STARS Program
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Last Updated: Nov 25, 2024, 11:18 AM
Saluki Teaching and Research Program (STARS)
Saluki Teaching and Research Success or STARS is a three-year faculty development program designed to support and empower faculty in areas relevant to their success.
STARS sessions will offer faculty members an opportunity to learn about campus resources and get practical advice and guidance from experienced colleagues on topics related to research, teaching, service, and personal development.
Who can attend STARS sessions?
- Newly hired faculty (tenure track and non-tenure track) are encouraged to attend all sessions
- Any non-tenure track faculty member curious about promotion and tenure
- Any faculty member (NTT, TT, or T) looking to refresh their skills
Spring 2025 Sessions:
Grant Discovery and Writing
Friday, February 7, 2025
Student Services Building, Room 150
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Identifying an appropriate funding source and creating a well-crafted grant proposal that aligns with the funder’s mission and priorities will maximize your chances of success and continued achievement. Whether you're new to grant writing or looking to enhance your skills, this program will provide practical insights to help you use available tools, navigate the process, and articulate your ideas effectively.
Session goals:
- Introduce attendees to Pivot-RP, a comprehensive database of grants, fellowships, and other funding sources
- Discuss what to consider before writing your grant
- Introduce key grant components
- Provide useful tips and helpful strategies
Presenters:
- Karen Jones, Associate Dean and Director of the Graduate School
- Beth Fisher, Pre-Award Research Specialist, Office of Sponsored Projects Administration
Building Pathways to Student Success
Friday, April 4, 2025
Student Services Building, Room 150
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Student engagement that results in academic achievement and overall student success can challenge even the most experienced faculty member in today’s classrooms and online course spaces. This session is designed to meet faculty where they are, whether they enter the classroom as a new instructor or are interested in adapting their current strategies.
Session goals:
- Discover ways to leverage available technology and tools to improve communication, foster participation, and develop classroom (and learning) efficiencies
- Address barriers to success and discuss strategies and opportunities to connect students to supportive services, communities, and peers
- Consider how we can make the invisible visible by examining unstated norms and expectations that today’s students may not know or understand
- Encourage a culture of caring that promotes belonging, improved communication, and empowerment
Presenters:
- Shelly Gehrke, Associate Provost for Student Success
- Craig Engstrom, Director, Center for Teaching Excellence
Celebrating Communities and Connections
Friday, May 2, 2025
Location and Time TBD
Join us for a special faculty development session to celebrate the bonds we form as educators with our mentors, colleagues, and supporters who have guided our journey in the 2024-2025 academic year. Together, we’ll reflect on the milestones, recognize contributions, and strengthen connections that make our SIU community thrive.
Session goals:
- Encourage each attendee to bring a mentor or supporter (colleague, family or community member, support staff, administrator, etc.) they would like to thank for their assistance over the past year
- Join us in reflecting on the journey of the past nine months
- Share campus and community resources and activity information
Presenters:
TBD
Fall 2024 Sessions:
Research
How to Develop a Promotion-Worthy Research/Creative Portfolio
Friday, September 6, 2024
Student Services Building, Room 150
10:00 – 11:30 AM
A well-organized, comprehensive research/creative activity portfolio is essential to communicating the relevance of your work and your potential for continued achievement. This session will include topic overviews and time for panelists to share practical strategies, insights, and examples from their experiences on their journey toward achieving tenure and/or promotion.
Session goals:
- Introduce key components of a successful research/creative portfolio
- Share personal experiences and examples of portfolio development to better understand the criteria for promotion at SIUC
- Provide tips and strategies across disciplines for maximizing creative and research success
- Explain the role of using feedback from supervisors, peers, or mentors to develop an action plan for enhancement
Presenter and Panel Moderator:
Tammy Kochel, Associate Dean, College of Health and Human Sciences and Professor, School of Justice and Public Safety
Panelists:
- Mary Louise Cashel, Associate Professor, School of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences
- Jennifer Horton, Associate Dean and Associate Professor, Library Affairs
- Lahiru Jayakody, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and the Fermentation Science Institute
- Justin McDaniel, Associate Professor, School of Human Sciences
- Irene Miller, Assistant Professor, School of Aviation
Teaching
How to Develop a Promotion-Worthy Teaching Portfolio
Friday, October 4, 2024
Student Services Building, Room 150
10:00 – 11:30 AM
Learn from experienced colleagues and administrators about creating a compelling teaching portfolio that showcases your teaching philosophy, student impact, and teaching excellence.
