University & Faculty Fall Conference

University Conference will be held the morning of Wednesday, August 28, 2024 followed by Faculty Fall Conference that afternoon and all day Thursday, August 29, 2024.

Pre-Conference Workshops will be held Monday, August 26 – Tuesday, August 27, 2024.

Registration is now closed. Please email provost@plu.edu with any questions.

Pre-Conference Workshops & Events

Monday, August 26 – Tuesday, August 27, 2024

A variety of virtual and on-campus workshops and events have been scheduled for faculty and staff during Pre-Conference Workshops.

*Registration is required for Pre-Conference Workshops and Events.

Monday, August 26

8:30 – 10:00 am | Academic Program Leaders Meeting – Anderson University Center – Scandinavian Cultural Center

Joanna Gregson, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

All Academic Deans, Department Chairs, and Interdisciplinary Program Chairs/Directors should plan to attend this important meeting where we will discuss the major academic topics for the 2024-2025 academic year.

This meeting is by invitation only; please RSVP via the Google Calendar event invitation. Contact provost@plu.edu with questions.

10:15 – 11:45 am | International Honors Program Faculty Development Workshop – Hauge Admin 101

Seth Dowland, IHON Director
Arthur Strum, Interim IHON Director for 2024-25

This workshop is designed for faculty who are currently teaching in IHON or who are interested in the IHON curriculum & pedagogy in the program. We will review recent changes to the first-year curriculum and revisions to program learning outcomes for 2nd- and 3rd-year courses, and share best practices for teaching IHON 200-level courses. The goal of this workshop is to deepen the coherence of the IHON curriculum and share ideas about how best to teach honors courses.

All faculty who are interested in teaching in IHON (even if you’ve never taught an IHON course). Faculty slated to teach IHON courses in the next 2 years are especially encouraged to attend. Registration is required.

12:00 – 12:45 pm | Blue Zones – Healthy Minds, Healthy Lives: Employee Wellness at PLU – Hauge Admin 101 & Zoom

Joseph Gomez, Blue Zones Marketing and Engagement Lead

Ready for some wellness inspiration!! Join us for an insightful talk about upcoming employee wellness programs kickstarting in the fall at PLU through Blue Zones Project. Discover how these initiatives can enhance your overall well-being as staff or faculty by fostering a healthier and more productive work environment. We’ll explore various wellness strategies, success stories, and practical steps to best take advantage of these new resources.

This workshop is open to all staff and faculty/instructors. Registration is preferred but not required. Questions? Email bzpparklandspanaway@bluezones.com

1:00 – 2:30 pm | How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love General Education – Anderson University Center – Scandinavian Cultural Center

Scott Rogers, Dean of Assessment and Core Curriculum

This workshop will provide tips and strategies for delivering and assessing general education courses. Faculty will have the opportunity to review their current approaches to teaching general education students and design new formative and summative learning assessments focused on core learning outcomes.

This meeting is open to all faculty. Faculty teaching general education courses in AY 24-25 are strongly encouraged to attend. Please bring a syllabus for a current or past gen ed course. Registration is required.

1:30 – 2:30 pm | Staff Photos – KHP Red Square

Sy Bean, Campus Photographer

Are you new to PLU, or would you like a new staff photo? Click here to reserve a time slot. Space is limited!  If time slots are full, or if this date/time does not work for you, please leave your name and email in the 2nd column in the spreadsheet.

(Note: If you have been invited to New Faculty Orientation, a separate time has already been reserved for you! Please do not sign up for this time slot.)

Open to all faculty/instructors and staff.

3:00 – 4:00 pm | What’s New in Sakai? – Zoom

Sean Horner, Senior Web Developer

Intended for instructors who have used Sakai prior to its upgrade in August 2024, this webinar will include demonstrations of significant new features in Sakai 23. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions about how this new version of Sakai will affect teaching and learning in their courses.

This workshop is open to faculty/instructors and staff who have prior experience with Sakai. Registration is required.

4:00 – 5:00 pm | HPRB Workshop for Faculty – Zoom

Marianne Taylor, Chair of HPRB (Human Participants Review Board)

Open to all faculty whose classes submit HPRB proposals. Overview of HPRB process and resources including online submission of research through Sitero (Mentor) system.

This workshop is open to all faculty/instructors. Registration is required.

