2026–27 Academic Calendar 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Recent Fall faculty messages. 

Faculty Writing Communities 
Faculty Writing Communities offer faculty members structured time and space to focus on their writing goals. Participants benefit from weekly in-person sessions that foster accountability and sustained progress. Communities composed of up to twelve faculty members meet for two hours weekly in a designated on-campus location. Placement is determined on a first-come, first-served basis, based on eligibility and availability. RSVP for a Writing Community by Thursday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. CDT. Choices of dates and times for the Writing Communities include: 
• Tuesdays or Thursdays 1 – 3 p.m.  
• Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays 9 – 11 a.m. 

Faculty Development Award for Professional-Track Faculty
The Faculty Development Award Program (FDA) is for professional-track faculty members and provides up to $10,000 to support the recipient’s professional development opportunities and activities. The FDA application system is open and closes on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. CDT.

Faculty Development Leave Program
The Faculty Development Leave Program (FDL) provides tenured faculty members with paid leave from teaching and service responsibilities and allows them to focus on developing their research, scholarship and creative endeavors. (At other universities, this type of leave is commonly called a sabbatical.) The FDL application system is open and closes on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. CDT. 

Personal and Professional Circumstances, Faculty Leaves, and Related Policies at UT Austin Information Session
Friday, Oct. 16 | 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. | GSB 3.138 
The Provost’s Faculty Affairs team will host an information session focused on Personal and Professional Circumstances, Faculty Leaves, and Related Policies at UT Austin for current faculty and administrators. The session will share information about probationary period (tenure clock) extensions for tenure-track faculty, personal circumstances flags for tenured and professional-track faculty, modified instructional duties, personal and professional leaves, and external appointments for tenured faculty. Join us to learn more about the options and policies supporting faculty navigating personal and professional circumstances.   

Discovery to Impact Proof of Concept (POC) Awards
Applications are now open for the Discovery to Impact Proof of Concept (POC) Awards, which provide up to $25,000 to help UT Austin innovators advance promising discoveries toward real-world application and impact. Apply by Monday, Oct. 12. Employees with PI status are encouraged to learn more about eligibility and the application process on our website.  

Professional-Track Faculty Conference Attendance Program (PCAP)
PCAP provides funding to support professional-track faculty attending academic and professional workshops or conferences. Eligible faculty may apply for up to $1,400 to support attending a conference or workshop. The travel period for eligible trips is between Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026 – Sunday, Aug. 15, 2027.  Applications are due by Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026 at 5 p.m. CDT. 

Open Education Fellowships: Apply through Oct. 31
UT Libraries invites applicants for its Open Education Fellows Program, which supports faculty members seeking to (1) replace commercial course materials with existing open educational resources or (2) author and openly license their own course materials. Adoption/adaptation fellow(s) will each receive a stipend of $5,000, and author fellow(s) will receive a stipend of $10,000. A total of five fellows will be named and will receive support from UT Libraries throughout their fellowship. Questions? Contact Open Education Librarian Heather Walter.

You’re Invited: Faculty at Texas Celebration  
Tuesday, Sept. 29 | 4 to 6 p.m. | DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium | RSVP 
Spark a few casual conversations with faculty colleagues beyond the classroom and lab and join us at the inaugural Faculty at Texas celebration on Tuesday, Sept. 29. The celebration will take place in the Frank Denius Family University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame in DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. All faculty are welcome. Connect with others and strengthen our faculty community as we celebrate your contributions to campus. We look forward to seeing you there! Food and refreshments will be served. An RSVP is required for entry.  

Claude Basics with AI Studio and Anthropic 
Monday, Sept. 21, | 11:30 a.m. | Info
Join Anthropic and the AI Studio for an introduction to Claude, available to all UT faculty and staff. Learn what Claude can do, how to write effective prompts, and see a live demonstration of the platform in action.  

ProTrack Faculty Social Hour 
Thursday, Sept. 24, 3 – 5 p.m. | Cactus Cafe 
Join your fellow professional-track faculty for a casual get-together at the Cactus Cafe! This is a relaxed, drop-in gathering — no agenda, just a chance to connect and chat with colleagues. Beverages are available for purchase, so come as you are and stay as long as you like! 

ChatGPT Basics with AI Studio and OpenAI  
Wednesday, Sept. 30 | 11:30 a.m. | Info  
Join the Office of Academic Technology and the UT Libraries for a workshop about addressing AI in your classroom. We’ll start with a discussion of responsible AI and then participants will work with facilitators and other attendees to design a syllabus statement, accommodation policy or assignment. This in-person workshop is open to all UT faculty and instructors. Coffee and snacks will be provided. Registration is required. 

UT REAL Health AI Symposium
Wednesday, Oct. 7 & Thursday, Oct. 8 | AT&T Conference Center | Register
Join leaders from health care, academia, industry and government at the 2026 UT REAL Health AI Symposium in Austin. Speakers include Michael Dell, Robert Wachter, M.D., Shiv Rao, M.D., Daniel Nadler, Jim Breyer and Eric Larsen. UT faculty can register at no cost using the promo code LONGHORNPASS.

Agatha and Anthony Precourt Family Lecture Series 
Bringing Out Our Best: A Forum on Excellence 
Monday, Oct. 26 | 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. | Etter-Harbin Alumni Center, Connally Ballroom | RSVP
Join psychologist Angela Duckworth, New York Times bestselling author of Grit and the newly released Situated; renowned motivation researcher Professor David Yeager; and legendary UT Austin swimming coach Bob Bowman for a candid conversation on grit, growth and the pursuit of greatness. Drawing on decades of research and real-world coaching experience, the panelists will explore how perseverance, mindset, and purposeful effort combine to unlock human potential in the classroom and in everyday life. Inspired by the central idea of Duckworth's newest book, Situated, the discussion will also explore how our environments, relationships, and daily choices can help transform effort into lasting success. Whether you're chasing a personal best, building a team or striving to become the best version of yourself, this conversation offers practical insight into what it really takes to excel. 

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The Faculty Update is a bi-weekly newsletter. Please contact provost.office@utexas.edu for more information.