Now that the chaos of August is past, September is a great time to invest in your professional growth. The energy of beginnings — new students, new courses, new colleagues — offers everyone an opportunity for exploring innovative teaching strategies, connecting with colleagues, and strengthening the practices that make your work most meaningful to you. Whether you need touchpoints for community and reflection, help considering AI's role in education, or finding focused time for your scholarship, this month's offerings provide multiple pathways for professional growth and collegial connection.
For any event below, click on the link for more information. Some events require registration.
WEEKLY OPPORTUNITIES
- Coffee & Chat, every Monday, 10:00-11:00
Faculty can spend some time with members of the CAT+FD staff in our Conference Room for refreshments and conversation. - Fall Faculty Writing Group Lunch, every Monday, 11:00-2:00
Members of the Fall Faculty Writing Group meet every Monday to write and dine together. - Walking Club, every Tuesday & Thursday, 8:30-9:00
All members of the Xavier community are invited to gather outside the Fitness Center to get in some steps together. - Quarter of Quiet, every Wednesday, 2:00-2:15Members of the Xavier community are welcome in the Chapel's Meditation Room for 15 minutes of unguided contemplation.
SEPTEMBER OPPORTUNITIES
- Start-of-Semester Mindfulness Check-in, September 3 at 1:00 pm, CAT+FD Conference Room - 534AJoin us for an informal and open conversation about being more mindful and contemplative.
- Create Engaging Video Lectures with Camtasia, September 3 at 3:00 pm, OnlineThis workshop will be led by Casey Seiter, Customer Success Manager for TechSmith EDU, an expert in educational video creation and digital storytelling.
- SERG (Science Education Research Group), September 3 at 3:30 pm, NCF 568
This monthly meeting provides space to share questions, concerns, and suggestions about pedagogy with colleagues in a supportive, multidisciplinary environment. - New Faculty Brown Bag, September 4 at 12:15 pm, Mellon Seminar Room - LRC 532BNew full-time faculty should attend these brown bags to learn about and engage with peers who understand the joys and challenges of the first year at Xavier.
- Fall Faculty Writing Group Kick-off, September 4 at 5:00 pm, Mellon Seminar Room - LRC 532BFaculty enrolled in this semester's Faculty Writing Group should plan to attend. Dinner will be provided.
- Part-time Faculty Brown Bag, September 9 at 3:00 pm, Online
CAT+FD welcomes all current part-time faculty to our monthly online gathering, designed with your busy schedules in mind. - Academic AI Statement Roundtable, September 10 at 11:00 am, Mellon Seminar Room - LRC 532B
Engage with faculty, staff, and students to discuss the draft statement about AI use in academic settings at Xavier. - #LEX Advanced: Rubrics Reimagined: Save Time and Boost Feedback, September 11 at 3:00 pm, Online
This workshop will provide you with strategies to ensure your assessments truly measure student learning in this rapidly changing educational landscape. - Academic AI Statement Roundtable, September 15 at 2:00 pm, Mellon Seminar Room - LRC 532B
Engage with faculty, staff, and students to discuss the draft statement about AI use in academic settings at Xavier. - 2nd Year Faculty Luncheon, September 18 at 12:15 pm, Mellon Seminar Room - LRC 532B2nd-year faculty are invited to join their cohort colleagues for an informal lunch to reconnect and to learn about advising.
- Build Your First AI Chatbot: Hands-On Workshop, September 19 at 2:00 pm, CAT+FD Teaching Lab - LRC 532AAll members of the Xavier community are welcome to join CAT+FD and the Library for an interactive workshop where you'll go from chatbot novice to creator.
- Academic AI Statement Roundtable, September 26 at 10:00 am, Mellon Seminar Room - LRC 532BEngage with faculty, staff, and students to discuss the draft statement about AI use in academic settings at Xavier.
- #LEX Advanced: Online Assessment Strategies in the Age of AI, September 30 at 3:00 pm, Mellon Seminar Room - LRC 532BDiscover how to adapt, innovate, and create online testing experiences that are both academically rigorous and genuinely reflective of student mastery.
OUTSIDE OPPORTUNITIES
CAT+FD is not a sponsor of any of the following. These links are provided to share additional professional development activities.
- 8th Annual Sparking Success Faculty Development Conference, Tulane University, January 7-8. Tulane University’s Center for Engaged Learning and Teaching (CELT) invites proposals for interactive breakout sessions for the 8th Annual Sparking Success: Faculty Development Conference, to be held Thursday, January 8, 2026. Sparking Success encourages faculty, staff, and graduate and professional students to come together, build community, and find inspiration for enhancing our lives on campus. Session proposals are due by November 1.
- 32nd Annual HBCU Faculty Development Network Conference, Charlotte, NC, October 30-November 1. This year’s theme, “Turning Challenges into Opportunities: Advancing Faculty Development to Serve Dynamic Institutions,” invites faculty, administrators, and higher education professionals to engage in transformative dialogue and hands-on learning. Through workshops, plenaries, and networking sessions, the conference will explore innovative strategies in teaching, learning, leadership, technology, and student success—empowering participants to thrive in a rapidly changing educational landscape.
- Brightspace D2L Academy. The D2L Academy is a version of Brightspace available to all members of the Brightspace Community where you'll find Premium (paid) content like Certificate and Subscription Training Courses, as well as FREE Courses, Downloads and Teaching Tools. The D2L Academy is also where you can connect with Brightspace Guided Training, and the Product Idea Exchange (PIE).