2026 Campus-Wide New Faculty Orientation Program

Wednesday, August 26, 2026
8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Michigan League
911 N. University Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

8:30 a.m.Registration and Continental Breakfast - Ballroom, Michigan League
9:00 a.m.
Plenary Session: Welcome to Michigan
  • Matthew Kaplan, Executive Director, Center for Research on Learning and Teaching
  • Domenico Grasso , President of the University of Michigan
  • Laurie McCauley, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
9:40 a.m.CRLT Players, an interactive theatre troupe, present Act for Equity
10:30 a.m.Break
10:45 a.m.Concurrent Sessions (See Session Options and Descriptions Below)
12:00 p.m.
Lunch and Welcoming Remarks, Ballroom
  • Laurie McCauley, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
  • Kentaro Toyama, Faculty Senate Chair
  • Vice President for Research and Innovation
1:15 p.m.

Information Fair, Vandenberg/Concourse

Staff representing various U-M offices will be available to distribute printed materials and
answer questions.

 

Concurrent Session Descriptions

Research-Based Practices for College Teaching

In this interactive session, faculty will learn about and discuss a set of research-based principles to promote learning. Throughout the session, participants will identify strategies informed by these principles that they can use to foster student learning in an upcoming course. Examples will be drawn from a wide variety of teaching contexts, including undergraduate, graduate, and clinical teaching. 

Tech with a Purpose: UM Instructors using Digital Tools to Tackle Common Teaching Challenges

While new technology can be intimidating, instructional tech can make your teaching more equitable, manageable, engaging, and enjoyable. These outcomes occur particularly when instructors adopt a tool intentionally, to address specific teaching challenges and goals. In this panel discussion, instructors from across UM share their motivation for and experiences with adopting common types of instructional technology. In addition, we will share some introductory information about where to go and who to reach out to for instructional technology support at UM. We will focus on faculty stories, drawing inspiration and motivation to improve our teaching as part of an engaged community of instructors and instructional support at UM.

Low-effort Strategies for Faculty to Support Student Well-Being 

In this session, faculty and wellness experts will discuss tangible strategies and resources for faculty to use in their teaching and mentoring roles, while also addressing the burden (and burnout) some faculty feel in addressing student mental health and well-being. Faculty will come away with ideas that will save time and energy.

Leveraging Group Work and Teams to Enhance Student Learning

Effective use of teams and group work in courses can increase student learning, improve retention of course material, and enhance students’ problem-solving ability. It is often difficult, though, to ensure that all students are engaged, included, and successful in teams. In this session participants will explore a continuum of collaborative assignments and will identify research-based strategies and tools for the creation, facilitation and assessment of student groups.

Introduction to Equity-Focused Teaching

How can instructors deliberately cultivate learning environments (face-to-face and remote) where all students are valued, respected, and supported in their learning? This interactive session will introduce participants to CRLT’s research-based framework for Equity-Focused Teaching, provide structured opportunities for instructors to reflect on their goals and practices related to equity, consider how to incorporate key research-based strategies in their teaching, and exchange ideas with colleagues to support the deliberate cultivation of equitable learning environments.

Strategies for Clinical Teaching in the Health Sciences

In this interactive session, participants will work with faculty from various health science disciplines to identify best prac­tices for clinical/bedside teaching. You will learn from experienced colleagues about effective time management when teaching in the clinic, best practices for providing feedback to trainees, and facilitating effective small group discussions. Participants will walk away with concrete strategies and professional connections within and outside of their own disciplines.

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