Welcome to Mizzou! The Office of the Provost is planning several virtual and in-person events to welcome new faculty to Mizzou. Plans are in the works, so please check back to this website as new information and details are posted.
If you have any questions about New Faculty Orientation events or anything else that pertains to your transition to Mizzou, please email us.
Faculty Orientation Video
Please watch this welcome video for new faculty from the Office of the Provost.
New Faculty Orientation
Monday, August 17, 2:00pm-6:00pm: Reception hosted by the Office of the Provost for new faculty members to enjoy food, music, and time to meet your new Mizzou colleagues in a lovely setting in the heart of our campus.
Tuesday, August 18, 8:00am-4:00pm: New Faculty Orientation events will take place in the south tower of Memorial Union located at 518 Hitt Street. Stay tuned for more information about the sessions on research, working with your department chair, teaching supports, the graduate school, extension and outreach, and much more!
Wednesday, August 19, 8:00am-4:00pm:New Faculty Mentor Training. Mentoring at Mizzou is a professional development opportunity for Mizzou faculty and staff who mentor graduate students, post docs, and/or faculty. The program uses Entering Mentoring curricula developed by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research. This professional development uses an evidence-based, interactive approach designed to help mentors develop skills for engaging in productive, culturally responsive, research mentoring relationships – relationships that optimize the success of both mentor and mentees. Please note that as of fall 2024, all newly hired assistant professors are required to participate in the Mentoring at Mizzou training to be eligible to apply for doctoral faculty status and advise doctoral students. This policy was developed and approved by the Graduate Faculty Senate, the faculty governance body for graduate education in Spring 2024.
View specific 2026 College/School orientation events.
May 26, 2026 11:00-12:00 pm
The focus of this session was on what new faculty need to know about our community and local resources.
Click here to view the slides from this webinar.
Click here to view the video from this webinar.
June 9, 2026 2:30-3:30 pm
The focus of this session is on what new faculty need to know about HR, benefits, and related faculty resources on campus.
Click here to view the slides from this webinar.
Click here to view the video from this webinar.
June 23, 2026 3:00-4:00 pm
The focus of this session is on what new faculty need to know about campus supports for planning their syllabi and class activities.
Click here to view the slides from this webinar.
Click here to view the video from this webinar.
2026-2027 Supports
New Faculty Webinars
Meet Your Subject Librarian
Learn more about how our librarians work with faculty and academic programs.
Click here to schedule a one-on-one appointment with your subject librarian.
Plan For Success: Directing and Assessing Student Learning
Thursday, July 16, 2026 @12:00pm
Zoom link: https://umsystem.zoom.us/j/98029384789?pwd=Sjl5eDFGcEFyaDljb2ZlZmdYclFOZz09
Meeting ID: 980 2938 4789
Passcode: 643036
This session’s topic takes us on a deeper dive into how we can align well-defined course learning objectives with assessment strategies that give all students multiple opportunities to demonstrate their learning throughout the course. By the end of this workshop, faculty will have had an opportunity to generate clear, measurable, and attainable learning objectives that map to multiple measures of student learning.
Library Research & Teaching Orientation Webinar for New Faculty
Thursday, July 16, 2026 @1:00pm
Click here to register for this event.
Start your academic life at Mizzou with a clear understanding of how MU Libraries can support your teaching, research, and student success. This orientation-level webinar for new faculty will introduce key library services, resources, and support available through the University Libraries, including research assistance, access services, teaching and learning support, course-integrated instruction, collections, and tools that can help you and your students thrive.
Welcome to Mizzou Online
Friday, July 17, 2026 @ 12:00pm
Registration link: https://ds.libcal.com/event/16782575
This session offers a quick and helpful overview for anyone teaching online courses at Mizzou. You’ll learn:
- How to get support for your online teaching at Mizzou
- How Mizzou Online and UM Academic Technology work together to help you take your teaching to the next level
- Where to find professional learning programs like our Online Teaching Certification Seminar and Sprint mini-courses
Growing as an Online Instructor
Wednesday, July 22, 2026 @2:00pm
Registration link: https://ds.libcal.com/event/16782600
Exploring Online Teaching Certification introduces Mizzou instructors to the purpose, structure, and value of Online Teaching Certification. This session will explain who certification is for, how the Online Teaching Certification and flexible recertification pathways work, and why certification plays a critical role in supporting high-quality online teaching and the University of Missouri’s accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission. Whether you’re preparing to teach online for the first time or approaching your five-year recertification window, this webinar will help you understand your options, expectations, and next steps.
