Center for Faculty Development
WORKSHOPS
Page Content
The Center for Faculty Development (CFDFREEMississippi) and the Office of Online Learning (onlineFREEMississippi) are available for one-on-one consultations through email and virtual meetings.
Workshops & Events by Topic
Faculty & Staff are invited to this informal, collegial get-together at Patio 44.
Ctrl+Alt+Succeed: Excel Series
The Center for Faculty Development in tandem with the Office of Institutional Research are sponsoring the Excel workshop series. This series is open to all faculty, staff, or graduate students who are interested in expanding their skill level in Excel. There are 6 sessions or levels offered in this series, and you may choose to attend all 6 or choose the sessions that are of most interest to you. Attendees will need to bring their laptop to each session, as these workshops are designed to be hands-on and interactive.
*A hybrid alternative is offered. Virtual attendees are asked to have their laptop or desktop computers ready and be engaged in the session.
Presenter: Chris Lowe, Data Literacy Program Manager & Statistical Analyst, Institutional Research Office
Level 4 – Tables and Pivot Tables: Tables, tables, tables! Level 4 is entirely dedicated to them, starting briefly with an introduction to in-sheet options and following up with a lengthy dive into their more advanced and functional cousins, pivot tables.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
10:00-11:15 am
IC 318 & Teams
Level 5 – Basic Data Visualizations: Building from our previous session, Level 5 explores data visualization options in Excel, utilizing both in-sheet and pivot-based sources. Manual creation/formatting and more dynamic options like PivotCharts will all be covered.
Tuesday, November 17, 2026
10:00-11:15 am
IC 318 & Teams
Level 6 – Text Functions and Lookups: Level 6 will end our bootcamp with 2 mostly unrelated, but very important, function concepts. We will discuss text functions used to manipulate string data and finish strong by performing a deep dive into Excel’s ever-useful LOOKUP functions, VLOOKUP specifically.
Tuesday, December 1, 2026
10:00-11:15 am
IC 318 & Teams
*All six sessions are listed on the registration form.
Fix It Fridays
Fix It Fridays is hosted on the first Friday of the month as a hybrid session in IC
319 and on Teams by the Center for Faculty Development (CFD). The goal is to provide
dedicated time to work toward remediating files and other course material to be compliant
with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2-AA. Join us for camaraderie, accountability,
and collective effort to make our campus more accessible for all. Come with specific
files and goals, and let's help each other to work toward this goal of accessibility
by April!
Fix It Fridays will meet as a hybrid session in IC 319 and on Teams on the first Friday of the month this fall from 11:30 - 1:30 p.m. beginning September 4, and concluding December 4, 2026.
Mark the dates on your calendar:
November 6
December 4
These sessions are come-and-go as needed for your schedule. Faculty, staff and graduate students from all disciplines and ranks are welcome to attend. If this peaks your interest, fill out the information below for a reminder/calendar invite along with the Teams information to join virtually.
Copy and Input Canvas Course Content with Digital Accessibility in Mind
Look at your Canvas course Files. Do you see multiple instances of syllabi you have used over the years? Do you see File folders you weren’t aware existed in your course? Because of the Accessibility requirements, Spring 2027 needs to be the semester to clean out the old, unused content. Join Susan Rayborn in this Canvas work session.
Presenter: Susan Rayborn, Instructional Designer
Friday, November 13
1:30-2:30
Hybrid Session | IC 319 & Teams
FYF: Preparing for Annual Evaluation
Geared toward faculty in their first year, this session will discuss an overview of the annual evaluation process and how it is completed in Watermark Faculty Success. Attendees will gain insight about the annual evaluation process, how this connects to the promotion and tenure process, and what you should be thinking about now to prepare for USM’s promotion and tenure processes.
Friday, November 19, 2026
12:00 - 1:15 pm
Hybrid Session | IC 319 & Teams
P&T: Preparing for Pre-Tenure Review
An overview of the process and required materials for the application for pre-tenure
review for tenure-track faculty will be provided followed by a panel discussion from
faculty who have successfully navigated the pre-tenure review process. Panel members
will address questions and provide tips for writing the narrative essay, suggestions
for what evidence to include, best practices for putting together the dossier materials,
and soliciting feedback and support for this process.
Target Audience: Tenure-track faculty that will be going through the pre-tenure/ 3rd
year review process in the 2026 - 2027 academic year.
Panelists:
Dr. Ashley Allen, Director, CFD
John Amacker, Institutional Effectiveness Data Coordinator
Tuesday, November 10
9:00-10:15 a.m.
Hybrid | IC 319 & Teams
Show Up & Write!
Show Up & Write! is hosted weekly as a hybrid session in IC 318 and on Teams by the Center for Faculty Development (CFD) and provides a quiet, physical or virtual space for dedicated writing time. The writing group aims to support faculty, staff, and graduate research by designating time for writing and increasing productivity through peer support and personal accountability. Plan to focus your time on productive writing for an article, book chapter, grant proposal, blog, or other project.
Show Up & Write! will meet as a hybrid session in IC 318 and on Teams every Friday this fall from 11:30 - 1:30 p.m. beginning September 4, and concluding December 4, 2026.
Mark the dates on your calendar:
November 6, 13, 20
December 4
These sessions are come-and-go as needed for your schedule. Faculty, staff and graduate students from all disciplines and ranks are welcome to attend. If this peaks your interest, fill out the information below for a reminder along with the location and a Teams link if you plan to join virtually.
Easier Than You Think: Crafting Social Media Videos for Student Engagement
This hands-on workshop will guide participants through the process of creating engaging
short-form videos to reach current and future students. Attendees will use their cell
phones and free apps to create content on TikTok, Instagram, Canvas, and other platforms.
