The UTSA New Faculty Institute introduces recently hired faculty to the culture of research and instructional excellence. Participants attend six (6) workshops related to teaching (3) and research (3), and a closing lunch to celebrate their first year at UTSA. The Institute is open to all first-year, full-time faculty members at the University.

The objective of the Institute is to provide an introduction to UTSA’s teaching and research culture; identify people and services to support success; enhance skills related to grant seeking and writing, as well as instruction and pedagogy; share information about institutional resources and best practices; and promote collaboration and community in the first year.

Eligibility:

• New Tenure and Tenure-Track faculty, hired at the assistant professor level
• Non-tenure track faculty with multi-year contracts

Research outcomes:

• Identify funding opportunities and potential collaborators using various tools
• Understand the priorities of funding agencies and cultivate relationships with program officers
• Craft an “elevator pitch” and abstract to sell their concept to potential funders and collaborators
• Apply effective project management strategies to the proposal development process
• Write grant proposals that are responsive to the call and meet the expectations of reviewers
• Develop outreach plans and communicate the broader impacts of their research
• Create effective management and program evaluation plans for funded research projects.

Teaching and Learning outcomes:

• Understand the diverse UTSA student body including military, minority, and first-generation student populations
• Apply different teaching strategies to improve student learning
• Identify support methods to help students achieve academic success
• Support inclusion and engagement in the classroom
• Explore wide-ranging assessment strategies to improve learning outcomes
• Develop cross-disciplinary dialogue around teaching and learning
• Provide preparation for effective use of relevant educational technology

Workshops:

Faculty will be required to attend a total of six (6) workshops and a closing luncheon. They will attend one teaching and one research session as a cohort, and will choose two teaching and two research workshops.

>> Download Brochure

Closing Luncheon (April 2018)

The Closing Luncheon will celebrate the completion of the institute and the faculty members’ first year at UTSA.  It is an opportunity for participants to provide feedback on the program and their first year at UTSA.

List of Available Workshops:

Research Sessions – FALL 2017
Session title	Abstract
Foundations of Grant Seeking at UTSA (All Cohort) MAIN: September 11, 2017, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM>> To register	The goal of this session is to assist early career faculty and/or grant writing novices in developing a plan for pursuing funded research. Topics include: ·       Establishing long-term research and grant writing goals and collaborations ·       Seeking & identifying relevant funding opportunities ·       Critically reading funding solicitations ·       Communicating with program officers ·       Accessing UTSA resources and tools for research and grants support
Grant Writing and the Proposal Development Process MAIN: September 26, 2017, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM >> To register DT: September 28, 2017, 1:30-3:00 PM >> To register	The key to a successful proposal is presenting quality ideas through concise writing. In this session, staff from the Office for Research and the UTSA Writing Center will share tips for writing clearly and responsive to the funders call, and will assist participants in creating an “elevator pitch” and abstract that will capture the funders attention. Participants will also learn how to apply effective project management strategies to the proposal development process.
Project Summary, Background & Significance MAIN: October 4, 2017, 1:30-3:00 PM >> To register DT: October 2, 2017, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM >> To register	This session will focus on writing effective project summary, specific aims, literature review, background, and significance sections of research proposals. Participants will learn how to sell reviewers on the significance of their research plans.
Goals, Objectives & Budgets MAIN: October 19, 2017, 1:30-3:00 PM >> To register DT: October 17, 2017, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM >> To register	This session will focus on generating and writing specific goals, objectives and activities for research proposals. Participants will learn how to construct reasonable timelines for their project and to develop feasible budgets that match the research activities.

 

Research Sessions – SPRING 2018
Session title	Abstract
Strategy & Methodology	How does a research strategy & methodology description written for a grant proposal differ from that written for a scientific paper? Participants will learn how to match their research strategies to funding agency guidelines, and to how write well-designed research methodology sections.
Et cetera-The Forgotten Proposal Sections	The focus of this session will be on the often-forgotten extra-narrative proposal sections (such as data management, mentoring, and research compliance plans, biographical sketches, and facilities descriptions).  Participants will learn how to increase the impact of their proposals through careful attention to the entire application package.
Broader Impacts & Project Evaluation	Many funding agencies want to know how the research they support will impact society, and how PIs plan to evaluate the outcomes of their projects. Participants will learn how to navigate the outreach and evaluation criterion for grant proposals, to plan activities that increase the influence of their research, and to engage programs already occurring at UTSA that impact the broader public.

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Teaching Sessions – Fall 2017
Session title	Abstract
Roadrunner Roundup: Achieving Teaching Excellence at UTSA (All Cohort) September 18	UTSA is has a richly varied student population which provides both pedagogical opportunities and complexities. This introductory session will provide an introduction to teaching resources at UTSA and explore the ways in which UTSA promotes teaching excellence. We will present data and descriptions of the students you will meet in your classes, examine ideas to create engaged and inclusive classrooms, and explore strategies that improve student learning.
Assigning Group Work that Works  Week of September 18	Teamwork is a required outcome in core courses, but group work tends to be tedious, time consuming, and resented. Learn best practices for designing group work that stimulates learning and increases student engagement.
Active Learning Strategies Week of September 18	Get Students to Stop Dozing and Start Doing! Active learning engages students in the learning process with activities such as problem solving, analysis, and discussion.  This workshop will cover a continuum of active learning strategies for every classroom size, time, and discipline.
Assessment strategies to save time and improve learning outcomes Week of September 25	Assessing student learning can be wearying for both the faculty member and the student.  This session will explore different assessment strategies including formative assessments, use of rubrics, and creating multiple choice       questions that enhance critical thinking.
Creating Lectures for Enhanced Learning Week of …	The lecture isn’t dead, it’s just evolving.  Great lectures can absorb a class and encourage dialogues. This session will look at strategies for developing effective lectures that encourage listening and learning.
Using Blackboard for Student Engagement Week of …	Blackboard isn’t just for online and hybrid classes!  This session will explore how faculty can use blackboard to build community, increase critical thinking, and engage students in their learning experience.
Using Clickers for Learning  Week of October 2	Whether you are in a larger lecture hall or a regular classroom, student response systems, also known as clickers, can help you engage students, gauge learning, and even take attendance. Come learn more about how to use these tools in your classroom.
Dismantling the Obstacle Course Week of October 9	Today’s students face a myriad of challenges to college completion.  Whether it’s managing finances, adapting to academic expectations, or learning time management, this session will examine the most common barriers to academic achievement and explore ways faculty can help empower students to overcome them.
Creating a Transparent Classroom  Week of October 17	We know what we want students to do, but do they?  Explore ideas for making your class more transparent to students in ways that increase participating and success.