q & A, Monday, August 25, 2-3pm ODL Brightspace Drop in Lab, Thursday, August 28, 1:40-2:50pm (Comm Hr), L2.72.03NB |
July 23, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Summer reflections. This summer, our teaching tips are building towards course preparation for the fall. We’ve been taking a different approach by suggesting we make teaching resolutions, pay attention to upcoming timing, and set aside time for course design as if we were making time to write. We have one more step to recommend before turning to the practical parts about policies, syllabi, and of course, strategies and assessment. Take a moment to think back on your own learning experiences. What were the ones that felt life-changing? The ones that convinced you THIS was your discipline and an essential part of your future? Take a moment and write down how you felt and what you remember about those learning moments. Looking forward to this fall, which of those learning highlights can you build into your courses? Perhaps there was a strategy or an assignment that made essential connections. Perhaps your instructors framed their instructions with examples that still light up your mind or repeated advice that you find yourself repeating when you need encouragement. Which of these could you share with your students? Pass on the wisdom and inspiration! Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. ODL August 2025 Brightspace Training Opportunities The Office of Digital Learning (ODL; formerly DOES) announces Brightspace faculty training opportunities for August 2025. They especially welcome new faculty to join these sessions! Activities start with Teaching with Technology Week, Mon, Aug 11 to Weds, Aug 13. TwT Week features ODL Brightspace Bootcamp, a comprehensive, three-hour webinar of Brightspace basics, led by our Learning Management System Support team. TwT Week also includes several sessions on the most popular supplemental tools integrated into our Brightspace platform, led by experts from our vendor partners. The month wraps up with additional Brightspace webinars and a Drop-in Lab offered by the LMS Support Team. Visit John Jay’s ODL Learning Management System news and resources for Brightspace help and training. Please send all Brightspace LMS inquiries to LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu (faculty and staff) and LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu (students). Visit the Office of Digital Learning website for more information on ODL services. Schedule an appointment with an Instructional Designer. Schedule ODL Teaching with Technology Week (TwT) 1: VoiceThread, Monday, August 11, 2-3pm ODL TwT 2: Brightspace Bootcamp, Tuesday, August 12, 10am-1pm ODL TwT 3: PlayPosit by WeVideo, Wednesday, August 13, 11:30am-12:30pm ODL TwT 4: Perusall, Wednesday, August 13, 2-3pm ODL Brightspace Semester Quick Start, Monday, August 18, 2-3pm ODL Brightspace Open Q & A, Tuesday, August 19, 2-3pm ODL Brightspace Open Q & A, Monday, August 25, 2-3pm ODL Brightspace Drop in Lab, Thursday, August 28, 1:40-2:50pm (Comm Hr), L2.72.03NB |
July 16, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Schedule Your Course Prep Time. Even in summer, finding (and protecting) time for scholarly and creative writing can become a bucket list item we never seem to check off. Finding and protecting time for course planning (attentive, focused time) can be nearly as challenging. A recent blog by Doctoral Lecturer Tomasita Ortíz shares John Jay faculty finding time this past spring for their writing, with much-needed insights and successes. We can apply similar practices to our course design efforts and relieve the last-minute stress and sleep deprivation that often show up a few days before classes begin. First, set a regular time each week to plan your courses. It might be 30 to 90 minutes: find time when you can turn off notifications and sit with few distractions in comfortable space. Second, set small, achievable goals for your time. They may be as simple as filling in your contact information and class meeting times or as detailed as creating the course schedule or a Brightspace module. Third, give yourself permission to use the time for any part of your course design that needs work. Are you reconsidering how you assess and grade student work? Are you thinking about a scaffolded assignment and how the steps flow from beginning to end? Do you want to find a new resource (we recommend Open Educational Resources that are digital, accessible, and cost-free)? Any work you do towards creating your course counts. Finally, invite a colleague to be your course design partner. You can encourage each other, share parts of your course for feedback, and keep each other on track with a sense of kind and collegial accountability. Give yourself the gift of more time and stronger course design! Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Faculty Survey: Please give feedback on PlayPosit Invitation: The Office of Digital Learning (ODL; formerly the Department of Online Education and Support) is exploring ways to expand the use of video for teaching and learning in Brightspace. They are requesting your feedback on PlayPosit, an interactive video platform that allows instructors to embed quizzes, polls, reflective pauses, and discussion prompts directly into video content. Please complete the survey by Aug 1. SURVEY: https://jjay.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bxf8z5UkgeiLA8u |
4. Important Cybersecurity Information As I hope you have seen, CUNY and JJ are making changes to protect our systems (including required Cybersecurity Awareness training). Please be aware of this important information.
If you need assistance configuring the authenticator, or for other questions please contact the John Jay Helpdesk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212-237-8200.
|
July 9, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Summer teaching resolutions. Now that we are midsummer, we have an opportunity to review teaching observations and student evaluations in perhaps less stressful moments to form next year’s teaching resolutions. These resolutions can be simple and specific and can become our anchors or roots for being the teachers we want to be in the coming semesters. This article from Inside Higher Ed offers perspective and pointers: https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/career-advice/teaching/2024/01/04/making-most-critical-student-evaluations-opinion If you decide to set resolutions or consider what they might be, we encourage you to find a balance between student feedback and peer observations. What will you definitely continue? What one or two strategies or communications do you feel ready to try differently? Write, sketch, map, list, or even record your resolutions and give yourself goals and benchmarks. Then set these aside until you are ready to plan your courses! (Full-time faculty: don’t forget that they can/should also be documented/discussed on Form Cs.) Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Faculty Survey: Please give feedback on PlayPosit Invitation: The Office of Digital Learning (ODL; formerly the Department of Online Education and Support) is exploring ways to expand the use of video for teaching and learning in Brightspace. They are requesting your feedback on PlayPosit, an interactive video platform that supports active learning. SURVEY: https://jjay.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bxf8z5UkgeiLA8u PlayPosit is an interactive video platform that allows instructors to create engaging learning experiences by embedding quizzes, polls, reflective pauses, and discussion prompts directly into video content. ODL is considering enabling new features that would streamline video creation and allow for seamless deployment of interactive content in your Brightspace courses.Please complete the survey by Aug 1. |
4. NCFDD Writing Challenge The next NCFDD 14-Day Writing Challenge is almost here! This simple, and free, two-week challenge is designed for anyone who wants to make consistent progress by writing just 30 minutes a day. No pressure. No feedback. Just structure, community, and results. Registration deadline: Friday, July 11. Challenge dates: July 21 – August 3. John Jay has an NCFDD institutional membership – so all faculty – part-time, full-time, doctoral students – have access to a free individual account. To claim your free NCFDD account: (a) Go to https://www.ncfdd.org/join; (b) choose John Jay College from the drop-down menu; (c) select “Activate my Membership”; (d) complete registration with your jjay email address; (e) confirm in jjay email by clicking “Activate Account”. |
July 2, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC If you are thinking ahead for fall planning – here is some information that might be handy:
Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Opportunities/Workshops
|
4. Faculty Survey: Please give feedback on PlayPosit Invitation: The Office of Digital Learning (ODL; formerly the Department of Online Education and Support) is exploring ways to expand the use of video for teaching and learning in Brightspace. They are requesting your feedback on PlayPosit, an interactive video platform that supports active learning. SURVEY: https://jjay.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bxf8z5UkgeiLA8u PlayPosit is an interactive video platform that allows instructors to create engaging learning experiences by embedding quizzes, polls, reflective pauses, and discussion prompts directly into video content. Instructors can use:
These interactive video lessons—called “bulbs”—can be assigned in Brightspace and integrated with the gradebook for automatic grading. ODL is considering enabling new features that would allow faculty to:
These features would streamline video creation and allow for seamless deployment of interactive content in your Brightspace courses. Please complete the survey by Aug 1. |
5. Important Email and Policy Changes Cybersecurity is no joke nowadays. Bad actors routinely try to infiltrate university systems, seek to defraud individuals and/or steal information, and otherwise wreak havoc. CUNY and JJ are making changes to protect our systems, including the required Cybersecurity Awareness training. Please be aware of this important information.
|
June 25, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Summer can provide a wonderful opportunity to recharge. If you’re looking for inspiration, affirmation, and energy, we recommend listening to these John Jay faculty and student podcasts that share teaching insights and original performances from science to theory to poetry and music. Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Opportunities/Workshops
|
4. Relocation Information Thinking of moving? You might find these relocation resources that CUNY assembled to be useful: https://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/hr/relocation/ |
June 18, 2025
| 1. Important Information/Dates |
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Online Teaching Certificate: If you are looking for a way to get training for teaching online, our Department of Online Education & Support (DOES) offers faculty a self-paced, asynchronous online workshop for certification to teach online. To find the workshop on Brightspace, go to the “Organizations” section of the My Courses widget and look for the “Effective Online Teaching, Self-Paced Workshop.” If you do not see it in your Brightspace, email LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu and hdavenport@jjay.cuny.edu to request access. If you’re already teaching online, check out these DOES guides, tutorials and webinars to upskill over the summer. CUNY also has an extensive set of online teaching resources HERE. If you want to learn more about “Teaching with AI” – see 3b below. And remember to Save the Date for our next Faculty Development Day: Thursday, August 21! Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Opportunities/Workshops
To request funding to participate in the workshops ($299), please submit a Faculty Opportunity Fund application to Dean Crossman at apfaculty@jjay.cuny.edu by July 2. Participants will be invited to share how they apply what they learn at JJ. |
4. CUNY Career Success Fellows: Deadline June 20 Call for Applications! for the CUNY Career Success Fellows program. Full-time faculty from all disciplines are invited to apply. Fellows will be expected to:
Fellows receive: a stipend ($1000) and funding to support their goals; an opportunity to collaborate with faculty across CUNY on this CUNY priority; and professional development to integrate career-connected learning into courses and/or curricula. Interested faculty can apply using this link. To learn about previous work done by Fellows, see the CSF compendium. Deadline to apply: Friday, June 20, 5:00 PM. Accepted fellows must obtain Provost and Chair approval. Questions to careersuccessfellows@cuny.edu. |
June 11, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC The comparatively relaxed atmosphere of summer classes can afford students an excellent opportunity to hone their skills with fewer distractions. Given the compressed time frame, however, support for effective writing, math, and language skills, among other academic needs, will be important. Luckily, support is available! The Alan Siegal Writing Center:
The Math and Science Resource Center:
The Modern Language Center:
Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Opportunities/Workshops
|
4. Teaching with Technology Week Brightspace Training sessions with educational technology vendors: June 11 & 12.
|
5. CUNY Career Success Fellows: Deadline to apply June 20 Call for Applications! The CUNY Office of Transformation and Office of Academic Affairs invite applications for the Career Success Fellows program. Fellows will continue the program’s commitment to enhancing CUNY’s role as a powerful engine of social mobility and preparing our students for successful, meaningful futures per CUNY Beyond. Full-time faculty from all disciplines are invited to apply. Fellows will be expected to:
Fellows will receive:
Interested faculty can apply using this link. To learn about previous work done by Fellows, see the CSF compendium. Deadline to apply: Friday, June 20, 5:00 PM. Accepted fellows must obtain Provost and Chair approval. Questions to careersuccessfellows@cuny.edu. |
June 4, 2025
1. Important Information/Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Teaching Summer Courses. Summer courses have started! Whether we are teaching 3-, 5-, or 8-week courses, these accelerated learning opportunities present particular challenges. The guide from Montana State University linked below shows several best practices we can implement even after we’ve begun teaching. For example, prioritizing student learning outcomes maintains focus, and balancing this with frequent, low-stakes assessments adds motivation for students and creates small, practical methods of offering students regular feedback on their work in the short time available. See link for more – including ideas for ways to structure class time: Best Practices for Teaching Accelerated Courses (Montana State University). Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Opportunities/Workshops
