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Category: Transformative Banquet

Published on Leave a comment on A Climate Action Plan for Xavier

Friends, as we all know, New Orleans is on the front lines of the climate crisis. And you may have noted that Xavier University is located in New Orleans. Therefore, it's essential for Xavier to formulate a Climate Action Plan, building on the current vision.

Dr. Asem Abdulahad of the Chemistry Department was recently authorized to form a committee with this goal in mind. However, as Dr. Abdulahad notes, "Ultimately, climate action is everyone's problem, and I would like for own plan to reflect that!"

In other words, this work must not be siloed. It requires broad participation in order to succeed — faculty, staff, and students. Given CAT+FD's role in faculty development, it's our goal to have every academic department represented. Beyond that, we need help getting the word out to every unit and office on campus.

The inaugural meeting was held on Monday, but the work is just getting started. If you are willing and able, please reach out to Dr. Abdulahad, or Dr. Billie Castle of Public Health Sciences, or Ms. Helena Robinson of XULA Green (Facility Planning & Management). Let them know you're on board. Our future might just depend on it.

Published on Leave a comment on Gumbo Garden Celebration

Our friends at the Urban Conservancy have been working with several Xavier departments to revitalize an unused part of the Gumbo Garden as community space. Well, the work is nearly done! And the progress will be celebrated next Thursday at 10:00 AM with some cookies and warm drinks in the garden.

Part of the revitalization effort involves getting community members to adopt plots to nurture. We're sharing this here because we'd love to see some of our faculty there.

Published on Leave a comment on What’s All This About “A Quarter of Quiet”?

Meditation Room

The Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Faculty Development invites you to join us for a regular silent meeting. We'll meet each Wednesday afternoon throughout the 2025-2026 academic year. Drop in when you can.

What to expect?

As the Meditation Room of the Chapel is located directly beneath the bell tower, we are using the bells in our timer. They chime quarterly, so our period of silence begins at 2:00 and ends at 2:15.

But I've never done this before!

You needn't have any experience with meditating; just stop by and give it a try. There's no commitment and no pressure.

Why bother?

Try it and see. Sitting quietly has numerous well-documented benefits, including stress management, improved emotional balance, increased focus and awareness and increased responsiveness to student needs.

All welcome

This is open for everyone in the Xavier community, for people of any faith or no faith.

  • Date: Wednesdays during the school year (whenever classes are in session)
  • Time: 2 - 2:15 PM
  • Location: Meditation Room, St. Katharine Drexel Chapel
  • Sponsor: CAT+FD

Photo credit: Bart Everson

Published on Leave a comment on This April: Take the Take 5 Challenge!

CAT+FD would like to invite the Xavier community to participate in the "Take 5 Challenge" this April. The idea is just to take five minutes each workday for a simple mindful breathing exercise. It's only for one month and you get the weekends off! Details below; please shoot an email to Bart Everson if you want to participate. No pressure, no obligation, but we will make an email thread to include all participants so we can feel a sense of group commitment. We'll probably schedule a check-in for the end of April or beginning of May, but attendance is optional.

...continue reading "This April: Take the Take 5 Challenge!"

Published on Leave a comment on Now More than Ever: A Quarter of Quiet

Meditation Room

The Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Faculty Development invites you to join us for a regular silent meeting. We'll meet each Wednesday afternoon throughout the 2024-2025 academic year. Drop in when you can.

What to expect?

As the Meditation Room of the Chapel is located directly beneath the bell tower, we are using the bells in our timer. They chime quarterly, so our period of silence begins at 2:00 and ends at 2:15.

But I've never done this before!

You needn't have any experience with meditating; just stop by and give it a try. There's no commitment and no pressure.

Why meditate?

Meditation has numerous well-documented benefits, including stress management, improved emotional balance, increased focus and awareness and increased responsiveness to student needs.

All welcome

This is open for everyone in the Xavier community, for people of any faith or no faith.

  • Date: all school year (whenever classes are in session)
  • Time: 2 - 2:15 PM
  • Location: Meditation Room, St. Katharine Drexel Chapel
  • Sponsor: CAT+FD

Photo credit: Bart Everson

Published on Leave a comment on A Little Peace and Quiet in the Middle of the Week

Meditation Room

The Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Faculty Development invites you to join us for a regular group meditation. We'll meet each Wednesday afternoon throughout the 2024-2025 academic year. Drop in when you can.

What to expect?

