Keys to UGA is a year-long series of events that provides incoming and early career faculty with resources and information valuable to success. All faculty are welcome.
Competencies
The competencies enriched in this workshop series vary by individual workshop, but the overarching goal is to provide early career faculty with information and resources to smooth their transition into faculty roles. Some competencies covered in this series include preparing for teaching at UGA, connecting with key research and other offices, knowledge of best practices in mentoring, awareness of tools and habits for effective time management, and understanding of how faculty build successful careers.
Audience and Registration
Keys to UGA sessions are geared to new and early career faculty, but open to all faculty. Registration for August events will be embedded in invitation emails sent to incoming faculty in summer. For all other sessions, registration information is embedded in each workshop description below.
Events
Breakfast at the Delta Innovation Hub
August 05, 2025 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
In-Person Delta Innovation Hub
210 Spring St, Athens, GA 30602
Enjoy breakfast at the Delta Innovation Hub, the University of Georgia’s campus-wide initiative to accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship. Socialize with peers and learn how the Innovation District helps faculty commercialize their research, engage with industry, and provide students experiential learning.
Registration for August events will be embedded in invitation emails sent to incoming faculty in summer.
North Campus Tour
August 05, 2025 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
In-Person Delta Innovation Hub
210 Spring St, Athens, GA 30602
The UGA Visitors Center will offer a special student-led tour for incoming faculty. Tour will begin at the Delta Innovation Hub and end at the Stadium.
Registration for August events will be embedded in invitation emails sent to incoming faculty in summer.
Active Learning 101
August 05, 2025 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM
Via Zoom
Ching-Yu Huang, Associate Director for Active Learning Initiatives, Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
Active Learning is a fundamental feature of effective teaching and learning. This workshop will provide you with the chance to explore how and why active learning facilitates student engagement, collaboration, and reflection.
Registration for August events will be embedded in invitation emails sent to incoming faculty in summer.
Our Commitment to Inclusive Excellence
August 06, 2025 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
In-Person Pinnacle Room, Baldwin Hall (355 S. Jackson St, Athens, GA 30602)
Alton Standifer, Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence and Chief of Staff to the Provost;
Alejandra Ferguson, Assistant Director of Learning and Engagement, Office of Inclusive Excellence and Academic Engagement
This workshop will introduce new UGA faculty to the institutional value of an inclusive community. We will describe the collaborative efforts that support a welcoming and inclusive learning environment and share institutional resources that participants may find helpful. There will be space for dialogue and open discussion for participants to ask questions and share concerns they may have about coming to a new institution and navigating a new environment.
Registration for August events will be embedded in invitation emails sent to incoming faculty in summer.
Policies for Pedagogy: Teaching @ UGA
August 06, 2025 1:30 PM - 2:45 PM
Via Zoom
Jennifer Eimers, Assistant Director for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
Get acquainted with UGA’s teaching-related policies and procedures. In this interactive session, you’ll learn about key university policies while discussing scenarios with colleagues.
Registration for August events will be embedded in invitation emails sent to incoming faculty in summer.
Navigating eLC Like a Pro
August 07, 2025 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Via Zoom
Cat Flippen, Assistant Director for Learning Technologies, Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
Start your journey with eLC by exploring its foundations. Learn to access, explore, and customize your dashboard for a seamless teaching experience. This session focuses on the eLC dashboard, course homepage navigation, and essential tools.
Registration for August events will be embedded in invitation emails sent to incoming faculty in summer.
Customizing and Setting up Your eLC Course and Gradebook
August 08, 2025 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Via Zoom
Cat Flippen, Assistant Director for Learning Technologies, Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
In this session, we’ll walk through customizing your course homepage and navigation bar to improve usability. You’ll also set up your gradebook to efficiently manage and track grades, ensuring everything is ready for a smooth start to your course.
Registration for August events will be embedded in invitation emails sent to incoming faculty in summer.
