As you prepare for the fall semester, we wanted to share some helpful tools, templates, and resources for syllabus development and classroom management.  

During the fall 2024 semester, 95% of undergraduate participants in the Duke Undergraduate Check-in Study (DUCkI) indicated that they think it is at least somewhat productive to engage in conversation about controversial topics with others with whom they disagree. Read more on the study and how your colleagues outline the guidelines for effective classroom discussions below.

The Duke Common Experience has selected Percival Everett’s James as its summer reading title. James retells Mark Twain’s American classic, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, from Jim’s perspective. Filled with humor and satire, James offers the world a chance to hear from the beloved and often overlooked character. Everett’s novel has quickly become a modern classic for which he has received the National Book Award in 2024 and the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. 

The Office of Undergraduate Education has extra copies of James for interested faculty. Please stop by Allen 116 between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm during the week to pick up your copy.

The Academic Resource Center offers workshops and presentations to help your students thrive academically. We are delighted to meet with groups—small or large—on a range of topics, including time management, effective studying habits, and stress-reducing strategies. Workshops and presentations can be requested by anyone in the Duke community, including student groups, academic departments, faculty, and staff. Topics can include those listed above, or we can tailor presentations to meet the specific needs of your audience

The Bass Teaching Triangles program connects three colleagues to discuss and reflect on teaching experiences and methodologies without the pressure of evaluation. The main goal of Bass Teaching Triangles is to promote collaborative learning by sharing teaching practices and gaining inspiration from colleagues, emphasizing a supportive environment focused on professional development.

Creating a Student-Centered Syllabus
Friday, August 15 | 12 - 1 pm

Is your fall syllabus ready? An effective student-centered syllabus guides students through the entire course experience and sets the tone for class from day one. Attend this workshop to learn how to make your syllabus an engaging learning tool that motivates students to course success! We will share syllabus resources and strategies to help you plan a welcoming, inclusive, and meaningful first day of class. Join us to start the semester strong! 

Creating a Dynamic Learning Community
Wednesday, August 20 | 12 - 1 pm

Ready to transform your teaching this fall? This workshop will demonstrate how to integrate active learning strategies with powerful digital tools available at Duke to foster a dynamic learning community. We will provide real-time demos of Wooclap (polling), Hypothes.is (social annotation), VoiceThread (multimedia discussions) and select Canvas tools to enhance active learning, promote collaboration, and encourage deeper engagement. Join us to explore how you can cultivate an engaging, student-centered class!

The Global Education Office (GEO) invites proposals from regular-rank Duke faculty to teach in the Venice International University (VIU) Globalization Program for the Fall 2027, Fall 2028, or Spring 2029 semesters.

GEO seeks proposals that include descriptions of three classes that would fit in the VIU Globalization Program curriculum.  Information about VIU’s curriculum can be found on the VIU website.

Proposal Deadline: September 12, 2025

The Open Educational Resources Community of Practice seeks to bring together Duke instructors who are interested in making their courses more accessible and affordable for undergraduate students by using openly available, low- or no-cost teaching materials called Open Educational Resources (OER). The OER Community of Practice will be led by Duke Libraries staff, with support from Learning Innovation & Lifetime Education and the Office of Undergraduate Education.

Learn more about the OER Community of Practice, and apply to participate by Monday, August 18. Participants who meet program expectations will receive a stipend of $1,000.

Duke Muser will begin its Fall 2025 research project posting period on August 11, 2025. We invite you and all research mentors to post Fall undergraduate research opportunities on the Muser website. Passionate undergraduates across Duke are eager to connect with you and your work. The Fall 2025 posting period runs from August 11, 2025 to August 22, 2025.

Please send your emails to vpue@duke.edu and your feedback or ideas will be shared with the leadership team anonymously unless requested otherwise.