COVID-19 Updates and Reminders

All faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to take regular advantage of the free and available COVID-19 screening tests offered Monday-Friday at various locations around campus. For more information and to schedule a test, see the Emory Forward website.

Employees who are symptomatic, exposed, or infected with COVID-19 should follow the revised self-service instructions on Emory Forward’s What Do I Do If page for guidance on reporting and contact tracing. Instructors should consult with their department chairs if they need to move a class online or have someone cover their course.

Should a student disclose that they have received a positive COVID-19 test result, or that they are currently in isolation or quarantine, please continue to follow the steps as outlined in the Guidance for Instructors Teaching In-Person with Students in Isolation or Quarantine. This is an important step in ensuring academic continuity and support for the student.

Office for Undergraduate Education Updates

Student of Concern Form

As we begin the first wave of midterms and assignments for many classes, faculty may become aware of students who are missing classes on a regular basis (or have missed all classes this semester), or who are performing poorly in assigned coursework. If you have concerns about any of your students, please complete the Student of Concern Form. The OUE team is proactively working with students to connect them with resources and other support tools to aid them in their academic pursuits. Your partnership in this process is vital. Please also use the student concern form if a student notifies you that they have are isolating or quarantining.

Love Your Major Month

February is Love Your Major Month. Emory College and Campus Life are partnering on a campaign through social media and in-person events, including Wonderful Wednesday at Asbury Circle on February 23. Our goal is for all sophomores to have declared at least one major by February 28. We encourage you to engage with the campaign on social media (primarily the Emory College and Campus Life Instagram accounts).

One key aim of the campaign is to dispel some of the myths around declaring their major. For example, that it is difficult to declare a major, and that it is harder to change your mind. Declaring a Major is a simple, straight forward process, takes just a few minutes and unlocks a wealth of benefits through our departments and programs. If you are teaching courses with significant numbers of first- and second- year students, please consider spending a few minutes talking about majors in your department or program, and engage with the OUE social campaign as the month progresses.

Anonymous Student Feedback and Course Check-Ins

The Emory College Council has requested that all Emory College courses have a mechanism for students to provide ongoing anonymous course feedback. We have prepared an Anonymous Student Feedback template that you may adapt for your courses (access instructions for deploying the survey through Microsoft Forms/One Drive). You may also adapt this form for a one-time mid-semester check-in. The return-to-campus provides a good opportunity for this sort of check-in with your students.

You may embed the link to this form in your Canvas course site, and it may be left open to collect anonymous feedback throughout the semester. Any feedback collected will be visible only to the course instructor.

Canvas Support Services Available

Drop-in Help: Need help organizing your Canvas course? Have a question about using a Canvas feature? The Canvas support team will be available for drop-in help via Zoom on Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. — these are on the training calendar, and no appointment is required. You just need to be logged into your Emory Zoom account to access the Zoom meeting.

Canvas 24/7 Phone & Chat Support: For basic Canvas questions and assistance, you can contact Canvas directly at 833-334-2835 or via chat at http://it.emory.edu/canvaschat. They can't help with Emory-specific issues like enrollments and password resets, but they can help with common questions about using Canvas.

Email Teaching & Learning Technologies: Emailing classes@emory.edu is the fastest way to open a ticket with the Teaching & Learning Technologies team to get support or ask a question about most types of Canvas issues, including enrollment questions and sandbox requests. Tickets are responded to during business hours.

Call for Temporary Faculty for 2022-2023

Reminder to Department Chairs and Directors: Please submit your temporary faculty requests for next year by Tuesday, February 15. The Qualtrics link to complete for each instructor is Online Survey Software | Qualtrics Survey Solutions. Please email Dean_of_Faculty@emory.edu with questions.

College and University Award Nominations Due Soon

Williams Teaching Award Nominations Due Feb. 18

Emory College faculty, students, and alumni are encouraged to submit nominations for the prestigious 2021-2022 Emory Williams Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Awards. Nominators should submit a one-page letter justifying the nomination and include specific information about the nominee’s teaching. Joint nominations and nominations from departments and programs are encouraged. Send electronic nomination letters to Dean_of_Faculty@emory.edu with the subject line “Emory Williams Nomination” by Friday, Feb. 18. 

University’s Jefferson Award Nominations Due Feb. 18

The Thomas Jefferson Award is presented annually at Emory University’s commencement. This award is named and endowed by the Robert Earl McConnell Foundation to honor current Emory University faculty and staff who have significantly enriched the intellectual and civic life of the Emory community.

