CHASS faculty and staff gathered before the January College meeting for a Faculty Development Workshop – “Empower Your Classroom: Powerful and Pertinent Conversations.” The CHASS Faculty Development Committee and Dean’s Office collaborated to host this event that engaged faculty from across disciplines to learn from one another about how to navigate difficult conversations in the classroom.
Profs. Tahani Dari (Counseling and Addiction Studies) and Lee Eshelman (Psychology) facilitated the discussion. A faculty panel that included Prof. Joseph Weglarz (Economics), David Koukal (Philosophy), Katie Merriman (Religious Studies), Roy Finkenbine (History), and Felicia Grey (Political Science) shared strategies for engaging students around sensitive topics in the classroom and addressing mental wellness issues. Faculty and staff who attended shared their insights and left with actionable tools to enhance their teaching.