December 4, 2024 - Forward Momentum

Dear Colleagues,

I hope you all had a nice break last week and that you know how appreciative I am of each of you. I enjoyed seeing many of you at last week’s Raidersgiving and hope to see you again during the upcoming weeks of the semester. In the final two weeks of the fall semester, I look forward to celebrating our students and the excellent work we’ve collectively accomplished.

Fall Semester Final Grades

Final grading opens for all fall 2024 classes on Monday, December 9. While final grades are due by noon on Wednesday, December 18, we encourage faculty to submit their grades as soon as possible to ensure the Registrar’s Office has time to process grades before Winter Break, which begins on December 24.

Please log in to WINGS Express to verify that grades have been submitted successfully for each of your classes. Information about the current grading system and policy is available on the Grading System webpage.

Faculty Resources and Workshops

1. The Center for Faculty Excellence continues the Quality Matters (QM) Applying the QM Rubric (APPQMR) (7th Edition) Workshop. This workshop allows participants to learn the underlying principles behind the Quality Matters Rubric (7th Edition) and the critical elements of the QM quality assurance process. Learn about drafting helpful recommendations as you apply the rubric to an actual course. The effective instructional design principles included in the workshop apply to all learning environments (face-to-face, online, and blended learning). This workshop is helpful for designing and developing courses and for those considering the adoption of a quality assurance process for online and hybrid learning.
   
   The APPQMR is the prerequisite for the Peer Reviewer Course, which is required to become a QM peer reviewer.
   
   The APPQMR workshop is an eight-hour, one-day online session. To receive credit for completion, participants must attend the entire session and participate in all workshop activities and discussions. Registered participants will receive information about the session—including the Webex link—the week of the class.
   
   Friday, January 24, 2025, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m., virtual
   Friday, March 21, 2025, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m., virtual
   
   Register
    
2. The Center for Faculty Excellence is pleased to bring weekly tips to your inbox through Monday Morning Mentors. These are quick video presentations with additional materials provided. The presentation and supplemental material for “How Can I Use Mindfulness Strategies to Prepare Students for Learning?” are available through December 8. To access the presentation, use “mindfulness871” as the password.
    
3. Closing the Loop on Course Assessment: At the beginning of the term, assessment plans were created for each course. Now that the term is wrapping up, it is time to collect, report, and analyze the data. This workshop will walk through these processes to close the loop on course assessment for the term. Participants will learn how to report and/or collect data in the Planning and Self-Study system, receive tips on analyzing assessment results, and identify data-informed opportunities to improve student success.
   
   Friday, December 6, 11:15 a.m.–12:10 p.m., virtual (Webex link will be sent upon registration)
   Thursday, December 12, 12:30–1:25 p.m., in-person
   
   Register

When a Student Needs Support

Wright.edu/help is a great resource for helping students or making referrals. This site contains contact information for emergency or essential departments that can assist your students all in one location.

I hope you all have a wonderful week! You are appreciated!

Amy Thompson, Ph.D.
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs