Blue & Gold Today

Dear faculty, here’s what’s happening at CITE this week: [Each earns 5 points toward the Annual CITE Excellence in Professional Development Certificate and Award]

• Mon Oct 12 | EJ 106 and Teams | 3 to 3:45 pm: Think Beyond a Lesson Plan: Develop a Teaching Strategy
  Bring your lesson plans and leave with a purposeful teaching strategy you can reuse and adapt.
• Tue Oct 13 – Sun Oct 18 | Reading Exchange Channel on CITE Team: Weekly Reading Exchange: This week's article proposes strategies to help students think critically in the age of AI. Read the article posted in the channel, and post a reflection connecting one prompt to your own teaching.
• Thu, Oct 15 | 12:30–1:00 PM | EJ 106 + Teams : Weekly Reading Exchange Roundtable Conversation
  Join a live conversation about the article posted on Teams. Snacks and coffee available in EJ 106 
• Thu, Oct 15 | 2:30–4:00 PM | EJ 106 : AI Pedagogy Studio [Drop-In Session for 1:1 training on using CoPilot for developing instruction materials and activities]

If interested, you can also earn 15 points by implementing an innovative strategy that is shared through a CITE workshop or event. Email cite@alfredstate.edu or stop by EJ Brown 106 to get started. Ongoing PD opportunities: Beyond this week's events, you can earn professional development credits year-round by (i) joining a peer learning community, (ii) implementing an innovative practice in your course, (iii) leading a CITE program, or facilitating a CITE event. Find details and sign-up information on CITE SharePoint.

Dear faculty,

A lesson plan gets you through one class. But a teaching strategy shapes student experience across weeks and enables significant learning. Join us for a hands-on workshop, Think Beyond a Lesson Plan: Build a Teaching Strategy, on Monday, Oct 12, 3–3:45 pm, in EJ 106 and on Teams. You'll leave with a teaching strategy you can reuse and adapt. [5 points]

Can't attend but want to develop and implement a teaching strategy in one of your courses? Email cite@alfredstate.edu, drop by EJ Brown 106, or book a Teams meeting with me, and we'll help you structure and document it. [15 points]

Dear Faculty, this year CITE is launching a Professional Development Framework offering faculty multiple flexible pathways to earn credit points towards an end-year Certificate and Award. 

This announcement covers the leadership and fellowship pathway — for faculty ready to share what they know, support colleagues, or take on a formal role with CITE.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

• Propose and facilitate a PDW session — design and lead a session during Professional Development Week. [10 points per hour].
• Propose and lead a faculty learning community or community of practice — across the year, with an MOU. [30 points].
• Serve as a Faculty Fellow — across the year, with an MOU. [30 points].
• Volunteer as a Pioneer Academy mentor for teaching observations — supporting new faculty in their first year. [10 points per mentee, maximum 30].
• Present on teaching at a regional or national conference. [20 points].
• Publish a teaching-focused article, white paper, or resource. [20 points].
• Showcase your tech innovation at a CITE Social — a short demonstration for colleagues. [15 points per session].
• Contribute to a CITE Podcast in Spring with 3 to 5 of your students — an episode about what actually happened in your course. [15 points].

HOW TO GET STARTED

Proposal and interest form: [Proposal / Interest Form link]

You do not need to wait to be asked. If you have been doing good work in your classroom, presenting it, or supporting colleagues informally, this pathway credits it. Faculty Fellow and learning community leadership roles are limited and selected — submit your interest early.

MORE INFORMATION  

• All dates: [calendar page link]  

• Full framework and certificate tiers: [CITE Share Point]  

• Program Descriptions [Link to CITE Menu of Programs]  

Questions? Contact Deepa Deshpande, deshpad@alfredstate.edu or cite@alfredstate.edu  

Dear faculty,

We invite you to engage with this week's Reading Exchange article, The Return of the Oral Exam (The Chronicle of Higher Education - Use Alfred State library login). The article looks at how faculty are using conversation to make student thinking visible, from calculus to engineering to communication. Here are three engagement options to choose from:

• Tuesday 9/29 to Friday 10/2: Go to the Reading Exchange Channel on the CITE Team to read the article and post a reflection. [3 credits]
• Thursday 10/1, 12:30 to 1 pm: Join the Roundtable, to talk it through instead. Same article, plus whatever is happening in your classroom. Join via Teams or drop by EJ 106 for snacks and coffee. [3 credits]
• Want to explore this strategy in one of your courses instead and earn 15 credit points at the same time? Email cite@alfredstate.edu and we will reach out to you. 

Dear Faculty, this year CITE is launching a Professional Development Framework offering faculty multiple flexible pathways to earn credit points towards an end-year Certificate and Award. This announcement covers the innovative practice pathway. Where the other pathways are about attending and discussing, this pathway credits what you actually change in your own teaching — and it carries the highest point values in the framework.

WHAT COUNTS 

• Implement a documented teaching change from a CITE program — take something from a session and put it into practice, with evidence of the result. [10 points].
• Redesign a syllabus, or assignment to enhance specific outcomes using CITE resources — a before-and-after artifact. [10 points].
• Engage student voice through surveys — beginning of term, mid-term, or a custom frequency you set. [15 points].
• Teaching Observation plus Small Group Instructional Feedback (SGIF) — a CITE classroom observation paired with a facilitated conversation with your students. Confidential and formative. [20 points].
• Partner with your students over a semester — bi-monthly student partner meetings with CITE collaboration, working with your own students on course design and classroom experience. [25 points].
• Conduct a SoTL inquiry on a teaching innovation in collaboration with CITE— design it, implement it, and collect the data. [30 points].

IMPORTANT: PRIOR APPROVAL REQUIRED

• Creative practice work needs CITE approval before you begin, so that it can be scoped and credited properly. Submit the request form first: [Request Form link] 
• If you are already planning a change to a course this semester, this is the pathway that recognizes it. Bring the idea to us early and we will help shape it into something documentable.

MORE INFORMATION 

• All dates: [calendar page link] 

• Full framework and certificate tiers: [CITE Share Point] 

• Program Descriptions [Link to CITE Menu of Programs] 

Questions? Contact Deepa Deshpande, deshpad@alfredstate.edu or cite@alfredstate.edu 

Assessment OF learning certifies what students achieved. Assessment FOR learning informs their next attempt and builds critical thinking, collaboration, and/or self-monitoring. We invite you to bring one course assessment to this workshop and redesign it FOR learning. 

