Reflections from the Director
It feels as though we were just welcoming new faculty to campus at the start of the semester, and now many of you are immersed in grading midterms. While the semester seems to be moving quickly, milestone moments like this offer valuable opportunities to pause and reflect with intention.
This month, I invite you to engage in a focused reflection on your teaching practices. I recognize that faculty roles vary widely across disciplines and responsibilities, and future messages will address other dimensions of faculty work. For now, I encourage you to take time—individually or with your teams—to consider the following questions:
- What teaching strategies have been most effective so far this semester? Why?
- Are students engaging with the material in the ways I anticipated?
- What evidence do I have that students are learning?
- If I have not yet implemented a method for gathering mid-semester student feedback, how might I design one that is tailored to my course?
- What adjustments might I make to improve the clarity, accessibility, or relevance of my course content?
- How am I managing my workload and well-being?
- How would I like to feel at the end of the semester? What do I need in order to get to this place?
I understand that intentional reflection may fall to the bottom of the list, especially given the demands of our roles, personal responsibilities, and the broader global context. However, within our own community at CU Denver, we have the ability and gift to make a profound impact on our students.
This month, I also challenge each of us to focus some time each week to support students who may be struggling. Consider reaching out with a brief, supportive message to let them know they matter. Host office hours centered on connection and support. Offer individual meetings to help students clarify their learning goals and navigate their academic journey. Collaborate with campus offices that support student success—and share these resources with your students.
My hope is that this reflection helps you feel more grounded and intentional as we move into the second half of the semester. Thank you for your continued dedication to our students and to the mission of CU Denver.
Bryn Harris
Director, Center for Faculty Development and Advancement
Director, Center for Faculty Development and Advancement
Professional Development Grants
The Center for Faculty Development and Advancement is proud to offer a variety of grants designed to support faculty at CU Denver in their professional development. Our grants for ALL tracks of faculty are NOW OPEN!
Available Grants
- Tenured Track Faculty PD Page ( “See How It Works” button not working, links below)
Round 1 Grant Award Application Deadline: October 24th, 2025 at 11:59pm
Please visit the CFDA Grants Page to learn more about eligible activities, application deadlines, and match requirements. If you have any questions about allowable expenses, please email us at CFDA@ucdenver.edu.
CFDA Faculty Events
Our programming schedule changes every month, so be sure to stop by from time to time and see what’s new! Here are some exciting events on the horizon from CFDA.
Early Career Faculty Academy Series – Fall Semester Dates*
Date: Mondays – October 13th, November 3rd, December 1st
Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: In-Person, Third Floor, Learning Commons Building
*These events are open to faculty at all ranks in their first three years. Please register below for these events as you can attend. We hope to see you there!
Boo and Bonbons
Date: October 22nd, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Learning Commons – 3rd Floor – Kitchen
Join us for a light-hearted faculty drop-in event filled with sweet treats and good vibes. Whether you’re craving chocolate, gummies, or just a quick break from your day, we’ve got you covered. Stop by, grab some candy, and connect with colleagues—no tricks, just treats!
Costumes encouraged! Come dressed as your spookest faculty member… Red pen ready… tests to grade… Meetings to attend… Waaahahahaha!
Come early before everything melts!
LGBTQ+ Inclusion Workshop
Date: November 6th, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (bring your lunch, snacks and drinks provided)
Location: Learning Commons, Lecturer Landing Zone (3rd Floor)
Numerous studies have shown that implementing best practices related to LGBTQ+ inclusion in educational settings have significant impacts on gender and sexual minorities’ sense of self-worth and belonging as well as their ability to succeed, leading to greater retention and graduation rates. These practices are essential for creating a university culture that better prepares all students to enter and shape a more equitable and just world.
This hour-long workshop, created and delivered by CU Denver’s LGBTQ+ Faculty Assembly Committee, introduces participants to the whys and hows of LGBTQ+ inclusion in a university setting. Topics covered include appropriate terminology; updating gender information in CU Denver information systems; normalizing asking for names and pronouns; recovering from mistakes; inclusive pedagogical practices; gender neutral restrooms; and identifying resources available on LGBTQ+ topics at the university and beyond.
This workshop is sponsored by the Teaching Innovation and Program Strategy division, the Center for Faculty Development and Advancement, the Center for Access and Campus Engagement, and the Faculty Assembly LGBTQ+ committee. More information and registration here!
