University Professional Development Days Schedule

All Day

New Faculty Orientation for Full-Time Faculty

A comprehensive program design to welcome and integrate new full-time faculty members into the OLLU community.

9:00 - 9:15 AM

Welcome Address from the Provost

• Location: Renaissance Parlor 
• Presenter: Dr. Silva

9:15 - 9:30 AM

Cleansing and Blessing Ceremony

A shared moment of reflection and intention setting

• Location: Main Building Front Steps 

9:30 - 10:30 AM

Acknowledging the Past to Grow into the Future

Choose one of the following experiential and symbolic activities (First come, first serve): 

• All three options will be Located in: Mall Area

Option 1: Guided by Providence: A Ceremony of Release & Renewal

Join us for a powerfully symbolic event as we honor the challenges of the past year and step boldly into our future, trusting in the path Providence lays before us. In a cathartic act of letting go, we'll each release what no longer serves us by shattering a plate inscribed with our burdens. Then, with intention and hope, we'll sculpt votive figures from clay, transforming our aspirations into tangible offerings left around campus. These two ancient practices, reimagined for our community, will symbolize our collective journey of leaving the past behind and embracing new beginnings, confident in the guidance that leads us into a new year.

Option 2: Painting Our Shared Future

This painting activity invites faculty members to engage in creative expression of their individual and collective aspirations for the future of our institution. Each participant will create a small individual canvas celebrating OLLU's 130 years of community and tradition. Participants will learn various painting techniques and color theory elements to bring their painting to life.

Option 3: Planting New Life

At the heart of our vibrant campus gathering, faculty members will each select and plant a unique plant to symbolize growth, renewal, and the shared journey of education. With hands in the soil and hearts full of hope, they will nurture new life as a living testament to resilience and transformation. Each plant, chosen with care, will reflect personal and collective aspirations for the future. This symbolic act will foster unity, reminding all present that just as plants flourish with attention and care, so too will knowledge, community, and the human spirit. Our collective plants will stand as a growing legacy of commitment and renewal and serve as a reminder of our continued commitment to replenishment and growth.

10:45 AM - 12:00 PM

University Convocation – President Abel A. Chávez

• Location: Gymnasium

12:00 - 1:00 PM

Lunch & Prayer

1:00 - 4:45 PM

Strategic Framework Sessions

• • A Cabinet member will lead the discussion and gather input, while the recorder/timekeeper will document key points and help manage the session’s timing.
  • Each session will have a Cabinet member defining the Strategic Framework Goal
  • At 45-minutes, a Cabinet member will  transition to other room

4:45 - 6:00 PM

Cultivating Community: President's Social Hour

Kick off the academic year with community, connection, and celebration! Join us for light refreshments, popcorn, and good cheer — proudly hosted by the President

• Location: Main Building, 2nd Floor Rotunda

9:00 - 9:30 AM

Donuts with the Deans

• Location: Dean's Suite (First come, first serve)

9:30 - 10:30 AM

Concurrent Sessions

(Attendees in the RGV and Houston area may email the presenter for the Teams link

Session: IT Services – Resources that Put You in Control

Learn about the IT resources available to help solve issues and answer questions. This session will serve as a primer before submitting an ITS Help Desk ticket.

• Room: 211
• Presenter: David Gonzalez, Director of User Experience, ITS
• Target Audience: All Employees
• Outcomes: Identify and use ITS self-help tools

Session: Putting Classroom Technology to Work for You

This session will cover the classroom technologies found around campus and how to set up your classroom for in-person or hybrid learning. It will differentiate between the two systems and explain configuration and settings to ensure efficient class operation.

• Room: 209
• Presenter: Francisco Frade, A/V Support Technician, ITS
• Target Audience: All Employees
• Outcomes: Understand and configure in-person/hybrid classroom tech.

Session: Saving Lives, One Question at a Time – An Overview of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale

This session will provide an overview of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), a tool that supports suicide risk screening through simple, plain-language questions. Participants will learn how to identify suicide risk, determine severity, and gauge the level of support needed.

• Room: 212
• Presenter: Karen D'Armata, LPC-S, Director of Counseling & Wellness Services
• Target Audience: All Employees
• Outcomes: Use of Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale and campus referrals.

10:45 - 11:45 AM

Concurrent Sessions

(Attendees in the RGV and Houston area may email the presenter for the Teams link

Session: Writing to Learn, Learning to Write

This session will explore the connection between writing and learning, focusing on strategies to enhance both.

• Room: 201
• Presenter: Kirsten Komara, Director, Academic Center for Excellence
• Duration: 30 minutes
• Target Audience: Faculty
• Outcomes: Recognize writing as a learning process using scaffolding.

