Dear Faculty, Administrators and Staff,

As we approach the conclusion of yet another semester and brace ourselves for the challenges of finals week, I am eager to shine a spotlight on the myriad of remarkable accomplishments and events taking place right here on our campus.

The Pre-Professional Advising Center (P-PAC) is one of Seton Hall University’s unique new initiatives to support career advancement in the pre-medicine and pre-health community. Under the guidance of Inaugural Director, Chantal Vergara, the P-PAC addresses the increasing interest in medicine among incoming Seton Hall students.

On Wednesday, April 3, Seton Hall University's Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship held its eagerly anticipated 14th annual Pirates Pitch Startup Competition. This event, which drew a wide audience of students, faculty, alumni and community members, highlighted the university's commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among its students. Learn more. 

A handful of Seton Hall students were featured in the fourth annual Cranford Film Festival, presenting their films outside of the classroom. The two-hour block, titled "2024 SHU Select Shorts Program", featured twelve films from more than fourteen individuals, and included short movies "Girl of My Dreams", "Abscission" and "The Monkey Business" across a diverse range of genres such as Drama, Comedy, Documentary, Thriller and Horror. The program concluded with a film discussion and a question-and-answer session with the young moviemakers. The Cranford Film Festival provided first-time and established filmmakers their chance on the big screen and even presented some with awards for their efforts. Learn more.

These are just a handful of the extraordinary events unfolding at Seton Hall. Wishing each and every one of you the very best as you support our students through their finals and wrap up the academic year. 

Sincerely,
Erik

Per Faculty Guide 5.1.h, faculty members who intend to submit an application for promotion and/or tenure next Academic Year (2024-25) must submit a notice to this effect to their Department Chairperson no later than May 15, 2024. In departments that require external reviews, the chairperson should begin the process of soliciting official external reviews before summer and in strict accordance with FG 5.2.b. We encourage applicants to attend the Center for Faculty Development’s “Navigating the Tenure and Promotion Process” event on Friday, May 10 from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m., held in UC 206 or via Microsoft Teams.

This year's First Year Student Reading Selection is I Never Thought of It That Way by Monica Guzmán. We invite and encourage faculty members to read and discuss the book with their first-year students and to participate in related events. Further details on these events will be provided soon. Learn more about the book.

This new initiative provides financial support to academic departments and programs for the purpose of enhancing student learning assessment strategies and continuous improvement efforts. Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to support various expenses related to assessment improvements, such as to implement new assessment methods, to perform curriculum modifications in alignment with assessment results, integrate technology for data collection and analysis, and more. Learn more and apply by June 11.

Faculty Publications at University Libraries Have Impressive Breadth
Stay up to date with Faculty Publications in Seton Hall’s eRepository. Visit our Faculty Book Display on the 2nd Floor of Walsh Library, and see what new publications and book chapters are authored by our faculty.

Hundreds of books and scholarly articles on every topic imaginable are available for review. Are we missing something? Please email erepository@shu.edu. 

History Professor Golbarg Rekabtalaei Named a Teacher of the Year
Professor Golbarg Rekabtalaei, a historian of modern Iran and the Middle East at large, has been named a Teacher of the Year at Seton Hall. In the College of Arts and Sciences, Department of History, she teaches undergraduate courses on the history of the Middle East and North Africa, as well as World History. As Co-Director of the Middle Eastern and North African Studies Program at Seton Hall University, Dr. Rekabtalaei's research focuses on the formation of a cosmopolitan modernity in twentieth century Iran through cultural exchanges and cinematic relations between Iran and the world.  Interested in the relationship between cinema and modernity, Dr. Rekabtalaei explores cosmopolitanism, urbanization, nationalism, and revolutions. She also studies how cinema facilitates urban cosmopolitan imaginations and hybrid subjectivities. Her book, Iranian Cosmopolitanism: A Cinematic History, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2019.

Follow the CFD blog to find out about upcoming events and initiatives. We also welcome your suggestions for workshops, speakers, and other events.

CFD Events:

Navigating the Tenure and Promotion Process
Friday, May 10, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Diversity Reading Group: The Souls of Black Folk 
Friday, May 10, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Summer Writing Retreat
May 22, 23, and 24; 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
In SZ 112 and Teams (Registration required)
Register using the links below; be sure to indicate if you will be participating in person or virtually. 
May 22; May 23; May 24

Opportunities

Experiential Learning:
Call for Participants: Experiential Faculty Fellows program 2024-25

The Center for Catholic Studies:

Spring Toth-Lonergan Lecture
Thursday, May 16, 3:30 - 5 p.m., University Center, Chancellor's Suite

Faculty Summer Seminar
Wednesday, May 22 - Thursday, May 23, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Registration is required

Faculty Summer Retreat
Tuesday, June 4 - Wednesday, June 5

Watch Our Videos:

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

Canvas: Beyond the Basics
Thursday, May 23, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Walsh Library Beck Rooms
Join the TLTC for a comprehensive, full-day session exploring advanced Canvas tools and features. Elevate your educational strategies and digital classroom management with insights on converting Classic Quizzes to New Quizzes, leveraging new Discussions features, creating interactive video content with Canvas Studio, and enhancing course content display. Register now for the Canvas Workshop.