|
4. Teaching with Technology Week Brightspace Training sessions with educational technology vendors: June 9-12.
|
5. NCFDD Writing Challenge Wherever you are in your writing journey, the NCFDD Summer 14-Day Writing Challenge is here to help you build momentum, stay consistent and make meaningful progress on your scholarly work. The challenge is: write for at least 30 minutes per day for 2 weeks with an online writing community that provides supportive accountability. Whether beginning a new project, wrapping one up, or trying to break through a mid-project slump, this free challenge is a chance to reset your writing habits and move your work forward—1 day at a time. Next challenge dates: June 16 - June 29. Deadline to register: June 6. Register HERE John Jay has an NCFDD institutional membership – so all faculty – part-time, full-time, doctoral students – have access to a free individual account. To claim your free NCFDD account: (a) Go to https://www.ncfdd.org/join; (b) choose John Jay College from the drop-down menu; (c) select “Activate my Membership”; (d) complete registration with your jjay email address; (e) confirm in jjay email by clicking “Activate Account” |
May 28, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
In addition, all faculty must have an ADA statement on the first page of their syllabus that includes the location and contact information for OAS. Please see HERE for sample language, contact information and guidelines to ensure the successful implementation of Accommodations granted by John Jay through the OAS. |
2. Commencement Information Today’s ceremony is at Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217. Faculty should arrive by 2:00pm, which is when doors will open. Faculty enter through the Qatar Airways VIP Entrance, in the northwest corner of the arena on Atlantic Avenue. (Ceremony begins at 3:30pm.) Faculty Commencement Guide here. Getting There
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC As we celebrate our students today – we also celebrate our faculty. Our Distinguished Teaching Prize winners inspire us every year, and this year is no exception. Professors Pamela LiVecchi (PSY) and Ana Pego (SCI) share their teaching experiences in two bite-sized podcast interviews. We invite you to enhance your teaching motivation by listening in – and by participating in upcoming pedagogy development opportunities (see 4 & 5 below). Pamela LiVecchi interview podcast & Ana Pego interview podcast Reminder: The call for proposals is open for Faculty Development Day (Thurs, Aug 21, 9-3pm). Our Fall 2025 theme is “Here & Now: Justice-Centered Higher Education” (full details, including Breakout Session Tracks here). Proposal Deadline: Fri, May 30, 11:59 pm ET. Submit proposals here: https://forms.gle/DtrrwsemR85XURLb7 Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Upcoming Faculty Opportunities/Workshops
|
5. Teaching with Technology Week Brightspace Training sessions with educational technology vendors: June 9-12.
|
May 21, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Assigning Incomplete (INC) grades. Granting an incomplete grade may not be an act of compassion or mercy. At the same time, if offered with a specific plan and commitment, it can support students’ growth and transitions to their next academic steps, if they can complete the missing work by the submission deadline (Mon, Dec 1). Please remember that decisions regarding grades must align with college policies and your own syllabus policies.
Reminder: The call for proposals is open for Faculty Development Day (Thurs, Aug 21, 9-3pm). Our Fall 2025 theme is “Here & Now: Justice-Centered Higher Education” (full details, including Breakout Session Tracks here). Proposal Deadline: Fri, May 30, 11:59 pm ET. Submit proposals here. Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
4. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration not required, but please use your John Jay Zoom account for security (for help with zoom, contact DOIT Help Desk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212.238.8200). TODAY! DOES LMS How to: Brightspace Open Q & A, Weds, May 21, 2pm-3pm. Meeting ID: 898 2567 5814; Passcode: 043574 DOES LMS Brightspace Drop-In Labs: Thurs, May 22, 1:40-2:55pm, L2.72.05 NB. Schedule for future workshops and webinars HERE. More information is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
5. Teaching with Technology Week Brightspace Training sessions with educational technology vendors: June 9-12.
|
May 14, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Next steps – As you wrap up the spring semester and contemplate what you want to do in the summer or fall, we invite you to participate in exciting, upcoming TLC programming!
Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
4. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration not required, but please use your John Jay Zoom account for security (for help with zoom, contact DOIT Help Desk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212.238.8200). TODAY! DOES LMS How to: Brightspace Final Grades, Weds, May 14, 2pm-3pm. Meeting ID: 856 8366 3129; Passcode: 907729 DOES LMS How to: Brightspace Open Q & A, Weds, May 21, 2pm-3pm. Meeting ID: 898 2567 5814; Passcode: 043574 DOES LMS Brightspace Drop-In Labs: Thurs, May 15 & May 22, 1:40-2:55pm, L2.72.05 NB. Schedule for future workshops and webinars HERE. More information is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
5. Applications for OAR Book Talks Call for Nominations! to submit nominations for the 2025–2026 Office for the Advancement of Research Book Talk series is Thurs, May 15, 5 PM. The Book Talks feature recently published works by John Jay faculty and distinguished authors. We encourage you to nominate your book or that of a colleague whose work contributes meaningfully to the intellectual life of the College. Nominations can be submitted via this link. Nominations should include the following information:
|
May 7, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Final exam week starts on Fri, May 16 through Weds, May 22. State policy REQUIRES the scheduled examination time to be used to meet with students although the time does not have to include an actual exam. (See Faculty Handbook.) If you are giving a final exam or final project with a deadline during exam week, here are a few resources to share with your students:
If you are not using your course’s final examination scheduled time for an exam, here are some ways to make the time seem useful and positive:
Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page for opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events This week:
|
4. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration not required, but please use your John Jay Zoom account for security (for help with zoom, contact DOIT Help Desk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212.238.8200). DOES LMS Brightspace Drop-In Lab: Thurs, May 1, 1:40-2:55pm, L2.72.05 NB. Schedule for future workshops and webinars HERE. More information is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
5. Applications for OAR Senior Scholar and Mid-Career Release Programs Call for Applications! for the Office for the Advancement of Research’s (OAR) Senior Scholar Release and Mid-Career Support Programs. Applications for both programs are due May 8th. Please note that applicants can request a maximum of one course (3 hours) of release time for the 2025-26 academic year. The guidelines for these programs are as follows:
|
April 30, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC The student evaluation period is here. The most useful information is likely to come when most students participate. But how can we increase student evaluation response rates? First, be sure to inform students about the dates of the evaluation period, especially if you narrow the date window. Note that your class will ONLY be visible to students during the available dates. Maybe share how their feedback helps you improve your courses. Explain the purpose of the evaluations and share examples of feedback you received in the past and how the course benefitted in response. Note that, for in-person and hybrid classes, faculty are required to set aside 20 minutes of in-class time for students to complete evaluations. Many instructors send email reminders and some offer collective incentives, such as extra credit for reaching a specific class rate of completion (e.g., 1 point for all if 70% of students complete) or based on the rate completed (e.g., if half the class completes, each student gets half a point.) And remind students that evaluations are anonymous and not seen by you for 4-5 weeks AFTER grades are submitted. Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page for opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events This week:
Next week: May 5-9
|
4. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration not required, but please use your John Jay Zoom account for security (for help with zoom, contact DOIT Help Desk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212.238.8200). TODAY! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Troubleshooting Brightspace Assessments, Weds, Apr 30, 2pm-3pm. DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Open Q & A, Tues, May 6, 2pm-3pm. Schedule for future workshops and webinars HERE. More information is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
April 23, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Teaching Tip: Connecting Courses with Careers. This week, our events calendar is filled with multiple opportunities for students to experience connections between their studies and potential future careers. As we transition from spring break into the last weeks of classes, now could be a good time to remind students of the ways in which class learning objectives and assignments are mirrored in real-life examples of research, advocacy, and justice professions across disciplines. Consider sharing the events below (or a selection) with your students and asking them to identify learning objectives, skills, and concepts that are likely to be evident in any one or more of these presentations and discussions. Maybe post an extra credit question on your discussion board, offer small group conversations in your live classes, and/or encourage students to attend and report briefly on an event that reflects their career goals. The energy and ideas these activities spark may carry through to increased motivation for their final classes and projects! See HERE for more career-related faculty resources. Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page for opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events This week:
Next week:
|
4. The 2025 Research & Creativity Expo (April 30 – May 9) Please check out the 2025 Research & Creativity Expo program, celebrating students’ accomplishments with their mentors. Kicking things off is the annual Faculty & Administration Mentor Recognition Reception on Weds, Apr 30, 5:30-7:30pm, Moot Court (6.68NB). OSRC student scholars will present their research and creative projects (posters) at the reception. Join the celebration of our students’ exceptional work completed with their mentors during this annual multi-day series of events. Email questions to osrc@jjay.cuny.edu. |
5. Career & Rock the Vote Events for Students
|
6. International Travel: Resources and Recommendations For faculty, staff or students contemplating international travel or with other international concerns, CUNY has free resources available:
Legal resources for non-U.S. citizen faculty and staff planning any travel abroad:
Recommendations for all CUNY faculty and staff planning international travel:
*Broadly applicable to all CUNY faculty and staff. **Specific to non-U.S. citizen employees |
April 16, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Academic integrity concerns: As we approach the end of the semester, you may have concerns about potential violations of academic integrity. Students tend to offload assignments low in perceived value, copy-paste-able from AI or purely product-oriented (versus process-focused; Royalty & Blue, 2025). What if you suspect cheating or inappropriate use of AI? Here are some tips from Royalty & Blue (2025): Talk with your student as early as possible when you have concerns, for your sake and theirs. Before you meet, gather information (e.g., review the assignment for signs of AI-generated content), review your syllabus and policies, and prepare to set a positive tone. Begin the discussion by thanking the student for meeting. Emphasize that the purpose is for you to understand their work better, not to accuse them. Use open-ended questions that invite the student to explain their process and thought patterns. For example:
Listen actively and with empathy, allowing the student to speak without interruption to provide their perspective. Show examples where AI might have been used and explain why they are concerning, based on your course guidelines. Perhaps review what the academic integrity policy means in greater depth. Clarify or reinforce your expectations, provide resources and perhaps consider alternatives (e.g., a ‘regret clause’ that allows a student to rescind a problematic assignment for 0 credit; perhaps resubmit for partial credit). You can review the AI process here. Please contact Academic Integrity Officer Jennifer Dobbins (jedobbins@jjay.cuny.edu) as early as possible, especially if a student’s grade would be impacted. Because students sometimes react poorly, you may want to contact your chair as well for support or advice. Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page for opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
4. Career & Rock the Vote Events for Students
|
April 9, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Managing Stress: Many of us are experiencing stress and anxiety related to numerous challenges, such as almost-end-of-semester pressures (grading, many meetings, deadlines), as well as personal, daily and existential challenges. This can show up mentally, emotionally and physically: we may feel sick, tired, and down or upset more often, for example. Thankfully, spring break begins this Saturday! Plan some time for self-care and community. Here are some research-backed suggestions for ways to mitigate some of that stress.
If those don’t work – perhaps more dark chocolate! Happy spring break! For more support, the TLC Faculty Student Wellbeing Resource Page shares tips, readings, videos, and podcasts (curated by our colleague Stephanie Simpson). And all faculty (and our families) can access support with free services through the Employee Assistance Program: CCA@YourService. Call 1-800-833-8707, go to www.myccaonline.com, Code: CUNY. Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page for opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
4. Upcoming Pedagogy Workshops
|
5. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration not required, but please use your John Jay Zoom account for security (for help with zoom, contact DOIT Help Desk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212.238.8200). TODAY! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Assignments, Weds, Apr 9, 2pm-3pm. Schedule for future workshops and webinars HERE. More information is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
6. Faculty Awards, Funding and Opportunities
|
7. Opportunities to Share With Students
Highlights: |
April 2, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Managing Difficult Communications (part 2 of 2): Last week we focused on suggestions for difficult class communications that can usually be managed by instructors without external help. What do we do when student behavior is actually or potentially harmful? Read on. When does speech become harassment?