As the meditation room is located directly beneath the bell tower, we are using the bells in our meditation. They chime quarterly, so our period of silence begins at 2PM and ends at 2:15.

But I've never done this before!

You needn't have any experience with meditating; just stop by and give it a try. There's no commitment and no pressure.

Why meditate?

Meditation has numerous well-documented benefits, including stress management, improved emotional balance, increased focus and awareness and increased responsiveness to student needs.

All welcome

This is open for everyone in the Xavier community, for people of any faith or no faith.

  • Date: all school year (whenever classes are in session)
  • Time: 2 - 2:15 PM
  • Location: Meditation Room, St. Katharine Drexel Chapel
  • Sponsor: CAT+FD

Photo credit: Bart Everson

Published on Leave a comment on Welcome CCL to Xavier’s Campus

Over the last few months, I've been working with Citizens' Climate Lobby to bring their 9th annual regional conference to Xavier's campus. The effort includes a bunch of volunteers as well as Xavier's own Director of Sustainability, the indefatigable Helena Robinson.

Strictly speaking, this is not a CAT+FD event. It's not traditional faculty development. Yet the climate crisis is something that affects every one of us. It affects our students most of all, since they will see more pronounced effects in their lifetimes — as compared to those (like me) who were born way back in the 20th century.

There are many ways to get active in the movement for climate action. This conference is one way. I do hope you'll consider learning more on the registration site.

3rdcoast2023.eventbrite.com

CAT+FD will present opportunities to address climate and sustainability in your teaching in the near future.

Published on Leave a comment on Reflections at Summer’s End
Most every seat is full in the University Center ballroom
Dr. Verret addresses Faculty & Staff Institute

Just a few days ago, it seemed like campus was empty. Now it's teeming with people, and on Monday we'll be back in full swing.

As I participated in our annual Faculty & Staff Institute, I reflected on how the university seems to spring into being so quickly, so suddenly. How is it possible for all these faculty and students to swoop onto campus and reconstitute an operational university in such short order?

The answer, obviously, is that campus wasn't empty ten days ago. Plenty of staff members and administrators (and, yes, even some faculty) have been laboring here diligently all summer and all year round. I'm proud to count myself in that number. I was reminded that our faculty and students need the support of our hard-working staff, in order that we can even have a university.

Yet, campus seemed empty without faculty and students around. It was peaceful and quiet. I enjoyed it, but that's a temporary condition. Indeed, the illusion of peaceful emptiness was delicious precisely because of its ephemeral nature. I was reminded that staff members like myself need our faculty and students in order for our work here to have any meaning.

These are simple observations, to be sure. I merely want to affirm this simple truth: we need each other.

Our cultural summer is over, though the heat will blaze on for quite a while. In the coming school year, it's my wish that we may find that great value that we supply to each other, that we may see it, and act upon it, in service to our shared mission.

Have a great year!

Published on Leave a comment on This Friday: Tammah Watts

As CAT+FD has promoted contemplative pedagogy and work/life balance for years, we are very pleased to join our student groups in welcoming author and facilitator Tammah Watts, LMFT, to Xavier University of Louisiana this Friday.

[flyer for campus event]

Come join Tammah and connect with nature right here on campus.

Turning your focus to nature and wildlife can help allay stress and anxiety. During meditation, Tammah will help participants identify cues in nature to increase mindfulness.

This event is open to Xavier students, faculty, and staff. Attendees will receive a copy of Tammah’s new book, Keep Looking Up.

Friday, April 14th, 2023, 2pm in the UC Yard

Published on Leave a comment on Bike Easy Challenge 2023

No fooling: If it's April, it must be time for the Bike Easy Challenge!

I'm joining the Bike Easy Challenge to get more Xavierites riding bikes in New Orleans. Riding a bike can make you happier, healthier, and — yes — even wealthier. That's what I call professional development!

Did you know that New Orleans ranks #7 (among cities with over a quarter-million residents) for the percentage of people who bike to work?

And yet we could certainly do better by our bike riders, our transit riders, and our pedestrians. As I've argued elsewhere, safe transport is an issue of social justice and aligned with Xavier's mission.

Plus there are awesome prizes for riding and encouraging others throughout the month of April. Find out more and register at lovetoride.net/bikeeasy

It only takes a minute to register. It doesn't matter if you ride every day, or if you haven't been on a bike in years. Everyone is invited — and be sure to join the Xavier team!

Holler at me if you need any technical assistance or have any questions.