• When: Monday, Sept 28 · 3–3:45 pm 
• Where: EJ 106 & Teams 
• Can't attend, but want to implement this innovation in a course? Fill out this form, and we will contact you to structure and document its implementation. Request to document classroom innovation – Fill out form

Questions? Email cite@alfredstate.edu , drop by EJ 106, or chat via Teams.

The Mobile Learning Lab will be set up in Orvis lot 19 for Homecoming 2026 from 11-2pm. Look for our trailer near the basket raffle.

Come get school spirit ready for the game by:

• Making an ASC pin
• Making an ASC noise maker

Bring your family and friends by for some fun activities:

• Portrait painting swap (pick a partner, paint their portrait, and then reveal)
• Make a straw rocket and launch it
• Make Lava Monster- see if oil and water mix.

All activities are free and available while supplies last.

The Mobile Learning Lab will be set up in Orvis lot 19 for Homecoming 2026 from 11-2pm. Look for our trailer near the basket raffle.

Come get school spirit ready for the game by:

• Making an ASC pin
• Making an ASC noise maker

Bring your family and friends by for some fun activities:

• Portrait painting swap (pick a partner, paint their portrait, and then reveal)
• Make a straw rocket and launch it
• Make Lava Monster- see if oil and water mix.

All activities are free and available while supplies last.

Friday, September 25 · 2:30–4:00 p.m. · EJ 106 & Teams

This month's Tech and Pedagogy Talk will feature discussion and presentation around (i) Lumi AI for Students— a new AI study partner that resides within your My Learning Environment. This tool is being piloted by SUNY, and Alfred State is participating this Fall. (ii) New flexible pathways to professional development offered by CITE.

Drop in to:

• learn about the LUMI student beta and ask questions,
• explore possible classroom uses and sign up during the session if you would like to try it.
• learn how to collaborate with CITE to implement micro-innovations in your classroom and earn PD credits,
• explore peer communities and sign-up in-session

Technology, snacks, coffee, and colleagues—all in one place. Participation earns you 5 points toward the Annual CITE Excellence in Professional Development Certificate and Award.

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for a full and productive Professional Development Week. Two follow-ups to close out the week: the feedback survey is open, and the certificate criteria are below for reference.

PDW FEEDBACK SURVEY — NOW OPEN

Click here to open the short survey and submit your feedback by September 15, 2026. [survey link] 
Your responses shape what we schedule next cycle — which formats we keep, which sessions come back, and what we build for the spring. Please answer for the week as a whole, not only your favorite session; the gaps are as useful to us as the highlights.

PDW CERTIFICATE CRITERIA

For your reference, here are the criteria to earn the PDW certificate:

 • At least 6 required sessions
 • At least 9 optional sessions

Certificates are issued from attendance records, and you will hear from CITE by 9/15/2026.

MISSING ATTENDANCE? HERE'S THE FIX

If you attended a required or optional session where the QR code could not be shared, email Deepa Deshpande at deshpad@alfredstate.edu to have your attendance record updated — and please copy the session facilitator on that email. Please include the session title so the record can be matched quickly. Please send this by 9/20/2026 so certificates are not delayed. Full PDW information and the session list: [PDW page link]

This week’s Reading Exchange Article centers student perspectives on AI—when it feels like surveillance, when it feels liberating, and what meaningful choice might look like in a course. The goal is simple: engage in the way that fits your week, then carry one idea back into your teaching.

Choose your path: 

• Reflect asynchronously
  Read the article and join the conversation in the weekly reading Exchange Channel on CITE Team. Respond to one prompt with a connection to your own teaching.
• Join the live Roundtable
  Come Thursday from 12:30 –1 p.m. in EJ 106 or on Teams. Bring a question, an observation, or simply come to listen.
• Try it in your course
  Take one idea from the reading and test it. It might be a teaching strategy, a change in how you communicate AI expectations, or a new way to bring student voice into the conversation. Email cite@alfredstate.edu for prior approval and structured documentation.

Participation counts toward the Annual CITE Excellence in Professional Development Certificate and award. Points: Async [ 5] · Live [ 5] · Both [ 10] · Implement 10

Thursday, September 24 · 2:30–4:00 p.m. · EJ 106 and Teams 

Your portfolio does not have to be “finished” before you ask for help. Bring whatever you have—an outline, a teaching philosophy draft, a folder of artifacts, or simply a list of questions—and stop by Portfolio Academy for focused, individual support. No appointment needed. Drop in, work for a while, ask a question, and leave with a clearer plan.

We can help you think through:

• what to include,
• how to organize your evidence,
• how to strengthen your teaching philosophy, and
• what your next step should be.

Participation earns you 5 points toward the Annual CITE Excellence in Professional Development Certificate and Award.

The Center for Innovation and Teaching Excellence (CITE) is delighted to announce this year's seven Faculty Fellowship and Faculty Learning Community (FLC)/Community of Practice (CoP) Leadership Award recipients. Across the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters, these colleagues will study AI in their classrooms, bring faculty and student voices into campus AI conversations, and build communities around global learning, accessibility, and civil dialogue. Please join us in congratulating them!

Faculty Fellows: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Track
These Fellows will receive guidance and support from CITE, to study AI-enhanced teaching in their own courses and share what they learn with the campus.

• Elizabeth Joyce, Architecture and Design: Blueprints for the Future: Integrating AI into the Architectural Studio. Elizabeth is bringing AI-enhanced projects into ARCH 3104 Design Studio 1. She will study whether AI can strengthen students' AI literacy and project outcomes without compromising academic integrity and will build a database of AI tools for her department.
• Yang Song, Civil Engineering Technology: Building AI-Critical Engineering Judgment: Designing and Studying AI-Enhanced Assignments in CIVL 6143 Transportation & Highway Design. Yang is designing three assignment modules that ask students to check, correct, or reject AI output against professional engineering standards. The study will examine whether this approach sharpens students' design accuracy and engineering judgment.

