Dear Faculty Colleagues,

I hope your February has been going well!  It has felt especially good to experience a couple of “normal” weeks of classes after the disruption of the snow and ice storm.  I hope everyone is faring well during this short month and finding a steady rhythm again as the semester moves forward. Thank you for all you do to keep our campus strong and focused!

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 9, we welcomed Paulina Atkinson, APSU's Labor Market Data Coordinator, along with Dr. Kacie de Saint Georges, Executive Director of University Partnerships & Success Initiatives.  They presented to our cohort on how this labor market data can drive smarter academic and workforce decisions. Importantly, our new faculty gained insight into employment trends, labor market needs, and the connection between degree programs and career pathways. 

On February 16, David Davenport, Assistant Vice President for Health & Well-Being, gave a presentation to the cohort on his experiences here at APSU and the vital role played by the entire health and well-being team on campus.  He also added a piece about mentorship; we are so lucky to have leaders like him in our midst!

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:

• Outcomes Extravaganza - Feb 18
• AP Navigate Mini-Series - Feb 19 
• CoAL Faculty Research Spotlight - Feb 23 
• Labor Market Data session - Feb 25
• CAFE Session, Integrating Emotional Intelligence into Teaching Practice - Mar 2
• TechBytes - Mar 5

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.

I want to express my sincere gratitude for your continued involvement and presence at the critical searches currently taking place across campus. I know this is a busy time, and I appreciate your dedication to these important hiring processes. Thank you for your perseverance and commitment to our shared goals as we navigate this stretch toward spring break.

Yours always,
Jeff 

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

Banerjee recently featured in Aeon

History comes alive through the work of Dr. Soma Banerjee, Associate Professor of History & Philosophy, whose recent exploration of Indian physicist Satyendra Nath Bose was featured in Aeon. His research highlights how scientific innovation can emerge from the most unexpected quarters, even under the constraints of colonial history. By bringing these global narratives to our classrooms, Dr. Banerjee helps us understand that curiosity and creativity have no borders, further enriching our campus culture of discovery.

Ferdik co-leads international mental health study

Dr. Frank Ferdik, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, is co-leading a new international research study funded by a $200,000 Canadian government grant to investigate the mental health and organizational stress experienced by public safety leaders, including those in policing, firefighting, corrections, and emergency response. The two-year project will look at how psychological distress affects leaders in these roles and identify leadership practices that can improve support, reduce stress, and enhance long-term wellbeing. The study’s findings are intended to guide training, wellness programs, and policy development to better support the mental health of first responders and their leaders. 

McCarthy & Self recognized with 500+ Citation Award

The College of Business recently honored Dr. Vikkie McCarthy, Professor of Management and Marketing, and Dr. Tim Self, Associate Professor of Management and Marketing, with the 500+ Citation Award. This milestone recognizes their significant contributions to the global research community and their dedication to advancing knowledge in their respective fields. Their work doesn't just live in journals; it elevates the academic experience for our students, who benefit daily from learning under scholars whose expertise is recognized and cited by peers worldwide.

Bruster and Hodge-Woodring present on co-authored book

Drs. Benita Bruster and Blaire Hodge-Woodring presented their new book, Critical Reading and Inquiry, co-authored with Dr. Tara Hill, at the Woodward Library Society's Celebration of Scholarship event last week. 

Critical Reading and Inquiry is a textbook designed to help students learn how to engage deeply and thoughtfully with texts rather than just reading them superficially. It teaches learners how to analyze, question, and interpret what they read by thinking about the author’s purpose, evidence, and the broader context of ideas. Overall, the book builds both critical thinking and literacy skills so readers can better understand, evaluate, and respond to complex written material.

Markov & students have research published

Dr. Sergei Markov, Professor of Biology, and a team of undergraduate co-authors recently had new bacteriophage research published in microPublication Biology.  They discovered a virus called bacteriophage LordBart in soil from Tennessee, which infects bacteria rather than humans or animals. They sequenced its DNA and found its genome is about 57,000 base pairs long, containing 86 genes with predicted functions for some of them. Because LordBart’s genetic makeup closely resembles that of other known viruses, the team placed it into an existing group (cluster EF), helping scientists better understand how it relates to similar bacteriophages.

Dr. Markov has mentored undergraduates to author-level publication through the SEA-PHAGES program since 2021. Students in his class conduct original research and write for publication. The same research team presented their findings at the SEA Symposium in April 2025.

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.

Have questions about assessment for your degree program?

We’ve got answers! Join us as your schedule allows for a drop-in Outcomes Extravaganza on Wednesday, February 18 from 10:00am-2:00pm in MUC 308.

We can help with writing and/or revising outcomes and assessment measures, getting your program set up in Watermark, Major Field Test questions, and more!

For more information, please reach out to
Allie Michael, Director of Institutional Effectiveness & Assessment at michaela@apsu.edu. 

These sessions will be 10 minutes of content followed by Q&A.
We will record the content part and post it on the
AP Navigate Faculty Resources site.

Showcase your expertise and leadership insights at the upcoming Ziegler Leadership Forum at Austin Peay State University! This event is designed to bring together students, faculty, staff and professionals who are passionate about leadership, growth and collaboration.

As a valued member of our academic and professional community, you are invited to submit a proposal to present at the forum. Whether you have experience in leadership theory, team dynamics, personal development, or any other related field, a wide range of topics is welcomed that will inspire and engage our attendees.

Why should you present?

How to Submit

To be considered as a presenter, please submit your proposal through Govs Connect at the following button:

Deadline:

Sunday, March 1 at 11 p.m. 

Presenting at the Ziegler Leadership Forum is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a prestigious event and we look forward to your proposal!

If you have any questions or need further details, please email winej@apsu.edu.

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 Colleen Flaherty

published February 17, 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.