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CELT Monthly Newsletter |
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Wednesday, July 29, 2026
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Table of Contents
Happiness never decreases by being shared. - Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism, a foundational religion and philosophy embraced around the world that encourages good deeds, kindness and compassion Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying peak summer activities - and produce! As you begin preparing for the upcoming academic year, consider weaving in any BizLibrary “bits” (suggested below or in past newsletters), participating in Dauran McNeil’s exciting research, and, of course, preparing to meet our new group of students at Academic Convocation. We’ll have an exciting year and much to celebrate, especially in welcoming President Dawn Meza Soufleris to our community! Take care, Catie Academic Convocation: Sunday, August 30, 12pm in the SERC! Academic Convocation will take place on Sunday, August 30 at noon in the SERC. A Brockport tradition since 1994, Academic Convocation is the official welcome for new students and marks the beginning of the academic year. If you plan to participate in the procession, academic regalia is required. The procession lineup begins at 11:30 a.m. The Provost’s Office will send an email soon with more information. If you do not have academic regalia, please contact your department chair to inquire about borrowing regalia or to learn about ordering options. Call for Lightning Talk Proposals for an AI Forum Faculty are invited to submit proposals for Lightning Talks at the 2nd AI for Education Forum–Building Bridges Across Disciplines: Connecting Faculty, Students, and AI, an event that will bring together faculty, students, and the broader campus community to share ideas, innovations, and experiences in artificial intelligence, and will be held on September 4th, 2026, from 9 am to 1 pm. The forum is supported by the AI Council, the AI & OER Practitioners Learning Community, the ACM SIGAI Student Chapter, the Brockport AI Club, and CELT. It will feature keynote presentations, student presentations, and a one-hour faculty lightning talk session. While the theme is AI for Education, we welcome presentations on any AI-related topic, including research, teaching, applications, tools, industry collaborations, and emerging ideas. Lightning talks are intended to be fast-paced, engaging presentations that introduce an idea, project, teaching practice, or research initiative. The talks will include a 5-minute presentation followed by a 3-minute Q&A. It will be scheduled between 11:15 am and 12:15 pm (tentative) on September 4th, 2026. All interested faculty should kindly submit a proposed talk title and a brief description of your talk to Adita Kulkarni at akulkarni@brockport.edu by August 27. We look forward to showcasing the breadth of AI innovation across the SUNY Brockport community. Call for Participants: Humanizing Online Learning Through Faculty Experiences with D2l Brightspace Video and Survey Tools Do you use D2L Brightspace video and or survey tools in your online course? I invite you to share your experiences and perspectives as part of a research study exploring how faculty use these tools to engage students in online learning environments. My name is Dauran McNeil. I am an Assistant Professor of Instructional Design & Educational Technology in the department of Education, Languages, and Instructional Design at SUNY Brockport. Help me explore how D2L Brightspace tools can humanize the learning experience. I am asking you to participate in my research study. The purpose of my study is to examine how faculty use video and survey tools within D2L Brightspace to enhance student engagement and facilitate meaningful feedback in online learning environments. Participation is voluntary. If you choose to participate in the study, it will take approximately 45 to 60 minutes of your time total. This will include an interview lasting approximately 45 to 60 minutes. The minimum age to participate is 18 years of age. To participate in this study, please click here for further details. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding the content or administration of this survey, please contact Dauran McNeil via email at dmcneil@brockport.edu . Thank you for taking the time to assist me in this research. Request for Proposals for the SUNY United States 250th Anniversary Faculty Research Fellowship – Due August 14, 2026! In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution, the State University of New York announces the SUNY United States 250th Anniversary Faculty Research Fellowship. Through this fellowship, faculty will have the opportunity to engage in public-focused research and creative activities related to providing a deeper understanding of the history of the United States and the promises and tests of democracy. Projects focused on lesser-known histories are welcome. Faculty from a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to history, literature, political