Dear Faculty Colleagues,

As we approach Spring Break, I think we can all agree it arrives at just the right time! The pace of the semester has been full for both faculty and students, and this pause offers a well-earned opportunity to rest and reset. With the warmer days arriving and campus beginning to bloom, it’s hard not to appreciate how beautiful this time of year is in our shared academic home. I hope you’re able to enjoy the break and return refreshed for the second half of the semester.

August 2026 Faculty Conference - Call for Proposals
Faculty, staff and administrators are encouraged to submit a proposal for the August 2026 Faculty Conference. Our theme this year is the "The Value of Higher Education: 100 Years of APSU." In contrast to previous years, the conference will be just one day, and will be limited to this theme only. 

The call for proposals will be open from February 18 - March 15, 2026.  The full slate of presentations and conference schedule will be finalized and published by mid-May.  For more information, click the link provided below to the Microsoft Form.

First-Year Faculty Cohort
On February 23, we had the pleasure of welcoming Zac Moore, Assistant Director of Student Life & Engagement here at APSU. Given the current climate in our country, Zac led a timely and insightful discussion on how we can better support our LGBT+ community on campus. He encouraged us to reflect on the ways we all “identify” in different aspects of our lives - though these identities may not always be at the forefront of our minds. His presentation reminded us that we are all multi-faceted, complex individuals who deserve respect and dignity.

On March 2, Dr. Shelana Martin, Health & Wellness Promotion Coordinator, and Dr. Quianda Harris, Director of Counseling and Health Services at APSU, led an engaging session on classroom de-escalation strategies and the dimensions of wellness. First-year faculty also learned more about the wide range of services and programs offered through Boyd Health and Student Counseling Services to support both students and faculty.  They are busy and deeply engaged members of our campus community, and I am grateful they took the time to share their expertise with us.

August 2026 Annual Meeting Keynote Speaker Announcement
I’m thrilled to announce that Todd Whitaker will be our Keynote Speaker for the August 2026 Annual Meeting! Todd is one of the nation’s leading experts on teacher effectiveness, morale, leadership, and school culture. He has authored over 65 books, including the national bestseller What Great Teachers Do Differently, as well as Shifting the Monkey, School Culture Rewired, Your First Year, Motivating & Inspiring Teachers, and How to Get All Teachers to Become Like the Best Teachers. As in previous years, Todd will deliver the keynote, join us for lunch, and then lead an afternoon workshop. We are excited to welcome him to campus! Find out more about Todd here.

Upcoming Events
Here’s a quick look at upcoming opportunities for and by faculty:

• Govs Wellness Hub - today!
• TechBytes - Mar 5
• Labor Market Data Programming - Mar 11 and Mar 25
• Full Spectrum Learning Info Sessions - Mar 12 and Mar 23
• Rural Education Conference - Mar 16
• Lunch and Learn - Mar 17
• Wellness Expo - Mar 25

CAFE Calendar 
I'll continue to update our CAFE Calendar as more events and sessions become finalized.  Be sure to bookmark it and add any events directly to your Outlook calendar. 

As always, I welcome your ideas on how CAFE can better serve you.  Please don't hesitate to reach out at williamsjj@apsu.edu or 931-221-7648.

Enjoy the well-deserved pause that Spring Break brings. Here’s to sunshine, fresh air, and returning recharged for the final stretch of the semester.

Yours always,
Jeff 

A place develoted to celebrating the achievements of our APSU faculty colleagues!

Bullis & Lee Heuston produce and direct documentary

Professors Karen Bullis & Kathy Lee Heuston recently produced and directed a short documentary titled, Clarksville's Railroad Legacy: Departures and Arrivals at the L&N Train Station. The premiere was hosted at the train station where locals packed in to watch. The documentary was funded by the Clarksville Arts & Heritage Council through a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission.

Four years in the making, the film features interviews with railroad experts, local historians, descendants of legendary railroad figures, and community leaders. It was created with archival material and original interviews conducted across three states to bring Clarksville’s railroad story to life.

