Disability justice. A few weeks ago, I attended the Student Success Series event on disability justice. It was outstanding and I am grateful for the many collaborators that made the event possible. The keynote presenter, Brittanie Hernandez-Wilson, spoke about moving from compliance to justice and shared stories, lessons, and resources that I have been sitting with and exploring. From the social model framing of disability as a consequence of barriers (social and environmental) to the ten principles of disability justice, to the reminder that access needs to be a shared practice of everyone on campus, it was a powerful learning experience. It also emphasized the need for greater attention to Universal Design for Learning. We have collected some excellent resources to explore on our UDL page. I admit that some of the UDL terminology and rubrics were a bit intimidating at first, I have come to appreciate that UDL is simply good teaching and a way to detail instructional practices that make learning more accessible. Speaking of framing, a helpful colleague shared a recent piece about autism with a framing that I find quite compelling: “Some autistic self-advocates argue that for many people, autism should not be considered a disorder or a disability at all, but rather a different way of being human.” Why the term “justice” is really resonating with me is that we need all humans. Every one of us is important and addressing the social injustices in the world today requires the attention, effort, and expertise of us all. 

Algorithmic justice. If you are looking for a read that is breezy and doesn’t rile you up, then do NOT read Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What is Human in a World of Machines by Dr. Joy Buolamwini. It is outstanding and it has led me deep into the resources and research on the Algorithmic Justice League website. In the event that AI is on your mind, here is a quick rundown of what I have encountered that has helped my thinking. The first is an essential (and quick) read.

Next month, we will go deeper on what it means to learn, but I will close this section with an excerpt from the Bergstrom & West course: “Generative AI has already transformed education, by undermining the processes of reading and writing as core elements of teaching and learning. The bar is high if LLMs are going to provide a net positive impact on education.” 

Rest isn’t a reward. I hope that you were able to find a modicum of rest during Fall Break. I have borrowed this section heading from a recent Academic Impressions newsletter; in a world filled with newsletters, I appreciate the rich content of the Academic Impressions offerings and the content of their weekly mailings. In the spirit of continued learning and gentle nudges, where in your calendar have you intentionally blocked out time each day for rest, pause, reflection, deep thinking, or simply open-ended thinking without a prescriptive agenda? 

I haven’t hit upon the perfect approach for myself, but I keep trying. If you have a tried-and-true way to calendar yourself to thriving, I would love to hear about it. Building on my read of the fabulous book, Rest as Resistance, next up for me is Hanging Out: The Radical Power of Killing Time. I have a research project brewing on this topic, so don’t be surprised if you hear more from me on the intertwining topics of rest, play, community, and thriving in an admittedly chaotic world.

–Christine Rener

"To be able to have this at the forefront of our minds and take the opportunities that we have to model as well as express our care to our students is very important, especially in the atmosphere of divisiveness in our country" - Fall 2024 Faculty Conference Grant Recipient who used grant to attend Teaching Stronger Brains—Promoting Student Strength and Character, Gratitude, Hope and Agency in a Deficit-focused Age 

This grant provides funding to defray the cost of attending in-person or virtual teaching-related conferences only, with or without presenting. For events held January through June 2026, applications opened on October 15th and will close when funds are depleted. This grant is NOT awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. We will begin reviewing applications the first week of November. One grant of $700 per faculty member is awarded per fiscal year. Apply for the Faculty Conference Grant via our Grant System!

For more information about our grants, check out our website here.

P.S. If you are presenting at a conference, we encourage you to consider applying for a Faculty Dissemination Grant with the Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence (CSCE).

Our Sponsored Teaching and Learning Event (STLE) Grants support faculty attending a curated set of teaching and learning related workshops, institutes, and conferences. The STLEs listed below are still open and accepting applications. Don't delay! Apply online via our grants system today!

AAC&U 2026 Annual Meeting

January 21–23, 2026
Washington DC
Award Amount: up to $2200
4 spots available
Application deadline: November 1, 2025

At the 2026 Annual Meeting, administrators, faculty, and staff from all types of colleges and universities will come together with partners beyond higher education to confront urgent challenges, consider approaches to rebuilding public trust, and charge a path forward to safeguard the fundamental principles at the heart of higher education.

NOTE: Preference given to first-time attendees. This grant supports the full cost of attendance and therefore additional funding should not be sought.

45th Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience

February 15–18, 2026
Seattle, WA
Award Amount: up to $3000
5 spots available
Application deadline: November 1, 2025

The Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience provides an ongoing forum where higher education professionals can share experiences, concerns, and accomplishments related to supporting student learning, development, and success in the first college year. We invite you to be a part of productive collaborations, conversations, and relationships.

NOTE: Preference given to first-time conference attendees. This grant supports the full cost of attendance and therefore additional funding should not be sought.

Apply for these grants via FTLC Grant System. 

Learn more about these opportunities and others by visiting our Upcoming Sponsored Teaching and Learning Event Grant webpage.

Sponsored by the Digital Literacy Initiative, Pew FTLC, and eLearning Technologies, we are hosting sessions related to digital literacy. Nearly every Friday of this semester, we are featuring faculty and staff experts who will share approaches, provide hands-on learning, and facilitate lively, cross-disciplinary conversations. The sessions rotate between the Valley Campus, the City Campus, and Zoom. 

All sessions will take place from 11am to 12pm on Fridays. The table below provides schedule details and registration links for each session. As the schedule continues to be built, additional details will be added. 

Session materials are being shared via a Blackboard Organization–Digital Literacy-Faculty Professional Development–open to all faculty and staff. This organization is open for self-enrollment. Contact us at PewFTLC@gvsu.edu for access support, if needed. 

This fall, carve out time to focus on your writing goals in a structured and supportive environment. On select Wednesdays, we’re hosting 1.5-hour writing sessions on Zoom. Each session includes:

Join us on the following Wednesdays, 10:00–11:30 AM: November 5th, November 19th, and December 3rd. Whether you're working on articles, SOTL, book chapters, professional documents, syllabi, or other writing projects, these sessions provide accountability and momentum to help you make progress. We’ll provide a quiet, distraction-free space to keep you focused. Just bring your materials and a clear goal for the session.

We look forward to writing with you!