CAFE: The Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence
CAFE offers a wide range of free faculty activities and resources designed to improve retention, job satisfaction, expertise, and engagement in academic life. We spotlight faculty excellence, promote research-driven national best practices, introduce new pedagogy, and nurture deep reflection and cross-disciplinary communities of practice in teaching and learning at UVA Wise.
September in the CAFE
All events are free and open to all teaching faculty. While you can drop into any event at any time, including learning community meetings, monthly participation in a learning community offers more in-depth conversations and an opportunity to focus on a single topic with multidisciplinary colleagues throughout an entire academic year. Please reach out to our many Faculty Learning Community Leaders for more info about specific learning communities. Please note that the Goldwater workshop does require advance registration.
September 1st
Funding Students: Goldwater
Neva Bryan
3:30 PM (One Time Only)
Join Neva Bryan, Senior Director of Assessment, for a funding opportunity for your students. Learn more about The Goldwater Scholarship Program, one of the oldest and most prestigious national scholarships in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics in the United States. This award seeks to identify, encourage, and financially support college sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise of becoming our next generation of research leaders in these fields. Each undergraduate Goldwater Scholar receives up to $7,500 per full academic year for up to two years. Our most recent winner was Isabella Maggard in 2023. Sign up for one of two sessions: Tuesday, September 1, 3:30 PM or Monday, September 14, 1:00 PM. Registration required in advance: https://doodle.com/sign-up-sheet/participate/a95ef654-f499-48bc-a768-fbfd6cba4eb7/select
September 3rd
Master Teacher Learning Community
Emily Dotson
12:30 PM Library 509 (First Thursdays)
Join Emily Dotson for a rotating discussion of issues and ideas related to teaching. Share your experiences and learn from others about how master teachers across campus are innovating and inspiring in and out of the classroom. This group will meet the first Thursday of the month, starting September 3rd @12:30 PM in Library 509. Additional meetings will be held on October 1st and November 5th at 12:30 in Library 509. Drinks from B&B provided. *Note: This group has been moved from Mondays to Thursdays.
September 9th
Planning Study Abroad with KIIS
Anthony Cashio and Candice Stadler
1PM Library 509 (One Time Only)
Join Anthony Cashio and Candice Stadler, Director of International Programs and Services, to learn more about Teaching Abroad with KIIS on September 9th @ 1 pm in Library 509. This meeting will help you understand the opportunities KIIS offers and prepare your KIIS application by the October 15th deadline.
September 9th
Teaching to Thrive
Christa Moore
3 PM Library 509 (2nd Wednesdays)
Join the Teaching to Thrive Learning Community to explore how transitional dynamics, non-academic barriers to student success, and the science of hope shape learning, persistence, and belonging. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges students bring into the classroom, discover strategies for responding with empathy and effectiveness, and learn practices of self-compassion that support resilience and reduce burnout in academic work. This group will meet the second Wednesday of the month, starting September 9th @ 3:00 in Library 509. Additional meetings will be on October 14 @ 3:00 and November 11th @ 3:00 in Library 509. Drinks from B&B provided.
September 14th
Alternative Grading Learning Community
Donnie Sorah
1pm Library 509 (2nd Mondays)
Join the Alternative Grading Learning Community to explore how alternative grading methods can support learning goals and share ideas, challenges, and examples across disciplines. Free copies of Specifications Grading (Nilson and Packowski) will be provided. This group will meet the second Monday of the month starting September 14th @1 pm in Library 509. Additional meetings will be on October 26th and November 30th @ 1:00 in Library 509. Drinks from Books & Brew will be provided.
September 17th
Faculty Book Club: Small Teaching by James Lang
Ray Schweighardt
4 pm El Dorado (3rd Thursdays)
Join the Faculty Book Club to discuss "Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning" by James M. Lang. "In Small Teaching, James Lang presents a strategy for improving student learning through a series of modest yet powerful changes that make a big difference, many of which can be implemented in a single class period. These strategies are designed to bridge the gap between primary research and the classroom environment, are implementable by any faculty member in any discipline, and can even be integrated into pre-existing teaching techniques. Each chapter introduces a basic concept in cognitive theory, explains when and how it should be employed, and provides firm examples of how the intervention has been or could be used in a variety of disciplines. Small teaching techniques include brief classroom or online learning activities, one-time interventions, and small modifications in course design or communication with students. (Amazon.com). Free copies will be provided. This group will meet the third Thursday of the month starting September 17 @ 4:000pm in El Dorado. Additional meetings will be on October 15 and November 19th at 4 pm in El Dorado.
September 21
Tenure and Promotion Preparation
Bruce Cahoon
1 pm Emily's Zoom Room https://zoom.us/j/2977863246?omn=94040460705
Join Dean Bruce Cahoon for an informative talk about the basics of the Tenure and Promotion process in the Faculty Handbook (Starting in Section 4.1) on September 21st @ 1 pm in Emily's Zoom Room. This talk will be recorded and available within two days at the CAFE Resources page. Visit Resourcesto see models of T&P portfolios and find additional info from prior years. This talk is highly recommended for all first-year tenured faculty and everyone applying for pre-tenure, tenure, and promotion this year. There will be additional T&P workshops in October and November, and a separate promotion meeting for Instructors in Spring before those applications are due.
September 21
Light Yoga and Mindful Meditations for Teachers
Jinny Turman
4 pm Chapel (3rd Mondays)
Join this learning community for a monthly light yoga/mindful meditation practice on the third Monday of the month, starting September 21st @ 4 pm. All fitness and experience levels are welcome. Additional meetings will be on October 19th and November 16th at 4 pm in the Chapel.
September 28th
Exploring Pedagogy
Cody Sanders
1 pm Library 509 (4th Mondays)
Join the Exploring Pedagogy Learning Community to reflect on your teaching style, get friendly feedback from colleagues on your teaching, and share ideas across disciplines. Through discussion, reflection, and collaborative activities, we’ll gain new insights, practical strategies, and connections to support our growth as educators. Whether you are new to teaching or experienced, this is a welcoming space to explore ideas, ask questions, and spark fresh thinking about how we engage and inspire students. Bring a course, project, or teaching activity that you are interested in tweaking, trying out, or completely transforming. Share your ideas and receive feedback from colleagues! This group will meet the fourth Monday of the month, starting September 28 @ 1:00 in Library 509. Additional meetings will be on October 12 @ 1:00 and November 9 @ 1:00 in Library 509. Drinks from Books & Brew will be provided.
Don't see something you need?
Email Emily Dotson at ead2y@uvawise.edu to request a workshop or event.
Want to offer a workshop?
If you would like to offer a workshop to help develop college-wide teaching or professional development, please send your workshop title, a brief description, and proposed dates to Emily at ead2y@uvawise.edu at least 30 days before the anticipated workshop.
Need Resources or Recommendations?
Access the CAFE Resource page with updated Academic Affairs policies and a variety of recorded workshops, handouts, videos, podcasts, and other materials developed by our own faculty and from national experts to help you with any questions you may face in teaching, service, scholarship, and academic life
Don't see something you need?
Email Emily Dotson at ead2y@uvawise.edu to request a workshop or event.
Want to offer a workshop?
If you would like to offer a workshop to help develop college-wide teaching or professional development, please send your workshop title, a brief description, and proposed dates to Emily at ead2y@uvawise.edu at least 30 days before the anticipated workshop.
Have a Question or Need Individual Attention?
CAFE Director Emily Dotson is always happy to meet privately to discuss your pedagogical philosophy, solve a teaching challenge, or brainstorm ways to live a more meaningful and engaged faculty life. She is also happy to observe your class and provide feedback or survey your students at any point in the semester.
Frequently Asked Questions About CAFE
What does CAFE do?
CAFE offers a wide range of activities and programs designed to improve faculty retention, job satisfaction, expertise, and engagement with students.
Although all faculty are experts in their disciplinary field, few have professional training in educational pedagogy and practice or other specialized demands of faculty positions at UVA Wise. CAFE was created to fill this gap by providing support and instruction at every level of faculty development.
CAFE develops and promotes teaching and learning resources to spotlight UVA Wise faculty excellence, promote research-driven national best practices, introduce new pedagogy and practices, and nurture deep reflection and cross-disciplinary connection around teaching and learning at UVA Wise.
Who uses CAFE?
Professional development is not just for junior faculty!
In 2024-2025, CAFE offered 16 in-person workshops with 93 participants on campus and 14 faculty workshop leaders, and 8 FLCs with a total of 100 participants and 11 Faculty leaders, for a total of 218 faculty engaged in some way.
Additionally, CAFE advertised 14 virtual workshops at UVA, ACUE, and The Chronicle, which did not track participation. The campus-wide survey showed that 83% attend to collaborate with others and 67% go to get support for their teaching, service, or scholarship. The campus-wide survey also showed a 100% satisfaction rating with CAFE as a program.
In 2023-2024, CAFE successfully planned and promoted 11 Teaching Workshops, 12 Professional Development workshops, 8 Faculty Learning Communities, and 4 community-building events. There were more than 32 faculty presenters, a 23% increase, and a total of 208 participants, a 49% growth in attendance.
In 2022-2023, CAFE hosted 85 workshops with twenty-six faculty presenters and over 150 participants.
What is a CAFE workshop like?
CAFE workshops are free and open to anyone in a full or part-time teaching position at UVA Wise.
CAFE drop-in workshops allow faculty to attend a brief presentation by a topic expert, followed by a Q&A session.
Faculty Learning Communities offer a series of collaborative, multidisciplinary conversations with colleagues in fifty-minute meetings held regularly over an entire academic year.
CAFE promotes UVA CTE and other national academic workshops and events open to us. Registration is required in advance for some workshops and noted in the workshop description.
While some CAFE workshops are open to faculty and staff, CAFE is not connected to Human Resources, so CAFE cannot offer workshops or resources targeted to staff development or involving HR concerns. We encourage you to send any requests for staff development and all Human Resource issues to the Director of Human Resources, Stephanie Perry. See more information about UVA Wise Human Resources.
How do I find out about past or upcoming CAFE workshops or events?
Workshops are advertised on the faculty listserv and updated on the calendar on this site monthly. Significant notice may not always be possible with events scheduled and promoted by other Colleges, organizations, or people.
Please check your email for updates or changes to dates/times/ locations, or email Emily at ead2y@uvawise.edu to confirm events.
Where are CAFE workshops held?
Because we are an in-person campus, all CAFE workshops are on campus either in the Library in room 509 (next to Books and Brew) or in the CAFE Center, 230 Smiddy Hall, and in person unless otherwise stated.
Can I attend remotely or watch a recorded workshop?
Zoom participation is possible at most workshops if you request this in advance. CAFE makes every attempt to record and post our events. However, please be aware that events hosted by someone other than the Director may not be recorded as the presenter always has the final say in whether their talk or workshop will be recorded or made publicly available. Recorded workshops are made public on the CAFE Resources page.
How is CAFE assessed?
CAFE is assessed annually through a faculty-wide survey on programs and practices. In 2023-2024, faculty reported 96% satisfaction with the diversity, delivery, and timeliness of programs. In addition, individual workshops and learning communities are assessed through additional satisfaction surveys sent to participants. In 2023-2024, all learning communities had 95% or higher satisfaction rates.
Read More in our 2024 Three Year Program Review
Who is the Director of CAFE, what do they do, and to whom do they report?
The Director of CAFE is Emily Dotson, a Tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Language and Literature. See her bio.
The CAFE Director is a member of Academic Affairs and reports to the Dean of Faculty and the Provost.
CAFE Director Job Description.
CAFE Mentor of the Year Award
CAFE is proud to offer one award annually for exceptional faculty mentoring at UVA Wise. This person has shown exemplary connected and collegial service to others and served as a model of the teaching, service, scholarship and academic life we imagine in the very finest of UVA Wise faculty.
Winner of the 2025-2026 CAFE Mentor of the Year Award
Miranda Cashio, Senior Instructor of Nursing
Winner of the 2024-2025 CAFE Mentor of the Year Award
Wendy Martin, Instructor in Mathematics
Winner of the 2023-2024 CAFE Mentor of the Year Award
Karen Carter, Associate Professor of Computer Science
Winner of the 2022-2023 CAFE Mentor of the Year Award
Christa Moore, Associate Professor of Sociology
Winner of the 2021-2022 CAFE Mentor of the Year Award
Elizabeth Dotson Shupe, Assistant Professor of Education
Questions?
Contact Emily Dotson ead2y@uvawise.edu for more information.