Binford & Wilson spotlight how unresolved grief impacts physical health

Nursing professors, Dr. Leslie Binford (Assistant Professor) and Dr. Debra Rose Wilson (Lenora C. Reuther Chair of Excellence in Nursing), are broadening the conversation around grief by highlighting its measurable effects on the body, not just the mind. In a recent American Nurse Journal article, they explain that unresolved grief can disrupt immune function, fuel chronic inflammation, and elevate long-term health risks such as infection and cardiovascular issues—especially when stress systems remain activated. The researchers emphasize that grief isn’t a problem to be “fixed,” but an experience that should be acknowledged and supported with empathy, connection, and self-care. Their work encourages nurses and caregivers to recognize grief as a health-related phenomenon, underscoring the importance of compassionate presence in fostering both emotional and physical healing.

Noghanibehambari co-authors study on childhood lead exposure's long-term effects

A study co-authored by Assistant Professor of Accounting, Finance, & Economics, Dr. Hamid Noghanibehambari, finds that childhood lead exposure from municipal water systems is linked to a significant reduction in adult lifespan. By analyzing historical census and death records, the researchers determined that men born in high-exposure areas lived nearly 10 months less than those in low-exposure cities — an impact nearly four times greater than that of the Dust Bowl. The research explains that lead stored in the bones during childhood is released back into the bloodstream as people age, leading to long-term health decline as well as reduced educational and economic outcomes. Ultimately, these findings underscore the critical importance of modern efforts to replace lead infrastructure, suggesting that the long-term public health benefits far outweigh the initial costs of such projects.

Boone featured in Govs Teach Unplugged Podcast

The Govs Teach Unplugged podcast recently featured Dr. Erica Boone, the new director of the Center for Rural Education and a proud APSU alumna (B.S. '05, Ed.D. '25).

With 16+ years of teaching experience in rural and suburban districts, Dr. Boone shares her passion for empowering rural educators through training, resources, and partnerships.

Listen to get a sneak peek at the 2026 Rural Education Conference: "Rooted in Rural: Cultivating Place, Partnerships, and Possibilities."

Vogel appointed University Honors Faculty Fellow

Dr. Jackie Vogel, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, has been named the newest University Honors Faculty Fellow.

With this appointment, Dr. Vogel makes history as the first professor from the College of STEM to serve as an Honors Faculty Fellow. She brings a record of exceptional teaching, dedicated student mentorship, and innovative quantitative thinking that will further enrich the Honors experience through expanded disciplinary perspectives.

Dr. Vogel will begin her role with the Honors Program in Fall 2026.

Faculty, staff and administrators are encouraged to submit a proposal for the August 2026 Faculty Conference. Our theme this year is the "The Value of Higher Education: 100 Years of APSU." In contrast to previous years, the conference will be just one day, and will be limited to this theme only.  

Call for proposals will be open from February 18 - March 15, 2026. The committee members will review proposals between March 18 and April 3, with notifications of acceptance being sent in mid-April. The full slate of presentations and conference schedule will be finalized and published by mid-May.

Contact cafe-fac@apsu.edu with any questions.

Thursday, March 12
Noon - 1 p.m.

Monday, March 23
6 - 7 p.m. 

Whether you're interested in learning about our courses, the application process, or the support we offer to students, these sessions are designed to answer all your questions and determine if FSL is the right fit for prospective or current students you may know.

These meetings give you a chance to connect directly with our team. We welcome all prospective students to join, ask any questions, and explore everything our program has to offer.

All sessions are held via Zoom using Meeting ID (298 210 4144). Click the button below during the scheduled time to join the conversation.

For any questions, please contact Tom Spence.

Center for Rural Education will host its sixth annual virtual conference from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 16. Free registration is now open via the link below.

