Professional development
Find training opportunities and resources, and get involved in University councils, committees and affiliate groups.
Professional development
Mandatory and voluntary training opportunities to help you succeed.
Professional development opportunities
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Research support and funding opportunities | Academic faculty
Faculty Research Hub
Research & Innovation is focused on providing faculty, staff and student support that enables the University’s vision of producing impactful discoveries and fostering innovation and commercialization. Learn more about the division’s support for research and innovation through the faculty-focused research hub, including:
- Division announcements
- Proposal support and resources
- Funding opportunities and resources
- Research ethics, responsible conduct and safety information and services
- Commercialization of research and creative work
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National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity | Academic faculty
National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity
The University of Nevada, Reno is now a member institution of the NCFDD, an organization offering professional development, training, and mentoring resources to faculty members, post-doctoral fellows and graduate students at colleges and universities across the country.
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Workshops, socials and all-chairs retreat | Academic faculty
Faculty workshops and socials
The Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs hosts numerous workshops throughout the academic year in support of faculty. This includes new faculty and department chairs, promotion & tenure, annual evaluations, sabbatical, classroom management, etc. Notice of these events and opportunities are emailed to faculty periodically.
Annual all-chairs retreat
In addition to workshops for faculty, the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs hosts an annual all department chairs retreat. Topics vary on an annual basis, but are timely and strategically selected to promote and encourage vibrant and health departments. The chairs retreat is held the second Friday of the Fall semester.
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Faculty Academic Leadership Program | Academic faculty
Faculty Academic Leadership Program
The Faculty Academic Leadership Program (FALP) is a 12-week program designed to provide:
- A deeper understanding of university business and functions;
- An opportunity to explore personal leadership skills; and
- Interaction and networking with University leaders, including student government.
You must be nominated by your dean, and final participants are selected by the Provost Office. The FALP runs every-other odd year.
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Course in effective teaching practices | New academic faculty and graduate students
Association of College and University Educators' (ACUE) program
In 2016, the University launched its partnership with ACUE to prepare, support and credential faculty members and graduate students in evidence-based teaching approaches that improve student achievement and promote equity through ACUE’s Course in Effective Teaching Practices.
The 25-module, facilitated online course requires that participants learn about and implement the practices across all core teaching competencies, including embracing diversity in the classroom, creating civil and inclusive learning environments, engaging underprepared students, facilitating productive discussions, and helping students persist to graduation, among others. Eight cohorts of faculty and graduate students have been engaged in the program to date as part of the University’s goal to improve student success by promoting instructional excellence campus-wide. Read more in NEVADA Today: University is driving innovation in diversity and inclusivity with new campus initiatives.
Faculty and graduate students do not sign up for this program; they are invited if eligible. For more information, please contact the Office of the Provost.
Teaching Excellence Initiative program
The Provost sponsors the Teaching Excellence Initiative program which brings together faculty that have completed the ACUE program, teaching award recipients and Teaching and Learning Technologies (TLT) to share a variety of best practice teaching methods, instructional design/technology uses and offer services such as peer teaching review and feedback for faculty. The program is new in Spring 2020, so keep an eye out for more information.
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Mentorship | Academic faculty and postdoctoral scholars
Mentoring Mentors
The Mentoring Mentors workshop series covers best practices in evidence-based mentoring of graduate students and postdocs. The workshops are hosted annually by the Vice Provost of Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School.
College, school and department mentoring programs
All colleges have formal mentoring programs for assistant and associate professors. In some colleges this extends to additional/or specialized mentoring programs in individual departments. The important thing to know is that mentoring is available within your own discipline. Take the initiative and contact your department chair, associate dean or dean to inquiry about unique mentoring programs in your area.
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Learn Workday online and in-person | Classified employees
Bridge Online Learning
Bridge is an online self-paced training series for Administrative and Financial Administrative Assistants. For more information, please email WorkdayLearning@unr.edu.
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Knowledge Base online self-help, source of record | All employees
Knowledge Base
The Knowledge Base is a repository of articles for our users to research internal-facing policies, procedures, and how-tos. The Knowledge Base is available 24-7 and is your one-stop-shop for Workday, UNR-specific resources, and online training videos.
