CFA Faculty Forum

Singletary Center Lobby

Audience: All full-time and part-time faculty and graduate TAs teaching UK Core courses 
Presenter: Ania Peczalaska, Ph.D., Director of Institutional Effectiveness; Xizhen Liu, Assessment Coordinator; and Harshool Rokade, Data Scientist
Singletary Center Rehearsal Room

This session provides an overview of UK Core and recent updates to the University's general education program. OSPIE will introduce the new UK Core student learning outcomes, explain expectations for outcome mapping in Canvas, and review updated assessment and reporting requirements.

Audience: All full-time and part-time faculty and Graduate TAs
Presenters: Associate Deans Shane, Arnold, and Goodwin
Singletary Center Recital Hall

This plenary highlights the essential tools and practices that help us create clear, supportive, and accessible learning environments in the College of Fine Arts. From Disability Resource Center (DRC) processes and Academic Alerts to attendance and excused absence policies, syllabus clarity, and digital accessibility, we will focus on practical strategies that strengthen both student experience and instructional confidence. The session will also introduce Canvas best practices and new opportunities for undergraduate research and related grant initiatives.  

Breakout 1: Framing Your Impact: Building a Case for Promotion 

Audience: Assistant & Associate Professors preparing for promotion  
Presenter: Associate Dean Goodwin and Shane 
Fine Arts 107

This session helps faculty present a clear, evidence-based account of their growth, impact, and readiness for advancement. The session focuses on identifying meaningful evidence, developing a coherent narrative, strengthening dossier materials, and avoiding common pitfalls.

Breakout 2: From Idea to Implementation: Understanding the Curriculum Approval Process 

Audience: Faculty planning to submit curricular changes  
Presenter: Curriculum Committee Chair, Professor Matt Brock  
Fine Arts 208

This session provides practical guidance for faculty considering course revisions, new course proposals, program changes, and new programs. Participants will gain an understanding of the CFA and university curricular approval processes, including required documentation, timelines, and committee review pathways.

Breakout 3: Holistic Strategies for Today’s Learners 

Audience: Any teaching faculty  
Presenter: Associate Dean Arnold 
Briggs Theatre, Fine Arts 127

This breakout introduces holistic teaching practices that support students' academic, emotional, and social needs. Faculty will examine current challenges, generational differences, and practical strategies for creating inclusive, engaging learning environments.

Breakout 4: Ignite Learning: Coaching Students To Build Durable Knowledge

Audience: Any teaching faculty 
Presenter: Mike Wallace, PhD; Senior Faculty Instructional Consultant, Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching 
Singletary Center Rehearsal Room

How do students commonly approach studying and what does research into the science of learning recommend as better ways to build durable knowledge? In this session, we will explore what challenges both instructors and students face when we hold mindsets that learning should be effortless and easy, why and how to coach students towards building durable knowledge, and practical ways to support students in becoming more self-directed in their learning [e.g. "coach in the head”].

Graduate TA Plenary: Growing into Your Role as a CFA Instructor 

Audience: All graduate teaching assistants 
Presenters: Associate Deans Arnold and Shane 
Briggs Theater, Fine Arts 127

This session is designed to support Graduate Teaching Assistants as they step into their roles as instructors within the College of Fine Arts. We will talk about what it means to teach as a member of this academic community, how to navigate expectations with supervising faculty, and how to establish a professional presence.

Faculty Plenary: Advancing Research and Creative Practice in the Arts 

Audience: All full-time faculty 
Presenter: Associate Dean Goodwin
Singletary Center Recital Hall

Research in the College of Fine Arts spans creative activity, the social sciences, humanities, translational research, and more. This session will help faculty identify internal funding opportunities and navigate University resources for external grant searches, proposal development, budgeting, and grant management.

Audience: All Full Time Faculty 
Presenter: Dean Shanda 
Singletary Center Recital Hall 

UK-FRAME (Feedback, Responsive, Allocation, Metrics, and Evaluation) is a new scoring rubric that partially supports the University of Kentucky's faculty review structure. This session will explain the focus of FRAME as an assessment of faculty productivity that will first come into operation in the spring of 2027. Particular attention will be given to anticipated changes in how faculty enter and maintain information across university systems and confirming the University and CFA specific metrics that have been developed. All full-time faculty are encouraged to attend, as the session will provide advance guidance for preparing the new review process.

Breakout 5: Pro-tips for Strategic Planning in Research Agenda 

Audience: Assistant and Associate Professors  
Presenter: Associate Dean Goodwin and CFA Faculty
Fine Arts 107

Creating a strategic plan for one's research agenda and trajectory can feel overwhelming and/or disconnected from the actual research/creative activity that we love. Approaching both strategic planning and workflow/time-management with dedication, if not enthusiasm, can radically improve faculty success. This session includes pro-tips from successful faculty and allows time for informal conversation between researchers.

Breakout 6: Building a Case for Lecturer Advancement 

Audience: Lecturers preparing for promotion  
Presenter: Associate Dean Shane 
Fine Arts 208 

This session provides guidance for Lecturers preparing for promotion within the College of Fine Arts. We will review the criteria, timelines, and documentation expectations specific to lecturer advancement, with attention to demonstrating excellence in teaching, service, and sustained contribution to the CFA. 

Breakout 7: The Present Professor: Mindfulness to Support You and Your Students  

Audience: Any faculty
Presenter: Associate Dean Arnold 
Briggs Theatre, Fine Arts 127 

This breakout introduces research‑informed mindfulness practices that can reduce stress, improve focus, and strengthen classroom presence. Participants will also explore inclusive strategies for helping students manage overwhelm, increase engagement, and build healthy learning habits.

Breakout 8: Promoting Arts Research and Artists' Work in the Academy with UK Libraries 

Audience: Any faculty
Presenters: Karyn Hinkle, Director of the Fine Arts & Design Library and Maria Souliotis, Music & Performing Arts Librarian
Singletary Center Rehearsal Room

This breakout session introduces faculty to UK Libraries' Little Fine Arts & Design Library, including past and upcoming projects CFA faculty have worked on with the Fine Arts & Design Library; UK Libraries news and updates for the 2026-2027 academic year; and ways for CFA faculty and their students to engage with library materials in the arts — for research, teaching and learning, and making art. We will show new objects from the library collections and answer as many audience library questions as possible.