Building Course Content in eLC
August 08, 2025 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Via Zoom
Cat Flippen, Assistant Director for Learning Technologies, Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
This session covers the essentials of building content, adding files, and organizing course materials for ease of access. You’ll explore navigating the Content Tool, adding a syllabus, creating pages, and using release conditions to tailor your students’ learning experience.
Registration for August events will be embedded in invitation emails sent to incoming faculty in summer.
Creating Assignments and Assessments in eLC
August 08, 2025 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Via Zoom
Cat Flippen, Assistant Director for Learning Technologies, Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
This session covers the essentials of building content, adding files, and organizing course materials for ease of access. You’ll explore navigating the Content Tool, adding a syllabus, creating pages, and using release conditions to tailor your students’ learning experience.
Registration for August events will be embedded in invitation emails sent to incoming faculty in summer.
Making the Most of UGA Libraries
September 02, 2025 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Via Zoom
Chandler Christoffel, Director of Academic Engagement;
Beth R. Woods, Director of Research and Computational Data Management
The UGA Libraries are here to help you meet your teaching, research, and publishing goals! Join us to learn about our print and digital collections including various item requesting options, course reserves and open education resources. We will highlight our online and in-person instructional support for helping students with research skills, source evaluation, and AI Literacy. We will also discuss research data and publishing services and support for data management planning, research IT services, data analysis and visualization, publishing, and digital repositories.
Register here
Nuts & Bolts of Sponsored Projects Administration
November 06, 2025 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Via Zoom
Jill Tincher, Executive Director, Sponsored Projects Administration;
Cathy Cuppett, Director Pre-Award, Sponsored Projects Administration;
Bradley Langford, Director Post-Award, Sponsored Projects Administration
Whether you are transferring sponsored projects from your former institution or anticipate submitting proposals in the future, this workshop will provide insights on how to successfully apply for, obtain, set up, manage, and close out sponsored projects. We will discuss how shifting from effort reporting to payroll certification alleviates administrative burden across the institution. We will also demonstrate UGA systems and reports which facilitate the proposal submission process and enable investigators to easily access a high-level overview of each sponsored project and their remaining balances.
Register here
Planning and Time Management for Academic Life
December 11, 2025 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Via Zoom
Mary Carney, Senior Director of Faculty and Leadership Development, Office of Faculty Affairs
This workshop will offer insights on planning for long-term success at UGA through methods to improve research productivity and enhance work-life balance. You will have an opportunity to strategize your highest priorities, consider how these fit into long-term professional goals, and plan specific steps to achieve these at UGA.
Register here
Advice from Successful Faculty and Tips for Faculty Productivity Profiles
January 21, 2026 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Via Zoom
Elizabeth Weeks, Interim Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs;
Sunshine Jordan, UGA Elements and Business Intelligence Lead;
Invited faculty panelists
This workshop will provide insights on preparing for the annual evaluations and feature a panel of faculty who have successfully been promoted. They will also discuss their use of Elements, the web-based system by which UGA faculty collect and report their work in research, scholarship, creative works, and other professional activities. Elements plays a crucial role in the annual performance evaluation process. You'll learn how to access and manage your user profile in UGA Elements.
Register here
Mentoring Students
February 06, 2026 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Via Zoom
Janette Hill, Professor, Mary Frances Early College of Education, School of Medicine;
Amy Baldwin, Professor, School of Medicine;
James Huff, Associate Professor, College of Engineering
Learn the fundamentals of effective mentoring relationships and appropriate boundaries. Acquire a template for mentoring contracts, learn steps to align mentor-mentee expectations, and boost skills in your face-to-face and online mentoring.
Register here
Mentoring Students
February 17, 2025
Janette Hill, Ph.D., Department of Workforce Education and Instructional Technology
Learn the fundamentals of effective mentoring relationships and appropriate boundaries. Acquire a template for mentoring contracts, learn steps to align mentor-mentee expectations, and boost skills in your face-to-face and online mentoring. Register via PEP.
Cultivating Career Success: A Conversation with Leaders
February 03, 2025
Elizabeth Weeks, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs;
Invited faculty panelists
Would you like to gain insights into navigating UGA as you build career success as a faculty member? At this interactive event, participants will have an opportunity to meet with peers and select academic leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities of faculty life within a large research university. The panelists will share observations about crafting a fulfilling career at UGA. Participants will have time to reflect on and share their experiences. Register via PEP.
Planning and Time Management for Academic Life
January 29, 2025
Mary Carney, Ph.D., Senior Director of Faculty and Leadership Development, Office of Faculty Affairs
This workshop will offer insights on planning for long-term success at UGA through methods to improve research productivity and enhance work-life balance. You will have an opportunity to strategize your highest priorities, consider how these fit into long-term professional goals, and plan specific steps to achieve these at UGA. Register via PEP.
Advice from Successful Faculty and Tips for Faculty Productivity Profiles
January 09, 2025
Elizabeth Weeks, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs;
Sunshine Jordan, UGA Elements and Business Intelligence Lead;
Invited faculty panelists
This workshop will provide insights on preparing for the annual evaluations and feature a panel of faculty who have successfully been promoted. They will also discuss their use of Elements, the web-based system by which UGA faculty collect and report their work in research, scholarship, creative works, and other professional activities. Elements plays a crucial role in the annual performance evaluation process. You'll learn how to access and manage your user profile in UGA Elements. Register via PEP.
Nuts & Bolts of Sponsored Projects Administration
October 29, 2024
Jill Tincher, Executive Director, Sponsored Projects Administration;
Bradley Langford, Director Post-Award, Sponsored Projects Administration;
Cathy Cuppett, Director Pre-Award, Sponsored Projects Administration
Whether you are transferring sponsored projects from your former institution or anticipate submitting proposals in the future, this workshop will provide insights on how to successfully apply for, obtain, set up, manage, and close out sponsored projects. We will discuss how shifting from effort reporting to payroll certification alleviates administrative burden across the institution. We will also demonstrate UGA systems and reports which facilitate the proposal submission process and enable investigators to easily access a high-level overview of each sponsored project and their remaining balances. Register via PEP.
Inspiring Minds: Engaging with the Morehead Honors College
October 16, 2024
Meg Amstutz, Dean of the Jere W. Morehead Honors College;
James Warnock, Associate Dean;
Jessica Hunt, Assistant Dean and Director of Scholarships;
Maria de Rocher, Assistant Dean and Director of Student Engagement;
Jason Payton, Recruitment and Enrollment Coordinator
In this workshop, you will learn more about the Morehead Honors College's resources and opportunities available to UGA faculty. If you are interested in mentoring, advising, or teaching outstanding undergraduate students, the Honors College provides the tools and resources to bring UGA’s brightest minds together.
Register via PEP.
Making the Most of UGA Libraries
August 29, 2024
Chandler Christoffel, Director of Academic Engagement;
Megan Palmer, Research & Instruction Librarian;
Beth R. Woods, Ph.D., Director of Research and Computational Data Management;
Katherine Ireland, Ph.D., Interim Lab Coordinator;
Camila Lívio, Ph.D., Scholarly Communications Coordinator
The UGA Libraries are here to help you meet your teaching, research, and publishing goals! Join us to learn about our print and digital collections including various item requesting options, course reserves and open education resources, as well as in-person and online course-integrated instruction support. We will also discuss research and publishing services and support for research data management planning; data discovery, access, and collection; data storage, analysis, and visualization; publishing, copyright, and digital preservation. Register via PEP.
Our Commitment to Inclusive Excellence
August 07, 2024
Alton Standifer, Ph.D., Vice Provost and Chief of Staff to Provost;
Alejandra Ferguson, Assistant Director of Learning and Engagement
This workshop will introduce new UGA faculty to the institutional values of diversity and inclusion. We will describe the collaborative efforts around Inclusive Excellence and share institutional resources that participants may find helpful. There will be space for dialogue and open discussion for participants to ask questions and share concerns they may have about coming to a new institution and navigating a new culture/climate. Registration: All August 2-7 events are in a single registration form that is linked in the NFO invitation email.
