January 20, 2026

TOP NEWS

Mark your calendars for this FGCU Eagle excellence tradition!

Next on the Provost's Seminar Series:

Dr. J. Raymond DePaulo from Johns Hopkins

Join us on Wednesday, January 29, 3:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m., in AB9, Room 106, as Dr. J. Raymond DePaulo, Jr., co-director of the Johns Hopkins Mood Disorders Center, discusses "What you need to learn after you know it all: Family relationships, professional counsel, and AI." Open to all! Find more details in Eagle Link.

Canvas Quicktip 9: SpeedGrader Studio Capture

Learn to use the Studio Capture feature: How do I record a webcam video, screen capture, or audio recording as a feedback comment in SpeedGrader?

Missed a tip? Bookmark Digital Learning's Canvas QuickTip Archive and access expert guidance whenever you need a refresh to use Canvas more efficiently and effectively. CLICK to browse the Archive.

Check out past editions of the Academic Affairs newsletter: Academic Affairs Events


Questions? Email us: academicaffairs@fgcu.edu.

Have you seen a faculty member or academic team exhibiting academic excellence and going the extra mile for student success? Let us know! Click here to submit your story.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Community Partner Announcement:


Lee Health’s 2026 Community Health Survey


A key component of Lee Health's 2026 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), Lee Health's 2026 Community Health Survey will be open January 6 through March 3. It is a brief, primarily digital survey designed to gather direct community input on health needs, barriers to care, and local priorities.

Community feedback is critical to ensuring the CHNA accurately reflects lived experiences and helps guide future programs, services, and investments across our region. Please, scan the QR code or use this link to participate.

Career Advancement Assistance Program


The Office of Academic Affairs is pleased to announce the Career Advancement Assistance Program. The purpose of the Career Advancement Assistance Program is to provide time for faculty members to engage meaningfully in activities that yield outputs and impacts enhancing FGCU’s scholarly impact and timely promotion of faculty members. 

 

  • Faculty categories included in this initiative are those on the professor and instructor tracks. The Career Advancement Assistance Program partially relieves teaching obligations to provide time for scholarly, research, or career development endeavors. During the Career Advancement Assistance Program, faculty teaching load and/or other assignments will be reduced, and no overload teaching will be permitted. 
  • The number of awards is contingent on the availability of funding through the Provost’s office.
  • The deadline for the Fall 2026 Career Advancement semester is Monday, February 16, 2026. Please submit your application in its entirety to Julie Leyden (jleyden@fgcu.edu).

 

Access the application cover page and detailed information about the program here:

 

The Lucas Center Symposium on Teaching & Learning


A Celebration of Passionate Teaching


Tuesday, February 17 & Wednesday, February 18, 2026

You’re invited to join us for this year’s Lucas Center Symposium on Teaching & Learning, a two-day celebration of the dedication and care that educators bring to their classrooms every day.


This year’s Symposium shines a spotlight on the tremendous time, effort, and emotional energy invested in teaching and in cultivating meaningful relationships with students. Together, we’ll honor the work that makes transformational learning possible at Florida Gulf Coast University.


Through two days of interactive sessions, engaging presentations, and collaborative conversations, you will discover effective, easy-to-replicate, and low-cost strategies that promote student success. Sessions will feature teaching demonstrations, panel and roundtable discussions, and explorations of current research and innovative practices in higher education.


We hope you’ll join us in learning, connecting, reflecting and celebrating passionate teaching.


The Symposium is open to all FGCU community members; click here to register.


If for any reason the above hyperlink does not work, please use the following direct link: https://fgcu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3TMQwhw9dZBZ77M

Apply for Grant-in-Aid Program!

🎓📚The application is open now 📚🎓

FGCU is offering awards for the 2026-2027 academic year to support employees in advancing their education!


Whether you're a Support Personnel (SP), Administrative/Professional (AP), or Faculty member, this is your chance to take your learning to the next level.


🔹 Award Options: Full-time leave for one semester or Part-time leave for two semesters.


