Caption: Faculty met in the FacDev Commons on Friday, April 24 for our Crafting Your Book Proposal Workshop led by Dr. Nicole M. Guidotti-Hernández.

Lecturer, Department of Communication Studies

Darla Anderson is a Lecturer in the Communication Studies Department at California State University, Northridge. She teaches public speaking, argumentation, and rhetorical writing. She started teaching in 2014 after receiving her M.A. in Communication Studies from CSUN. She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and Political Science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her research interests focus on developing effective tools for teaching public speaking.

In addition to her work at CSUN, she has taught at various institutions, including Oxnard College, Santa Barbara City College, Brooks Institute, Allan Hancock College, and the University of California, Santa Barbara.

When not preparing for class and grading papers, she is learning to dance Flamenco.

To add your profile to the FacDev newsletter, please email us at facdev@csun.edu

Faculty Development is accepting nominations from department chairs for the Summer 2026 eLearning Institute. The focus is on high-impact Fall 2026 courses—particularly courses taught by new or newer faculty and high-enrollment, GE, or gateway courses that matter most to your students and programs, especially online courses. Reach out to your chair if you are interested. 

And if you have recently completed an eLearning Institute, we offer Ad Hoc eLearning Peer Reviews for graduates of the eLearning Institute. You may want to have an ad hoc peer review done if you want to get feedback from a faculty mentor on either (1) a new course or (2) on the further revisions you have made to the course you worked on during the Institute. 

OneHE is an online, asynchronous professional development platform that provides practical teaching strategies and tips. Email facdev@csun.edu to learn how to get a free license. Available only to faculty teaching during the Spring 2026 semester.

Interested in writing accountability this spring? Join the Office of Faculty Programs and Initiatives on Mondays and Tuesdays this semester from noon to 1 p.m. For questions email Dr. Anne Choi.

Wrapping up your course is an important yet often overlooked aspect of course design. Create a few simple activities to provide students with an opportunity to reflect on their learning and give closure to wrap up the course.

Featuring Mira Pak, Eisner Endowed Chair & Executive Director for the Center for Teaching and Learning

Learn how SIMPACT, a mixed reality simulation platform for practicing real-world interactions, and the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) support teaching and learning at CSUN.

Join us this semester for this opportunity to write with community!

Co-sponsored by Faculty Affairs

Join us for an informal session to help you prepare your RTP materials over the summer, with time for questions, guidance from Faculty Affairs, and space to map out your plan.

Co-sponsored by the Career Center

Get feedback on your Learning Innovation for Future-Forward Teaching (LIFT) proposal ideas and explore ways to integrate career readiness into your courses. Proposals due June 1.

These two summer workshops will focus on developing and strengthening book proposals, with practical guidance for those considering or actively working on a manuscript. Our guest speaker, Dr. Nicole M. Guidotti-Hernández, is a Professor of English at Northeastern University and the author of multiple award-winning books. She also co-edits two book series and is known for supporting first-time authors as they navigate academic publishing. Application Deadline: May 8, 2026

FacDev invites you to a full-day, hands-on course (re)design workshop focused on student-centered, equity-minded teaching. Lunch will be provided. In this workshop, you will: