Newsletter August 21, 2025
cte.utah.edu

Now that your fall classes are underway, you may hear from students about individual needs or requests for accommodations. For any student requesting an accommodation in your course, please refer them to the Center for Disability and Access (CDA). CDA staff will work with students to identify individual needs and appropriate accommodations, and then they will reach out to faculty via their CDA ClockWork Instructor Portal.  If CDA advisors suggest an accommodation that is not relevant to the format, schedule, or pedagogy used in your class, please don’t just ignore the request. Instead, reach out to the CDA advisor named in the accommodation letter, or contact the CDA Faculty Outreach Coordinator.  

For other questions or challenges facing faculty or students, please also look on Navigate U via the web or app. Students can use Navigate U to schedule advising or student success coach appointments, find support services on campus, and more. 

Starting Fall 2025, students will have the opportunity to earn academic credit through Portfolio-Based Assessment (PBA).

PBA allows currently matriculated, degree-seeking undergraduate students to demonstrate mastery of learning outcomes for an existing course in the University catalog by showcasing verifiable, college-level learning gained through professional, volunteer, or community-based experience. PBA expands credit pathways for diverse learners, bridges academic curriculum with workforce and community needs, and supports timely progress toward degree completion.

To prepare faculty portfolio reviewers of eligible courses, asynchronous Canvas training modules are now available. Please contact Danielle.Susi-Dittmore@utah.edu to access these Canvas modules.

Additionally, two optional faculty PBA orientations will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, September 2 at 11:00 am and Wednesday, September 3 at 3:00 pm. Interested faculty, department chairs, and associate deans need only attend one of these meetings and not both.

AI in education is moving fast, and new tools are emerging that may directly impact teaching and learning at the U. We wanted to share a few recent releases and a research article that you might find interesting as you think about integrating technology intentionally into your courses. UIT is continually evaluating new tools for approval by U of U faculty, staff and students. Please check the U's AI Tools and Infrastructure page for updates: 

1. ChatGPT Study Mode

A newly released feature designed for students that organizes study support in a more structured format.
Watch overview

2. ChatGPT Agent

A new tool that allows users to set up task-specific AI “agents” that can help with information gathering, summarizing, and other workflow tasks.
Watch overview

3. Research Article: AI Tutoring vs In-Class Learning

A recent randomized controlled trial, published in Scientific Reports (June 3, 2025), compared AI tutoring with traditional active-learning classroom instruction. Findings suggest that the AI tutoring group achieved larger learning gains in less time, and reported higher engagement.
Read the article

Join the One-U Responsible AI Initiative for its Second Annual Symposium on Sept. 12—RSVP by Aug. 31

Join the University of Utah One-U Responsible AI Initiative for its Annual Symposium on Friday, September 12, at the University Guest House and Conference Center. This one-day event brings together campus and community partners to explore the future of responsible AI. Hear from university, state, and national leaders and enjoy lightning talks from university researchers in the initiative’s thematic areas: environment, healthcare and wellness, and teaching and learning. Plus, network, browse research posters, and hear from responsible AI community organizers.

Workshop: Community Engaged Scholarship in a Divided Landscape

Join faculty from across Utah to discuss Community Engaged Scholarship in Divisive Environments September 18-19, 2025 in Heber Utah (see flyer attached). This 1.5-day workshop will be facilitated by Dr. Thomas A Bryer who recently wrote "Integrating Community Engagement in Public Affairs Education: Solutions for Professors Working in Divisive Environments." Thursday afternoon will focus on engaging headlines as a public intellectual, and Friday will be a full day workshop on innovative strategies for co-creating community engaged projects while navigating complex dynamics and producing scholarship that makes a difference.

Register for FREE thanks to support from Community Engagement offices in the Utah Campus Community Engagement Network (UCCEN) and the University Presidential Leadership Fellowship funded by the Mellon Foundation. Email megan.medina@utah.edu with any questions.

CTE is proud to offer a 15-credit graduate certificate in Teaching in Higher Education. The certificate consists of 4 online semester-based courses taught through CTE, as well as one elective.

Interested in learning more? Check out the certificate page.

This year, we will be offering two elective courses:

You are invited to the Office of Undergraduate Research faculty session to learn about being a SPUR Faculty Mentor!

August 22, 2025
11AM – 12PM
Session: Register to receive Zoom information

The Office of Undergraduate Research Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) at the University of Utah is a nationally competitive opportunity that provides undergraduate students with an intensive 10-week summer research experience with U of U faculty.

Faculty Benefits Include:

The Office invites University of Utah tenure-line and career-line faculty to apply to serve as mentors for SPUR 2026 (May 18-July 31,2026). Deadline for faculty applications: October 3, 2025

Visit: our.utah.edu/spur for more information.

University Distinguished Teaching Awards

 September 15

University  Teaching Grants

 October 3, January 26, and March 6

Calvin S. and JeNeal N. Hatch Prize in Teaching

October 13

John R Park Teaching Fellowship

November 10

Community Engaged Teaching and Scholarship Award

November 10

Early Career Teaching Award

December 5