Faculty Fellows: Institutional Leadership in Collaboration with CITE Track
These Fellows will work with CITE to gather faculty and student perspectives that will shape Alfred State's AI programming and policy.

• Janelle Varin, Library: Assessing Cross-Departmental Needs and Perspectives on AI Literacy. Through surveys and departmental "State of AI" conversations, Janelle will collaborate with CITE to capture how AI is understood, used, and taught across campus. The findings will become a set of recommendations to guide Departmental and Institutional AI programming.
• Angela Graves, Social and Behavioral Sciences: Surfacing Student Voice on AI: Cross-Disciplinary Accounts and Departmental Conversations. Angela will mentor a Student Senate project led by student Adel Hashimov. In collaboration with CITE, the project will gather student perspectives on how AI helps or hinders learning across majors, and those findings will feed into departmental AI conversations. Angela will also mentor SAT Faculty integrate AI responsibly in their courses.

Faculty Learning Community [FLC] Leaders

• Tamanna Kabir, Business: Advancing Collaborative Online International Learning @ ASC. Tamanna will lead a community that supports faculty in designing and running COIL partnerships with international collaborators and will curate shared resources for globally networked teaching.
• Kevin Hofmann, Architecture and Design: Advancing Accessibility and Inclusion in Teaching and Learning @ ASC. Kevin will lead a cross-disciplinary FLC focused on accessible, inclusive course design and help colleagues build practical resources they can use right away.
• Brian Saltsman, Social and Behavioral Sciences: Sustaining Civil Dialogues Across Differences in Our Community. Brian will lead an FLC focused on creating classroom spaces where students can take on difficult topics with openness, respect, and intellectual courage. Sessions will be built around shared readings and real scenarios.

Get Involved
Several of these projects are looking for participants. The COIL, Accessibility and Inclusion, and Civil Dialogue communities are recruiting faculty from all disciplines, and State of AI conversations will be coming to departments this year. Watch the CITE Weekly Mentor for sign-up details, or email cite@alfredstate.edu. You may also contact the three FLC leaders directly for more information about the communities they will be leading.

Congratulations to all our awardees. We look forward to seeing your work take shape this year!

MEET LUMI FOR STUDENTS (BETA)
Lumi for students is a new AI study partner from D2L Brightspace, that Alfred State is piloting in online and hybrid courses this Fall through SUNY. Students can ask it about a problem they are stuck on and, and instead of solving it for them, Lumi asks questions, offers hints, and helps spot exactly where your thinking went off track — the way a good tutor would.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOUR STUDENTS
• Help when they need it — including 11 pm the night before, when office hours aren't an option
• Practice that builds what exams actually test: reasoning, not recall
• An AI tool in a safe environment approved by the College and SUNY. 

WHAT WE'LL ASK YOU TO DO
• Set up Lumi as a study helper for your students 
• Complete a short survey at the start and the end (about [10] minutes each)
• Attend virtual synchronous training session(s) or review asynchronous resources to begin using it

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR
• Any instructor teaching an online or hybrid course with substantial My Learning presence
• No AI experience required — skeptics are especially welcome
• Someone willing to be honest, including telling us when Lumi is confusing, unhelpful, or wrong. That feedback is the whole point.

GOOD TO KNOW
Spots are limited. Sign up this week by completing this short form or just email cite@alfredstate.edu

Questions? Contact cite@alfredstate.edu

Dear Faculty,

This year CITE is launching a Professional Development Framework offering faculty multiple flexible pathways to earn credit points. Points accumulate across the year toward a three-tiered certificate — Achiever, Accomplished, and Exemplary — and toward the Award for Exemplary Growth, reviewed by the CITE Awards Committee, at the end of the year.

This announcement covers the peer learning pathway: small, sustained groups that meet monthly or bi-monthly across two semesters. These carry the highest per-commitment point values in the framework, and they are where most faculty say the real thinking happens.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

• Teaching Squares — an open community of faculty visiting each other's classrooms and reflecting together. [15 points].
• Teaching (Pedagogy) Reflection Circles — an open community of faculty engaging in structured conversation about classroom teaching practice across the semester. [15 points].
• AI Community of Practice — an ongoing group of former IITG project participants and non-participants working through what AI means for our courses and our students. Micro-communities focused on specific topics or classroom use cases of AI-infusion will be led by former participants [20 points].
• CITE Social and Tech Talk with mini-lunch — last Friday of the month, 12:30-2:30 pm, EJ 106 and Teams. Informal, with colleagues showing what they're trying in their courses. [5 points per session].

Communities led by CITE FLC leaders and others co-led by CITE faculty Fellows:

• State of AI Departmental Roundtables — department-level surveys and conversations about where AI and AI Literacy currently sit in your disciplines and curricula. CITE facilitates in collaboration with two CITE Fellows - Angela Graves, Janelle Varin and a Student Senate leader; your department sets the agenda. [5 points per session].

Faculty-led Learning Communities — three communities running this year, each led by a colleague. [15 points each.] 

• COIL or collaborative online international learning - led by Tamanna Kabir 
• Advancing accessibility and Inclusion at ASC - led by Kevin Hofmann 
• Sustaining civil dialogue across difficult conversations - led by Brian Saltsman.

HOW TO JOIN

• Sign-up form: [Sign-up Form link]
• To request a State of AI Roundtable for your department, contact CITE directly.
• Groups meet monthly or bi-monthly depending on the community. Sign up early — several have limited seats, and groups form at the start of the semester. First meeting will be in October.

MORE INFORMATION

• All dates: [calendar page link]
• Full framework and certificate tiers: [CITE Share Point]
• Program Descriptions [Link to CITE Menu of Programs]

Questions? Contact Deepa Deshpande, deshpad@alfredstate.edu or cite@alfredstate.edu

Dear Faculty

This year CITE is launching a Professional Development Framework offering faculty multiple flexible pathways to earn credit points. Points accumulate across the year toward a three-tiered certificate — Achiever, Accomplished, and Exemplary — and toward the Award for Exemplary Growth, reviewed by the CITE Awards Committee at the end of the year.