Session: Streamlining General Education Assessment

This session will guide participants through new General Education assessment guidelines, the timeline for implementation, and the paired-assessor model.

• Room: 209
• Presenter: Liliana Gutierrez & Christopher Rose, Director of Assessment & Accreditation, Academic Affairs
• Target Audience: Faculty
• Outcomes: Understand new GE guidelines, timeline, and paired-assessor model.

Session: Making the Right Referral: Student Conduct, Title IX, and Behavioral Intervention

This session will review the functions of the Student Behavior Intervention Team, Student Conduct, and Title IX, and help faculty/staff learn the referral and follow-up process.

• Room: 212
• Presenter: Jennifer Bendele, Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Charlin Jones-Chavez, Assistant VP for Student Affairs & Dean of Students and Guadalupe Marquez, PhD, Compliance Officer-Title IX Coordinator
• Target Audience: All Employees
• Outcomes: Distinguish between the functions of SBIT, Student Conduct, and Title IX, and when employee should submit referral to each.

Session: How I Used the CURE Model ...

This session will delve into the application of the Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) model, specifically in the context of a Senior Capstone project. It will cover best practices in data use, Blackboard group work, and community presentation.

• Room: 211
• Presenter: Jiletta Kubena, Applied Social and Cultural Sciences
• Duration: 30 minutes
• Target Audience: Faculty
• Outcomes: Best practices in data use, Blackboard group work, and community presentation.

1:15 - 2:15 PM

Concurrent Sessions

(Attendees in the RGV and Houston area may email the presenter for the Teams link

Session: Working with Neurodivergent Students on the College Campus

This session will provide tools and strategies for creating inclusive instruction, structured environments, and effective support systems for neurodivergent students on campus.

• Room: 201
• Presenter: Janet G. Hupel, PhD, Director of Accessibility Services, Student Affairs
• Target Audience: All Employees
• Outcomes: Tools for inclusive instruction, structured environments, and student support.

Session: Learning Colleague and Self-Service: Report Generating for Account Management

This session will provide a practical guide to pulling and interpreting financial reports within the Colleague and Self-Service systems for effective account management.

• Room: 211
• Presenter: Virginia M. Salazar, Senior Budget Analyst, Finance
• Target Audience: All Employees
• Outcomes: Pull and interpret financial reports in Colleague and Self-Service.

Session: "I Told Them Already!": Why People Don't Remember What We Say—and What to Do About It

Participants will learn research-backed strategies to improve retention and application of information, transforming one-time instructions into lasting understanding and effective behavior change in both academic and workplace settings.

• Room: 212
• Presenter: Steven Linley, Ph.D., Title V DHSI Grant Director
• Target Audience: All Employees
• Outcomes: Research-backed strategies to improve retention and application of information.

2:20 - 3:20 PM

(Attendees in the RGV and Houston area may email the presenter for the Teams link

Session: OLLU Data Dashboards

This session will provide an overview of the OLLU Data Dashboards, explaining how to access and utilize them for various institutional insights.

• Room: 304
• Presenter: Newman C.W. Wong, M.A., M.B.A., Director of Institutional Research & Analytics
• Target Audience: All Employees
• Outcomes: Access and utilize OLLU Data Dashboards for institutional insights

8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Department Chair & School Director Meetings: Semester Preparation

• Location: Various Departments
• Recommended Activities:
  • Review Fall Semester Schedules: Confirm course assignments, classroom allocations, and faculty teaching loads; address any conflicts or necessary adjustments.
  • Discuss Curriculum Updates: Share recent revisions to program curricula, course objectives, and assessment methods; ensure faculty are informed and ready for implementation.
  • Academic Support Resources Overview: Review key student support services, such as tutoring, writing center, and counseling, and strategize optimal referral practices.
  • Classroom Technology Refresher: Provide an overview of classroom technologies, particularly for new faculty or updates to systems, to ensure seamless hybrid or in-person instruction.
  • Mentorship Check-ins (New Faculty): Facilitate brief one-on-one or small group meetings between new faculty and their assigned mentors or experienced colleagues.
  • Goal Setting & Professional Development: Encourage faculty to establish personal and professional objectives aligned with departmental and university strategic priorities.
  • Student Success & Retention Strategies: Collaborate on best practices to enhance student engagement, academic achievement, and retention efforts.

10:45 AM - 12:oo PM

New Student Convocation

Join the OLLU community in a cherished tradition as we welcome OLLU’s historic 130^th Incoming Class

• 10:45 – Faculty line up in regalia, Main Building 2nd floor hallway
• 11:00 – New Student Convocation, Sacred Heart Chapel – Welcome OLLU’s historic 130th incoming class (faculty/staff invited)
• 12:00 – Providence Path – Community lines Main Building 1st floor hallway to cheer and welcome new Saints (faculty/staff invited)