What is student misconduct? It includes and is not limited to:
For extreme or emergency situations:
Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page for opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
Next week:
|
4. Faculty & Staff Conversation – Open Forum Invitation: Open Forum on Faculty & Staff Concerns. Disruptions to higher education are raising faculty and staff concerns for our students, classrooms and teaching; for academic freedom; for our budgets; and for our research and/or funding. Please join faculty and staff colleagues, Provost Pease, Deans Carpi and Crossman, and immigration attorney Afshar and for an initial Open Forum to share concerns and discuss issues impacting our work. All are welcome. In person only. Thursday, April 3, 1:40-2:50pm, L2.85 NB classroom. Reminder: All faculty (and our families) can access an array of personal supports with free services through the Employee Assistance Program: CCA@YourService. Call 1-800-833-8707, go to www.myccaonline.com, or download the CCA@YourService App. Code: CUNY. |
5. Upcoming Pedagogy Workshops
|
6. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration not required, but please use your John Jay Zoom account for security (for help with zoom, contact DOIT Help Desk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212.238.8200). TODAY! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Open Q&A, Weds, Apr 2, 2pm-3pm. Meeting ID: 878 2583 9763; Passcode: 376781 Schedule for future workshops and webinars HERE. More information is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
7. Faculty Awards, Funding and Opportunities
|
March 26, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Managing Difficult Communications (part 1 of 2): Some faculty members report experiencing an increase in inappropriate and heated communications in live and online courses. In the moment, these interchanges can be hard to manage and can impact all students who are present as well as our own abilities to instruct effectively and holistically. The communication steps below may help, along with the attached table with specific examples of language that can be used to help contain and shift difficult communications. Difficult Communication Protocol:
Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page for opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
4. Faculty & Staff Conversation – Open Forum Invitation: Open Forum on Faculty & Staff Concerns. Disruptions to higher education are raising faculty and staff concerns for our students, classrooms and teaching; for academic freedom; for our budgets; and for our research and/or funding. Please join faculty and staff colleagues, Provost Pease, Deans Carpi and Crossman, and immigration attorney Afshar and for an initial Open Forum to share concerns and discuss issues impacting our work. All are welcome. In person only. Thursday, April 3, 1:40-2:50pm, L2.85 NB classroom. Reminder: All faculty (and our families) can access an array of personal supports with free services through the Employee Assistance Program: CCA@YourService. Call 1-800-833-8707, go to www.myccaonline.com, or download the CCA@YourService App. Code: CUNY. |
5. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration not required, but please use your John Jay Zoom account for security (for help with zoom, contact DOIT Help Desk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212.238.8200). DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Open Q&A, Weds, Apr 2, 2pm-3pm. Schedule for future workshops and webinars HERE. More information is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
6. Faculty Awards, Funding and Opportunities
|
March 19, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Meeting Primary Needs for Higher Education: Increasing food, housing, and transportation costs can be devastating for our low and lower middle-income students and can disrupt their ability to engage and be fully present with their learning. Students can find information and apply for John Jay’s Emergency Funding options at the links below. Because hunger may be impacting more of our students than we know, it may help to remind all students in your classes that the College has a food pantry where enrolled students can get grocery items. Meal vouchers and meal plans are also available. Students must enroll in the food pantry program BEFORE they stop by for food. Please see the attached reference for more food support resources: · Emergency Funding: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/student-life/wellness-center/emergency-funding · Housing/Utility: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/student-life/wellness-center/emergency-funding/emergency-housing-utility-assistance · Medical: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/student-life/wellness-center/emergency-funding/emergency-medical-grant · Food Pantry: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/student-life/wellness-center/food-pantry · Meal Vouchers/Meal Plans: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/student-life/wellness-center/emergency-funding/emergency-food-voucher-program · Transportation: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/student-life/wellness-center/emergency-funding/emergency-transportation-program Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page for opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
4. Faculty Conversation – Open Forum Invitation: Open Forum on Faculty Concerns. Higher Education is experiencing disruption like never before. Some concerns focus on the impact on our students, classrooms and teaching; some focus on protections for academic freedom; others are on our budgets; and some might be experiencing disruption in their research and/or funding. Please join faculty colleagues and Interim Dean Angela Crossman, who will be joined by Provost Pease and Deans Deans Anthony Carpi and Kinya Chandler for an initial Open Forum to share concerns and discuss issues impacting the work of faculty in this evolving landscape. All are welcome. In person only. Thursday, April 3, 1:40-2:50pm, L2.85 NB classroom. Reminder: All faculty (and our families) can access an array of personal supports with free services through the Employee Assistance Program: CCA@YourService. Call 1-800-833-8707, go to www.myccaonline.com, or download the CCA@YourService App. Code: CUNY. |
5. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration not required, but please use your John Jay Zoom account for security (for help with zoom, contact DOIT Help Desk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212.238.8200). Today! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Open Q&A, Weds, Mar 19, 2pm-3pm. Meeting ID: 827 7117 7780; Passcode: 779008. Information: Brightspace Email and Notifications Delivery and more info is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
6. Faculty Awards, Funding and Opportunities
|
March 12, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Self-reflection can build capacity and community: At mid-term, self-reflection can help students connect their wins, challenges, and goals to successful planning and action, individually and with their peers. Here are 3 reflective strategies you could try to support student success:
Looking for examples? Join next week’s lesson planning workshop: Make the Most of your 75 Minutes! with Tomasita Ortiz (Eng; Vertical Writing Program), Tues, Mar 18, 1:40-2:55pm, 335HH. RSVP by Mon, Mar 17 (see flier). Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page for opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
4. Pedagogical Development Opportunities
|
5. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration not required, but please use your John Jay Zoom account for security (for help with zoom, contact DOIT Help Desk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212.238.8200). Today! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Using Groups in Brightspace, Weds, Mar 12, 2pm-3pm. Meeting ID: 868 3506 8032; Passcode: 025825. Information: Brightspace Email and Notifications Delivery and more info is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
6. Faculty Awards, Funding and Opportunities
|
March 5, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Community builds capacity: Belonging, resilience and anti-loneliness are part of ongoing conversations about student success. Each is developed through class community, which can also lead to improved academic performance and increased skills transfer over time. Cohort programs (e.g., ACE, ¡Adelante!, PRISM, Apple Corps, MBK) build on these findings. Here are some ideas for building community among students across:
Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page for opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
4. Pedagogical Development Opportunities
|
5. Faculty Awards, Funding and Opportunities
|
February 26, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Supporting student health: Our world is changing rapidly outside the college and now, in week 5, students may have multiple sources of anxiety compounding the tension that comes with academic deadlines, tests, and assignments. How can we encourage and model healthy student behaviors in this context? One idea is to show our interest in students’ wellbeing by taking a “temperature check” at the beginning of class. We can also model healthy behaviors and strategies for focusing attention and sustaining study routines–perhaps include setting timelines for assignments and setting achievable goals in class activities. Another idea is to share data with students on the importance of sleep, exercise and healthy eating for their academic success. We can also remind them of College resources available to them, including academic resources and supports, our food pantry, emergency funding, physical and mental health services (see more HERE). Please consider referring students to the Counseling Center when serious concerns arise (you observe sudden absenteeism, changes in hygiene habits, inappropriate behavior or outbursts in class or online) or notify the Behavioral Intervention Team. We recommend the TLC’s Mental Health & Teaching page for resources on student mental health and learning. Also, bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page for opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
4. Pedagogical Development Opportunities
|
5. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration not required, but please use your John Jay Zoom account for security (for help with zoom, contact DOIT Help Desk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212.238.8200). Today! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Advanced Quiz Topics, Weds, Feb 26, 2pm-3pm. ID: 835 5108 3186; Passcode: 348288. Information: Brightspace Email and Notifications Delivery and more info is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
6. Faculty Awards and Funding
|
7. CUNY Opportunity to Share with Students The NY Jobs CEO Council is hosting a five-part generative AI workshop series for students of all backgrounds this semester at BMCC. Students will have the opportunity to learn from industry professionals, engage with generative AI technologies through hands-on activities, and earn a digital badge. The program is free for students and breakfast will be provided. Please share this learning opportunity with your students. The Gen AI workshop series will be Fridays, 10a-12pm, March 7 - April 4 at BMCC (199 Chambers St., Room N-452). Students will:
For questions, see the FAQs (https://tinyurl.com/genaifaqs) or email Aankit Patel at aankit.patel@cuny.edu. Flyers linked here: PDF and image. |
February 19, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information Full-time faculty – Upcoming personnel deadlines:
|
2. Early Check-In Reports: Spring 2025 Early Check-In Feedback Request. Today, February 19, faculty will receive an email from Kate Szur, Interim Assistant Dean for Student Success and Retention, through the Navigate360 platform. This message will request faculty feedback on students in undergraduate classes before March 5. The goal is to identify students who may need additional support and connect them with an advisor or staff member before the April 1 add/drop deadline. Early Check-In Reports: Spring 2025 Timeline To make providing early feedback easier this spring, we updated the EAB Navigate Progress Reports to be Early Check-In Feedback. Rather than focusing on assignment grades, this feedback will provide insight into students’ initial course performance and attendance. We recognize that grades may not yet be available, so please provide holistic feedback. Later in the semester, you can submit additional EAB Navigate Alerts when grades are available. In Fall 2024, faculty identified nearly 2,700 students who needed staff support through EAB Navigate Progress Reports. Your participation made a significant impact:
Your participation is invaluable in ensuring student success. Thank you for your dedication and support! |
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Building student self-help confidence and skills: Now in week 4, how are your students responding to assignments so far? They may be discovering what they are doing easily and what they find challenging. It may be a good time to remind them of the support resources included in your syllabi and facilitate making connections between their needs and the resources that can fill those needs. For instance, frequent, low-stakes assessments allow students to see how they are doing early on, but only if they check their grades. Perhaps require students to meet with you once during office hours to discuss grades or feedback. Or assign some or all students to visit the writing center (or appropriate center for your class) as a way to normalize this practice. Maybe offer class time for students to prepare study materials together, making connections and study progress. Remember that all faculty can raise alerts (or share kudos) in Navigate 360 (see Early Check In Reports above). Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page to find more opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
5. Pedagogical Development Opportunities
|
6. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration not required, but please use your John Jay Zoom account for security (for help with zoom, contact DOIT Help Desk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212.238.8200). Today! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Open Q & A, Weds, Feb 19, 2pm-3pm. Information: Brightspace Email and Notifications Delivery and more info is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
7. Faculty Awards and Funding
|
February 11/12, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Peer teaching observations begin soon. Whether we are being observed or conducting an observation, peer observations offer invaluable opportunities to discuss pedagogy with a colleague – and to get constructive feedback on our teaching. Observations are also a key component of the personnel process for all teaching faculty. When we think of peer observations as part of our professional development, we can ease anxieties about how our teaching is perceived in favor of strengthening our shared commitments to student learning and adjusting our sense of where we are succeeding and where we can continue to grow. We recommend these resources for observers and those being observed (and dept chairs):
Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page to find more opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
4. Pedagogical Development Opportunities
|
5. Faculty Awards and Funding
|
February 5, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
Federal regulations require the College to document that students have begun course attendance to qualify for Title IV financial aid. Hence, faculty are asked to verify which students registered in each course are attending or participating and to identify which have never attended any class and/or have never participated in an academically related activity since the beginning of the semester (includes independent study, research, thesis, dissertation). See the Faculty Handbook (or registrar memo) for more about VOE: Attendance Rosters: Verification of Enrollment. |
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Last week, we noted that presence differs from engagement. Both are essential to learning and impact student success individually and collectively. Challenges this winter (e.g., spikes in contagious illnesses, etc.) may impact student absences. The College provides guidance on student attendance in the Faculty Handbook (under College Bulletins: Attendance Policy). Faculty have discretion in setting attendance policies for their courses and those should be clearly stated on syllabi, including clear makeup policies for missed time or work. Given that attendance supports student engagement (in person or online), are there additional ways to encourage and assess student engagement? Ideas include short informal writing activities, low stakes quizzes to assess student understanding of content, and small group conversations in which students discuss assignment instructions to predict the time, skills, and resources they will need to complete the work.
Please keep in mind that if a student begins to struggle (e.g., frequently absent, poor performance), we have excellent support resources. Please refer such students to the Counseling Center, Wellness Center and/or Office of Accessibility Services. Links:
Bookmark this TLC News & Opportunities page to find more opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Important Updates
|
4. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
5. Pedagogical Development Opportunities
|
6. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration not required, but please use your John Jay Zoom account for security (for help with zoom, contact DOIT Help Desk at helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu or 212.238.8200). TODAY! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Quizzes, Weds, Feb 5, 2pm-3pm. DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Open Q & A, Weds, Feb 19, 2pm-3pm. DOES LMS Brightspace Drop-In Labs: Thurs, Feb 6, 1:40pm-2:55 pm, L2.72.05 NB Information: Brightspace Email and Notifications Delivery and more info is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
7. Faculty Awards and Funding
|
8. Faculty Health & Wellness Faculty members (and our families) can access free services through the Employee Assistance Program: CCA@YourService. Call 1-800-833-8707, go to www.myccaonline.com, or download the CCA@YourService App. Code: CUNY. For mental health, access 3 free counseling sessions for each issue of concern. CCA is available to speak with any employee or family member that has direct or related stress/anxiety/worry/fear about immigration matters at 1-800-833-8707. For deportation concerns or immigration legal needs, CCA can refer the employee/family member to their CCA EAP legal benefit, a 30-minute, no-cost consultation with an attorney. If they wish to continue with legal services, there is a 25% discount off the hourly rate. |
January 29, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
Faculty must verify which registered students are attending or participating and which have never attended any class and/or have not participated in an academically related activity since the start of the semester (includes independent study, research, thesis, dissertation). VOE rosters are in the faculty center view of CUNYfirst. Reporting has important financial aid implications so it is important to please submit by the deadline. Academically related activities include, but are not limited to: physically attending class; submitting an assignment; taking an exam, tutorial or computer-assisted instruction; attending an assigned study group; participating in an online discussion about academic matters; and initiating contact with a faculty member to ask about the academic subject studied in the course. Logging in to an online course is not sufficient, by itself. It is suggested that you please try to contact students who have not yet participated before the VOE deadline (and before submitting) to ensure accurate reporting. See the Faculty Handbook for guidance on VOE: Attendance Rosters: Verification of Enrollment. Students identified as never attending are assigned a WN grade, are removed from the roster and lose Brightspace access. If you made an error, you can request WN reversal. Reversal and reinstatement of Brightspace access could take up to 24 hours. |
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Spring is here! Each semester is a new opportunity to build community with and among students. To start out on the right foot, consider generating shared class guidelines and values for class interactions. Here are some ideas for helping students understand that being present is not the same as engaged: discuss the value of attendance and engagement from the start; include things like putting phones away in class guidelines; give participation or engagement credit (including how students listen and contribute in small groups); remind online students to remove distractions; and make class interactive. If you are interested, see 15 different things that can be done in the first 5 minutes of class to keep engagement high. Note: Many students will experience challenges that erode their ability to fully engage. Here are important resources to share with students in your syllabi, as well as those in 3 below. Sample language: Students experiencing any personal, medical, financial or familial distress, which may impede their ability to fulfill the requirements of this course, are encouraged to visit the Wellness Center (L.65 NB). Available resources include Counseling Services, Health Services, Food Bank, and emergency funding support. See https://new.jjay.cuny.edu/student-life/wellness-center Additional student resources to share:
Spring 2025 Faculty Development Day last week was fun and informative. Materials will be posted online soon. Thank you to all who presented, attended and particularly to the TLC Director Gina Rae Foster and team members Kharry Josiah and Lindsay Parsons for their hard work. Bookmark the TLC News & Opportunities page here to find more opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Important: Resources for Syllabi/Students Please bear in mind that some information is required on all syllabi. Please see the revised JJ Guidelines for Creating Your Syllabus and syllabus template. This includes policies like ADA accommodation policy (must be on page 1 of syllabi), academic integrity policy, and the resource information shared below and in item 2.
Sample language: I am committed to creating a course that is inclusive in its design. Students who need an accommodation due to a disability are encouraged to contact the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) within the first week of class or as soon as possible thereafter. Requests for Accommodations can only be approved by the OAS. Students with disabilities are entitled to confidentiality over disability-related status or details. Students are not required to disclose their specific disability to their instructors or anyone else. All OAS approved accommodations will be honored and implemented in my course. Contact OAS: L.66 New Building; Phone: (212)237-8031; Email: accessibilityservices@jjay.cuny.edu. CUNY recently introduced CUNY Accommodate. You can explore self-directed instructional videos and comprehensive guides on how to use the system (Access SharePoint then enter your CUNYfirst username and password to get started) using these links: CUNY Accommodate Faculty Resources (Video & Documentation) Students can request religious accommodations through the Dean of Students office: deanofstudents@jjay.cuny.edu. See CUNY’s All Religions & Ethnic Holiday Calendar to assist with timing assignments and the CUNY policy on religious accommodations. |
4. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
5. Pedagogical Development Opportunities
|
6. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration not required for webinars, but please sign in to your John Jay Zoom account for security. For help with your John Jay Zoom account, contact the DOIT Help Desk (212.238.8200 or helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu). Please test it before the webinars. TODAY! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Open Q & A, Weds, Jan 29, 2pm-3pm. DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Quizzes, Weds, Feb 5, 2pm-3pm. DOES LMS Brightspace Drop-In Labs: Thurs, Jan 30 & Feb 6, 1:40pm-2:55 pm, L2.72.05 NB Information: Brightspace Email and Notifications Delivery and more info is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
7. Faculty Awards and Funding
- BRES Research Seed Grant Awards: Deadline: Fri, Feb 14, 5pm. Application Form.
|
8. Faculty Health & Wellness Faculty members (and our families) can access free services through the Employee Assistance Program: CCA@YourService. For details, call 800-833-8707, go to www.myccaonline.com, or download the CCA@YourService App. Code: CUNY. For mental health, access 3 free counseling sessions for each issue of concern (referrals for more as needed). Access support and/or resources around: child, adult and elder care; legal and financial challenges; health, wellness and emotional wellbeing; and daily living tasks. Their website has information and webinars on a wide range of work and life topics. For physical fitness, there are discounted gym memberships for CUNY faculty or consider a well-priced JJ gym membership,which includes the tennis court, gym, pool and other facilities (https://johnjayathletics.com/sports/2014/9/5/GEN_0905145722). |
January 22, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Important: Syllabus Changes There have been important changes to syllabus requirements and information. The revised JJ Guidelines for Creating Your Syllabus and syllabus template are posted.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Tomorrow is Spring 2025 Faculty Development Day (Thurs, Jan 23): How, When and Where Do We Realize the Work of Justice? We are excited to see many of you on campus (or zoom) for learning, lunching and fun! View the full FDD Program here. And RSVP here. With the first day of classes coming, one way to help students start out on the right foot is to make it fun. Play and fun help to build community. Ice breakers and games can feel lame, but they also energize and engage people. Perhaps break students into pairs or small groups and do a scavenger hunt on your syllabus. They learn the requirements and get to meet each other. Feel free to check out Professors at Play Playbook for more ideas. Bookmark the TLC News & Opportunities page here to find funded opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
5. Pedagogical Development Opportunities
|
6. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration is not required for webinars, but please sign in to your John Jay Zoom account for security. For help with your John Jay Zoom account, contact the DOIT Help Desk (212.238.8200 or helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu). Please test it before the webinars. TODAY! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Assignments, Weds, Jan 22, 2pm-3pm. DOES LMS Brightspace Drop-In Lab: Thurs, Jan 23, 1:40pm-2:55 pm, L2.72.05 NB Information: Brightspace Email and Notifications Delivery and more info is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
7. Faculty Awards and Funding
|
January 15, 2025
1. Important Dates/Information
|
2. Important Reminders: Accessibility The revised JJ Guidelines for Creating Your Syllabus and syllabus template are posted. Accessibility: CUNY is required to ensure all course materials are accessible to students with disabilities. (See 4a below – today’s workshop on Accessibility & Brightspace.) Students may request accommodations through the Office of Accessibility Services. Faculty and staff are prohibited from denying students OAS-approved accommodation requests or from discouraging students from seeking an accommodation with OAS. Once OAS approves a student’s accommodation request, faculty and staff must cooperate and assist in ensuring that the accommodation is delivered. Please direct questions about a student’s reasonable accommodations to accessibilityservices@jjay.cuny.edu. In addition, all faculty must have an ADA statement on the first page of their syllabi that includes the location and contact information for OAS. Sample language: I am committed to creating a course that is inclusive in its design. Students who need an accommodation due to a disability are encouraged to contact the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) within the first week of class or as soon as possible thereafter. Requests for Accommodations can only be approved by the OAS. Students with disabilities are entitled to confidentiality over disability-related status or details. Students are not required to disclose their specific disability to their instructors or anyone else. All OAS approved accommodations will be honored and implemented in my course. Contact OAS: L.66 New Building; Phone: (212)237-8031; Email: accessibilityservices@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC As you consider revisions to your spring syllabus, in light of concerns around artificial intelligence (and academic integrity), here are some ideas you might find useful. AI and Learning Definitions: In our fall Flipping the Pyramid TLC seminar, faculty explored applying AI to developing critical thinking skills. One of our recommendations was to include definitions of AI and AI tools in our syllabi that help students understand how they can appropriately and effectively use generative AI and the limitations of AI for learning in our courses. AI Academic Integrity Policies: In Teaching with AI, Bowen and Watson (2024) suggest low-effort cheating interventions such as: discuss, model and promote the academic integrity policy with students and clarify what constitutes cheating; normalize help and struggle (acknowledge challenges and point students to resources routinely); and allow students to withdraw submissions. Because stress and deadlines increase temptation, a “regret clause” built into your syllabus allows a student who took a shortcut to reconsider (e.g., within 24 hours) and instead take a zero on the assignment they submitted (likely works best with low-stakes assignments). For some students, a short extension might do the trick in place of using AI. AI and Teaching Resources: The TLC updated its Ai & Teaching page here, with resources on AI and ethics and links to model syllabi statements. See this Teaching Essentials slide for additional syllabus resources. Reminders: Faculty Development Day (Thurs, Jan 23): How, When and Where Do We Realize the Work of Justice? View the FDD Program here. And RSVP here. Bookmark the TLC News & Opportunities page here to find funded opportunities and helpful resources from John Jay, CUNY, and beyond. To discuss teaching, mentoring, and resources, please contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Events
|
5. Pedagogical Development Opportunities
|
6. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration is not required for the webinars, but please sign in to your John Jay Zoom account for security. For help with your John Jay Zoom account, contact the DOIT Help Desk (212.238.8200 or helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu). Please test it before the webinars. TODAY! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Course Content (includes discussion of Course Copy), Weds, Jan 15, 2pm-3pm. Meeting ID: 857 6668 5513; Passcode: 379335 DOES LMS Brightspace Drop-In Lab: Thurs, Jan 16, 1:40pm-2:55 pm, L2.72.05 NB DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Discussions, Tues, Jan 21, 2pm-3pm. Meeting ID: 857 5979 2866; Passcode: 998825. Link: https://jjay-cuny.zoom.us/j/85759792866?pwd=WeCMzkhNxS3xMr8o6b61z797wEclEn.1 Information: Brightspace Email and Notifications Delivery and more info is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
7. Faculty Awards
|
January 8, 2025
1. Important Dates/Info
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC As you begin to think about spring course planning, here are some useful resources and pedagogical development opportunities. (Note: The Chronicle of Higher Education is available through the JJ library.) Resources:
Development Opportunities:
For teaching resources, contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster, gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Awards
|
4. Pedagogical Development Opportunities
|
5. Brightspace Resources (DOES LMS Team) Advance registration is not required for the webinars, but please sign in to your John Jay Zoom account for security. For help with your John Jay Zoom account, contact the DOIT Help Desk (212.238.8200 or helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu). Please test it before the webinars. TODAY! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Open Q & A, Weds, Jan 8, 2pm-3pm. Meeting ID: 833 0674 0919; Passcode: 286498. Submit Q’s to LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Bootcamp, Tues, Jan 14, 10am-1pm. Meeting ID: 823 3703 4482; Passcode: 502895. Link: https://jjay-cuny.zoom.us/j/82337034482?pwd=jp4mUxtjv4brzq5V8mUoyd2IbwMbfT.1 DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Course Content (includes discussion of Course Copy), Weds, Jan 15, 2pm-3pm. Meeting ID: 857 6668 5513; Passcode: 379335. Link: https://jjay-cuny.zoom.us/j/85766685513?pwd=vxZ51sgBSNoxJuc7lDYPnttIv4Di6y.1 DOES LMS Brightspace Drop-In Lab: Thurs, Jan 16, 1:40pm-2:55 pm, L2.72.05 NB Information: Brightspace Email and Notifications Delivery and more info is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
December 18, 2024
1. Important Dates/Info NOTE: The next two Wednesdays are holidays. I will try to spare your inboxes and not send a weekly email until Jan 8 (except perhaps reminders). SO – please submit grades on time and if you haven’t yet, submit book adoption information ASAP. And Happy Holidays!