Tuesday, August 27

9:00 – 11:00 am | Getting Started with Sakai for Instructors – Zoom

Sean Horner, Senior Web Developer

Intended for new faculty and other instructors, this workshop provides a guided walk-through for setting up a Sakai course site. Such tasks include uploading a syllabus and other introductory course materials. Participants will also learn how to publish weekly instructional content, administer a gradebook, and send announcements.

This workshop is open to all faculty/instructors. Registration is required.

9:00 – 11:00 am | Orientation to Faculty Learning Communities – Hauge Admin 101

Jennifer Smith, Dean of Inclusive Excellence

In this session, the facilitators of and participants in this year’s Faculty Learning Communities (FLC) will gather to review the history, goals, and research about FLCs, generally, so as to ground our work in a shared understanding of the features that make them particularly effective strategies for faculty development. Each FLC will also have dedicated time with its members to establish outcomes, an assessment plan, community agreements, and meeting dates/times for the academic year.

Space remains available in the following FLCs: Universal Design for Learning: Eliminating barriers to learning and building an inclusive learning environment (3 spaces); Renew & Reflect: Cultivating Purposeful Practice in a Community of Contemplative Educators (2 spaces); Grading for Learning: Exploring and Practicing Alternative Grading Strategies (2 spaces): and Teaching In and About Climate Crisis (5 spaces). Faculty can find more information about these communities and sign up to join one here. Deadline: Fri, August 23rd.

This meeting is by invitation only; please RSVP via the Google Calendar event invitation. Contact Jennifer Smith (smithjb@plu.edu) with questions.

9:00 – 11:00 am | HPRB Workshop for UD and Committee Members – Anderson University Center – Scandinavian Cultural Center

Marianne Taylor, Chair of HPRB (Human Participants Review Board)

Intended for unit Designates and Committee members who will review online HPRB proposal submissions and provide feedback through Sitero (Mentor)system.

This workshop is by invitation only; please RSVP via the Google Calendar event invitation. Contact hprb@plu.edu with questions.

11:15 am – 12:15 pm | Understanding the 2024 Title IX Regulations – Hauge Admin 101

Jennifer Childress-White, University Title IX Coordinator

Understanding the 2024 Title IX Regulations. Providing a summary of the new legislation responsible for regulating higher education’s response to sex discrimination and sex-based harassment. Learn about the new expanded protections, and your obligations as a university employee.

This workshop is open to all faculty and staff. Registration is preferred but not required.

12:30 – 3:30 pm | FYEP Workshop – Anderson University Center – Scandinavian Cultural Center

Paul Sutton, FYEP Director

In this highly interactive session, participants will consider how the FYEP Program serves the needs of our current first year students. Participants will analyze FYEP student and faculty data to identify over-arching strengths and areas of improvement in courses offerings to discuss ways we can improve our specific courses with our current first year students in mind. Lastly, time will be spent discussing program coherence across PLUS 100, FYEP 101, and FYEP 102 course experiences and the crucial role the FYEP plays in the overall health of the university.

This workshop is by invitation only; please RSVP via the Google Calendar event invitation. Contact Paul Sutton (suttonps@plu.edu) with questions.

3:00 – 5:00 pm | Wild Hope Center for Vocation and Campus Ministry: Open House – Anderson University Center – Room 190

Antonios Finitsis, Executive Director of Wild Hope Center for Vocation
Laree Winer, Director of Wild Hope Center for Vocation
Rev. Jen Rude, University Pastor

Wild Hope will be moving from the Nesvig Alumni Center to the Campus Ministry Suite on the lower level of the Anderson University Center. Come check out our newly refreshed and shared space. We will be hosting an open house for faculty and staff. Please join us in celebrating this move and our continued collaboration!

This open house is open to all faculty and staff. Registration is preferred but not required.

3:45 – 4:45 pm | Retention and Progression – From Data to Strategic Action – Anderson University Center – Scandinavian Cultural Center

Retention and Progression Advisory Group (RPAG)

Understanding who our students are gives us a clearer understanding and perspective on how to mitigate and remove institutional barriers that impeded positive student outcomes. At this workshop, we will provide progression and retention data for automatic admit students, Black and Latinx students, and students with accommodations. Using data, we will share current initiatives aimed at closing equity gaps for these student populations and provide space for inquiry and exchange of ideas for continued evidence-based action.”

This workshop is open to all faculty and staff. Registration is preferred but not required.