Presenter: Dave Davies, Professor, School of Media and Communication
Monday, November 16
12:00-1:00 p.m.
Hybrid Session | IC 319 & Teams
Workshops & Events by Date
November 2026
Show Up & Write!
Show Up & Write! is hosted weekly as a hybrid session in IC 318 and on Teams by the Center for Faculty Development (CFD) and provides a quiet, physical or virtual space for dedicated writing time. The writing group aims to support faculty, staff, and graduate research by designating time for writing and increasing productivity through peer support and personal accountability. Plan to focus your time on productive writing for an article, book chapter, grant proposal, blog, or other project.
Show Up & Write! will meet as a hybrid session in IC 318 and on Teams every Friday this fall from 11:30 - 1:30 p.m. beginning September 4, and concluding December 4, 2026.
November 6, 13, 20
11:30 am - 1:30 pm
IC 318 & Teams
These sessions are come-and-go as needed for your schedule. Faculty, staff and graduate students from all disciplines and ranks are welcome to attend. If this peaks your interest, fill out the information below for a reminder along with the location and a Teams link if you plan to join virtually.
Fix It Fridays
Fix It Fridays is hosted on the first Friday of the month as a hybrid session in IC 319 and on Teams by the Center for Faculty Development (CFD). The goal is to provide dedicated time to work toward remediating files and other course material to be compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2-AA. Join us for camaraderie, accountability, and collective effort to make our campus more accessible for all. Come with specific files and goals, and let's help each other to work toward this goal of accessibility by April!
These sessions are come-and-go as needed for your schedule. Faculty, staff and graduate students from all disciplines and ranks are welcome to attend. If this peaks your interest, fill out the information below for a reminder/calendar invite along with the Teams information to join virtually.
November 6, 2026
11:30 am -1:30 pm
IC 319 & Teams
Preparing for Pre-Tenure Review
An overview of the process and required materials for the application for pre-tenure
review for tenure-track faculty will be provided followed by a panel discussion from
faculty who have successfully navigated the pre-tenure review process. Panel members
will address questions and provide tips for writing the narrative essay, suggestions
for what evidence to include, best practices for putting together the dossier materials,
and soliciting feedback and support for this process.
Target Audience: Tenure-track faculty that will be going through the pre-tenure/ 3rd
year review process in the 2026 - 2027 academic year.
Panelists:
Dr. Ashley Allen, Director, CFD
John Amacker, Institutional Effectiveness Data Coordinator
Tuesday, November 10th
9:00-10:15 a.m.
Hybrid | IC 319 & Teams
NCFDD at Your Fingertips: Resources and Community for Faculty Success
We’re excited to share that USM has partnered with NCFDD (National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity) to support our faculty, postdocs, and graduate students at every stage of their academic careers! Through this partnership, you now have free access to a wide range of professional development resources, including webinars, short courses, writing challenges, and a nationwide community of academic peers. The CFD will be hosting an info session with Frank Sesso, NCFDD Partnerships Success Director. During this session, participants will discover how to make the most of their NCFDD membership, explore resources aligned with their professional goals, and enjoy a guided tour of the NCFDD website and USM Resource Hub.
Presenter:
Frank Sesso, NCFDD Partnerships Success Director
Wednesday, November 11th
1:00-1:45 pm
Zoom session
Copy and Input Canvas Course Content with Digital Accessibility in Mind
Look at your Canvas course Files. Do you see multiple instances of syllabi you have
used over the years? Do you see File folders you weren’t aware existed in your course?
Because of the Accessibility requirements, Spring 2027 needs to be the semester to
clean out the old, unused content. Join Susan Rayborn in this Canvas work session.
Presenter: Susan Rayborn, Instructional Designer
Friday, November 13
1:30-2:30
Hybrid Session | IC 319 & Teams
Easier Than You Think: Crafting Social Media Videos for Student Engagement
This hands-on workshop will guide participants through the process of creating engaging short-form videos to reach current and future students. Attendees will use their cell phones and free apps to create content on TikTok, Instagram, Canvas, and other platforms.
Presenter: Dave Davies, Professor, School of Media and Communication
Monday, November 16
12:00-1:00 p.m.
Hybrid Session | IC 319 & Teams
Ctrl+Alt+Succeed: Excel Series - Level 6 - Text Functions & Lookups
The Center for Faculty Development in tandem with the Office of Institutional Research are sponsoring the Excel workshop series. This series is open to all faculty, staff, or graduate students who are interested in expanding their skill level in Excel. There are 6 sessions or levels offered in this series, and you may choose to attend all 6 or choose the sessions that are of most interest to you. Attendees will need to bring their laptop to each session, as these workshops are designed to be hands-on and interactive.
*A hybrid alternative is offered. Virtual attendees are asked to have their laptop or desktop computers ready and be engaged in the session.
Level 6: Text Functions and Lookups will end our bootcamp with two mostly unrelated, but very important, function concepts. We will discuss text functions used to manipulate string data and finish strong by performing a deep dive into Excel's ever-useful LOOKUP functions, VLOOKUP specifically.
Tuesday, November 17, 2026
10:00-11:15 am
IC 318 & Teams
Presenter: Chris Lowe, Data Literacy Program Manager & Statistical Analyst, Institutional Research Office
*All six sessions are listed on the registration form.
FYF: Preparing for Annual Evaluation
Geared toward faculty in their first year, this session will discuss an overview of the annual evaluation process and how it is completed in Watermark Faculty Success. Attendees will gain insight about the annual evaluation process, how this connects to the promotion and tenure process, and what you should be thinking about now to prepare for USM’s promotion and tenure processes.
Friday, November 19, 2026
12:00 - 1:15 pm
Hybrid Session | IC 319 & Teams
December 2026
 |
 |
 |