Dear Faculty, Administrators and Staff,

I am pleased to announce that our Charter Day celebration will take place on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 3 p.m. in the Event Room of the University Center.

Charter Day commemorates the founding of Seton Hall in 1856 and the granting of our charter by the New Jersey State Legislature in 1861. Each year, this tradition offers an opportunity to reflect on our history and purpose, and to reaffirm our Catholic identity and mission.

During the ceremony, we will recognize distinguished members of our community with the Bishop Bernard J. McQuaid Medal for Distinguished Service and the President’s Award for Student Service, and we will honor our Servant Leader Scholars.

I look forward to seeing you all at this cherished event. Learn more and register.

Sincerely,
Erik

The Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council will provide strategic guidance on the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence across academic, research and administrative areas. Charged by the Provost and the Chief Information Officer, the council will help ensure that AI initiatives align with the University’s Catholic mission, support academic integrity and advance institutional priorities as the technology continues to evolve. Learn more.

The School of Diplomacy and International Relations is collaborating with the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) to host “The College Freedom Forum: Lessons from Tibet on Repression and Nonviolent Resistance” on Friday, February 20 from 2 - 3:30 p.m. in Bethany Hall. Featuring Tibetan activist and community organizer Chemi Lhamo, the event will explore Tibet's ongoing struggle for freedom, human rights and sovereignty amid repression by the Chinese Communist Party. How can you get involved? RSVP to attend.

The 2026 Petersheim Academic Exposition "Share, Honor, Unite" will take place from Monday, April 20 – Saturday, April 25. Throughout the week, students and faculty will present their work and celebrate our community’s scholastic accomplishments. Interested in hosting an event? Submit your event for the Schedule of Events. It is recommended for organizers make arrangements (rooms, virtual format, food, media support) in advance. If any questions arise, feel free to contact the Petersheim Program Development Sub-Committee (cosimo.antonacci@shu.edu).

Love Data Week 2026 Featured Presentation: AI, Law, and Ethics

Join Davide Tuzzolino, J.D., Ph.D., Esq. for Seton Hall’s Featured Love Data Week 2026 Presentation, AI, Law, and Ethics, held online on Thursday, February 12 from 1-2 p.m. Registration now open.

The program will explore where does the data that train AI systems come from — and what happens to them once they are turned into models? It will also explore the legal and ethical challenges of using personal data in AI training from a European perspective, showing how tools like data and impact assessments help make AI development more transparent, responsible, and human-centered.

Read more about Tuzzolino, a U.S. - Italy Fulbright Postdoctoral Research Scholar teaching a one credit course about AI, Law, and Ethics this semester.

Amanda Bergold, Ph.D., Receives University Research Council Award

Amanda Bergold, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, received a University Research Council award for her project titled “Human Bias in Facial Recognition.” This project examines how a facial recognition match can shape judgments and decisions throughout a criminal investigation. Building on research on forensic confirmation bias, it tests whether additional or irrelevant information influences conclusions drawn from facial recognition searches. Using vignette studies with online participants, the study will also compare the biasing impact of facial recognition evidence with other forensic evidence such as DNA, confessions and eyewitness accounts.

Follow the CFD blog for more upcoming events and initiatives. We also welcome your suggestions for workshops and speakers, as well as requests for co-sponsorship of faculty-oriented events.

“How to Write Well, and Why We Must,” Professor Leonard Cassuto, author of Academic Writing as If Readers Matter
February 12, 5 – 6 p.m. (followed by book signing)
Register here. First 50 registrants receive a free copy of Professor Cassuto's book.

SHU Meditates
February 12, 12:30 – 1 p.m., in Teams

Douglass Day Transcribe-a-thon
Sponsored by the Seton Hall University Libraries and Data Services
February 13, 12 – 3 p.m., Walsh Library
Register here.

Untenured Faculty Organization Lunch Meeting
February 16, 12 - 1:30 p.m., Jubilee Hall 132

“The Relational Classroom: Understanding and Engaging Today’s Students,” Dr. Widian Nicola
February 17, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m., in Teams

Faculty Lunch Time Meet-ups
February 18, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Location: Faculty section of the Pirate Dining Room

“Panel Discussion: The Impact of the Cultural Climate on Book Publishing”
February 24, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., in Teams

Faculty Learning Communities:

These are opportunities for engagement as well as personal and professional development; participation can be as time permits.

CFD Podcast: Faculty Matters

Videos

Have you missed a CFD event? If so, you can find recordings here.

Upcoming Workshops:

Add or Edit Details in a Canvas Assignment 
Canvas makes it easy to add or edit assignment instructions, grading settings, submission types and dates at any point in the semester. You can start with a simple assignment shell and refine details later, and Canvas will remember your most recent settings to speed up future setup. Learn how to add or edit assignment details in Canvas. 

Enhance Teaching Materials with Adobe Stock 
Adobe Stock provides access to high-quality, professional images for presentations, instructional materials and campus communications. Through Adobe Creative Cloud, faculty and staff can license and download watermark-free images across a wide range of subjects to create polished, visually engaging content. Register for Adobe Creative Cloud to access Adobe Stock.

Elevate Your Presentations with Branded Templates 
Seton Hall offers branded PowerPoint and Word templates featuring official colors, fonts and logos for a cohesive university identity. Available through Microsoft 365, they enable faculty and staff to create polished and cohesive materials that reflect the university’s brand. Learn how to access university-branded templates.

Pre-College Summer Programs: 25% Employee Discount
Seton Hall is offering a variety of engaging Pre-College Summer Programs for high school students — and members of the Seton Hall community receive a 25% discount for dependent children. Students can explore hands-on courses in areas like STEM, entrepreneurship, investing, health sciences, sports media and more.

Learn more and register on the Pre-College Programs page using promo code Precollege25 at checkout. For questions, contact ceps@shu.edu