UNG LEADS Day - August 16, 2021

This presentation is targeted for faculty with limited pedagogical training or those looking to engage in rich conversations about how we approach teaching at the university level. We will discuss conceptualizing teaching from pre-planning to assessment, including questions of student mindset, curriculum design, and faculty relationship to the grading process.

Students transferring to UNG bring richness to our campuses through their varied backgrounds and experiences. They are important threads in the fabric of our institution, and helping them maintain academic momentum in pursuit of their goals is essential. Serving transfer students requires an understanding of their journeys and the institutional roadblocks they encounter. This session illuminates transfer students’ stories, explores how policies and processes enhance the student experience, and identifies ways to elevate your support of transfer student success.

This session provides an overview of the USG/UNG budget process, including last year's budget cuts. Additionally, this session describes how UNG used CARES, HERF, HERF 2, and HERF3 funds consistent with Federal guidelines. As part of the Division of Business & Finance, presenters will provide updates related to UNG bookstores, parking, and dining as well as Emergency Preparedness efforts.

The Latinx student population served by UNG increases each year. Currently, 14.6% of the Fall 2020 population identify as Hispanic; these students face barriers to higher education completion. UNG can serve the region and students by working to remove barriers affecting Latinx students. This session reviews the research on why Latinx students attend UNG, what motivates them to perform well in college, and strategies UNG can pursue to support Latinx students' success.

Suicide is the most preventable form of death. The signs of crisis are all around us and QPR empowers all people, regardless of their background, to make a positive difference in the life of someone they know. Come learn three steps anyone can learn to help prevent suicide.

The session provides valuable information about multiple programs available to UNG employees. The session includes information on the Employee Assistance Program available to employees and their families through KEPRO. Presenters will also review Health and Wellness Programs available through the University System of Georgia. An overview of the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), the requirements for employee participation, and information on CAPTRUST financial services are included as is a review of the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Challenged by significant declines in Associate-level enrollment, a task force including members from Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management, Regional Campus leaders, Business and Finance, University Relations, and Student Affairs designed a new approach to the delivery of the Associate degree pathways. Based on the successful Blue Ridge Scholars program, best practices in student retention, strategic program placement across our 5 campuses, and a rebranding of our Associate degrees, the USG approved a new model under University College. Come learn about the model and how you can participate in the three-year implementation plan.

As a LEAP institution, this session provides information on LEAP goals and strategies, supporting student skill development to produce graduates ready for 21st-century careers and citizenship. LEAP champions real-world experiences, broad knowledge bases, and higher-order capacities. LEAP leaders integrate best practices in the classroom. Participants will learn about the LEAP toolkit and resources available to integrate LEAP strategies into courses.

Faculty leading College-level diversity priorities from the College of Arts & Letters and the College of Education provide updates on plans for the coming academic year. Come learn how you can advance the diversity goals of your college.

We know that students are far more successful when they have a connection to their university. Many factors contribute to engaging campus communities, which includes mentorship opportunities, social engagement, and student involvement. Moreover, COVID-19 greatly impacted students’ abilities to connect on their campuses given the shift to virtual and hybrid learning. Therefore, it's more important than ever to engage our students and promote their sense of belonging. Attend this session to learn how you can help your students succeed and excel, both inside and outside the classroom.

Starting Fall 2021, Financial Aid will be supporting students' progression using the "Road to Graduation." Session participants will learn about this program, and how the integration of Career development, Financial literacy, and College Financial planning including the Certified Program of Study (CPoS) will help students finish their journeys. The CPoS program mitigates the potholes and roadblocks that influence financial aid eligibility and student progress. Participants will also be updated on the HEERF III funding for students.

The pandemic shifted course modalities, with asynchronous and synchronous distance education becoming more common. To provide flexibility and support virtual instruction, IT is upgrading the AV technology in classrooms across UNG, adding cameras, microphones, and modernizing classroom technology packages. Chris Adams, from IT, will detail what has been installed, how to use it, and where to find more information. Enes Aganovic, from DETI, will provide guidance on making the most of technology platforms such as Kaltura and Blackboard Collaborate.

Mindfulness can be defined as “being attentive to and aware of what is taking place in the present moment” (Brown & Ryan, 2003, p. 822). In this session, you will learn about the benefits of mindfulness and how it differs from relaxation and other contemplative practices. Participants will practice brief, simple mindfulness meditations that you can personally use and teach students to use in class. Participants will also discuss ideas beyond meditation for integrating mindful intention and reflection into the classroom experience.

Whether you are new or experienced in supervising student employees, there are always ways supervisors can continue to grow and improve as leaders. This session will help participants think through current practices and ways to revise employment opportunities to create purposeful and learning-centered work for students. Come explore recent research about the student work experience on college campuses and how it can be directly connected to support student learning here at UNG. Participants will learn about the current UNG hiring process for student employees and the differences between Federal Work-Study and Institutional funding sources. Stay until the end to ask any burning questions in our Q&A portion, and share ideas and best practices for developing your own supervising skills.

This presentation provides data on UNG students' levels of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation during COVID-19; numbers are expected to remain steady moving forward. We will discuss the importance of student need for structure, sense of belonging, and stress that are key to motivation, relationships, and academic success. In fostering a culture of Mental Well-being presenters will provide practical skills faculty and staff can use to cultivate resiliency to foster adaptivity in connecting, capability, self-acceptance. Let’ think about stress differently!

The session updates participants on capital projects on all 5 UNG campuses. The presentation includes a video tour of two recently completed projects - the Blue Ridge Campus and the Gainesville Campus Expansion. Additionally, projects in design and/or construction will be discussed as well as future projects in the planning stages.

The panel will discuss their Asian American experience on the UNG Campuses.

Mental health issues on college campuses have been growing for many years, overloading mental health systems. During the pandemic, student mental health issues dramatically increased, exacerbated by pandemic isolation. These issues will continue to manifest themselves on UNG campuses as we return to more normal operations. Come learn about the state of our students’ mental health, and the new services and resources available to UNG students through the USG’s Mental Health Initiative. Learn how you can contribute to an institution-wide culture of care, recognition, and response to students’ mental health needs.

This session provides information on First-Generation Students from a national and local perspective. The presentation explores how First Generation students differ from their peers and the challenges they face from academic, social, and financial perspectives. Presenters will discuss strategies for supporting First Generation Students as well as UNG initiatives to increase retention and persistence of these students.

With the time we devote to teaching, service, and personal time, it is hard to find moments to write. During this session, we will draw on research on faculty writing productivity to build a writing plan tailored to your unique professional and personal context. Be ready to brainstorm possibilities for how academic writing can be a part of your upcoming academic year!

President Bonita Jacobs paused UNG's Strategic Planning process in 2020 to give the university time to recover from the disruptions caused by the pandemic and to assess how our environment may have changed as a result of it. Dr. Sue Doyle-Portillo, Chair of the Department of Psychological Science, and Dr. Kate Maine, Chief of Staff and Vice President for University Relations, leading the strategic planning process, will provide an overview of the work to date and the opportunities to provide input in the developing plan.