This announcement covers the first pathway: individual growth. Nothing here requires a sign-up form, an application, or a semester-long commitment. Come when the week allows, skip when it doesn't.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

• Asynchronous workshops: Complete a CITE workshop offered alternate weeks from Tuesday through Thursday on My Learning [5 points]
• Companion Synchronous Workshop: Attend its companion session on the following Monday from 2-3 pm in EJ 106 and Teams [5 points]
• Asynchronous Reading Exchange: Each week an article and a couple of reflection prompts will be posted on the Reading Exchange channel in CITE Team. Post your reflections and comments between Tuesday and Wednesday [3 points].
• Companion Reading Exchange Roundtable: Attend its companion live roundtable session, on Thursday from 12-1 pm in EJ 106 and Teams [5 points]
• Portfolio Academy: One-on-one portfolio development training twice a month on alternate Thursdays from 2:30-4pm in EJ 106. [3 points]. 
• AI pedagogy Studio: Self-paced exploration or one-on-one training on how to use AI Tools [Copilot premium that includes Claude] at our dedicated workstations twice a month on alternate Thursdays from 2:30-4:30 pm in EJ 106. [4 points]. Can't make it? Custom booking available here.

HOW IT WORKS

The workshops pair up: take the asynchronous version, the Monday live session, or both. The Reading Exchange works the same way — post in the thread, come to the Roundtable, or do both. Nothing carries over and nothing is missed if you skip a week. Attendance is captured from sign-ins and Teams posts. 

MORE INFORMATION 

• All dates: [calendar page link] 

• Full framework and certificate tiers: [CITE Share Point] 

• Program Descriptions [Link to CITE Menu of Programs] 

Questions: Email Deepa Deshpande at deshpad@alfredstate.edu or cite@alfredstate.edu 

Dear faculty,

Here is a preview of PD opportunities coming up this week, each of which earns a specific number of credit points as mentioned. 

• Monday, 9/14, 2 to 3 pm: Synchronous hands-on hybrid workshop: Explore how to make your assignments transparent and how to use Copilot to TILT your assignments for inclusive student outcomes [Earn 5 credit points] Join us in EJ 106 or via Teams.
• Tuesday, 9/15 to 9/18: Asynchronous reflection post on an article sent to you via CITE Weekly Mentor and posted on the Reading Exchange Channel on CITE Team. CITE posts one article plus two or three framing questions each week on Tuesday. Read it and reply in the thread any time that week. [Earn 3 credit points]
• Thursday, 9/17, 12 to 1 pm: The Reading Exchange Roundtable is the live companion to the Reading Exchange — same article, same questions, out loud and unstructured, plus whatever else is happening in your classroom. Do the thread, the Roundtable, both, or neither. [Earn 5 credit points] [Join via teams] or drop by EJ 106 for snacks and coffee. 
• Thursday, 9/17, 2:30 to 4:30 pm: AI Pedagogy Studio is a hands -on drop-in studio for guided self-paced exploration or utilization of Microsoft Copilot or other AI tools for developing AI-infused experiences or traditional learning experiences on dedicated workstations in EJ 106 & Teams [Earn 4 credit points] If this time does not suit you, please use this link to book a time slot that works for you.
• Ongoing PD Opportunities: You could also choose to join a peer learning or practice community led by peers or CITE; engage in innovative teaching; or lead your colleagues as part of professional development. Here are the details.  

Please note that Evidence for participation is captured automatically from sign-ins, Teams threads, and completion records. So, do not forget to sign-in.

Questions? Post them below or Email cite@alfredstate.edu or drop by EJ Brown 106 or book a Teams Meeting with me.

AI isn't slowing down, and neither are we. Whether you are new to AI, have dabbled in AI, or are competent in its use, CITE offers four ways this Fall, to explore what AI means for your teaching. Not sure which CITE AI program fits you? Find the line item below that sounds like you and follow it to your starting point. No wrong door — and the learning paths stack up. 

Please note that participation in each of these programs credits points that build towards three levels of Certificate of Excellence in professional Development at the end of the year, and an Award for exemplary track record. Details of each program, calendar of events and certificate criteria are available on CITE SharePoint.

New to AI, or still deciding what you think?

• Check out our Drop-in AI Pedagogy Studio — Thursdays 9/17, 10/1, 10/15, 10/29, 11/12 between 2:30–4:30 in EJ 106 (& by booking)
• Attend a CITE Social Tech Talk w/ mini-lunch — Fri 9/25 & 10/30, between 12:30–2:30 in EJB 106 & via Teams [Specific dates can be found on CITE calendar published on CITE SharePoint]

Ready to use AI in your teaching?

•  Join our AI Community of Practice — Meets twice a month for one hour, in EJ 106 & via Teams (day, date, time TBD by member consensus). Click here to Sign-up.

Want the harder, critical conversations?

•  Join our AI CoP first and find Micro-communities, and find a Micro-community that interest you, 
• Join the State of AI Departmental Roundtables (scheduled with your chair)

Ready to mentor peers?

• Join our AI CoP and Lead an AI CoP Micro-community

Have an AI-infusion use case to share?

• Join our AI CoP → SUNY Create Showcase → AI in Teaching Storybook 
• Present at a CITE Social Tech Talk w/ mini-lunch — Fri 9/25 & 10/30, between 12:30–2:30 in EJB 106 & via Teams.  Fill out this interest form or Email cite@alfredstate.edu to let us know.
• Speak on the CITE AI Podcast with your students (Coming in Spring) Fill out this interest form or Email cite@alfredstate.edu to let us know.

Dear faculty from Alfred, Wellsville and Northland campuses,

We are excited to share that starting this year, CITE is launching a Professional Development framework that will offer you multiple and flexible pathways to earn credit points that stack up towards [Visit CITE SharePoint for more information about the Certificate and Annual Award criteria, Detailed CITE Calendar, and Description of each program.]:

• a three- tiered Certificate and 
• an Award for exemplary growth to be awarded based on criteria and review by the CITE Awards Committee, at the end of this year [May PDW]. 

Here is a preview of PD opportunities coming up next week, each of which earns a specific number of credit points as mentioned. 