science, sociology, and the arts, are encouraged to apply. Please reach out to Laura Merkl (lmerkl@brockport.edu), Director, Scholarship, Research & Sponsored Programs Office early in the process to coordinate the application in accordance with the campus External Funding Policy. Applications may not be submitted without going through the office and receiving required campus approvals, which are coordinated by Scholarship, Research & Sponsored Programs. The Policies and Procedures and submission portal are available on the fellowship webpage. Proposals are due Friday, August 14, 2026. For additional information, contact awards@suny.edu. Online Teaching: Technology & Educational Resources (OTTER) Institute 2026 Feel free to review the recordings from the OTTER Institute, which took place June 8th through 11th and focused on the following topics each day:
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) – Resources for Making Brightspace Course Content Accessible As part of our campus-based efforts to create digitally accessible documents, as mandated by Title II of The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), remember to review all campus communications to learn of resources available to you. The Digital Accessibility/Title II webpage is available for you to explore the many resources available to support your efforts. You can reach out to Shari Hardenbrook and Jay Harwood for more information at digitalaccessibility@brockport.edu! New Fall Courses in Brightspace: Support and Resources Looking for guidance as you prepare your fall courses in Brightspace? Explore the Online Teaching Guide for online course checklists, quality course design and planning strategies, video creation tips, and a collection of Brightspace support resources. You can also visit the Brockport Course Design YouTube Channelfor tutorials and instructional videos to help enhance your courses. Need personalized support? CELT’s Online Learning Coordinators, Shari Hardenbrook and Lyndsay Marrone, are available to assist with course design, development, and Brightspace questions. Schedule a consultation by requesting an appointment with an instructional designer. The Experiential Edge: Learning Beyond the Classroom New Name, Same Face: The Career Design Center has been renamed to The Center for Career Design and Experiential Learning! Madi Hiddie, Emily Marchese, Catie Lalonde, and the Experiential Learning Committee will continue to champion this work across campus. SUNY HIPS Goals: Faculty and staff who believe their department may be a good fit to host an intern are encouraged to reach out to learn more about expectations, timelines, and available support. If you feel your department is appropriate for hosting, please email ExperientialLearning@brockport.edu to begin the conversation about how these roles might be able to support your department, and what would need to be in place to establish student internships. Also, reach out to us to ensure the high-impact practices of your department already offered are being tracked and reported appropriately to SUNY. Exciting Events: Join us in celebrating Experiential Learning at the Part-Time Job Fest (September 2nd) outside of the Union! Reminder: Innovation Micro Grant applications are open for the Fall semester! Have some incredible projects, events, or opportunities you’d like us to share? Or want to know more about how you can get involved with Experiential Learning at Brockport? Email: ExperientialLearning@brockport.edu While you prepare for and begin the fall semester, he following resources can help you with both financial management and solving complex issues: 4 Steps to Managing Money Better Financial Planning and Investing: Budget, Savings, and Debt Financial Planning and Investing: Investing for the Long Term Investing in Your Future with a Roth IRA Break Down Problems Creatively: Flip the Problem to Find Better Solutions What is Complex Problem Solving Spark Creative Problem Solving: Collaborate Beyond the Usual Suspects Complex Problem-Solving: Complex Problems Organizations Face And some additional resources about navigating change, considering our current shift in leadership: Change Survival Toolkit: Coping with Change Business Etiquette: Navigating Different Forms of Communication Classroom Observations & Individual Consultations If you would like an observation of one or more of your classes, or you would like to discuss pedagogical strategies, let Catie know via the Faculty Consultation and Observation Request form. Please remember to make your requests at least one week in advance of the observation, ideally providing multiple potential dates per course, as well. Classroom observations will not be scheduled after Week #12 of each semester. For an online course review, please contact Shari (shardenb@brockport.edu) or Lyndsay (lmarrone@brockport.edu). I look forward to engaging in some compelling conversations with you! Annual Faculty Development Opportunities spreadsheet |
| Catie Lalonde, CELT Director |
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SUNY Brockport 350 New Campus Drive Brockport, NY |