campus columns

Retiring from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The work that we do as faculty members is an important part of our identity – more so than with any other profession – and deciding when to transition to retirement is a significant life decision that requires preparation encompassing financial, social, and personal factors.

international students in homecoming parade holding country flags

Advising International Students

Explore ways in which faculty can better support international students with a faculty resource that discusses some of the challenges international students face.
faculty at desk viewing computer screen

External Professional Development Resources

Articles, Webinars, and Workshops
External resources to help faculty with their professional development, including the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity, Inside Higher Ed, and the Chronicle of Higher Education.
faculty working group

Faculty Service

Meaningful Service and Work Balance

Faculty service — one third of the tripartite mission of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln — has an impact. It impacts the institution, the students, our colleagues, and the citizens of Nebraska as well as those around the world.

Eric Malina teaches a chemistry auditorium class

Teaching Large Classes

Tools for active engagement
Teaching large classes can be challenging. Here are some tips for teaching and managing these classes.
Updated December 2020
Students and faculty at the Hate Will Never Win rally

Recruiting Diverse Faculty

Considerations to keep in mind when creating diverse and supportive communities

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln strives for excellence through diversity and inclusion. A diverse faculty supports success among our diverse student body; improves classroom discussions; and provides our students with better preparation for excellence in the global marketplace.

Textiles, Merchandizing, and Fashion Design faculty having a meeting

Inclusive Meetings

Shared leadership is a mutual responsibility
We have all been in meetings where someone monopolizes the discussion, someone is brusque and argumentative, or someone has great ideas but does not speak up. Facilitating and managing inclusive meetings takes skill and practice.

Facilitating Safe and Civil Discourse

Balancing academic freedom with safe and civil behavior on our campus
Teaching and learning are our most important academic endeavors, and in a climate where faculty are reporting unprecedented levels of incivility in their classrooms, we must balance academic freedom with safe and civil behavior on our campus.
Updated December 2020
The cupola on top of Love Library lit up red

Academic Misconduct

What to do if you Suspect a Student has Engaged in Academic Dishonesty
Despite the hope that all students demonstrate academic integrity, one of the most challenging classroom issues is academic dishonesty. Instructors are often put in the difficult position of trying to figure out what happened and how best to proceed.
Paint handprints

Encouraging Academic Integrity

Promoting honesty in the classroom
If students cheat in their educational experiences, they cheat themselves, but they also diminish our university’s reputation. Academic integrity gives employers and the community confidence in student knowledge and skills. Honest students are honest citizens.
Rainbow colored polygon graphic

Creating Gender-inclusive Educational Environments

Every person and every interaction matters
Using chosen names and pronouns is an important way to demonstrate awareness and acceptance of all students, particularly transgender and gender diverse students. As a leader in classrooms and labs, faculty have the responsibility and the opportunity to create a more inclusive environment.
Bokeh graphic

External Awards and Recognition

Set and keep your career on an award trajectory
Faculty honorific awards amplify the visibility and recognition of your scholarly activity, increase networking and collaboration opportunities, and enhance the national and international profile of your department, college, and the entire university.
Faculty member working remotely

Remote Working

Lessons Learned from the Pandemic
As we have become adept at using Zoom, Microsoft Teams, WebEx, and other online platforms, these technologies have re-structured our workday, making managing the logistics of remote working tricky. Here are some tips gleaned from a year of remote working to carry forward into the future.
Conversation bubbles

Navigating Difficult Conversations

Engage in active listening and show that you care
Healthy work and learning environments are created when people are respectful and communicate that they care about each other. However, there are times when people are not respectful, kind, nor considerate and it is during these times that navigating difficult conversations can be tricky.
Two women in chairs in front of a table

How to be a Successful Mentee

Get the guidance, support, advocacy, and expertise you need
Being mentored as a student is very different from being mentored by a colleague, especially when that colleague may vote on your tenure or promotion. We want to forge the best relationship possible.
Two men in front of a computer screen

How to be a Successful Mentor

Create a successful mentoring relationship
As faculty, we now mentor students, junior peers, and even those who are in equal rank. Being a mentor is a great responsibility. It can take a lot of time and effort on your part to do it well.
UNL campus covered in snow

Instructional Continuity

Planning for the unexpected
While there are times during inclement weather that it may be unsafe to come to campus, the university aims to continue functioning whenever possible.
Student and teacher

Leading and Teaching with Compassion

Help your students feel supported
Compassion is understood to mean active sympathy or a willingness to bear the pain of others without becoming engulfed or overwhelmed with the pain or suffering.
Two people shaking hands

How to be a Better Negotiator

Do not be afraid of negotiation
Negotiation is a problem-solving exercise. Before starting, ask yourself: What do I want? What do I think the other party wants? Do I or the other party have any leverage? What are the circumstances surrounding the negotiation?
Blocks with social media icons

Managing Your Digital Footprint

In today’s world, your digital footprint matters
Take time to consider what your digital footprint is currently and what you would like it to be.
A group of students in the Haymarket looking at a picture on a phone

Student Mental Health and Resources

Stress, depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, eating disorders, and other mental health challenges affect at least 1 in 5 college students. Faculty can be an important source of support for UNL students.
Updated April 2021
Staff members chatting in the Gaughan Center

Resilience

Learn how to bounce back from adversity
Resilient people seem to roll with the punches and recover quickly from setbacks and disappointments. We are living in turbulent times and the stress associated with our jobs often leaves us feeling less than resilient.
holding hands to show support

Supporting Colleagues Through Grief and Loss

Knowing how to help ourselves, as well as our faculty and staff colleagues, cope with loss is essential to creating a caring and inclusive university environment.
stop sign in clouds

Preventing Workplace Bullying

Taking a strong position against workplace bullying

"Bullying" is characterized as negative, unwelcome behavior that is repeated and/or severe enough that a reasonable person would find it marked by intolerance, hostility, harassment, and/or intimidation.