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC If you are considering assigning Incomplete (INC) grades. This option can support students’ growth and transitions to their next academic steps, if they can complete the missing work by the submission deadline (Thurs, May 1). Please remember that decisions regarding grades must align with college policies and your own syllabus policies. - INC grades should be given only when a student would pass the course if they satisfactorily complete the remaining course requirements, at your discretion. - INC grades should only be given in consultation with the student. There should be an agreed-upon plan for the student to work with you to resolve the INC grade on time (complete missing work). A sample agreement is posted here under “General forms”. - In some cases, students prefer (and expect) to be assigned the grade they earned by the work they completed, rather than take an INC, making the consultation very important. - A grade of WU (unofficial withdrawal) should only be assigned to students who have stopped participating and have not completed the course. - College grading info (including INC guidelines and what W grades mean) available HERE. For teaching resources, contact TLC Director Gina Rae Foster, gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. Reminder: Faculty Development Day (1/24/25): How, When and Where Do We Realize the Work of Justice? RVSP here. View the Program. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Events/Awards
|
4. Pedagogical Development Opportunities
|
5. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team) TODAY! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Open Q & A, Weds, Dec 18, 2pm-3pm. Submit Q’s to LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. End of semester reminders posted HERE. Faculty are encouraged to reach out for assistance with grading tasks as early as possible. DOES LMS posted these How-to Guides to help:
Important Note: YuJa (tool that allows users to store, manage, and share media content) will no longer be available to faculty as of December 31, 2024. If you had any media in your Blackboard courses, you will need to revisit those courses (on Blackboard) to enter the YuJa dashboard and download your media files. You may store your files locally, on the hosting site of your choice (YouTube, etc.) or load them into your Media Library within Brightspace. For more information on how to bulk download media from YuJa, please visit https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/bulk-downloading-yuja-recordings. Information: Brightspace Email and Notifications Delivery and more info is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
December 11, 2024
1. Important Dates/Info A. End of semester information:
B. Books/Materials Adoptions for Spring 2025: We are required by federal law to post book/material information FOR ALL COURSES. Thank you to 676 faculty members who submitted (62%) - 405 are out of compliance. Please submit NOW – even if NO BOOKS. - To submit a book order or indicate “no adoptions required/course does not use books”, log in to the bookstore at: JohnJayBooks.com with your CUNYfirst log in credentials. Click the faculty link to submit your course material ISBNs. If you click the “Help” button (left side), you can find a brief how-to book adoption video and pdf guide for faculty. C. The online student course evaluation period ends Dec 13. If students have trouble accessing the evaluation or for questions about the Student Evaluation of Faculty or the SEOF committee, contact seof@jjay.cuny.edu. |
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC: End of Term Messaging We’re done (nearly). As we face student paper and project submissions, exam proctoring, and grading, we can lighten our students’ stress and improve their performance with a few simple strategies. Read on for advice from others (and a few tips of our own!).
Suggested content for email reminders:
Extended library hours – reminder for your students:
For teaching resources or questions, please contact Teaching & Learning Center Director Gina Rae Foster, gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Faculty Events/Opportunities
|
4. Pedagogy: Funding Opportunities & John Jay’s Finest Nominations
|
5. Research Funding/Opportunities
|
6. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team) TODAY! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Computing Final Grades, Weds, Dec 11th, 2pm-3pm. End of semester reminders and schedule of more workshops posted HERE. Faculty are encouraged to reach out for assistance with grading tasks as early as possible. DOES LMS added 3 new How-to Guides to the website with the end of the semester in mind:
Information: Brightspace Email and Notifications Delivery and more info is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
7. Professional Development Opportunities
|
December 4, 2024
1. Important Dates/Info
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Many of us have only a few class sessions remaining or the final asynchronous discussions and activities for online courses. We are anticipating student presentations, final projects, and exams while we prepare for requests to change deadlines and negotiate grades (deep breaths!). It’s a good time to revisit your policies on grading, attendance, and participation. You might invite your students to review the syllabus for the course description and learning objectives and match these to what you’ve covered together this term. Alternatively, you might write an email or discussion post that highlights the content and skills they’ve learned that will transfer to their next courses and careers. Making these connections while reminding your students of their final responsibilities to the course adds growth-minded support and can alleviate anxieties and burnout. At the same time, be sure to revisit your policies on grading, attendance, and participation and refer to the relevant points when students ask for flexibility. Finding common ground for solutions may come more easily within the structures you’ve already set in place. Please remember that referrals to the Wellness Center (for health, counseling, accessibility, emergency funding, food, and other needs) and academic support services may be timely. If academic integrity questions arise, you can discuss them with the student and invite them to explain their work process. You can review the AI violation reporting process and resources here. Please consult with Academic Integrity Officer Jennifer Dobbins (jedobbins@jjay.cuny.edu) as early as possible, especially if a student’s grade would be impacted. For additional teaching questions and resources, please contact Teaching & Learning Center Director Gina Rae Foster, gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. Upcoming deadlines:
|
3. Upcoming Faculty Events/Opportunities
|
4. Upcoming Pedagogy Workshops/Funding
|
5. Research Funding/Opportunities
|
6. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team) DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Quizzes, Weds, Dec 4th, 2pm-3pm. DOES LMS Drop-in Lab, Monday, December 9, 1:40 – 2:50 pm, L2.72.04 NB. DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Computing Final Grades, Weds, Dec 11th, 2pm-3pm Faculty are encouraged to reach out for assistance with grading tasks as early as possible. DOES LMS added 3 new How-to Guides to the website with the end of the semester in mind:
Information: Brightspace Email and Notifications Delivery and more info is available from DOES. Contacts. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Student: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
7. Professional Development Opportunity ELEVATE! The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI) opened applications for their early-career faculty development program, ELEVATE (Enriching Learning, Enhancing Visibility, and Training Educators). This program is a unique 3-day professional development opportunity for early-career faculty at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). ELEVATE supports the ongoing learning, training, and networking of early career MSI faculty by providing workshops, opportunities to network with peers, and a platform for collaboration.
KEEP IN MIND
|
8. Free Holiday Fun The Shops at Columbus Circle. Just down the road a bit, some free holiday events to enjoy.
|
November 20, 2024
1. Important Dates/Info
|
2. Engaging, Bloodhound Style! NCAA Bound! For the first time ever, the Women’s Volleyball team will compete in the NCAA Regional Tournament. They play Washington & Lee University on Thursday, 2:00pm in VA, having won the 2024 CUNYAC Championship last Friday. Go Bloodhounds!! Stay tuned! Fans can watch some games via live stream or perhaps come to a game or match in person (schedule here). Our student athletes love it when faculty come to cheer them on to victory! For our fitness needs, we can access a well-priced JJ gym membership, to use the tennis court, gym, pool and other facilities (https://johnjayathletics.com/sports/2014/9/5/GEN_0905145722). |
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Student evaluations of courses are on our minds. Have you wondered about your students’ priorities when they rate their courses and instructors? ACUE recently released a research brief that explores students’ perceptions of their instructors – and what qualities impact their likelihood of recommending an instructor. The primary themes they identified were: instructional clarity, student support, perceived instructor attributes (e.g., professionalism, kindness) and active learning (you can see the complete report here). In a discussion of the report, panelists shared a few techniques they find helpful. For instance, one described arriving early to class, giving students an additional opportunity to talk with the professor and ask questions that increase instructional clarity. Another provides students ‘skeletal’ notes (lecture notes with information gaps to fill in) to help them engage and learn actively during class. To get a sense of students’ perceptions of a course in action, another described asking students to complete a prompt: “I learned the most in class when we…” or “what I am still thinking about from last week’s class is…” and reflect back to the class your thoughts on how you might apply their feedback to changes in the class, now or in the future. Opening classes to these activities may increase student participation in evaluations to offer useful comments to improve our teaching. Speaking of open, the TLC and the John Jay OER team published a free guide that suggests collaborative assignments with students for different class sizes and teaching methods. Take a look and adapt for your needs: A Guide to Assignments for Open Pedagogy and the Seven Principles for A Culturally Responsive, Inclusive and Anti-Racist Curriculum For additional resources to support your teaching, contact Teaching & Learning Center Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. Upcoming deadlines:
|
4. Upcoming Faculty Events/Workshops/Opportunities
|
5. Upcoming Teaching/Pedagogy Workshops
|
6. Research Support/Opportunities
|
7. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team) TODAY: DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Assignments with Turnitin, Wednesday, November 20, 2pm – 3pm. In this session, we will demonstrate and compare Brightspace Assignments, Brightspace Assignments with the new Turnitin v2, and traditional Turnitin LTI Assignments. Winter/Spring 2025 courses are live in Brightspace. Cross-listed courses are merged under the prefix that is first alphabetically. To request other course merges, please use this form: https://forms.office.com/r/S7ExSEGTg2. If you are missing a course, check CUNYfirst to verify it was assigned to you. If not, your department must contact the Registrar. DOES LMS Support added a link to the NavBar for easy access to the Demo Student tool. See: Creating a Demo Student in Brightspace. The Brightspace attendance tool will be removed from BrS on December 28, 2024. Quick Start checklist: https://bit.ly/DOES_BrS_QuickStart_Checklist. More info is available from DOES and CUNY: https://www.cuny.edu/academics/brightspace-transition/training/. Brightspace enrollment request form: REVISED REQUEST FORM. Contact. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students: LMS.student@jjay.cuny.edu. |
November 13, 2024
1. Important Dates/Info
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC Making Office Hours Intentional and Impactful. We know that office hours provide students an opportunity for meaningful, individual interactions with a faculty member. But office hours only help if students come. Some faculty members require that students visit office hours at least once. Tips for faculty about how to get students to attend abound, including that it can help to explain what “office hours” are to demystify them (and make them less scary). Some choose to rename them as “student hours,” “visiting hours,” or “student drop-in hours,” for example, to communicate their audience and purpose. There are also guides for students to office hours (also here). One of the most entertaining is this satirical video from Arizona State University on battling FMOOWMP with FOH (faculty office hours) – it’s worth sharing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQq1-_ujXrM. When students do come to office hours…
See the Faculty Handbook for more information on the “nuts and bolts” of faculty office hours. For additional resources to support your teaching, contact Teaching & Learning Center Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. Upcoming deadlines:
|
3. Upcoming Faculty Speakers/Discussions/Workshops
|
4. Upcoming Teaching/Pedagogy Workshops
|
5. Research Support/Opportunities
|
6. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team) TODAY: DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Open Q & A, Weds, Nov 13, 2pm – 3pm. Meeting ID: 851 8280 3529; Passcode: 300745. Questions to LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Winter/Spring 2025 courses are now live in Brightspace. DOES LMS Support is merging cross-listed courses (they will appear under the prefix that is first alphabetically). To request other course merges (e.g., multiple sections of the same course), please use this form: https://forms.office.com/r/S7ExSEGTg2. If you are missing a course, check CUNYfirst to verify the course was assigned to you. If not, your department must contact the Registrar. DOES LMS Support added a link to the NavBar of JJ Brightspace courses to enable easy access to the Demo Student tool. For more info: Creating a Demo Student in Brightspace. Note: The Brightspace Attendance tool will be removed from BrS on December 28, 2024. Quick Start checklist for Brightspace: https://bit.ly/DOES_BrS_QuickStart_Checklist. More info is available from DOES. Workshop dates here. Recordings: DOES LMS website. CUNY BrS trainings: https://www.cuny.edu/academics/brightspace-transition/training/. Brightspace enrollment request form: REVISED REQUEST FORM. Contact. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students: LMS.students@jjay.cuny.edu. |
November 6, 2024
1. Important Dates/Info
To submit a book order or indicate “no adoptions required/course does not use books”, log in to the bookstore at: JohnJayBooks.com with your CUNYfirst log in credentials. Click the faculty link to submit your course material ISBNs. |
2. Title IX Syllabus Statement Following up on last Monday’s workshop on faculty mandated reporting, as per CUNY’s new Policy on Sex-Based Misconduct, Jessica Greenfield and Gabriela Leal shared the sample syllabus language below, as requested. Feel free to reach out to either with questions. Title IX Syllabus Statement John Jay College is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students. If you have experienced any form of sex-based misconduct, including sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, stalking, and sexual or gender-based harassment, know that help and support are available. At John Jay, faculty are mandatory reporters and must report all information they receive regarding Sex-Based Misconduct to the College’s Title IX Coordinator. This is to ensure that all students who have experienced sex-based misconduct receive support, resources, and information about their rights. If you wish to speak to a confidential employee who does not have this reporting responsibility, you can contact the Title IX Advocate, Jessica Greenfield (jgreenfield@jjay.cuny.edu), or visit the Counseling Services Center in Room L.68 NB. For more information about reporting options and resources at John Jay and in the community, please contact Title IX Coordinator, Gabriela Leal (gleal@jjay.cuny.edu), or visit https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/about/compliance-diversity/non-discrimination-equal-opportunity/title-ix-sex-based-misconduct. |
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC On this post-election morning, as we consider the results in the midst of teaching our students, this TLC resources page may be helpful for some classes, Election Resources for Teaching, Talking, and Taking Action: https://faculty.commons.gc.cuny.edu/election-resources-for-teaching-talking-and-taking-action/. Note also President Mason’s community forum on Nov 14 that will preview campus-wide work on engaging in productive dialogue on challenging topics (see 4.c.2 below). Reminder – we are hosting a Post-Election Teach-in, Thurs, Nov 12, 1:40-2:55pm, 9.64NB or Zoom: https://jjay-cuny.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArcuirrT4rH9ZFlu_0FCHNFDzibYeCkC5l. If you would like additional resources to support your teaching, please contact Teaching & Learning Center Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Upcoming Faculty Speakers
|
5. Upcoming Teaching/Pedagogy Workshops
|
6. Research Support/Opportunities
|
7. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team) Winter/Spring 2025 courses will be created in the Brightspace LMS starting today, Weds, Nov 6. If you are missing a course when logging into Brightspace, please log into CUNYfirst and verify that the course has been assigned to you. If it has not, your department must contact the Registrar to have the official course record updated. Enrollment updates are processed from CUNYfirst into Brightspace multiple times a day. Also today, Weds, Nov 6, DOES LMS Support will add a link to the NavBar of all John Jay Brightspace courses (including both existing and new courses) to enable easy access to the new Demo Student tool. The Demo Student tool will allow instructors to interact with the course as a student, including viewing, submitting, and grading course assessments such as Assignments, Quizzes, and Discussions. Please note: If you have edited your Brightspace course NavBar, you will need to manually add the Demo Student tool to your course - please reach out to DOES LMS Support for assistance. For more information on the Demo Student tool, visit Creating a Demo Student in Brightspace. Note: The Brightspace Attendance tool will be removed from Brightspace on December 28, 2024 in compliance with CUNY’s status as a non-attendance taking institution. The tool may be used until that date, but it is recommended that faculty do not use it when developing Winter/Spring 2025 Brightspace courses as it will be removed before those courses occur. Please join us for our next DOES LMS How to Webinar a week from today (link to come): Brightspace Open Q & A, Weds, Nov 13, 2pm – 3pm. Faculty can submit questions in advance to LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Quick Start checklist for Brightspace: https://bit.ly/DOES_BrS_QuickStart_Checklist. More info is available from DOES. Workshop dates here. Recordings: DOES LMS website. CUNY BrS trainings: https://www.cuny.edu/academics/brightspace-transition/training/. Contact. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students: LMS.students@jjay.cuny.edu. |
8. Faculty Volunteers Needed - Focus Groups on Academic Engagement The Office of Student Academic Engagement and Retention is seeking 20 faculty volunteers to participate in focus groups aimed at enhancing our approach to creating an integrative, cohesive, and equitable academic structure. Focus group sessions will be one hour, scheduled during community hour this month. Your insights will play a crucial role in refining our strategies and ensuring a more inclusive educational environment. If interested, please email Nathaniel Galen (ngalen@jjay.cuny.edu) ASAP. |
October 30, 2024
1. Important Dates/Info
To submit a book order or indicate “no adoptions required/course does not use books”, log in to the bookstore at: JohnJayBooks.com with your CUNYfirst log in credentials. Click the faculty link to submit your course material ISBNs. |
2. Important Reminder for Students: Nov 6 Course Withdrawal Deadline Please share this important change with your students – in class and/or in Brightspace. The CUNY Office of Academic Affairs revised the course withdrawal policy as of this semester. The deadline to withdraw from courses with a grade of “W” is Weds, November 6. (It is NOT the last day of classes.) This is the deadline for a student’s official withdrawal. This contrasts with WU (unofficial withdrawal), making it very important that students are aware of the need to officially withdraw by the Nov 6 deadline. Withdrew Unofficially: A grade of WU is to be assigned to students who participated in an academic activity related to the class at least once, stopped participating, did not drop the class or receive approval for an incomplete, did not otherwise officially withdraw from the course, and did not complete enough work for the instructor to be able to calculate an earned grade using the criteria delineated in the course syllabus. A ‘F’ grade should never be given in place of a ‘WU’ grade. |
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC As instructors, we are MANDATED REPORTERS for certain student disclosures. We know that many of you were unable to attend Monday’s workshop on CUNY’s new Policy on Sex-Based Misconduct which now includes all faculty as mandated reporters. It was delivered by Jessica Greenfield, Women’s Center Counselor and Confidential Title IX Advocate, and Gabriela Leal, Director of Compliance and Diversity/Title IX Coordinator. Here are some key takeaways from the session:
If you would like additional resources to support your teaching, please contact Teaching & Learning Center Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Upcoming Faculty Workshops/Speakers
|
5. Upcoming Teaching/Pedagogy Workshops
If you are interested in presenting, please submit your conference session proposal by Friday, November 15. Refer to the Call for Proposals for additional information. (Note: to complete the proposal form, you will need to log in with your Office365 username (i.e., Jane.Doe20@login.cuny.edu), and CUNYfirst password. More information on conference goals, session formats and session selection criteria is on the conference website and in the FAQ. Acceptances will be announced by the week of February 3, 2025. Email CUNYTLConference@cuny.edu with questions or concerns. |
6. CUNY Academic Works Information Session Authors: Learn Ways to Increase your Readership! Attend a CUNY Academic Works session with the John Jay College Library. Learn about our institutional repository, CUNY Academic Works (CAW), and how you can make your publications available to more readers by uploading them to CAW. Upcoming Workshops:
Please contact Karen Okamoto (kokamoto@jjay.cuny.edu) if you have any questions. |
7. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team) Quick Start checklist for Brightspace: https://bit.ly/DOES_BrS_QuickStart_Checklist More info is available from DOES. Workshop dates are here. Recordings: DOES LMS website. CUNY Brightspace trainings: https://www.cuny.edu/academics/brightspace-transition/training/. Brightspace enrollment request form (e.g., student success coach; TA; teaching observation; share materials with a peer): REVISED REQUEST FORM. Contact. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students: LMS.students@jjay.cuny.edu. |
October 23, 2024
1. Important Dates/Info
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC We have reached the half-way point of the semester, an opportune time to benefit from feedback on our teaching through peer observations and student reflections. This term’s peer observations of teaching are happening now (to be completed by Nov 6). Peer observations allow us to experience each other’s classes and learn from the different perspectives colleagues offer on what they see. One of the best parts of these observations can be the Post Observation of Teaching conference – an opportunity to have a meaningful conversation about teaching, with a focus on sharing constructive suggestions and ideas. Parallel to engaging in peer observations, we can encourage students to reflect on their learning and provide teaching feedback as well. Students might be feeling performance pressure now, and this may be alleviated through reviewing their growth and challenges in your course. Conversation, camaraderie and opportunities to engage with each other might help them to build a stronger academic support community. This article on Recovering Student Engagement at Mid-course Timemay provide inspiration. As a reminder – we have academic, health, wellness and other resources (e.g., emergency financial support) available, and these are referrals that make sense throughout the term. When we see (and hear) students in need, we can offer connections that may help. If you would like additional resources to support your teaching, please contact Teaching & Learning Center Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Speakers/Workshops
|
4. Upcoming Teaching/Pedagogy Workshops
|
5. CUNY Professional Development Conference From the University Human Resources (UHR) Professional Development & Learning Office: registration is now open for the annual Professional Development Conference, Nov 6th & 7th! This year’s theme is "The Change Ahead: Dare to Imagine and Innovate." Conference sessions aligned to the following tracks: This virtual conference is open to all CUNY employees. Register as soon as possible as space may be limited. For session details, see the Professional Development Conference Agenda. If you are unable to participate in the conference, or are interested in additional professional development options, please review the Fall 2024 PD Opportunities Catalog for offerings. |
6. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team) Quick Start checklist for Brightspace: https://bit.ly/DOES_BrS_QuickStart_Checklist TODAY! Tracking Class Progress in Brightspace, Weds, Oct 23, 2pm – 3pm. Meeting ID: 881 0461 0891; Passcode: 719205. More info is available from DOES. Workshop dates are here. Recordings: DOES LMS website. CUNY Brightspace trainings: https://www.cuny.edu/academics/brightspace-transition/training/. Brightspace enrollment request (e.g., student success coach; TA; teaching observation; share materials): REVISED REQUEST FORM. Contact. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students: LMS.students@jjay.cuny.edu. |
7. Support for Students in Financial Distress The College is building a strategic approach to integrate the Emergency Funding Program into our broader student support services. To that end, we established a referral system to help identify students in crisis and direct them toward the Program. If you encounter students under financial strain, the goal is to ensure they are connected with emergency funding when appropriate. Please find attached a guide to recognizing and supporting students in financial crisis and an emergency funding referral form. |
8. Faculty Volunteers Needed for Focus Groups on Academic Engagement The Office of Student Academic Engagement and Retention is seeking 20 faculty volunteers to participate in focus groups aimed at enhancing our approach to creating an integrative, cohesive, and equitable academic structure. Each focus group session will be one hour and scheduled during community hour. Your insights will play a crucial role in refining our strategies and ensuring a more inclusive educational environment. If interested, please contact Nathaniel Galen at ngalen@jjay.cuny.edu. Thank you for your time and participation in this important initiative! |
October 16, 2024
1. Important Dates/Info
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLC It’s time again to submit information about book/materials adoptions for Spring 2025. Deadline is November 30. Even if no books/materials need to be purchased, submission of the information is REQUIRED to comply with federal law. This provides time for students to acquire accessible (and perhaps more cost-effective) versions of course materials in advance. How do you make your submissions?
