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In the August issue of the Faculty Friday newsletter, Senior Vice Provost Magdalena Barrera announced that after four and a half years at the editorial helm, she would hand over the reins to me and CFETI’s leadership team “to find new and creative ways to use this space.” Since this announcement, some of the newsletter’s most avid readers may have been waiting—potentially with bated breath—to see if it would undergo a significant transformation akin to famous 19th-century Bildungsromane, gothic horror novellas, or 21st-century Cinderella stories. The fans of immediate, radical makeovers will surely be disappointed. Those who prefer slow-burning stories and incremental change are in luck. To be sure, this opening is already different from the deeply meaningful insights and stories that Maggie always shared with us. But the main body of the newsletter has not changed. While we will introduce some new elements, we will do so gradually over the next months.

In the meantime, I invite everyone to scroll and read through this issue, which includes two opportunities to share thoughts and provide feedback: all faculty and staff are invited to participate in the CSU-wide AI Survey, which asks how generative AI is affecting our campus community and what needs and opportunities should inform future planning. Active SJSU instructors are also invited to respond to the Class Scheduling Policies and Practices Survey.

This issue also highlights several tools and programs designed to support teaching, learning, and course preparation. Faculty can explore TidyUp for organizing Canvas courses and improving accessibility as well as BoodleBox for guided and transparent student engagement. CFETI’s AI Corner invites you to register for the Demystify AI Masterclass Series, the Critical Thinking, Equity, and AI Faculty Institute, and other exciting events.

Finally, you will also find a range of opportunities offered by CFETI and our colleagues at Center for Community Learning and Leadership that focus on professional and career development. They include the Fall 2026 Lecturer Retreat, the Momentum program designed for tenured associate professors who wish to chart a successful path towards promotion to full, and the Fall 2026 Womxn’s Leadership Retreat.

I hope you find many of the opportunities relevant and meaningful. If you have any thoughts or feedback on the newsletter—its format and content—do not hesitate to reach out to faculty-success@sjsu.edu.

With the best wishes,
Friederike Bruehoefener
Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Excellence  

As part of SJSU's participation in the AASCU Student-Centered Course Scheduling Project, instructors are invited to share their feedback. The project focuses on removing hidden barriers for students and understanding how course scheduling practices can best support our community. If you are an active SJSU instructor and were assigned to teach one or more sections between Fall 2025 and Fall 2026, please check your email inbox for the survey link. If you have any questions regarding this project, please contact Sarah Schraeder Cisneros at sarah.cisneros@sjsu.edu.

SJSU invites faculty and staff to participate in the anonymous CSU AI Survey, which asks how generative AI is affecting our campus community and what needs and opportunities should inform future planning. Please complete the survey and share it with colleagues. Faculty are also encouraged to consider setting aside class time for students to respond. The survey launches on Monday, September 21 and will be open through Monday, October 19, and takes less than 10 minutes. Follow this link to take the CSU AI Survey. 

Fulbright Specialist: From Idea to International Impact 

Join Dr. Lynne Andonian on Friday, September 25, 2026 (10:00-11:00 a.m.) for a conversation about applying for and securing Fulbright Specialist positions. Participants will learn about the application process, strategies for developing a competitive proposal, identifying and building international partnerships, and lessons learned along the way. Use this form to register for this online workshop.

From Community Engaged Teaching to Scholarship

Explore how teaching service-learning and community-engaged learning courses can become the foundation for meaningful scholarship. Held on Friday, October 16, 2026 (10:00 - 11:00 a.m.) via Zoom, this workshop will help faculty identify research opportunities within their courses, consider approaches for documenting outcomes, and explore pathways for developing and publishing scholarship of teaching and learning. Use this form to register for this online workshop.

The SJSU Career Center has recently launched Hiration, an AI-powered tool that helps students strengthen resumes and practice interview skills. Join the Center for Zoom-based workshops to learn how easily you can integrate Hiration assignments into your courses. Please check out the registration form for more information and to register. The workshops will be recorded and shared with those who register. 

Join SJSU's Faculty Champions in Accessibility for an inspiring conversation on Friday, October 16 (10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.) about building courses where every student can thrive. Walk away with practical, easy-to-implement strategies for creating accessible and inclusive course materials starting today. Register for the Faculty Champion in Accessibility Panel (on Zoom).

