November news

We're not sure how time works – we'll have to ask our colleagues in the Physics department or perhaps Philosophy – but we do know that somehow, it seems to go faster around this time of the semester.

Remember to take time to reduce stress; even a few minutes at a time can help. Did you know there are tools built into Microsoft Teams to help manage stress and create healthier work habits? And if you need more help, Wayne State has partnered with Ulliance to provide counseling, support, coaching, and more with the Employee Assistance Program. Their service is strictly confidential and is free to all benefits-eligible employees and qualifying family members. 

Don't forget that Tuesday, Nov. 8, is a Federal Election Holiday, and the University will be closed. Get out and vote if you haven't done so by mail already. If you've already voted, perhaps consider signing up to be a poll worker.

Anti-bullying statement

Earlier this year, the Academic Senate approved an anti-bullying statement of values and recommended a website be built to house the statement and resources for education, support, and the dissemination of information. Until such a website can be developed, the language of the resolution and some resource links can be found on the Anti-Bullying Statement page set up by the Provost's Office.

Coming up in Professional Development

Tomorrow: Writing for The Conversation

The Conversation is an independent, non-profit news organization dedicated to explanatory journalism: by sharing faculty members' specialist news analyses with other news organizations via syndication, they unlock the knowledge of experts for the public good. The Conversation has published many high-quality articles by WSU faculty who have shared their research expertise. Coming up at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 1, learn from one of the publication's editors and a panel of WSU faculty who have written for them how to craft and pitch articles for The Conversation to help you find a new way to engage in public scholarship.

OIP: International Opportunities for New Faculty

Interested to learn how you could teach or conduct research with partners abroad as a WSU faculty member? Maybe you would like to connect students - in person or virtually - for a cross-cultural experience? For this and all things international, our Office of International Programs (OIP) is here to help. In this session at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3, new faculty will learn what opportunities are available within OIP, like faculty-led study abroad programs and institutional partnerships. OIP faculty and staff are growing WSU's partnerships and are ready to support your activities abroad. OIP staff will also discuss resources available for faculty travel, such as Fulbright Scholar Awards, and the process to develop new short-term programs for incoming visitors.

Student Disability Services

Join us at 1 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 14, for this informational seminar with Student Disability Services (SDS). During this session, faculty will see an overview of disability services, including SDS procedures, faculty and student rights & responsibilities, how faculty can support students with disabilities, and course accessibility. Representatives will also be available for a Q&A.

Office for Teaching & Learning: Accessibility 101

In this introductory accessibility workshop at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, you will learn how to employ accessibility to reach all your students and how to provide an equitable educational experience to everyone. We will focus on easy steps you will be able to implement right away to make your course more accessible: captions, alternative text for images, descriptive links, and more!

Coming up at the NCFDD

Manage Stress, Rejection & the Haters in Your Midst

2:00 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10 – Register for SKILL #10: How to Manage Stress, Rejection & the Haters in Your Midst

Indigenous Time Management

2:00 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29 – Register for Indigenous Time Management