• Self-paced workshop: How to make your assignments transparent from Tuesday to Thursday on CITE Professional Development Course in My Learning. Work through the unit on your own schedule and finish the short closing task. No live meeting, no deadline this week — but completion must be recorded before the cycle closes to count. Synchronous session will be held on following Monday. [Earn 5 credit points]
• The Reading Exchange Article: Posts on Tuesday, Sept 8 in the Reading Exchange Channel on CITE Team. CITE posts one article plus two or three framing questions each week on Tuesday. Read it and reply in the thread any time that week. [Earn 3 credit points]
• The Reading Exchange Roundtable: Live drop-in session on Thursday, Sept 10 from 12 to 1 pm in EJ 106 and Teams. This is the live companion to the Reading Exchange — same article, same questions, out loud and unstructured, plus whatever else is happening in your classroom. Do the thread, the Roundtable, both, or neither. [Earn 5 credit points] [Join via teams]

Please note that Evidence for everything above is captured automatically from sign-ins, Teams threads, and completion records. So, do not forget to sign-in.

Questions? Email cite@alfredstate.edu or drop by EJ Brown 106 or book a Teams Meeting with me.

• Employee Education Series Kickoff — Presenter: President Steve Mauro (Required session)
  The President launches a new Employee Education Series with a session on shared, consistent approach to supporting students and one another across campus.
  📅 Thursday, August 20 | 10:00–11:00 a.m. | Orvis Auditorium
• Faculty Action Institutes
  New this Year - Extended working sessions for faculty to engage in collaborative problem solving and walk away with actionable resources and plans. Three concurrent sessions on three different topics to choose from. You pick any one topic of your interest to collaborate and work upon.
  • Classroom Engagement — Checked Out or Checked IN?
    Engaged students are motivated students — and mentally checked-in classes are more productive, educational, and fun to teach. Bring your successes and struggles to this interactive workshop and leave with a shared list of engagement strategies you can personalize for your own classroom.
  • Accessibility & Inclusion — From inclusive lectures, labs, and course materials to the accommodations process and real "what should I do when…" scenarios, this session covers the accessibility questions faculty ask most. Come work on making your courses more inclusive, representative, and accessible for every student.
  • AI Institute with FLX AI — Go beyond the grading-and-cheating debate and rethink the full arc of assessment — from diagnosing what students already know to using AI as a true assessment partner. You'll leave with a working draft of a revised assessment, rubric, or feedback plan ready for next semester.

            📅 Friday, August 21 | 10:15–12:30 p.m. | Wellsville

• Your Input is Requested
  To help us organize seating and technology for the three Institutes please give us your input by completing this Faculty Action Institute Interest Survey by Thursday, August 20, 2026: Complete the Survey
• Strategic Planning Roundtable – Option 1 — Carrie Cokely and Greg Sammons
  Share feedback on Alfred State's next Strategic Plan.
  📅 Friday, August 21 | 1:45–3:15 p.m. | Workforce Development Center, Room 154

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Professional Development Week (PDW) returns August 20–28, 2026, with this year’s theme: Collaborate. Create. Carry Forward.

This year’s PDW brings together required and optional sessions designed to create opportunities for learning, conversation, collaboration, and practical application. The program includes panels, roundtables, open forums, and interactive sessions across the week.

New this year: Faculty Action Institutes
These extended, hands-on working sessions are designed around action and application. The goal is simple: come with an idea or a need and leave with a concrete deliverable you can use this semester—not just a page of notes.

Earn a CITE Professional Development Certificate
Faculty who completes the required sessions plus 12 hours of optional sessions will receive a CITE Professional Development Certificate.

Explore the PDW Schedule
The full schedule is available here: https://bit.ly/pdw_august2026 

The schedule is also available on the CITE SharePoint and Teams pages. Additional session information and reminders will be shared throughout PDW, so please watch for updates.

Questions? Contact cite@alfredstate.edu or Deepa Deshpande in the Center for Innovation and Teaching Excellence.

We look forward to learning, creating, and collaborating with you—and to a great start to the academic year!

Center for Innovation and Teaching Excellence (CITE) Team

Do you know anyone over 17 looking for trades skills?  

Alfred State is offering FREE Truck and Diesel Microcredentials this summer. 

Take a look at:  Microcredentials | Alfred State,  you will see our summer schedule.  Basic Welding Methods, Heavy Duty Brakes, Rigging and Lifting (includes a Forklift Certification), and more!

Students can get safety toe work boots, safety glasses, etc. using a $250 reimbursement (receipts required) for the course.

Contact extendedlearning@alfredstate.edu with questions!

Dear Faculty and Staff,

We are excited to invite you to a series of informal but focused conversations at our monthly CITE Socials, where faculty and staff can connect over topics shaping our work at Alfred. Think light presentations, real talk, and good questions — not another formal meeting.  Our next session will focus on Technology in the service of Pedagogy, featuring Patricia Eshelman, and Cecil Gregory, who will share demos on their use of Blooket - a gaming application, and the potential of Notebook LM - a Google AI application, to support student engagement and course design. Please note that the demos are for your professional development - we seek to enhance your awareness of emerging technologies that have the potential to transform pedagogy. You are advised to contact Tech Services for approval to use them in the classroom. 

📅 Friday, April 24⏰3:00 – 4:00 p.m. 📍 EJ 106 💻 Prefer to join remotely? Join us on Teams.

🍪 In-person perks: Light snacks, coffee, and books to take home! 

Share your questions about this topic ahead of the session via email cite@alfredstate.edu. Have a topic you’d like us to address or a guest speaker you wish to recommend for upcoming CITE Socials? Send them our way!

We hope to see you on Fridays—come for the conversation, stay for the community!

— CITE Team

Join Us this Wednesday April 22, 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm in EJ Brown 106 for a L.I.F.T. Workshop - MS PowerPoint & Adobe Express for Extended Experience Learning.

This session will highlight practical ways to create engaging presentations, visual materials, and student-ready content that can be used for reflection, storytelling, project showcases, and experiential learning activities. Whether you are new to these tools or looking for fresh ideas, this workshop will offer useful strategies you can apply right away.

— CITE Team

Open Educational Resource (OER) Summer Intensive  

Join the OER movement and participate in the workshop to develop free or low-cost openly licensed learning materials for one of your courses or on a specific topic of interest.

• The OER Intensive will be held in-person on the Alfred campus from June 8-11, 2026.
• Funding for each project is $1,000.
• Maximum number of seats: 5
• Click here to apply.