Keeping your Canvas courses organized doesn’t have to mean tedious manual auditing. TidyUp quickly scans course files, pages, and assignments to pinpoint unused materials, duplicate uploads, and empty folders. With intuitive bulk actions, you can delete or archive outdated content in seconds, saving valuable time during term prep while ensuring students only see the resources they need. Tidying up your Canvas course can also help you increase its accessibility. Check out the Tidy Up Workshop Calendar for live and recorded sessions!

Padlet is a flexible digital collaboration space that makes student thinking visible. Faculty can use it to support participation, peer review, multimodal expression, and formative assessment in face-to-face, online, and hybrid courses. Padlet allows educators and students to go beyond traditional text-only discussion boards and can easily get added directly into Canvas courses.

SJSU is participating in a pilot program for BoodleBox. BoodleBox is a collaborative AI platform that provides access to multiple leading AI models within a single secure workspace. The platform is designed to streamline research, group work, and content curation. BoodleBox lets you control which AI models or bots students can use for a given task, so you can scaffold what "appropriate AI use" looks like for that specific assignment. You can watch every student's conversation in real time, from the moment they start. Not just the final product; the whole thinking process, live, if you'd like.

When you're ready to design your own, the Vibe Assignment Architect is the fastest way to get started. Describe your course and learning objectives, and it drafts an AI-native assignment for you. If interested in participating, fill out the AY 26/27 BoodleBox Pilot Interest Form.

Join SJSU Mindfulness Teaching Award recipients Li Shen (Jesslyn) Chong, Megan Thiele Strong, and Aleysa Petty for an interactive retreat designed for faculty interested in bringing mindfulness into the classroom. In addition to learning about the evidence, benefits, myths, and challenges of classroom mindfulness, participating faculty will receive hands-on guidance and best practice advice. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of mindfulness in teaching, practical tools they can use in their classrooms, and inspiration from colleagues who already incorporate mindfulness into their courses. Complete this form to register for the retreat.

All tenured associate professors are cordially invited to participate in Momentum, a faculty development program designed to support faculty as they chart a successful path toward promotion to full professor. Taking place between November 2026 and May 2027, the program includes thematic Friday morning workshops as well as Writing Sprints. For more information on the program’s detailed schedule and to register, please consult and complete this Google form.

The changing higher education landscape requires instructors to thoughtfully respond to a wide range of challenges. Through presentations, discussions, and other activities, the Fall 2026 Lecturer Retreat will explore practical approaches to facilitating difficult conversations with students and in the classroom, upholding academic freedom, and creating inclusive learning environments that support minority students. Together, we will strengthen our capacity to teach with clarity, courage, empathy, and care during tumultuous times. If you are interested in participating in this retreat, please complete this registration form by Monday, October 12, 2026.

Are you wondering what steps are involved in preparing for retirement? How do retirement and FERP relate to one another? And what might life after retirement look like? 

Join representatives from Faculty Services and Benefits Services (Division of People and Culture) and from the Emeritus and Retired Faculty Association (ERFA) for an informative panel discussion focused on contemplating, planning for, and stepping into retirement. Use this form to register.

Mark your calendars for a retreat designed to support tenured faculty (associate and full professors) in advancing their leadership and professional presence. Through facilitated conversations, panel discussions, and other activities, participants will articulate their leadership strengths, identify the leadership opportunities they seek, and learn to build the visibility and relationships needed to be recognized and considered for leadership roles. All are welcome! If you would like to register for the retreat, please complete this form.

We are actively developing additional sessions and will add them throughout the semester. Below are the first confirmed opportunities, along with a few upcoming sessions to save on your calendar. Please help share these opportunities with your colleagues.

Teach with AI

Hands-on, faculty-led workshops for applying AI in your teaching practice.

Register for Teach with AI sessions.

Teaching Smarter with Google AI Tools
Join Dr. Gema Vinuales, Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing and Business Analytics, for a hands-on workshop exploring how to use Google AI tools to enhance teaching and learning.

Additional sessions and details will be added to the registration page soon.

Demystify AI Masterclass Series

Learn with experts across our campus as we unpack emerging technologies, move beyond the buzzwords, and build a clearer understanding of how these tools work and where they are headed. The series is open to faculty, staff, and students, so please invite your students to join us.

Register for AI Masterclass sessions. 

Session 1: Introduction to Quantum Computing: From Algorithm to Hardware
Led by Dr. Hiu Yung Wong, Professor and AMDT Endowed Chair in the Department of Electrical Engineering

Additional sessions on topics such as large language models, agentic AI, environmental impacts, and physical AI are in development.

Critical Thinking, Equity, and AI Faculty Institute