March 16, 2026

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

The Power of “AND”® at FGCU

FGCU faculty and staff can attend FGCU Digital Badge Forum for free using the code FGCUDBF2026FS at www.fgcu.edu/digitalbadges/digitalbadgesummit.

The Power of “AND”® at FGCU exemplifies Academic Excellence by extending rigorous, competency-based learning beyond traditional coursework to meet evolving workforce needs. Micro-credentials are developed collaboratively by faculty and staff across departments alongside industry partners. These micro-credentials ensure students can demonstrate verified skills employers seek, reinforcing the value of FGCU’s academic programs, while enhancing career readiness to provide students with a competitive advantage in the workplace.


FGCU’s three micro-credential categories illustrate this commitment:

 

  • Industry-Specific Badges are co-designed with employer partners and bridge classroom learning with real-world competencies and build strong talent pipelines. 


  • Transferable Skills Badges empower students to articulate key professional competencies such as communication, critical thinking, and teamwork through faculty-reviewed portfolios and interviews.



The upcoming virtual FGCU Digital Badge Forum on March 26 & 27 showcases these efforts, spotlights innovative practices, faculty expertise, and learner success stories, while fostering collaboration across higher education and industry.

"Micro-credentials are developed collaboratively by faculty and staff across departments alongside industry partners."

FGCU faculty and staff can attend this event for free using the following code: FGCUDBF2026FS.


Join the Power of “AND”®: digitalbadges@fgcu.

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.

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

Questions? Email us: academicaffairs@fgcu.edu.

TOP NEWS

NEXT UP! Provost's Seminar Series

Mrs. Sheri Cunningham

Head of AI Platform and Infrastructure Services, and Generative AI Leader, Google Cloud

SAVE THE DATE


29TH CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE

Wednesday, April 22, 2026


Ceremony

2:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Cohen Student Union Ballroom


Reception

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Cohen Student Union 201


Professional Attire


Watch for invitation

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lucas Center for Faculty Development

The Lucas Center is seeking Faculty Partners for the Fall 2026 Student-Faculty Partnership Program (SFPP).

Applications are open until Sunday, April 12!

 

 

The Student-Faculty Partnership Program (SFPP) at FGCU places one student and one faculty member in dialogue with each other for an entire semester. Students work up to 6.5 hours per week in the paid role of teaching consultant to a faculty member, earning approximately $1,560 per semester. Faculty serve in the role of an equal partner, working with the student to accept feedback on various aspects of a specified course. Student consultants analyze, affirm, and support the revision of classroom practice in one of the faculty partner's courses with the goal of maximizing engagement and learning. Student and faculty partners take a range of approaches to their collaboration, starting with a focus on classroom practice and often expanding to consider curriculum, assessment, inclusion, and other dimensions of teaching. Overall, student and faculty partners work to develop a dialogue in the interest of improving the course.

 

If you are interested in learning more about the SFPP you can read about the program and watch a video in the FGCU 360 feature here or visit the SFPP section of the Lucas Center website here.

 

Use the following link to submit your application to be a faculty partner:

https://fgcu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0wRHa9OO7tf2JRc

 

Are you unable to participate but want to share? Feel free to forward this email to other faculty you think may be interested! Do you know a student who may be a good partner? Please share the student application link: https://fgcu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8HyfkqdkNWFCurQ

 

If you have any questions please contact FGCU Lucas Center at lucascenter@fgcu.edu.


Office of Public Policy Events 


Connected or Consumed? Panel Discussion Focused on Social Media


March 24, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., Cohen Ballroom

Students, faculty, staff, and community members are welcome.

Visit: Event Eagle Link.

Eagle X 2026: A Tradition of Celebrating Excellence


All are welcome to attend!

Sign up to present/mentor by Mar 20

Sign up to judge by Apr 6

Plan to attend Eagle X on Apr 17 



  • For questions about Scholarly Research, please contact Dr. Megan Norcia at mnorcia@fgcu.edu.
  • For questions about Community Engagement Projects, please contact Justin Fitzgerald at jfitzgerald@fgcu.edu.
  • For questions about Internship Experiences, please contact Ashleigh Droz at adroz@fgcu.edu.
  • For questions about Leadership Experiences, please contact Alexandra Pipitone at apipitone@fgcu.edu.
  • For questions or to explore sponsorship opportunities for Eagle X, please contact Jessica Rhea at jrhea@fgcu.edu.


FGCU Digital Badge Forum


March 26 and 27, 2026

1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST


FGCU invites Faculty and Staff to join us at the FGCU digital badge forum. This virtual conference is formatted to discuss best practices, evidence-based models, and the emerging trends and technologies shaping the future of learning and the workforce. Join the dialogue to discuss micro-credentials and digital badges with education leaders, researchers, and practitioners. All faculty and staff can register for free using the promo code: FGCUDBF2026FS. Registration link


Learn more at fgcu.edu/digitalbadgesummit.

Explore the Power of "AND"® at fgcu.edu/digitalbadges.

Office of Research & Sponsored Programs (ORSP)

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

Notice of Intent for Extramural Proposals


The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) has Streamlyne in place for PreAward Applications. If you are unsure about a submission and not quite ready to enter your request into Streamlyne, ORSP has developed a Notice of Intent (NOI) for Principal Investigators or Project Directors to complete to request a consultation for proposal submission for extramural funding. The NOI requests information for the investigator, proposal, and agency. This will assist applicants and ORSP in facilitating the process of applications.


ORSP can also review the request for proposal for details regarding required information to guide investigators on required elements for a submission. Some proposals are quite simple; others require a significant number of documents.


The NOI can be found at: https://fgcu.formstack.com/forms/notice_of_intent_form.

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

THIS WEEK

University Library

Imagine Solutions and FGCU


Inside U.S. Military Power: Capabilities, Strategy, and Global Challenges Ahead

Thursday, March 19, 2026

Click here to RSVP

SAVE THE DATE!

University Library

Lucas Center for Faculty Development

Writing Like a Teacher:

Expanding the Audiences for Your Research


Presenter: James Lang, author of six books, former Professor of English and the founding Director of the D’Amour Center for Teaching Excellence. Assumption University 


When: Monday, March 23, 2026, 3-4:30 p.m. ET


Register: https://www.taaonline.net/fgcu-lang-im


Are the faculty at your institution engaged in research that deserves to find a wider audience? Are you an academic or teacher that would like to cross over the border between writing for your disciplinary peers and writing for more public audiences? This interactive workshop argues that the way to establish these goals is to draw upon our hard-won wisdom as teachers to create effective learning experiences for readers. This approach draws lessons from Jim Lang’s work as a book series acquisition editor, his multiple books aimed at general academic audiences, and his dozens of published magazine and newspaper essays. Participants will learn about the power of questions to drive writing projects, the use of evidence in public writing, and the importance of developing a unique writing voice. 


James M. Lang is a former Professor of English and the founding Director of the D’Amour Center for Teaching Excellence at Assumption University in Worcester, MA. He is the author of six books, the most recent of which are Distracted: Why Students Can’t Focus and What You Can Do About It (Basic Books, 2020), Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning (Jossey-Bass, 2016), and Cheating Lessons: Learning from Academic Dishonesty (Harvard University Press, 2013). Lang writes a monthly column on teaching and learning for The Chronicle of Higher Education; his work has been appearing in the Chronicle since 1999. His book reviews and public scholarship on higher education have appeared in a wide variety of newspapers and magazines.

The Lucas Center for Faculty Development & Office of Research & Sponsored Programs Invite you to:


Getting Funded - Internal & External Opportunities


Facilitated by: Research & Sponsored Programs

 

This session is to provide information on funding for research and service projects. It will review available funding from internal and external resources. It will discuss how to receive support for grant writing assistance and discuss the timeline for requesting Federal appropriations. It will also offer information on entities who regularly provide Requests for Proposals.

 

This session will be facilitated on Friday, March 27th from 11:00a to 12:00p in The Lucas Center (LIB-221) or virtual via Teams (NEW DATE & TIME!)

Click here to register for in-person session

Click here to register for virtual session

 

Questions? Please contact Julie Leyden jleyden@fgcu.edu

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, click here.


Just attending? RSVP for attendance here. Please RSVP so we can plan accordingly.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR STUDENTS

Career Development Services

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.

 

Please send attachments as either a .PNG or .JPEG file 250kb or less.

.PDFs are NOT accepted.

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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.