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Professional development training calendar | All employees
Training Calendar for Professional Development
Classroom training is offered through various departments on campus, including Human Resources, Advising, Business & Finance, and others. Training topics include Workday, AssetWorks, recruitment, employee relations, and a variety of subjects that change monthly.
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Instructional Design & Educational Technology (IDET) workshops | All employees
IDET workshops (Not just for instructors!)
IDET provides support to the faculty and staff across campus who use University-supported technologies for teaching, business, and communications. They offer workshops to help you create accessible documents, images, videos, web content, and email – all formats that are required to be compliant with WCAG 2.0 AA per the University Accessibility Policy. We recommend that all faculty, instructors, and administrative employees working with these formats take the following workshops:
- Basic Web Accessibility (useful for senders of email distribution lists as well);
- Creating Accessible Office Documents; and
- PDF Remediation for Accessibility.
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Environmental Health & Safety | All employees
Environmental Health & Safety
Review and register for mandatory and voluntary EH&S training, including Defensive Driving, Laboratory Safety, CPR, and more.
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NVeLEARN mandatory supervisor training | Supervisors of classified employees
NVeLearn Mandatory Supervisor Training
The State of Nevada requires supervisors of classified employees to undergo supervisory training in core areas every three years. Learn more about what topics are required, and how to register.
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College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)
College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)
The Nevada Chapter of College and University Professional Association (CUPA-HR) is free and open to all higher education employees, but may be of particular interest to HR professionals. This chapter exists for the purpose of exchanging best practices, providing a mechanism for networking with others in the field and across campus, and providing meaningful educational opportunities on topics important and relevant to the human resources field.
Service and leadership opportunities
- Staff Employees' Council
- Faculty Senate
- Retired Faculty Association
- Diversity committees and affiliate groups
- Faculty mentors
Staff Employees' Council
Staff Employees’ Council
The Staff Employees’ Council (SEC) represents all classified employees at the University of Nevada, Reno. The Council also serves in an advisory capacity to the president of the University with respect to all matters of classified personnel administration and employee relations, except in matters of formal appeals and hearings. The Council holds monthly meetings to provide a forum for employees' suggestions, questions or complaints, and to provide a means for disseminating information to classified employees of the University. Not ready to run for a seat? Consider joining an SEC Committee.
Faculty Senate
Faculty Senate
Faculty Senate is the principle representing body for both academic and administrative faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. The Council also serves in an advisory capacity to the president of the University with respect to all matters of academic and administrative faculty administration and employee relations, except in matters of formal appeals and hearings. The Council typically holds monthly meetings to provide a forum for employees' suggestions, questions or complaints, and to provide a means for disseminating information to faculty at the University. Not ready to run for a seat? Consider joining a Faculty Senate Committee.
Retired Faculty Association
Retired Faculty Association
The University of Nevada, Reno Retired Faculty Association is made up of retired academic and administrative faculty, their spouses and partners, who want to maintain a productive relationship with the university. All are welcome to join and participate in helping realize the aims and purposes of the organization: to link, to support, to educate and to advocate for the retired faculty of the University of Nevada, Reno.
Diversity committees and affiliate groups
Diversity committees and affiliate groups
The University of Nevada, Reno has several Diversity Committees and Affinity Groups focusing on campus-wide diversity initiatives. They are part of a structure for issues- and constituent-based action to ensure that many groups are working to create a diverse and welcoming campus climate.
The University Diversity Committees are open to all faculty and staff who wish to volunteer to participate in a variety of new and established initiatives and program development opportunities. Membership meetings are normally held monthly Sept.-Dec. and Feb.-May during the academic year.
Faculty mentors
Mentor an undergraduate student researcher
Undergraduate students have the opportunity to work under a faculty mentor and pursue EPSCoR (or other) funding for research projects. If you are interested, you can reach out to your Chair or one of the other mentors listed in your college.
Mentor a postdoctoral researcher
The Office of the Postdoctoral Affairs has recently required departments to post mentoring plans for postdocs online. These plans are often required as part of grant applications for institutions such as the National Institute for Health and the National Science Foundation. A formal centralized mentoring program does not exist, but you are encouraged to speak with your supervisor or department chair about opportunities for mentorship. Mentors do not need to be from within your own program, department, or college.