The Rural Education Conference brings together educators, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders worldwide to explore innovations, challenges and opportunities in rural education. With a focus on place-based learning, collaborative partnerships and global perspectives, this event invites participants to reimagine the possibilities for rural communities and their schools.

This year’s theme is “Rooted in Rural: Cultivating Place, Partnerships, and Possibilities.” Dr. Erica Boone, director of the Center for Rural Education, said the goal is to understand how rural districts can use community resources and look toward the future of rural education. In addition, this year’s conference will feature three subthemes: honoring the land and community, building bridges and envisioning the future.

This Lunch and Learn highlights a study examining the use of AI-assisted writing strategies among graduate students in higher education. The session explores how students are integrating generative AI into drafting, revising, organizing, and refining academic work, and how this use relates to perceived cognitive effort during writing tasks.

Findings will be discussed in terms of their implications for academic instruction, graduate student development, and responsible AI integration in higher education. The session will also examine how AI-assisted strategies extend beyond academic writing into professional workflows, including task management, communication practices, idea development, and productivity in workplace settings.

Lunch will be provided, so
Please RSVP by
Mar. 16, 2026
So we can plan accordingly!

Full Spectrum Learning (FSL) at Austin Peay State University is seeking opportunities to connect with faculty and students through brief classroom visits or informational sessions. FSL is a degree-seeking support program for students on the autism spectrum, offering academic, social, executive functioning, and career transition support.

These visits help raise awareness of available resources and ensure students who may benefit know how to access support. Faculty and staff are invited to suggest courses or class times for an FSL visit. Scheduling is flexible, and questions or requests for more information are welcome.

For more information or to invite FSL, please contact Tom Spence.

Explore these short tutorial videos designed to help faculty and staff become familiar with the core features of the AP Navigate platform. Each video provides clear, step‑by‑step guidance on essential tools such as viewing student profiles, submitting alerts and referrals, documenting meetings, and managing availability. These resources are here to support your work and help you use Navigate confidently to promote student success.

Woodward Library is excited to announce that a new data management plan tool (DMPTool) is now available to the university community!

DMPTool is an online platform that helps researchers create, review, manage, and share data management plans (DMPs), a key requirement for many grant proposals, including those from NSF, NIH, DOE, and other major funders.

DMPTool provides funder-specific templates and step-by-step guidance for writing DMPs that align with funder requirements. Instead of starting from scratch, faculty, staff, and students can use customized templates, built-in guidance, and best practices to quickly produce high-quality, funder-compliant DMPs.

Distance Education has updated its website with a Digital Accessibility Basics page that includes accessibility video recordings. It offers more resources and guidance than ever before! 

Direct links:

Digital Accessibility Basics

Accessibility Training videos 

Did you know that about 30% of APSU students are first-generation? Many of them don’t realize how many faculty and staff share that same experience. Help us change that by completing the First-Gen Faculty and Staff Survey.

Your responses will help highlight the strong first-gen presence at APSU on the G1Govs website and guide future opportunities like mentorship programs, panels, and speaking engagements. Help us make APSU a more supportive place for first-gen students!

Health and Counseling is available to provide presentations on various topics for your class. Presentations cover a range of topics, including stress management, physical and mental well-being, and bystander training.  

To request a presentation, please complete the form at https://www.apsu.edu/wellness/. 

For questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Quianda Harris at harrisq@apsu.edu or Jill de Graauw at degraauwj@apsu.edu. 

To help us assess this offering and plan future programming, please take a moment to fill out our survey.

by Joshua Bay

published February 20, 2026

Have you bookmarked the CAFE Calendar yet?  We’re constantly adding new events!  Stay up to date with all CAFE-affiliated programming happening across campus.  Don’t forget - you can easily add any event directly to your Outlook calendar with a click! 

Do you have an event that you would like promoted in CAFE's bi-monthly newsletter?

Feel free to email us at cafe-fac@apsu.edu with the information. We will review it and inform you if the request is appropriate for the CAFE audience.