That said, our library offers a wealth of resources for faculty and students. You can look here (https://www.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/content/getting-textbooks-0) to see if the library has a copy of your textbook available or learn how to put materials on reserve (guide for making PDFs accessible: https://guides.cuny.edu/accessibility/pdf). There is a robust video collection, and guides for faculty on an array of topics such as zero-cost textbook alternatives, open access publishing, and research data management. (See John Jay’s Oct 17 OER training.) If you would like additional resources to support your teaching, please contact Teaching & Learning Center Director Gina Rae Foster at gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Upcoming Events/Speakers
|
4. Upcoming Teaching/Pedagogy Workshops
|
5. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team) Quick Start checklist for Brightspace: https://bit.ly/DOES_BrS_QuickStart_Checklist TODAY! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Discussions and Groups, Weds, Oct 16, 2pm – 3pm. Meeting ID: 856 5971 9168; Passcode: 253902. Link: https://jjay-cuny.zoom.us/j/85659719168?pwd=GHkX8Xa9MbcgF4ho8RkhMDP4MnZ38H.1 More info is available from DOES. Workshop dates are here. Recordings: DOES LMS website. CUNY trainings: https://www.cuny.edu/academics/brightspace-transition/training/. Brightspace enrollment request form (e.g., student success coach; TA; teaching observation; share materials with a peer): REVISED REQUEST FORM. Contact. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students: LMS.students@jjay.cuny.edu. |
6. Supports for Research
|
October 2, 2024
1. Important Dates/Info
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLCThe student evaluation period is approaching. Aiming to increase your student evaluation responses? First, be sure to inform students about the dates of the evaluation period, especially if you narrow the date window. Note that your class will ONLY be visible to students during the available dates. |
3. Upcoming Events/Speakers
|
4. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team)Quick Start checklist for Brightspace: https://bit.ly/DOES_BrS_QuickStart_Checklist TODAY! DOES LMS How to Webinar: Brightspace Grading, Weds, October 2, 2pm – 3pm More info is available from DOES. Workshop dates are here. Recordings: DOES LMS website. CUNY Brightspace trainings: https://www.cuny.edu/academics/brightspace-transition/training/. Brightspace enrollment request form (e.g., student success coach; TA; teaching observation; share materials with a peer): REVISED REQUEST FORM. Contact. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students: LMS.students@jjay.cuny.edu. |
5. Upcoming Teaching/Pedagogy Workshops
|
6. To Share with Students
|
7. BIT or the Counseling Center?Sometimes we are not certain how to direct a student who we know is struggling. Guidance from the Counseling Center and Student Affairs: Report emergency or extreme situations immediately to the Department of Public Safety at 212.237.8888 and/or 911 (as appropriate) if an individual displays an imminent threat to self or others, serious disruptive or threatening behavior, damages property, or breaks the law. If a student is experiencing behavioral problems or shows signs that they may be a danger to themselves or others, contact the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT; bit@jjay.cuny.edu). For example: elevated and severe behavioral concerns such as suicidal thoughts or impulses, violent and aggressive impulses, depression, disruptive behavior, emotional/behavioral dysregulation, or clear indication of physical and sexual abuse. If you feel that a student is experiencing a solely mental health issue, without accompanying behavioral problems or signs that the student may be a danger to themselves or others, please contact the Counseling Center. For example: mild to moderate mental and behavioral health concerns (e.g., signs of emotional difficulty, situational stressors, and changes in usual behavior). You may contact Center supervisors Dr. Gerard Bryant (gwbryant@jjay.cuny.edu) and Dr. Cory Head (chead@jjay.cuny.edu). This is especially important if the student has disclosed to you that they are having mental health issues. Counseling Services are available for students in the Wellness Center (L.68NB). Services are free and confidential. Note: messages sent to BIT cannot guarantee the same type of confidentiality as the Counseling Center. If privacy is a concern, the safest and easiest way to guard a student’s privacy regarding their mental health is to contact our Counseling Center. Students can email chead@jjay.cuny.edu or walk-in to make an appointment during the hours of 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. Counseling staff are diverse in ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, religion/spirituality, age, and gender. They also have Spanish-speaking staff. Email chead@jjay.cuny.edu or call 212-887-6239 for more information. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to Dr. Gerard Bryant (gwbryant@jjay.cuny.edu) or the Dean of Students office (deanofstudents@jjay.cuny.edu). |
Weds, September 4, 2024
1. Important Dates
|
2. Fall Book and Course Material SubmissionsThis means YOU! ACT NOW! Even if no books or purchases are required – ALL FACULTY must provide course material information to the bookstore for all courses – even independent studies/research courses. There are 185! missing sections.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLCSet the stage. Each new semester brings new vitality and a fresh start. It gives us an opportunity to build a new community with and among our students. If you are interested, see here for suggestions on building community in the classroom from the start to the end of the semester (https://www.facultyfocus.com/author/ff-teresathompson/) by Teresa Thompson. (Angela can email it to you upon request.) Some suggestions – that could also help address student loneliness – are to have students find partners and ask each other a scripted set of questions. Perhaps have fun with group trivia about your syllabus. And start out on the right foot generating a set of class guidelines and values for class interactions. Help students fully engage. Ideas for helping students understand present is not the same as engaged: speak to the value of attendance and engagement from the start; include things like putting phones away in the class guidelines; visibly take attendance; make class interactive (cold call on students); give participation or engagement credit (e.g., participation can include how a student listens and contributes in small group activities); and remind online students to close other tabs and otherwise remove distractions. Planning ahead. With the stage set, guidelines in place, and students engaged – the TLC has created and curated an array of resources to support your teaching through the upcoming election season: https://faculty.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2024-election-teaching-resources/ Contact Gina Rae Foster (gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu), TLC Director, with questions and ideas. For teaching resources, email TLC@jjay.cuny.edu. Additional opportunities from the CUNY Innovative Teaching Academy (e.g., series on Generative AI starting 9/27). |
4. Faculty Community
|
5. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team)DOES LMS readiness Quick Start checklist for Brightspace: https://bit.ly/DOES_BrS_QuickStart_Checklist
More info is available from DOES. Workshop dates are here. Recordings: DOES LMS website. CUNY Brightspace trainings: https://www.cuny.edu/academics/brightspace-transition/training/. Brightspace enrollment request form (e.g., student success coach; TA; teaching observation; share materials with a peer): REVISED REQUEST FORMPDF. Contact. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students: LMS.students@jjay.cuny.edu. |
6. Important Policy Updates: In case you missed themThis summer, CUNY published several new policies for you to be aware of.
|
7. NCFDD MembershipJohn Jay has an institutional membership to NCFDD – so all faculty – part-time, full-time, and doctoral students – have access to a free individual account. See upcoming events herePDF?UTM_CAMPAIGN=NEWSLETTER&UTM_MEDIUM=EMAIL&_HSENC=P2ANQTZ-_METYT8QCVT1KUQBXJ1_N2M8YKQKOQQP7Q-PMZHQJERV7ONMVDCUZOJPGR1TQOBMO9SM6OI6QFTZOEU0SAE_N7FIAROG&_HSMI=322895970&UTM_CONTENT=322895970&UTM_SOURCE=HS_EMAIL. As an Institutional Member, we have access to the following resources at no cost to you:
To claim your free NCFDD account: (a) Go to https://www.ncfdd.org/join; (b) choose John Jay College from the drop-down menu; (c) select “Activate my Membership”; (d) complete registration with your jjay email address; (e) confirm in jjay email by clicking “Activate Account”. |
Weds, September 11, 2024
1. Important Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLCTools for student timely success. Last week perhaps you generated class guidelines and values for class interactions. But what about outside class? Research and our own experiences tell us that students succeed better when they manage their time effectively. The beginning of the term is a great time to encourage our students to create time management plans and match those to their course syllabi. Do they know how? How faculty can help:
Planning ahead. Reminder as we move toward election day: the TLC has created and curated resources to support your teaching through the election season. See: https://faculty.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2024-election-teaching-resources/ |
3. Faculty Community
|
4. JJ Faculty Authors
|
5. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team)DOES LMS readiness Quick Start checklist for Brightspace: https://bit.ly/DOES_BrS_QuickStart_Checklist DOES LMS How to Webinars and Drop-In Lab: Brightspace Open Q & A, TODAY, Wednesday, September 11, 2pm – 3 pm, Zoom. Meeting ID: 857 1614 1667; Passcode: 552331 Brightspace Drop-In Lab, Mondays in September, 1:40 – 2:55pm, in L2.72.05 NB. More info is available from DOES. Workshop dates are here. Recordings: DOES LMS website. CUNY Brightspace trainings: https://www.cuny.edu/academics/brightspace-transition/training/. Brightspace enrollment request form (e.g., student success coach; TA; teaching observation; share materials with a peer): REVISED REQUEST FORMPDF. Contact. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students: LMS.students@jjay.cuny.edu. |
6. CUNY Faculty Resource SurveyResource survey: From Chief Librarian Ellen Sexton – Evan Silberman (Interim Chief Academic Technology Officer at CUNY Central) shared this survey to assess the need for video hosting. They are collecting information about how video/multimedia is used by faculty, students and staff to better assess the need for a CUNY-wide video hosting system. We currently have limited ability to host and stream large media files and rely on commercial platforms with limited content choices and high annual payments (such as Kanopy). Please consider filling it out, if relevant to you: https://forms.office.com/r/QRz6DQNc46 |
7. CUNY 2024-2025 Disability and Accessibility Training InitiativesCUNY is offering disability and accessibility training initiatives for faculty for the 2024-2025 academic year. For any questions, reach out to Jessica.Murray@cuny.edu. Deadline: Friday, September 13. Notification Date: Mon, Sept 23 Learn more and apply to be a UDL Collaborative Facilitator. |
Weds, September 18, 2024
1. Important Dates
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLCTools for student engagement. Last week, perhaps you shared resources with students about time management. But students only get shared resources if they are engaged with their classes. Knowing that teaching extends beyond the classroom, here are a few suggestions for ways to support and spark student engagement:
Planning ahead. Reminder as we move toward election day: the TLC has created and curated resources to support your teaching through the election season. See: https://faculty.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2024-election-teaching-resources/ Contact Gina Rae Foster, TLC Director, with questions/ideas (gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu). For teaching resources, email TLC@jjay.cuny.edu. |
3. Faculty Events & Opportunities
|
4. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team)Brightspace Drop-In Lab, Mondays in September, 1:40 – 2:55pm, in L2.72.05 NB. Contact. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students: LMS.students@jjay.cuny.edu |
5. Faculty Fellowship Publication Program 2024-25: Call for ApplicationsCall for Applications! Applications are invitedPDF for CUNY's Faculty Fellowship Publication Program for 2024-25 for untenured assistant or associate professors or tenured assistant professors (see flierPDF). Deadline: Fri, October 25, 2024 |
6. Faculty Virtual Workshops on Scholarly PublishingThe Graduate Center’s Mina Rees Library invites you to three online workshops about scholarly publishing and research evaluation. All CUNY community members are welcome. The workshops are especially well suited to faculty, graduate students, administrators, and others engaged in the discovery, production, or evaluation of research publications. Each workshop stands on its own — there is no need to attend one in order to attend another. If there’s a workshop that interests you that you can’t make, register anyway. The presentations will be recorded and shared with all registrants. - “Predatory” Journals: How to Avoid the Shams and Scams, Friday, October 4 at 11am-noon (Zoom), Link to detailed description and registration - “Predatory” Journals: How to Avoid the Shams and Scams, Tuesday, October 8 at 2-3pm (Zoom), Detailed description and registration link (repeat of workshop above) - Open Access Explained: Best Practices for Finding Others’ Research and Publicly Sharing Yours, Friday, October 18 at 11am-noon (Zoom), Link to detailed description and registration - Impact Factor and Other Research Metrics: What They Mean and What They Don’t, Friday, November 1 at 11am-noon (Zoom), Link to detailed description and registration Workshops by Jill Cirasella, Associate Professor, Scholarly Communication Librarian and University Liaison, Mina Rees Library, CUNY Graduate Center, jcirasella@gc.cuny.edu |
Weds, September 25, 2024
1. Important Dates
|
2. Progress Report Feedback RequestsPlease submit requested feedback. Many of you received an email from Kate Szur, Interim Assistant Dean for Student Success and Retention, yesterday (Sept 24) through Navigate360. It requests feedback on the performance of students in undergraduate classes before October 8th so that advisors can reach out to support students’ successful course completion. The goal is to connect all students that require assistance with a staff member before the add/drop deadline on November 6. Progress Reports: Fall 2024 Timeline If you have questions or need assistance, you can attend a virtual workshop (see below) or email progressreports@jjjay.cuny.edu. Filling Out Progress Reports (virtual workshops): Weds, Sept 25, Thurs, Sept 26 & Mon, Sept 30, all at 1:40-3:00pm. Click to RSVP here. Description: Understand how to fill out Progress Reports and how they benefit students. Topics: Progress Reports overview, timeline, expectations, Q&A, tech troubleshooting. |
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLCBuilding student self-help confidence and skills: How are your students responding to discussions and assignments? We are far enough into the term for most students to discover what they are doing easily and well and what they find challenging and perhaps daunting. This is a good time to remind students of the support resources included in your syllabi (we know you are making this a regular practice!) and to facilitate students in making connections between their needs and the resources that can fill those needs. For instance, frequent, low-stakes assessments allow students to see how they are doing early on, but only if they check their grades. Another strategy is to require students to meet with you once during office hours (or by appointment) to discuss grades or feedback. Assigning some or all students to visit the writing center (or appropriate center for your class), is a means to normalize this practice. Remember that all faculty can raise alerts (or share kudos) in Navigate 360 (see Progress Reports above). Academic Resources & Services: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/academics/academic-resources-services
Planning ahead. Reminder as we move toward election day: the TLC has created and curated resources to support your teaching through the election season. See: https://faculty.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2024-election-teaching-resources/. |
4. Upcoming Events/Speakers
|
5. Faculty Opportunities
|
6. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team)
|
7. Upcoming Teaching/Pedagogy Workshops
|
8. CUNY Teaching Academy Faculty Workshopsa. CITA Teaching Matters Special Series on Generative AI, Friday, Sept 27, 11:00am -12:00pm (virtual), Engaging with Generative AI: Which Tool Does What? Leads: John McDonough and Iain M. Coggins (Lehman College) will go back to some basics of generative AI and demonstrate several generative AI tools (free and paid versions) to compare. Participants will (re)learn what AI does, and understand functions, strengths, and weaknesses of the tools so their basic knowledge is updated. For more information, go to this flyer or reach out to Innovative.Pedagogy@cuny.edu. b. Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Professional Development Sessions, Monday, Sept 30, 3pm-4pm (virtual), Introduction to Credit for Prior Learning (CPL), This session will introduce Credit for Prior Learning as a university-wide policy, a student success mechanism, and a national movement toward a more equitable, inclusive higher education landscape. Learn about the basics of CPL as an academic process, including assessment approaches and the critical role that faculty play in making CPL opportunities available to CUNY students. This session is designed as a primer for faculty who are interested in learning the basics of what CPL is at CUNY and beyond. For more information, go to this flyer or webpage, or reach out to CPL@cuny.edu. For more CITA event info, go to this list. |
AUGUST 7, 2024
1. Important DatesSummer session academic calendars are HERE.
Fall 2024 dates: All academic calendars HERE.
|
2. Fall Book and Course Material SubmissionsPLEASE ACT NOW! By federal law, we must provide this information to inform students for all courseswhat books/materials are required – or indicate that none are required – by the time they register. There are still 564!!! sections with book/material information blank.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLCPreparing for Fall 2024 teaching! The TLC has lots of ways to support your preparations.