Session goals:
- Present essential elements and structure of a successful teaching portfolio
- Discuss illustrative examples that will increase understanding of teaching and criteria for promotion within SIUC
- Explore the use of feedback about your teaching portfolio from supervisors, peers, or mentors to develop an action plan for enhancement
- Provide useful tips and strategies from across disciplines
Who should attend?
New tenure track and non-tenure track faculty and tenured and continuing non-tenure track faculty looking to refresh their skills.
Moderator:
Craig Engstrom, Director, Center for Teaching Excellence and Associate Professor of Business Communication
Panelists:
- Jeb Asirvatham, Associate Professor, School of Agricultural Sciences and Director, University Core Curriculum
- Chris Mullins, Associate Dean, College of Health and Human Sciences and Professor, School of Justice and Public Safety
- Senetta Bancroft, Associate Professor, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Sciences and School of Education
- Mary Kinsel, Associate Professor of Practice, Chemical and Biomolecular Sciences
- Jeff Evans, Associate Lecturer, School of Human Sciences
- Rob Lopez, Associate Dean, College of Arts and Media
Service
How to Balance Teaching, Research, and Service
Friday, November 1, 2024
Student Services Building, Room 150
10:00 – 11:30 AM
The demands of teaching, research, and service can be challenging. This session will provide practical strategies to help you balance your core responsibilities effectively. Learn from your experienced colleagues about building supportive networks, prioritizing tasks and managing your time, setting realistic goals, finding resources, and developing habits that will help you build a successful academic career.
Session goals:
- Discuss the importance of setting priorities and boundaries to maintain a sustainable and productive workload balance
- Share insights regarding key responsibilities and expectations associated with teaching, research, and service at SIU
- Recommend effective strategies, tools, and best practices for managing time and resources
- Encourage development of personalized action plans such as:
- Creating a weekly schedule
- Building supportive teaching and research networks
- Leveraging service for growth
- Self-care boundaries between work and personal time
- Revisiting goals
Who should attend?
New tenure track and non-tenure track faculty and tenured and continuing non-tenure track faculty looking to refresh their skills.
Moderator:
Juliane Wallace, Associate Provost for Academic Administration
Panelists:
- Kofi Akamani, Professor, School of Agricultural Sciences
- Valerie Boyer, Interim Director and Associate Professor, School of of Health Sciences
- Bobbi Knapp, Associate Professor, School of Human Sciences
-
Rob Lopez, Associate Dean, College of Arts and Media
-
Grant Miller, Associate Professor, School of Education
- Bethany Rader, Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences
- Melissa Viernow, Director of Child Development Laboratories, Southern Region Early Childhood Programs
Personal Development
Mental Health Awareness for Faculty
Friday, December 6, 2024
Student Services Building, Room 150
10:00 – 11:30 AM
Join us for an engaging and supportive session to help you navigate your new responsibilities while prioritizing your mental and emotional well-being. This session will explore common stressors in academia and discuss practical approaches to self-care and stress management.
Session goals:
- Identify common signs and symptoms of mental health issues faculty might experience
- Discuss the impact of mental health on faculty performance and overall well-being
- Point to available resources and support systems for faculty mental health at SIU
- Encourage the incorporation of mental health practices that will improve personal well-being and effectiveness
Who should attend?
New tenure track and non-tenure track faculty and tenured and continuing non-tenure track faculty looking to refresh their skills.
Presenter:
- Jaime Clark, Director of Student Health Services