University Conference

Wednesday, August 28, 2024 | 8:15 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

8:15 – 8:45 am | Morning Chapel – KHP Ness Chapel

9:00 – 10:30 am | Lutes Center Community: Talking Across Difference (Optional Professional Development Opportunity) – AUC CK Hall

10:30 – 11:00 am | University Conference – Morning Refreshments – KHP Red Square

11:00 am | University Conference – KHP Auditorium

11:45 am | University Conference Lunch – KHP Red Square

1:45 – 5:15 pm | Faculty Fall Conference – Day 1 – See below for full schedule

Faculty Fall Conference Day 1 | Faculty Committee Organizational Meetings

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

1:15 – 2:00 p.m. | Faculty Committee Organizational Meetings

2:15 – 3:15 p.m. | College Meetings

3:30 – 4:15 p.m. | School/Department Meetings – Meeting details communicated by unit

4:30 – 5:15 p.m. | Interdisciplinary Program Meetings – Meeting details communicated by program

Faculty Fall Conference Day 2: Cultivating Flourishing in Faculty Life – AUC Chris Knutzen Hall

Thursday, August 29, 2024 | 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

8:00 – 9:00 am | Informal Morning Social
With coffee, tea, and scones

9:00 – 9:05 am | Welcome
Beth Griech-Polelle

9:05 – 9:10 am | Invocation
Pastor Jen Rude

9:10 – 9:30 am | Provost’s Address
Joanna Gregson

9:30 – 9:45 am | Faculty Chair’s Address
Amy Young

9:45 – 10:20 am | Panel: What does it mean to flourish?
Quantas Ginn, Heidi Brocious, and Jen Rude

10:20 – 10:30 am | Overview of Concurrent Sessions
Jen Smith

10:30 – 10:45 am | Break & Move to First Session

10:45 – 11:15 am | Concurrent Session #1

Teaching + Flourishing – Hauge Admin 101
Terri Farrar, Laura Fitzwater Gonzales, and John Wright

Scholarship + Flourishing – Ramstad 205
Tiffany Artime, Alexus Hamilton, and Erik Hammerstrom 

Service + Flourishing – Ramstad 206
Charlie Katica and Paul Sutton

11:15 – 11:30 am | Break & Move to Next Session

11:30 – 12:00 pm | Concurrent Session #2

Teaching + Flourishing – Hauge Admin 101
Terri Farrar, Laura Fitzwater Gonzales, and John Wright

Scholarship + Flourishing – Ramstad 205
Tiffany Artime, Alexus Hamilton, and Erik Hammerstrom 

Service + Flourishing – Ramstad 206
Charlie Katica and Paul Sutton

12:00 – 12:15 pm | Break & Move Back to CK Hall

12:15 – 12:30 pm | Debrief and Survey Instructions
Jen Smith and Beth Griech-Polelle

12:30 – 1:30 pm | Lunch
Buffet lunch provided

Afternoon Faculty Development Session

1:30 – 3:00 pm | Roadmap to Flourishing (optional)  – AUC Chris Knutzen Hall
Hosted by the Office of the Provost

New Student Orientation

Convocation

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

The Convocation ceremony dates back to customs from medieval universities, meant to welcome new students and faculty and set intentions for the year ahead.

In keeping with a specifically PLU tradition, faculty process down Hinderlie Hill and welcome new Lutes in an outdoor receiving line as students enter Olson Auditorium. Faculty then process in after the incoming class has entered and take their seats on the floor of Olson for the remainder of the ceremony. This ceremony takes on a special meaning as students will convene together in Olson Auditorium to participate in the first ceremony of their academic experience at PLU. The next time the incoming class will gather in this manner will be at Commencement.

Convocation schedule for Tuesday, September 3, 2024:

• 9:30 a.m. — Faculty begin to line up in the Mortvedt Library Lobby for processional down the hill
• 9:45 a.m. — University offices close to allow all employees to attend Convocation
• 10:00 a.m. — Convocation ceremony
• 11:15 a.m. — University offices reopen
• 11:50 a.m. — Classes begin

Please also save the dates for the following events:

• New Faculty Orientation – Wednesday, August 21 – Thursday, August 22, 2024
• New Student Orientation – Friday, August 30 – Tuesday, September 3, 2024
• Labor Day – Monday, September 2, 2024
• Convocation and first day of classes – Tuesday, September 3, 2024
• First Faculty Assembly – Friday, September 13, 2024

Questions? Please contact the Office of the Provost, (253)535-7129 or provost@plu.edu.