Course Refresh (Re-design) Summer Institute 

This award will support faculty initiatives to refresh (re-design) one or more aspects of their existing course, to address specific observed learning challenges or enhance specific course outcomes. 

• Examples objectives: Address High DFW rates [applications in this category will be prioritized], improve success rates, enhance Inclusivity, enhance student engagement, advance information/AI literacy.
• Example re-design strategies: Assessment re-design, adopting student-centered pedagogies, incorporating high impact practices, Example improving course organization, or AI-infusion. 

To participate in the Course Refresh Institute this Summer, please submit a proposal to re-design or re-imagine one or more aspects of your course. 

• The Course refresh intensive will be held in-person on the Alfred campus from June 15-18, 2026.
• Funding for each project is $1,000.
• Maximum number of seats: 5
• Click here to apply.

For both projects, please submit applications by April 15 at 11:59 p.m. Decisions will be announced by April 30, 2026. 

Email CITE@alfredstate.edu with questions.  

Dear faculty,

Join us for an interactive workshop on Data-Informed Curriculum Mapping and Planning, to learn how to use evidence thoughtfully to strengthen courses and programs. Together, we will consider multiple sources of data—including student feedback, learning outcomes, and assessment results, and explore curriculum mapping as a technique — for making informed curricular decisions and planning meaningful improvements.

📅 Tuesday, April 7, 2026
🕚 2:00–3:00 pm
📍 EJ 106 + Teams [Joining Link]
👥 All interested faculty are welcome

For a preview of upcoming CITE Workshops download CITE Calendar Spring 2026.

For CITE Program descriptions and preview of available Certificates download CITE Programming Menu 2025-26. 

- CITE Team

Summer will be here before we know it!  What a great time to take a few courses to get ahead or to raise your GPA.  Summer Sessions start May 26, 2026 and registration starts April 6, 2026.  Check out the summer class listings at the link below to see what appeals to you!  Don't wait, classes fill up fast!

https://www.alfredstate.edu/academics/continuing-education/extended-learning/credit-courses/summerwinter-courses/online-summer

Are you graduating with an AOS degree and interested in a completion degree?  Did you know that you can enroll directly into a 4-year program?  Come check out the information session held on Monday, March 23 from 2:30-3:30pm in the Pioneer Student Union on the Wellsville Campus.  Learn how YOU can enroll in either the BBA, Tech Management or BTech Construction Supervision Programs.  Easy application.  No hassle.  No worries!

Date/Time: December 15, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Alfred State campus, PHS 107
Cost: $125 includes required course textbook (book will be provided at training)

Trainer: Alfred E. Piombino is the leading New York and national notary law and practice expert. He has personally prepared tens of thousands of people from across New York to pass the official examination. Piombino is the author of nine books, including Notary Public Handbook: A Guide for New York, Fourth Edition, court expert witness and is listed in Who's Who in American Law.

Registration Link:  https://banner.alfredstate.edu/pls/prod/zwskcenc.P_SelectCourse

Contact extendedlearning@alfredstate.edu with questions!

Open to all faculty, staff and administrators. In this Community Conversation, panelists will share how their lived experiences have shaped their professional journeys, informed their approaches to advising and leadership, and inspired systemic change within their institutions. The discussion will highlight ways supervisors, colleagues, and leaders can recognize, celebrate, and build upon the strengths of first-generation professionals across higher education. Registration Link: https://firstgenforward-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/x1jAeHXOQjix_DRUNPwFig#/registration 

Open to all faculty, staff and administrators. In this Community Conversation, panelists will share how their lived experiences have shaped their professional journeys, informed their approaches to advising and leadership, and inspired systemic change within their institutions. The discussion will highlight ways supervisors, colleagues, and leaders can recognize, celebrate, and build upon the strengths of first-generation professionals across higher education. Registration Link: https://firstgenforward-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/x1jAeHXOQjix_DRUNPwFig#/registration 

TODAY: SUNY is partnering with First Gen Forward to offer faculty, staff, and administrators a free Financial Literacy Workshop Monday, November 10th at 12pm.  Join this interactive conversation designed to engage faculty, staff, and administrators in exploring effective ways to help first-generation students navigate financial concerns. Together, we’ll share real experiences, uncover common challenges, and identify best practices and resources that empower students to thrive. Registration Link: https://suny-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/BEV3nkrdRgiyB2mDF2pgOQ 

Did you know you can build on your AOS Trade Specific Degree to earn a Bachelor's Degree?

A 2+2 Information Session for AOS students in the School of Applied Technology will take place on Wednesday, 11/5/2025 @ 2:30pm in the PSU 1st floor in Wellsville, NY. 

Faculty from Alfred for these bachelor completion programs will overview the majors, required classes, and how to get started. 

Unlock free Google AI courses through SUNY! Learn AI basics and effective prompting—open to all students, faculty, and staff. Enroll with your SUNY email and learn at your own pace! SUNY has partnered with Google to offer free, self-paced AI courses for our entire community. 

What’s included

• Google AI Essentials – Understand core AI concepts and how they’re used across industries.
• Google Prompting Essentials – Learn proven strategies to communicate effectively with AI tools. 

How to enroll (takes 2 minutes)

1. Create or sign in to Coursera with your SUNY email address.
2. Enroll in Google AI Essentials and/or Google Prompting Essentials and learn at your own pace.
   (If you already have a Coursera account with your SUNY email, you’re set—no new account needed.) SUNY

Why it’s worth it

• Students: Build AI literacy and job-ready skills.
• Faculty: Explore teaching enhancements (e.g., AI-supported rubrics, tutoring, and workflow ideas).
• Staff: Boost everyday efficiency with responsible AI use. 

Get started
Visit the SUNY + Google AI page to enroll today. For questions, contact cite@alfredstate.edu or drop by EJ 104/106.

Faculty & Staff Announcement

We are excited to share that several microcredential courses are now being offered — free of charge — for those interested in building new skills or refreshing existing ones.

Available Courses:

• Rigging and Lifting with Forklift Certification
• Basic Welding Methods
• Heavy Duty Brakes

Each course includes:

• 10 hours of online lecture
• 20 hours of in-person lab instruction

These short, focused programs are a great opportunity to expand your technical knowledge and earn valuable credentials.

