Faculty Mentoring
The College of Humanities and Sciences will host the following mentoring workshops and circles in the Fall 2026 semester. Participants must register via the link below prior to attending a workshop.
For questions, please contact CHS Associate Dean Amy Rector.
Please also see Faculty Affairs Events offered by the Office of the Provost as well as workshops by the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, VCU Libraries and the Learning Experience Design Studio.
New Faculty Development
CHS new faculty have been invited to the following events
Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, 11 a.m - 12 p.m.: Meet the Dean
Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, 11 a.m - 12 p.m.: Supporting Student Success
Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, 11 a.m - 12 p.m.: Funding Opportunities for Teaching and Research
Friday, Dec. 4, 2026, 11 a.m - 12 p.m.: Reflecting on the First Semester
Meetings with Dean Catherine Ingrassia and/or Associate Deans Amy Rector, Marcus Messner, Angela Reynolds, Darcy Mays and Corey Moore for newly hired tenure-track and term faculty. Restricted to newly hired faculty.
Format: In person (location will be sent after registration)
Faculty Development: AI Workshops
Developing an AI-Aware Pedagogy
Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
In The Norton Guide to AI-Aware Teaching, the authors define “AI-aware teaching” as “understanding the ways students and faculty use AI, as well as AI’s capabilities and drawbacks in educational contexts, and then using that knowledge to craft courses that meet learning objectives.” This session draws on their work as well as other recent research to identify proactive strategies for encouraging responsible and ethical AI and discouraging its unauthorized use in classes. Join us for this interactive session led by Dr. Katy Hanggi, chair of the Department of Focused Inquiry. We will introduce course and assignment design strategies and provide attendees time to work and discuss in small groups.
Format: In person (STEM Building, room location will be sent after registration)
Faculty Development: Promotion
You Got Tenure, Now What?
Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, 10-11 a.m.
Workshop with Dean Catherine Ingrassia and Associate Dean Amy Rector for recently tenured associate professors to provide guidance on how to stay on track with research and teaching for a future promotion to professor.
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)
Tenure-Track Assistant Professors
Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, 1-2:30 p.m.
Workshop with Associate Dean Amy Rector and recently promoted faculty members to provide guidance on the promotion process for tenure-track faculty members who are currently at the assistant professor level and plan to be reviewed for promotion to associate professor with tenure in the future.
Panelists:
- Punit Gandhi, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
- Annie Haynos, Department of Psychology
- Indira Sultanić, Department of English (featuring Foreign Languages)
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)
Term Instructors and Assistant Professors
Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, 1-2:30 p.m.
Workshop with Associate Dean Amy Rector and recently promoted faculty members to provide guidance on the promotion process for term faculty members who are currently at the instructor or assistant professor level and plan to be reviewed for promotion to assistant or associate professor in the future.
Panelists:
- Rebecca Gibson, School of World Studies
- Hilary Cassil, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
- Larry Williams, Department of Focused Inquiry
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)
Term Associate Professors
Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Workshop with Associate Dean Amy Rector and recently promoted faculty members to provide guidance on the promotion process for term faculty members who are currently at the associate professor level and plan to be reviewed for promotion to professor in the future.
Panelists:
- John Aughenbaugh, Department of Political Science
- Cara Cario, School of Life Sciences and Sustainability
- Yelena Prok, Department of Physics
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)
Tenured Associate Professors
Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Workshop with Associate Dean Amy Rector and recently promoted faculty members to provide guidance on the promotion process for tenured faculty members who are currently at the associate professor level and plan to be reviewed for promotion to professor with tenure in the future.
Panelists:
- Cheng Ly, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
- Heather Jones, Department of Psychology
- Brooke Newman, Department of History
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)
Faculty Development: Faculty Leave
Leave Application Process
Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Workshop with Associate Dean Amy Rector to describe the process for and answer your questions about faculty study-research and educational leave. This information session occurs before the submission deadline for leave applications, which are due on Oct. 31, 2026. Read more about the leave policy here.
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)
Pre-Promotion Training
Q&A Sessions for Spring 2027 Pre-Promotion and Third-Year Review Candidates
Friday, Dec. 4, 2026, 1-2 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2026, 12-1 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 5, 2027, 1-2 p.m.
Training sessions for term and tenure-track assistant professors who will be undergoing pre-promotion or third-year reviews during the 2027 spring semester. A training video will be shared prior to the sessions. Associate Dean Amy Rector will then answer questions about the review process in these sessions.
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)