🔹 Eligibility: Open to Support Personnel (SP), Administrative/Professional (AP), and Faculty. Doctoral-level applicants must show satisfactory progress toward their degree.


🔹 Deadline to Apply: Tuesday, March 10, 2026, by 5:00 p.m.


🎯 How to Apply: Submit your application before the deadline to be considered for this incredible opportunity.


🔹 Read more about Grant-in-Aid and apply here:


🔗 https://www.fgcu.edu/ombuds/grantinaid#


Don't miss out on this opportunity to invest in your future! Apply now here.

Dendritic Institute for Human-Centered AI and Data Science

The FGCU AI Academy offers a series of interactive, hands-on learning opportunities designed to empower our campus community with practical AI knowledge and skills. These sessions support FGCU’s ongoing efforts to promote responsible, informed, and effective engagement with AI across academic and professional contexts. For Fall 2026, we are offering the following academy programs:

Teaching with AI

January 20, 22, 23 | 4 PM – 6 PM

Equips educators to integrate GenAI into the teaching process through prompt engineering and instructional design.

AI Literacy

February 10, 12 | 3 PM – 5 PM

A foundational introduction to AI for daily and professional use.

AI Literacy

March 13 | 2 PM – 6 PM

A second offering of the foundational AI introduction session for scheduling flexibility.

Teaching with AI

March 17, 19, 20 | 1 PM – 3 PM

A second offering of the GenAI-in-education workshop.

Each course is offered twice to maximize access and accommodate diverse schedules. Scan QR codes to register and for more information. Click to view the FGCU AI Academic Programs website and event catalog.


FGCU AI-Awareness & Readiness Survey



A key action within FGCU’s AI-Aware Initiative to assess campus-wide perceptions, use cases, training needs, and readiness for AI integration.


Participation from faculty, staff, and students is essential to guide next steps in governance, training, and resource planning. (Scan the QR code to take the survey.)

Office of Research & Sponsored Programs (ORSP)

SciENcv Update



NIH and NSF now require that the PI and all Key Personnel generate their Biosketches and Current & Pending Support documents for every proposal submission through SciENcv. They also require an ORCID iD to be linked to SciENcv.

 

If you have not yet signed up for an ORCID iD number, please do so as soon as possible to avoid any delays at the time of proposal submission. If you have not yet created a SciENcv account to maintain your Biosketch and Current & Pending, ORSP suggests that you do so now.

 

There are several ways to log in to SciENcv; however, the most efficient method is through login.gov. If you do not already have a login.gov account, you should first create one using your FGCU email address and then use it to set up your SciENcv account.

 

To create an ORCID iD, go to this link and sign up where indicated. If you already have your SciENcv and ORCID ID accounts, the SciENcv site will prompt you to link the accounts.

 

ORSP is aware of ongoing issues and delays in responses from the associated help desks. Please contact ORSP early so we can assist you with generating Biosketches and Current & Pending Support documents that are compliant with grant submission requirements.

Required Training for NSF Submissions


The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has required training starting December 2, 2025. The new requirements set forth in NSF Important Notice No. 149 will take effect.


What you need to know:


  • Proposals submitted before December 2, 2025, including those submitted during the recent lapse in appropriations, are not subject to those requirements originally set to take effect on October 10, 2025.


  • As of December 2, 2025, such new certifications are required at the time of proposal submission within the Cover Sheet, Biographical Sketch, and Current and Pending (Other) Support forms. These include new certifications related to:


  • Completion of research security training by all senior/key personnel; and
  • An institution of higher education’s status regarding contracts or agreements with any Confucius Institute.


  • Organizations are required to provide supporting documentation, including copies of grants, contracts, and agreements, upon request by NSF.


  • You are instructed to take this course, download and save your completion certificate and provide it to ORSP_preaward@fgcu.edu. This certificate must be uploaded with your proposal to NSF.



  • To assist research organizations and investigators, NSF has published a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) web page summarizing the new requirements, certification procedures, and relevant timelines. Access the FAQs here.


Training can be done using the following link and takes 45-60 minutes: https://www.secure-center.org/ctm.