Featured Campus Events
ORS Pivot Training opportunities
Fall semester means ORS Pivot Training opportunities! Pivot is an external funding opportunity search engine the university has licensed. If you are new to the university and want to set up your Pivot profile, or if you want help refining your Pivot profile, or if you just want some guidance fine-tuning your searches to get rid of some of the junk, we have some opportunities for you this fall:
- Wednesday 15 Oct 12:30-1:30pm: there will be a hybrid session in the ORS Conference room, LSC 300. The zoom link is https://ucdenver.zoom.us/j/96047420022
- Friday 17 Oct 12-2pm: there will be a hybrid session at the Faculty Grants Academy, LSC 13th floor Room 1300D. The zoom link is https://ucdenver.zoom.us/j/99919835314
If you can’t make any of the sessions and/or have any questions, please feel free to reach out directly to Ali Pearks at ORS (alison.pearks@ucdenver.edu). ORS also has guidance documents for logging into Pivot, claiming or setting up your profile, and searching for funding and collaborators on our website; you can find them at https://research.ucdenver.edu/funding/pivot-rp.
Teach Like a Rock Star
Date: October 21st 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Lecturer Landing Zone (3rd Floor)
Join the Division for Teaching Innovation and Program Strategy for what stands to be a rocking event! Student engagement is key to effective teaching. There’s another environment where engagement is imperative for success, too: music concerts. Like classroom instructors, artists try to maintain the attention of their audience. They engage diverse participants in a robust interactive and inclusive experience. They assure attendees leave feeling moved and inspired. Ideally, concertgoers and fans take to heart and critically consider what musicians deliver to them in their performance. In this session we will reflect on the best practices and marketing of our favorite musicians and reflect on how we can apply them to the work we do in the classroom and beyond. Information and registration available here.
Faculty Opportunities
Faculty Fellows
Reminder to Apply for Faculty Fellows! Join our amazing team!
At the Center for Faculty Development and Advancement, we are here to support your journey – whether you are just beginning your academic career or preparing for promotion and leadership. Our mission is to help foster your growth through personalized support, professional development and community-building opportunities.
We are looking to fill two faculty fellow roles to support faculty development on our campus. These roles include:
Early Career Faculty Fellow Position
Mid-to-Late Career Faculty Fellow Position
These vital roles will provide innovative and targeted faculty support on our campus. If you or anyone you know is interested, please apply! For more information, please access the job description here.
Apply now! The deadline to apply for either role is October 15th, 2025. For questions on either position, please reach out to us at CFDA@ucdenver.edu.
President’s Fund for the Humanities
The President’s Fund for the Humanities (PFH) Grant was established to promote the research and scholarly activities of faculty in the arts and humanities at CU. The fund aims to preserve balance in the university’s education and research programs, and to support dynamic and innovative research and creativity in the arts and humanities. Successful proposals for the PFH program describe a well-developed scholarly or creative project rooted in the arts and humanities with clear and feasible outcomes. More information here.
Faculty Shout-Outs
Thomas Jefferson Award Recipient
Congratulations to Wesley Marshall for being honored as the recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Award!🎉
The award recognizes members of the CU community who exemplify the ideals of Thomas Jefferson, including a commitment to educational excellence, broad interests, civic responsibility and the welfare of individuals.
The Thomas Jefferson Award is presented annually across the CU system to faculty, staff and/or students whose achievements embody Jefferson’s ideals and contribute to the advancement of higher education and society. Award winners – who are selected by a committee of CU faculty, staff and students – receive an engraved plaque and a $2,000 honorarium. Read the full article here.
The title “Distinguished Professor” is the highest honor that the University of Colorado bestows on its own faculty members. This title is extended to recognize the outstanding contributions of tenured faculty members to their academic disciplines. Candidates nominated for a distinguished professorship must demonstrate accomplishments in accordance with university-wide criteria. As of 2025, 156 University of Colorado professors hold the title of distinguished professor. Learn more here.
Campus Nomination Process
- For nomination submission and deadline information, please contact the school/college dean.
Shout Outs
We are proud to celebrate the incredible work of our CU Denver Faculty! From groundbreaking research to innovative teaching, our faculty continue to make a lasting impact on our students and the community.
Do you know someone who deserves a shout-out? Let us know by submitting a recognition request here. We love recognizing the amazing contributions happening across our campus!
Faculty Resources
The Chronicle of Higher Education is a leading resource in the field of higher education. Includes articles about all aspects of higher education including faculty pay; data; diversity, equity, & inclusion; finance; leadership; teaching & learning; scholarship; and technology. Access The Chronicle of Higher Education through Auraria Library’s Databases List. If you’re off campus, you’ll be asked to login with your university credentials or use VPN.
Mental Health Resources
- CSEAP – Colorado State Employee Assistance Program
Something fun!
Did you know that through the CU Health Plan, you have access to Sleepio?! Who doesn’t want to sleep better!
⭐Check back next month for more resources!
Center for Faculty Development and Advancement | CFDA@ucdenver.edu
Learning Commons 3rd Floor | 1191 Larimer St. Denver, CO 80204