The Chronicle of Higher Education: AI and Personalized Learning Virtual Forum
Wednesday, May 8, 2 p.m., Online
Attend this free virtual forum to engage with experts and peers on the promise and pitfalls of generative AI in higher education. Discover how generative AI tools can personalize learning and allow students to effectively learn at their own pace. This session will also discuss challenges like data privacy concerns and the risk of over-reliance on technology. Register for the AI and Personalized Learning Virtual Forum.

Adobe Education Institute
Monday, June 10 – Friday, June 14, Remote 
In partnership with Adobe, the TLTC encourages all Seton Hall faculty, administrators, and staff to attend the upcoming Adobe Education Institute (AEI). This exclusive online conference will enhance student engagement and multi-modal teaching using Adobe technology. Each 90-minute, live session covers topics such as Generative AI, Acrobat productivity, and portfolio creation with Adobe Express. Learn more and register for the AEI.

Registration Open: AI Teaching & Learning Symposium
Tuesday, June 11, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Seton Hall South Orange Campus
Join Edge and Seton Hall University for the inaugural AI Teaching & Learning Symposium, where we'll explore AI's impact on education. All Seton Hall community members are welcome to attend and propose sessions, including panels, presentations, workshops, or other instructional formats. Secure your spot today!

Reserve Bus Transportation for Commencement by Friday, May 17
For faculty, staff and administrators who need transportation to the Baccalaureate Commencement Ceremony at the Prudential Center on Tuesday, May 21, bus service from campus will be provided.

If you are working as an academic marshal and do not wish to drive to the Prudential Center, your bus will leave Seton Hall from the Recreation Center at 6:45 a.m. sharp.

If you are not working as a marshal, the bus will leave from the Recreation Center at 7:30 a.m. sharp.

Buses for both groups will leave the Prudential Center at approximately 12:30 p.m. for the return trip to the South Orange Campus. Please indicate on the form below if you need a ride back to campus. Seats are on a first-come basis and are limited. RSVP no later than Friday, May 17. Reserve your seat for bus transportation.

Announcing the 2024 Idea Hall Projects  
The Idea Hall Initiative was created to advance the University through projects that are rooted in cross-divisional collaboration between faculty, administrators and staff members. The Office of the Provost and The Office of the President commends the community members whose projects were supported through the 2024 Call for Proposals.  We look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition! Thank you to all who participated in this call for applications. Explore and learn more about the 2024 Idea Halls. 

Faculty Merit Pay Applications due to Chairs/Dean by June 10 
We are pleased once again to continue our Faculty Merit pay process as part of a comprehensive effort to reward faculty. As a reminder, excepting the Law School, the following faculty are eligible to apply for merit: (a) all tenured faculty and (b) all faculty who are presently completing at least their fifth year of full-time service to the University and hold the rank of faculty associate, senior faculty associate, clinical faculty, lecturer, or a full-time faculty position in SHMS or ICSST. Receipt of merit is of course contingent upon renewal of an applicant’s contract for the subsequent academic year.  

The important improvements to the Faculty Merit process that were recommended by a faculty committee and implemented two years ago worked well, so we will continue them. Eligible faculty in departments or colleges that specifically do not have approved merit rubrics and/or merit peer review committees can apply for merit by submitting to the Office of the Provost (john.buschman@shu.edu) and your Dean by August 1, 2024 a simple application that includes (1) a Digital Measures/Faculty Success report for work completed since the last promotion or merit award (whichever is most recent); (2) a short bulleted or narrative justification of merit that speaks specifically to research, teaching, and service relative to disciplinary standards of excellence; and (3) documentary evidence of relevant accomplishments (references for publications, grants, etc.).  

The important improvements to the Faculty Merit process that were recommended by a faculty committee and implemented two years ago worked well, so we will continue them. Eligible faculty in departments or colleges that specifically do not have approved merit rubrics and/or merit peer review committees can apply for merit by submitting to the Office of the Provost (john.buschman@shu.edu) and your Dean by August 1, 2024 a simple application that includes (1) a Digital Measures/Faculty Success report for work completed since the last promotion or merit award (whichever is most recent); (2) a short bulleted or narrative justification of merit that speaks specifically to research, teaching, and service relative to disciplinary standards of excellence; and (3) documentary evidence of relevant accomplishments (references for publications, grants, etc.).