If you have questions, please reach out to ORSP.

Application Deadlines

 

There are posted deadlines for ORSP applications. For time-sensitive opportunities, ORSP will attempt to accommodate requests but cannot guarantee submission unless the following are met:

 

For FGCU to meet sponsor requirements and provide added value to each proposal, the following standard internal deadlines have been established for electronic and paper submissions (these lead times do not include time required by the relevant unit(s) for their review/approval):

 

  1. Five (5) business days (days when FGCU business operations are open) prior to submission deadline: The final complete budget, additional administrative materials, and draft narrative are due to ORSP.
  2. Fourteen (14) business days are required for subrecipient documentation when FGCU is the prime for the proposal.
  3. Two (2) business days prior to submission deadline: The final complete proposal is due to ORSP, including the final proposal narrative. Final changes between the two deadlines are limited to tweaking of the narrative that has no impact upon the budget and other administrative documents.

 

The deadlines are in place so that last minute errors/warnings can be addressed in advance of the sponsor’s deadlines. If error/warnings are received close to the sponsor deadline and cannot be adjusted, applications may not be submitted if we are not able to remedy the issue(s).

 

More information can be found at:

https://www.fgcu.edu/academics/research/files/orsp-deadlines.pdf

FGCU Institutional Review Board (IRB) Announcement

In accordance with the IRB regulations and FGCU IRB Guidelines, IRB approval must be obtained BEFORE any research projects involving human subjects may proceed. The Board cannot retroactively approve the collection of data which falls under our definition of research. However, the regulations recognize that there are instances where data are collected without the intention to conduct human subject research.


To approve the use of these data, the IRB will evaluate the data collection process to ensure it meets the same ethical and regulatory standards required for any research involving human subjects, including the requirement for informed consent. If the IRB determines that the data were not collected in accordance with these standards, the Board will NOT approve the use of these data.


The IRB’s role is to provide ethical and regulatory oversight for research involving human participants, safeguarding their rights and welfare while also supporting the integrity of the research, the research team members, and the interests of the University.


For detailed guidance on conducting research with human subjects, please refer to the FGCU IRB guidelines or contact the IRB office.


Questions? Please email Sherry Alexander at sralexander@fgcu.edu.

PAST ANNOUNCEMENTS

Missed an announcement? We've got you covered.

FGCU's Office of the Ombuds is here to assist faculty, staff, and students! Employees who may be experiencing a university-related concern or conflict are encouraged to reach out to the Ombuds Office as an informal and confidential resource | Visit the Ombuds’ webpage for more information.

THIS WEEK

College of Arts & Sciences Mathematics


Mathematics Seminar


Wednesday, January 21, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.


Griffin Hall, Room 109

Weblink for the QR Code: https://sites.google.com/view/fgcumathcolloquium

Learn about the Navy SEAL Culture

AB9, Room 106

Thursday, January 22, 10:30 to noon

SAVE THE DATE!

University Library


Scholar Series: January 28, 2026

Whitaker Institute for STEM Education


Growing in Engineering, Math, and Science (GEMS) Training


February 6, 2026, 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.


Scan the QR code to RSVP

Faculty Senate and Academic Affairs

All faculty are invited to attend the Faculty Spring Jam Session on March 27, 4:00–7:00 p.m., at the FGCU Boardwalk. Come enjoy a fun afternoon of live music, open mic, and karaoke, and connect with colleagues in a relaxed setting.

Interested in performing? Sign-Up for Performers: https://fgcu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5gwNjaAZXPyD0nY 


Just attending? RSVP for attendance: https://getinvolved.fgcu.edu/event/11984144. Please RSVP so we can plan accordingly.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR STUDENTS

Submission requests must be sent to academicaffairs@fgcu.edu by end of business on the Wednesday of the prior week. Submissions received after this deadline will not be shared until the following newsletter.

 

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Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and content expressed in these programs, events, and materials are those of the author(s)/presenter(s) and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views, positions, or endorsements of Florida Gulf Coast University's Academic Affairs Division.