Policies for Pedagogy: Teaching @ UGA
August 07, 2024
Ruth Poproski, Ph.D., Associate Director for Teaching and Learning, Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
Get acquainted with UGA’s teaching-related policies and procedures. In this interactive session, you'll learn about key university policies while discussing scenarios with colleagues. Registration: All August 2-7 events are in a single registration form that is linked in the NFO invitation email.
eLC 102: Using UGA’s Learning Management System
August 07, 2024
Catherine Flippen, Assistant Director for Learning Technologies;
Duncan Lord, Graduate Assistant for Learning Technologies, Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
In this session we’ll build on the basics learned in eLC 101, showing you how to create and organize course materials effectively for student use. We will cover the creation of announcements, content items, assignments, quizzes, and discussions, and establish an understanding of gradebook setup options and release conditions. Along the way, you will learn the basics of integrating course items with the calendar, gradebook, and the (brand new!) Due Date Tracker. You can expect end this workshop with everything you need to get your courses set up for the first day of class. Registration: All August 2-7 events are in a single registration form that is linked in the NFO invitation email.
Breakfast at the Delta Innovation Hub
August 06, 2024
Enjoy breakfast at the Delta Innovation Hub, the University of Georgia’s campus-wide initiative to accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship. Socialize with peers and learn how the Innovation District helps faculty commercialize their research, engage with industry, and provide students experiential learning. Registration: All August 2-7 events are in a single registration form that is linked in the NFO invitation email.
North Campus Tour
August 06, 2024
The UGA Visitors Center will offer a special student-lead tour for incoming faculty. Tour will begin at the Delta Innovation Hub and end at the Stadium. Registration: All August 2-7 events are in a single registration form that is linked in the NFO invitation email.
Active Learning 101
August 06, 2024
Ching-Yu Huang, Ph.D., Associate Director for Active Learning Initiatives, Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
Active Learning is a fundamental approach to effective teaching and learning. But what does an active learning course look like from the instructor's perspective or across various disciplines? How does active learning support student learning and engagement? You will explore how and why active learning facilitates engagement, collaboration, and reflection. Registration: All August 2-7 events are in a single registration form that is linked in the NFO invitation email.
eLC 101: Navigating UGA’s Learning Management System
August 06, 2024
Catherine Flippen, Assistant Director for Learning Technologies;
Duncan Lord, Graduate Assistant for Learning Technologies, Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
This session, created specifically for faculty new to “Brightspace by D2L”, will provide you with an introduction to eLC (UGA’s Learning Management System). We’ll walk you through a detailed navigation of the eLC dashboard, explore course tools such as content, assignments, announcements, and class progress, and show you how to use the Brightspace editor. Finally, you will learn to personalize your eLC experience by customizing your course homepage and navigation bar to suit your preferences and your students’ needs. Registration: All August 2-7 events are in a single registration form that is linked in the NFO invitation email.
New Faculty Well-being and Benefits Review Orientation
August 02, 2024
Fredric Creamer, Faculty and Staff Well-being Senior Program Coordinator;
Angie Dellinger, HR Senior Managing Consultant, Benefits;
Kandace Faulkner, HR Senior Managing Consultant, Benefits
The decisions you make about well-being, benefits and retirement plans are important! Participation in a Well-being and Benefits Review session is highly encouraged so that you understand the benefits that are offered, make educated decisions about your benefits and retirement plan choices, and get the most out of your benefits elections. Detailed information on the following topics will be provided, and you will have the opportunity to ask questions:
• UGA Well-being
• Benefits plan
• Retirement plans
• Holidays, vacation and sick leave
• Enrollment in benefits and retirement plans
• Other UGA benefits If you cannot attend on August 2, 2024, Univerity Human Resources hosts benefits orientations biweekly (every other Friday). Contact [email protected] with questions. Registration: All August 2-7 events are in a single registration form that is linked in the NFO invitation email.