Teaching Essentials Resources: https://faculty.commons.gc.cuny.edu/teaching-essentials/ |
4. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team)DOES Teaching with Technology Series! The Department of Online Education and Support is excited to announce their new Teaching with Technology Series, a week of sessions for instructors on using the Brightspace Learning Management System and our third party LMS integrations. Details below (see the DOES LMS website for additional resources). All Zoom sessions are open. Brightspace Bootcamp requires advance registration. NOTE: You must verify your ability to log into Zoom before the session and reach out to DOIT (x8200); not DOES!) if help is needed.
Contact. Faculty and Staff email: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students email: LMS.students@jjay.cuny.edu. |
5. Faculty Handbook: Updated, onlineThe newly updated Faculty Handbook is now posted online! You can navigate to various topics from the Table of Contents HERE. The link to the table of contents is under “Faculty Handbooks and Personnel Process Resources” here: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/about/governance-senior-leadership/faculty-resources; and under “Faculty & Chair Resources” here https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/faculty-staff. Guidelines for Creating your Syllabus and Syllabus Template are posted under the Teaching & Learning Center here: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/about/governance-senior-leadership/faculty-resources; and under “Academic Resources” here https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/faculty-staff. |
AUGUST 14, 2024
1. Important DatesSummer session:
Fall 2024 (all academic calendars HERE):
|
2. Fall Book and Course Material SubmissionsPLEASE ACT NOW! By federal law, we must provide this information to inform students for all courseswhat books/materials are required – or indicate that none are required – by the time they register. There are still 505!!! sections with book/material information blank.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLCResources for Fall 2024 teaching from the TLC.
Dates: August 1-20 (posts remain on our account for easy access). Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-jay-teaching-and-learning-center-218b14274/ Teaching Essentials Resources: https://faculty.commons.gc.cuny.edu/teaching-essentials/
|
4. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team)DOES Teaching with Technology Series this week is offering sessions for instructors on using the Brightspace Learning Management System and our third party LMS integrations.
Want more? A wealth of information is available from DOES. List of workshop dates is here – including drop-in sessions in a computer lab (L2.72.05 NB) every Monday in August during community hour. Recordings are on the DOES LMS website. CUNY has also increased their Brightspace training options. See schedule. Brightspace enrollment request form (e.g., student success coach; TA; teaching observation; share materials with a peer): REVISED REQUEST FORM. Contact. Faculty and Staff email: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students email: LMS.students@jjay.cuny.edu. |
5. Important Update: Withdrawal GradesI’m sending this again because it might impact how you structure assignments. The CUNY Office of Academic Affairs released their updated CUNY Uniform Grade Symbols and Guidelines document. They revised the course withdrawal policy, effective Fall 2024. The withdrawal date will change back to the pre-pandemic date. This fall, it’s Wednesday, November 6 (NOT the last day of classes).
Withdrawal (official): Effective Fall 2024, the deadline for student-initiated withdrawal will be adjusted to a deadline of completion of 60% of the course. This contrasts with WU – unofficial withdrawal. Withdrew Unofficially: A grade of WU is to be assigned to students who participated in an academic activity related to the class at least once, stopped participating, did not drop the class or receive approval for an incomplete, did not otherwise officially withdraw from the course, and did not complete enough work for the instructor to be able to calculate an earned grade using the criteria delineated in the course syllabus. A ‘F’ grade should never be given in place of a ‘WU’ grade.
Guidelines for Creating your Syllabus and Syllabus Template are posted under the Teaching & Learning Center on this page: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/about/governance-senior-leadership/faculty-resources. Faculty Handbook: Navigate to various topics from the Table of Contents HERE |
AUGUST 21, 2024
1. Important Information for Fall 2024
|
2. Fall Book and Course Material SubmissionsPLEASE ACT NOW! We must inform students for all courses what books/materials are required – or indicate that none are required. There are 354!!! sections missing information.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLCFall 2024 is nearly upon us! Join us at Faculty Development Day, Tuesday August 27.
Resources for Fall 2024 teaching from the TLC.
Teaching Essentials Resources: https://faculty.commons.gc.cuny.edu/teaching-essentials/ |
4. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team)Quick tips for Brightspace:
Additional info is available from DOES. See their list of workshops here – including a drop-in session, Mon, August 26, 1:40-3pm in L2.72.05 NB. Recordings on the DOES LMS website.
DOES LMS: Brightspace Discussions and Interacting with Students, Friday, August 23, 1:30pm-3pm. For CUNY Brightspace trainings, see schedule. Brightspace enrollment request form (e.g., student success coach; TA; teaching observation; share materials with a peer): REVISED REQUEST FORM. Contact. Faculty and Staff email: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students email: LMS.students@jjay.cuny.edu. |
5. Announcement: Introducing Career Learning Lab & CareerConThe Center for Career and Professional Development has a new name – Career Learning Lab: Explore, Experiment, Excel. Please use the new name when referencing our department with new and returning students. We are excited to announce a refreshed approach to our career fair this year with the introduction of CareerCon. The Career Learning Lab team invites faculty and students to join us for a dynamic, three-day conference-style event at John Jay. CareerCon offers a unique platform for students to connect with motivated public and private employers seeking early career talent.
Why Participate? CareerCon provides students with invaluable opportunities to explore career paths, network with representatives (many of whom are alumni), and access a range of employment opportunities, including internships and full-time positions. This event is an excellent chance for students to understand the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their chosen fields.
How can you engage your students? Bring your class to CareerCon, add the event to your syllabus for extra credit, and more!
|
AUGUST 28, 2024
1. Important Dates for the Start of the Semester
|
2. Fall Book and Course Material SubmissionsPLEASE ACT NOW! Even if no books or purchases are required – ALL FACULTY must provide course material information to the bookstore for all courses. There are 266! missing sections.
|
3. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLCMake it memorable! Your first day of class is coming and one way to help students start out on the right foot is to make it fun. Those who attended Faculty Development Day lunch yesterday – you heard that one of the issues we hope to tackle this year is loneliness. We also hope you were reminded how much play and fun helps to build community – which helps banish loneliness. Ice breakers and games can feel lame, but they also energize and engage people in ways that actually can help retention. Perhaps ask your students about their favorite games to inform the fun? If you’d like to read more, here are some links – and we hope you have fun! Unexpected Benefits of Play https://education.ucdenver.edu/about-us/newsroom/news/let-s-play-the-power-of-play-in-higher-education Thanks again! FDD yesterday as an inspiring celebration of pedagogy and community! Thank you to all who presented, attended and particularly to the Teaching and Learning Center for planning such a fantastic event. Thanks to Director Gina Rae Foster and TLC team members Jacob Moses, Florentina Lonati, Atharva Orpe, Jonathan Manik and Kharry Josiah. Please contact Gina Rae Foster, your TLC Director, with questions and ideas (gifoster@jjay.cuny.edu). For teaching resources, email TLC@jjay.cuny.edu. |
4. Faculty Community
|
5. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team)IMPORTANT Note about contacting students: If you are using Brightspace to send announcements and notifications, it is strongly recommended that you email your students ASAP through your class roster in CUNYFirst to confirm they are receiving your Brightspace announcements.
DOES LMS How to Webinars and Bootcamps: Brightspace Open Q & A, TODAY, Wednesday, August 28, 2pm – 3 pm, Zoom Brightspace Open Q & A, TODAY, Wednesday, September 4, 2pm – 3 pm, Zoom Brightspace Bootcamp – ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED - PLEASE TEST YOUR ZOOM LOGIN BEFORE THE SESSION, Friday, September 6, 10:00am – 1:00pm. Due to Labor Day, the next Brightspace Drop-In Lab will be Monday, September 9, 1:40 – 3pm in L2.72.05 NB. Brightspace Drop-in Labs will be offered until the end of September. More info is available from DOES. Workshop dates are here. Recordings: DOES LMS website. CUNY Brightspace trainings: https://www.cuny.edu/academics/brightspace-transition/training/. Brightspace enrollment request form (e.g., student success coach; TA; teaching observation; share materials with a peer): REVISED REQUEST FORM. Contact. Faculty: LMS.faculty@jjay.cuny.edu. Students: LMS.students@jjay.cuny.edu. |
6. Policy Update: Faculty Reporting Obligations of Sex-Based MisconductThe New Policy on Sex-Based MisconductPDF (PSBM), effective Aug. 1, has expanded reporting obligations that apply to all faculty. (John Jay Title IX website for more information.)
Any NON-CONFIDENTIAL Employee who has responsibility for teaching or advising is considered a “mandatory reporter” under the PSBM. Mandatory reporters MUST notify the Title IX Coordinator (Gabriela Leal, gleal@jjay.cuny.edu) when:
Mandatory reporters
New obligations regarding Pregnancy or related conditions: If a student discloses a pregnancy or related condition to an employee, unless the employee reasonably believes that the Title IX coordinator has already been notified, the employee must:
|
7. Key Forms & Faculty Resources
|
1. Summer TeachingSummer session academic calendars are HERE. All academic calendars HERE.
|
2. Timely Teaching Tip from the TLCTeaching Essentials Course Prep: A mini-course for college and graduate faculty Teaching this fall? Join TLC Director Gina Rae Foster and Psychology Adjunct Instructor Florentina Lonati this August for a FREE, asynchronous, online mini-course in course preparation. From August 1-22, we will provide resources to walk with you through 9 essential steps to design and prepare your fall courses. Whether you are a seasoned instructor or first time teacher, these tips and resources will increase your confidence and reduce your stress. We’ll be posting the materials on LinkedIn and the TLC site linked below.
As the John Jay Teaching & Learning Center Director, Gina is sharing a companion blog with expanded context and tips: as a Psychology Instructor and TLC Administrative Assistant, Florentina is designing the visual tips and curating the resources. Taken together, our mini-course will help you create and refine your plans for student-centered, structured, effective teaching and learning. Each tips post will include the theme, questions, and resources in the comments. Each blog post provides a context and deeper recommendations on applications. We are confident that YOU will find it easy to combine your preferred course content with our advice.
Follow the TLC on LinkedIn at John Jay Teaching and Learning Center and Gina’s blog for this mini-course at Gina Rae Foster. Teaching Essentials Resources: https://faculty.commons.gc.cuny.edu/teaching-essentials/ |
3. Fall Book and Course Material SubmissionsDid I mention this? By federal law, we must provide this information to inform students for all courses what books/materials are required – or indicate that none are required – by the time they register. There are currently 609 sections with book/material information blank.
|
4. Brightspace Updates (DOES LMS Team)We have now transitioned to Brightspace. A wealth of information is available from DOES about how to use the system, including the sessions below. Their full list of workshop dates is here – which include drop-in sessions in a computer lab (L2.72.05 NB) every Monday in August during community hour. Recordings are on the DOES LMS website. Deleted links to past trainings since not useful
|
5. Important Update: LMS Use PolicyThe CUNY Office of Academic Affairs released their Policy for Use of a Learning Management System for Online Classes. Short version – CUNY policy requires that faculty teaching online classes use a Learning Management System (LMS) that is vetted (for security) and supported (for help) by the campuses. That is now Brightspace. See #4 above for information on getting training and support on Brightspace for fall. Policy 1.6: Policy for Use of a Learning Management System for Online Classes |
6. Updated: Syllabus Guidelines and TemplateWe have updated the Guidelines for Creating Your Syllabus (posted under the Teaching & Learning Center on this page: https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/about/governance-senior-leadership/faculty-resources; and also under “Academic Resources” on this page https://www.jjay.cuny.edu/faculty-staff) and added a separate Syllabus Template along with it to support more consistent formatting across syllabi. Simply download it and add your course information. |