The award honors a member of the faculty or staff for significant service to Emory through personal activities, influence, and leadership, usually over the course of many years. The Selection Committee is now seeking nominations for the 2022 honoree. More information on the award can be found on the Office of the Provost website. Please send nomination letters and CVs to Dr. Joel Baumgart by email at joelbaumgart@emory.edu. The deadline for 2022 nominations is Friday, February 18 at 5 p.m. Nominations received after this time will not be eligible for consideration for the current year’s award.

Brittain Award Nominations Due Feb. 18

The 2022 M.L. Brittain Award nomination process is now open. The award is given annually at Commencement to one undergraduate and one graduate student who have performed the most “significant, meritorious, and devoted service to Emory University.” Fall 2021 or spring 2022 graduates are eligible for nomination. Nomination letters should be submitted to Sandra Edwards, sandra.edwards@emory.edu, by Friday, February 18. Please see the call for nominations for more information about the award.

2022 Award of Distinction Nominations for staff due Feb. 28

Nominations are currently open for Emory University’s 2022 Award of Distinction, which is back after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

The Award of Distinction Program recognizes staff members who are consistently outstanding in performing their jobs and who have made specific, exceptional contributions that have impacted their department/school or the university. The recognized honorees will be invited to a special dinner hosted by President Fenves (assuming health conditions are favorable) and receive a $1,000 award.

All current regular full- and part-time staff, who are employed for at least one year, are eligible to be nominated. Previous awardees are eligible for nomination. Emory Healthcare employees, faculty, faculty equivalents, librarians, and retirees are not eligible for the Award of Distinction.

Nominations should be based on consistent excellence in the performance of job duties and responsibilities and should cite examples of how the employee has demonstrated:

• Service and contributions in the work environment that have been rendered above and beyond the call of duty; and/or
• Exemplary personal qualities that have enhanced the overall effectiveness of, or public regard for, the services provided by the department or Emory University.

Nominations can be made by faculty or staff. Employees may not nominate themselves. A completed nomination form with required endorsements must accompany the written recommendation of no more than 500 words. A department, school, or division may submit one nomination for every 50 FTE regular staff.

All nominations must be received by 5 p.m., Monday, February 28. Further information is available at www.hr.emory.edu/AwardOfDistinction. If you have questions, please contact Melissa Morgan at melissa.morgan@emory.edu.

Cuttino Mentoring Award Nominations Due March 4

This award is named in honor of the late history professor George Peddy Cuttino, who was known among several generations of Emory students not only as a teacher, but also as an outstanding mentor beyond the classroom. The successful recipient of this prestigious award should exhibit a similar record of exceptional mentoring of students. One page nomination letters addressed to Senior Associate Dean Deboleena Roy, should be sent to the Dean_of_Faculty@emory.edu email address with “Cuttino Award” in the subject line by Friday, March 4, and include specific information about the nominee’s record as a mentor. 

McMullan Award Nominations Due March 4

Emory College is soliciting nominations for the Lucius Lamar McMullan Award. The McMullan Award is meant to honor a graduating senior of uncommon stature in the eyes of the Emory community. Academic achievement is an important criterion, but not the sole measure of excellence. The recipient should also demonstrate outstanding citizenship, exceptional leadership, and singular qualities of mind and character. The winner of the McMullan Award will receive $30,000 at the time of graduation to be used for any purpose of their choosing. Nominations should be submitted via the nomination form by Friday, March 4. Please see the call for nominations or email Jason Ciejka, jciejka@emory.edu, for more information.

Using the Science of Learning in the Classroom

The Center for Faculty Development and Excellence presents a three-workshop series on how to use principles from the science of learning in the classroom to improve student learning outcomes. Hear from Emory College faculty experts about what the science says and then reexamine your syllabus or learning activities to apply these principles.

Session I: Memory - Why Organization is Key
February 11, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. via Zoom
How can you present your content in ways that are consistent with your student's biology?
Faculty expert: Andy Kazama, Lecturer, Department of Psychology. Register now.

Session II: Remembering to Learn
February 25, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. via Zoom
How do informal tests promote new learning and how can this approach help your students?
Faculty expert: Joe Manns, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology. Register now.

Session III: Metacognition and Learning
March 18, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. via Zoom
How do faculty best support students becoming independent, life-long learners?
Faculty expert: Rachelle Spell, Professor of Pedagogy, Department of Biology. Register now.

FSAP Services Available for Emotional/Mental Health

Need help with setting intentions for self-care, coping, or your general emotional/mental health? Reach out to the Faculty Staff Assistance Program at 404-727-WELL (9355) or efsap@emory.edu for free coaching, counseling, or a well-being check-in consultation, or join one of FSAP’s weekly/monthly offerings. Currently all services are held virtually via Zoom.