Dear Faculty, Administrators and Staff,

As we approach the conclusion of another academic year, I want to extend my sincere congratulations and gratitude to our faculty, staff and administrators for your dedication, hard work and commitment to our students and mission throughout the semester. Your efforts continue to shape the success of our university community in countless ways.

I also want to offer my congratulations to our graduating students as they prepare to celebrate this important milestone at Commencement. We look forward to recognizing their achievements and celebrating together in the days ahead.

As a final reminder regarding Baccalaureate commencement transportation, buses will leave from the recreation center and registration is required by tomorrow. It is highly encouraged to arrive as early as 6:30 a.m. for early boarding. Buses will depart as they are filled, with the final buses leaving at 7 a.m. sharp. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance in helping the day run smoothly.

Best wishes as you finish the semester strong and thank you again for all that you do.

Sincerely,
Erik

Our first annual Mission Retreat for Department Chairs will take place at St. Mary’s Abbey in Morristown on Wednesday, May 20. Attendance is encouraged for all current and new Department Chairs. Please reach out to Pat Manning and Mary Ellen Roberts with any questions or concerns.

The call for applications is now open for the Academies and Idea Hall initiatives through September 10, 2026. These programs provide seed funding to support innovative, high-impact projects that advance our academic mission and strengthen the student experience.

Consider how your ideas might benefit from these opportunities. Additional information and application details are available on the Innovation in Action page or contact Sona Patel at innovation@shu.edu if you have any questions or would like to consult about your application.

This year’s Summer Hours program will begin on Friday, May 22 and end on Friday, August 14. Participation in the Summer Hours program is based upon the operational needs of your department. Supervisors of employees on the bi-weekly payroll who are participating in the Summer Hours Program must elect into the program by May 21. If supervisors fail to notify Human Resources in a timely manner, Summer Fridays will not be populated on the employee’s timesheet. Please refer to the May 7 email from Human Resources for more information.

Tuesday, May 19 at 10 a.m., Virtual
The Division of Finance invites the campus community to virtual information session on the Fiscal Year 2026 Year-End Close-out and Fiscal Year 2027 Rollover Process. When registering, please take the opportunity to submit questions in advance. Register and learn more.

Enhance Your Research Identity with ORCID

Now that the semester is ending, faculty are encouraged to sign up for an ORCID ID!  ORCID is a unique, persistent identifier (PID) you can register for so funders, publishers, scholarly societies, and other researchers can quickly find and distinguish your work. Sign up today – instructions are available here. You can transfer your scholarship between ORCID, Digital Measures, HeinOnline, Scopus or Google Scholar with a simple text file. Reach out to your liaison librarian with any questions.

Bradley Martin, Ph.D. Presents “Harnessing AI for Genetic Data Analysis”

Bradley Martin, Ph.D., assistant professor at the College of Arts and Sciences, received a University Research Council award for the project titled “Harnessing AI for genetic data analysis.” This project completes development and validation of SNPio and PG-SUI, two AI-based software tools designed to improve genetic data processing. SNPio provides a centralized, user-friendly framework for loading, filtering, and analyzing genetic datasets in a single efficient pipeline. PG-SUI applies AI models to predict missing genetic information with greater accuracy than traditional statistical methods, reducing bias and improving reliability. Together, the tools address fragmented workflows and missing-data bias, enhancing the efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility of genetic data analysis, especially for non-model organisms. Professor Martin presented his findings at the Petersheim Academic Exposition’s Faculty Research Showcase.

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.

Summer Writing Retreat
May 19, 20, and 21; Chancellor's Suite, U Center lower level, and Teams.
Registration form can be found here.

Faculty Summer Seminar
May 26–28, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., University Center Room 206

Faculty Opportunities
Mission Partners Program 2026-27 - CFP
University Teaching Fellows 2026-27 - CFP

Podcast: Faculty Matters

Videos

New Video: Fulbright Information Session

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

Upcoming Technology Workshops:

Practice Public Speaking with VirtualSpeech 
VirtualSpeech uses VR to help students rehearse presentations in realistic scenarios and receive feedback on delivery and pacing. Available in the Exploration Studio. Contact your instructional designer or join a VR Open Lab to learn more.

End-of-Semester Canvas Checklist  
As the semester concludes, review key Canvas and grading tasks to help ensure a smooth transition between terms. The end-of-semester checklist includes resources for grade submission, course access settings and preparing materials for future semesters.

Enhance Teaching, AI Literacy and Creativity with Adobe 
AI and digital creativity are increasingly essential in higher education and the workplace. Research shows that 86% of students with access to Adobe tools feel better prepared in AI literacy, while 85% report stronger creative thinking skills. As an Adobe Creative Campus, Seton Hall encourages faculty and staff to join the virtual Adobe Education Institute, June 8–11, to explore how Adobe Express and Acrobat can support teaching, streamline workflows and improve communication. 

Reminder from the Registrar: May 19 Deadline to Enter Grades for Spring 2026
Tuesday, May 19 is the deadline for faculty to enter Spring 2026 grades online via Banner Self-Service. Unresolved Spring 2025 Incomplete grades will convert to failing grades (FI).

Faculty Merit Applications Due June 8
We strongly encourage all eligible faculty to apply for merit, particularly those faculty who have not yet applied. We are eager to recognize more meritorious faculty and hope this tiered structure encourages greater faculty participation, resulting in an increased number of awards this year. We will continue to enhance our means for rewarding, retaining and celebrating scholarship, teaching and service excellence at Seton Hall.

View the Faculty Merit Policy and Guidelines.

View the 2025-26 Faculty Merit Calendar and Timeline.

End of Year Financial Procedure
Finance is preparing to close the University’s financial records as of June 30, 2026. The University community is urged to limit the procuring of goods and services, and the use of university-issued credit cards, to only those items essential for the last two months of the fiscal year. Further, all outstanding approved invoices and Travel & Expense (“T & E”) reimbursement requests are to be submitted to Accounts Payable for processing as soon as possible. Please refer to The Division of Finance email from Thursday, April 23 for deadlines.