New Faculty Support | AY 2024-25
The CTLT provides programs and services designed specifically to support all early career faculty (1-3+ years) including tenure track and all lecturers as well as staff in educational roles (e.g., advisors). Our scholarship-grounded programs and services support exemplary, state-of-the-art teaching. Our programs also provide rich opportunities for faculty to connect with one another throughout the year as well as with other campus resources. This page describes resources, opportunities, and events that have been designed with early-career faculty in mind.
Early-Career Faculty Community Breakfast | Winter Quarter 2025
Friday, March 21, 9-11 AM
All early-career faculty (lecturers and tenure-line) are invited to the Winter Quarter Community Breakfast.
Date: Friday, Marcy 21
Time: 9-11 am
Location: Chase Hall (Building 115), Room 104
Take advantage of this opportunity to reconnect with colleagues from across campus over breakfast and receive guidance helpful to ongoing professional development as an educator. Participants will explore ideas, resources, and support to guide professional development activities.
This event is focusing on wellbeing -- that of our students as well as our own. In the wake of multiple and ongoing challenges to wellbeing, learning some small ways to support our students and ourselves can help us bring our best to our work as educators while enhancing our quality of life on campus.
These community breakfasts are held at the end of each quarter with a focus on topics of particular interest to early-career faculty.
Sign up form for Winter 2025 Early Career Faculty Community Breakfast
Getting Started With Canvas
Canvas is Cal Poly's learning management system (LMS), which is an indispensable platform for teaching your courses and connecting with your students. All courses are automatically created each quarter with the students automatically enrolled. Canvas is easy to learn and use and provides an ample set of tools for engaging students and managing course activities. The CTLT provides an extensive menu of tutorials, guides, and workshops, as well as staff support during work hours. Here's the link to the Canvas Support home page. Below are links to a few specific resources that may be of most interest for those new to Canvas:
Workshops on Teaching and Learning
The CTLT offers workshops on a wide range of teaching-related topics, including a growing set of self-paced workshops. Workshop announcements appear in weekly CTLT newsletters and information on current offerings are available on our Workshops page. Check frequently for updates.
Confidential Consultations
CTLT's instructional designers and directors are available to all Cal Poly faculty (full or part-time) for confidential consultations on teaching effectiveness. All CTLT staff hold advanced degrees, have years of experience as faculty developers, and bring experience teaching at the university level. These can be opportunities to problem solve specific challenges, to consider and implement new methods, or to explore instructional innovations. Appointments are available for online sessions or on campus.
Course Enrollment Procedures and Essential Policies
All faculty need to understand Cal Poly's student registration process and course rosters, how to handle enrollment wait lists, how to submit grades, etc. They also need to understand and comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other such policies. Resources and training guides are provided on the Office of the Registrar's website (scroll down to the Faculty Training section).
CSU Red Folder - Students in Distress
Eventually, every faculty member faces episodes when they will be called on to help a student who are in distress, a danger to themselves or a threat to others. Instructors can be consequential in recognizing and responding to students in need and help them find support. The CSU Red Folder is a reference guide customized for Cal Poly that contains safety tips and contact information for a wide variety of emergency resources so that faculty are better prepared to help. Online access to the Red Folder is always available through the Cal Poly Portal, under the Staff and Training Tab.
Other Cal Poly Resources for Newer Faculty
Employee And Organizational Development
- New Employee Orientation
- New employee resource page
- New employee frequently asked questions
- Learning opportunities