These courses will be offered multiple times throughout the fall and spring semesters. The First round of these classes are scheduled for Fall Break with the online lecture portion beginning September 26 and running until October 4 and can be completed anytime in that timeframe. The in person lab sessions are as follows:

 Welding class held Oct. 5,6,7

Heavy Duty Breaks and Rigging and Lifting held OCT. 6,7

Click here: https://forms.office.com/r/gMqLpZS3CA if interested.

Planning to take summer courses? If you’re interested in using financial aid to pay for summer classes, complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA and the Summer Aid Application. Once your application is reviewed, your eligibility details will be sent to your ASC email.

How to Apply for Summer Aid:

Step 1: Complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA at StudentAid.gov.

Step 2: Go to my.AlfredState.edu/finances and select “Submit Financial Aid Forms (Verification)” to access Alfred State Student Forms.

• First-time user? You may need to set up your account before proceeding.
• Once your account is set up, click “Manage Request” at the top of the page and select “Summer Aid Application.”
• Important: The Summer Aid Application will not be an available option unless you have completed the 2025-2026 FAFSA. 

Need more details? View the Summer Aid Application Instructions 

Check your summer bill at my.AlfredState.edu/finances and ensure your balance is paid by the due date to avoid any issues. 

For questions, contact the Student Records and Financial Services Office.

How to Take and Pass the New York State Notary Examination Training

Date/Time: March 14, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: PHS 107
Cost: $125 includes required course textbook (book will be provided at training)

This practical seminar helps prepare participants to successfully pass the NYS official notary examination. Four sample examinations and answer keys are provided to every participant as a self-study aid for review after the seminar. Attendance at this seminar is a MUST for every state notary examinee to properly prepare for the duties, authority and responsibility of holding a NYS notary commission.

Trainer: Alfred E. Piombino is the leading New York and national notary law and practice expert. He has personally prepared tens of thousands of people from across New York to pass the official examination. Piombino is the author of nine books, including Notary Public Handbook: A Guide for New York, Fourth Edition, court expert witness and is listed in Who's Who in American Law.

Registration Link:  https://banner.alfredstate.edu/pls/prod/zwskcenc.P_SelectCourse

Contact extendedlearning@alfredstate.edu with questions!

Attention faculty and staff – as you are advising your students for future semesters, please consider promoting Winter Session courses.  Taking a winter session class can help a student get ahead on their studies or increase their GPA.  See what we have to offer for winter session at www.alfredstate.edu/winter.  Please send questions regarding Winter Session to extendedlearning@alfredstate.edu

REV+FLOW by REFIT is a one of a kind workout to a super fun playlist featuring Taylor Swift songs! And for our last three classes of this Fall semester (11/6, 13, 20), we are bringing back some class FAVs from last year including "Fabulous" and "The Greatest Show"!!! Contact me to get your requests on the playlist!! I will add a few more each week! It's FREE for students, faculty and staff on Wednesdays from 5 - 6 pm in The Studio at the Pioneer Center. Yoga mats and light (optional) hand weights are provided. Watch this short promotional video to see what you might expect during a REV+FLOW class. 

If you have questions, contact Lynn Hayes at HayesLC@alfredstate.edu

https://youtu.be/fmY7d4SNtOU

Thank you to all of those Alfred State employees who helped to make Sophomore Career Day on 10/8/24 a success –  RPED, Facilities, ELITE, Admissions, MarCom, ACES, ASC career presenters, and Technology Services!  Your assistance is appreciated for welcoming nine school districts to campus.  These students were excited to learn about careers and see our campus!  Big Blue was a hit!  Thank you!

Tammy Edwards

Assistant Director, Center for Extended Learning

Office of Extended Learning, Innovation, and Teaching Excellence (ELITE)

How to Take and Pass the New York State Notary Examination Training

Date/Time: October 4, 2024, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Alfred State campus, Central Dining Hall, Allegany Room
Cost: $125 includes required course textbook (book will be provided at training)

CSEA employees – please note: you may use a tuition benefit voucher to pay for the training course and then you can use the Certification & Licensure Examination Fee Reimbursement benefit to be reimbursed for the cost of the exam. Please contact extendedlearning@alfredstate.edu for a form to fill out.

This practical seminar helps prepare participants to successfully pass the NYS official notary examination. Four sample examinations and answer keys are provided to every participant as a self-study aid for review after the seminar. Attendance at this seminar is a MUST for every state notary examinee to properly prepare for the duties, authority and responsibility of holding a NYS notary commission.

Trainer: Alfred E. Piombino is the leading New York and national notary law and practice expert. He has personally prepared tens of thousands of people from across New York to pass the official examination. Piombino is the author of nine books, including Notary Public Handbook: A Guide for New York, Fourth Edition, court expert witness and is listed in Who's Who in American Law.

Registration Link:  https://banner.alfredstate.edu/pls/prod/zwskcenc.P_SelectCourse

Contact extendedlearning@alfredstate.edu with questions!

We are excited to welcome back Elizabeth King, alumni of Alfred State, as the new Coordinator of Tutoring Services.  Elizabeth brings great energy and a student centered approach to Student Success, and will be an asset to all things tutoring.  If you have qualified students that would be a good tutor in your content area, please send those names along to Elizabeth King.  WELCOME ELIZABETH!

How to Take and Pass the New York State Notary Examination Training
Date/Time: June 20, 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: Alfred State campus, EJ Brown 206
Cost: $125 includes required course textbook (book will be provided at training)
CSEA employees – please note: you may use a tuition benefit voucher to pay for the training course and then you can use the Certification & Licensure Examination Fee Reimbursement benefit to be reimbursed for the cost of the exam. Please contact extendedlearning@alfredstate.edu for a form to fill out.
This practical seminar helps prepare participants to successfully pass the NYS official notary examination. Four sample examinations and answer keys are provided to every participant as a self-study aid for review after the seminar. Attendance at this seminar is a MUST for every state notary examinee to properly prepare for the duties, authority and responsibility of holding a NYS notary commission.
Trainer: Alfred E. Piombino is the leading New York and national notary law and practice expert. He has personally prepared tens of thousands of people from across New York to pass the official examination. Piombino is the author of nine books, including Notary Public Handbook: A Guide for New York, Fourth Edition, court expert witness and is listed in Who's Who in American Law.
Registration Link: https://banner.alfredstate.edu/.../zwskcenc.P_SelectCourse

Summer School registration is open - check out www.alfredstate.edu/summer for the full schedule of classes.

Please encourage students you come in contact with to take summer classes to get ahead on credits or increase their GPA!  

Any questions on summer school can be directed to Extended Learning at extendedlearning@alfredstate.edu

Secure your first step into the nursing field with the Certified Nursing Aide (CNA) training program through the Center for Extended Learning.  In just three weeks (May 20 - June 7) gain the knowledge and skills to be work ready!  CNA's can earn $18-$25/hour depending on location.  

Cost:  $1500

Students have option to live on campus for an additional $50/week.

Contact extendedlearning@alfredstate.edu for more information and registration!

Faculty are invited to review the following course outlines which will be presented at the Faculty Senate meeting, March 19. The documents can be found on the CDR shared drive, in the 2-Approved CDR - 2023-2024 folder. Map network drive to this folder \\facstaff\cdr.

CDR Approved Courses:

• CJUS 3003 - Cybercrime
• AGRI 3303 - Principles of Water Resources
• AGPS 1101 - Soil Judging

The Center of Innovation and Teaching Excellence invites faculty and staff from Alfred, Wellsville, and Northland campuses to the “Spring 2024 Series of six workshops on teaching and learning.” We have designed a hybrid experience for you this semester (details below): 

• Each workshop will have an asynchronous portion that will be available to you on BrightSpace after enrollment, for 8 weekdays, beginning on a Friday, and ending on a Tuesday. You will need to complete registration to be enrolled. Registration will be announced on Wednesday of the week, a workshop is scheduled to begin.  
• A synchronous session will be held in TEAMS and EJ 104, between 3:30 and 4:15 pm Wednesday, the day after the asynchronous phase ends on Tuesday. The synchronous session will facilitate group discussions, reflection, and Q and A on topics covered. Attractive “CITE (Center of Innovation and Teaching Excellence) Coffee mugs” will be awarded to each faculty member who participates in a workshop. If you attend via TEAMs, you can drop by EJ 106, anytime, to pick up your gift from Kim, our Office Assistant.  
• Workshop registration and TEAMs links for sync phase will be available on CITE SharePoint and TEAMs, from Wednesday of the week that a workshop is set to begin. Click the links here to Subscribe to the CITE TEAM and CITE SharePoint site if you have not already done so.   

Click here to complete registration for our first workshop on “Active Learning: Techniques and strategies that work.” We have combined a variety of resources – articles, videos, and podcasts; reflection exercises, discussion boards, and mini-projects, to provide you with an impactful experience.  

• Asynchronous session on Brightspace after enrollment, from 2/9 [Fri] to 2/20 [Tue] 
• Synchronous Session on TEAMs and EJ 104 [ 3:30 to 4:15 pm on Wednesday, 2/21] 

Dear Faculty of Alfred, Wellsville and Northland campuses,

We would like to acknowledge your tireless efforts and service to Alfred State with a souvenir of appreciation that we have waiting for you, at the reception counter on second floor of the PHS Building, on the Teaching and Learning Day, Thursday, January 18, from 9:00am to 4:00 pm. We also have a day full of sessions to bring you up to speed on your professional development. The open forums on "Exploring CITE" and "Exploring AI" are fantastic opportunities to interact with and explore CITE offerings and AI applications. 

Click here for a schedule of events

Detailed information and previews of some sessions are available on CITE SharePoint site. If you have not done so, please subscribe to the CITE Team to view these details and stay up to date on all professional development opportunities, through Spring 2024 and beyond. For questions email cite@alfredstate.edu.

Thank you for your service to the Alfred State Learning Community!!

Explore Impactful Teaching

Apply for Lumen Circles Fellowships: Learning Communities for Effective Teaching

Fellowships include:

• 9-week community of practice with faculty from multiple institutions
• Weekly activities to explore, apply, and reflect on effective teaching practices (~2 hours/week)
• Build on your strengths and develop skills to expand your teaching repertory
• Set goals and track progress expanding your teaching practice profile
• Work asynchronously in a virtual platform (website) to fit your own schedule 
• Earn a Lumen Circles Fellowship Certificate in Effective Teaching Practice.

Lumen Circles work well for any faculty member, in any discipline, at any stage of career.  Click here to apply for a Lumen Circles Fellowship, offered in partnership with the SUNY Center for Professional Development, SUNY OER Services, and Lumen Learning.  

CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training will be offered during the Professional Development Week in January 2024, in collaboration with Student Affairs and University Police. Pre-registration is required because of limitation on how many individuals one trainer can train. Please complete this short form to pre-register.

The Student Success Center will be hosting the Start Finals Prep Now workshop on Wednesday, December 6th at 5pm in the Student Development Center, Room 109. Students will learn the different stages of exam prep that includes before, during and after checklists, the study cycle, and mistakes to avoid in order to do their very best on Final Exams. In addition, students will learn strategies to address the causes of testing anxiety and leave with an individualized plan to overcome their own personal test taking anxieties.

Find this workshop and future events on Pioneer Link!

View our Fall 2023 Workshop Schedule on the Student Success Webpage: https://www.alfredstate.edu/student-success-center/math-and-writing-labs

Open to faculty/staff and students—Join Financial Aid Counselor, Keri Edsall, on Tuesday, November 7 @ 7 p.m. in the Small Event Space (SLC 310) for an overview of federal student loan repayment options, including updated Income Drive Repayment (IDR) Plans and the new Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan.

The Student Success Center will be hosting the Improving Your __(you pick)__ Workshop on Wednesday, November 1st at 5pm in the Student Development Center, Room 109. How often do you catch yourself saying, “I wish I were better at _________.” Well now is your chance to do it! In this workshop you will learn how to improve at something by recognizing the skills you already have and combining them with some new simple and effective strategies. All are welcome and encouraged to join!

Find this workshop and future events on Pioneer Link!

View our Fall 2023 Workshop Schedule on the Student Success Webpage: https://www.alfredstate.edu/student-success-center/math-and-writing-labs