The Learning Journey: Implementing Engaging Instruction
Thursday, August 6, 2026 @12:00pm
Zoom link: https://umsystem.zoom.us/j/98029384789?pwd=Sjl5eDFGcEFyaDljb2ZlZmdYclFOZz09
Meeting ID: 980 2938 4789
Passcode: 643036
This workshop is designed to equip faculty with effective instructional strategies that encourage active student engagement. Attendees will explore how to deliver interactive lectures, employ questioning that invites student participation, and intersperse brief activities throughout their classes. Faculty will walk away from this session with practical examples and a toolkit of helpful methods.
Questioning the Bot: Teaching Critical Thinking with AI
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 @ 11:30am
Registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeN4L9rhb6eCVSsreKjuiQCrh20BnzkAdOCdajBHjOAvaa4_A/viewf orm?usp=header
Generative AI can produce answers instantly and (confidently!), but that doesn’t mean those answers are accurate, thoughtful, or complete. In this session, we’ll share classroom activities that ask students to question AI-generated texts to evaluate the quality and expose gaps, biases, or inaccuracies. These critical analysis activities can help students develop 21st century media literacy skills that are useful for all disciplines and apply to the media world beyond AI, too.
Making the Grade: Grading Practices that Support Meaningful Assessment
Thursday, September 24, 2026 @12:00pm
Zoom link: https://umsystem.zoom.us/j/98029384789?pwd=Sjl5eDFGcEFyaDljb2ZlZmdYclFOZz09
Meeting ID: 980 2938 4789
Passcode: 643036
In this brief session, we’ll dig deeper into the topic of grading in theory and practice, and how our own grading practices relate to the assessment of student learning. We’ll have a chance to consider together common grading challenges, such as subjectivity, inconsistency, grade inflation, and defensibility. By the end of this session, we’ll hopefully be better able to implement grading approaches that support meaningful assessment of student learning.
NextGen Clinical Trial Investigator Training
Friday, October 9, 2026 @ 8:00am-5:00pm
Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Building, Atkins Family Seminar Room
Registration link: https://redcap.missouri.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=KEY8X8AW7RN8HC8T
This one-day, in-person educational training is designed for investigators who currently lead or would like to lead clinical trials. The series includes lectures and panel discussions from leaders across the University of Missouri System, as well as Washington University, to define the regulatory, operational and ethical components of clinical trials, with the goal of developing a skilled workforce that provides the highest level of patient safety, teamwork and data quality. The program also covers institution-specific resources for investigators. There are approximately eight hours of online coursework that is done in Canvas prior to the in-person portion of the training.
The Power of Handwriting: Fostering Authentic Engagement in WI Courses
Friday, October 16, 2026 @ 12:00pm
Registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQe9hrywonG6Dk7hTJzR2ceLlElZQLwMzv-Yr25-qxOj8vAQ/viewform?usp=header
Many instructors are returning to handwritten assignments to keep students engaged in their learning. This workshop explores why handwriting slows thinking, boosts reflection, and supports deeper cognition – and how WI faculty are using it successfully across disciplines.
Think Like an Expert: Helping Students Organize New Knowledge
Thursday, October 22, 2026 @12:00pm
Zoom link: https://umsystem.zoom.us/j/98029384789?pwd=Sjl5eDFGcEFyaDljb2ZlZmdYclFOZz09
Meeting ID: 980 2938 4789
Passcode: 643036
How students organize knowledge influences how they learn and apply what they know, a point we’ll unpack in this session. Faculty will be invited to understand the differences in the way experts and novices organize knowledge, and then consider how we can help students organize their knowledge in more expert ways that facilitate effective knowledge application.
Rethinking AI and Academic Integrity
Thursday, October 29, 2026 @ 12:30pm
Registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeyho6tmyaVDZ2pQOnWVn8fGOJ8E1Vd0wd9DfQvmXmyIYIUMw/viewform?usp=header
Generative AI continues to reshape how students approach their coursework, raising important questions about authorship, accountability, and academic integrity. In this session, we’ll explore ways to address students’ AI use in WI classes beyond a rule-breaking framework. Instead, we’ll consider how assignment design, classroom conversations, and a focus on voice can invite students into more transparent, ethical engagement with AI.
Write to Reflect: Handwritten Journals in the WI Classroom
Tuesday, November 10, 2026 @ 8:30am
Registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdX49zSwuRyLHq-Ee99vLKKkCa_jQjotAQ-GVVXY_fZ88M4UQ/viewform?usp=header
Handwritten journals offer a powerful way to ensure students are thinking, processing, and engaging with course material. This workshop highlights how WI faculty across disciplines use journals to promote reflection, deepen learning, and reduce opportunities for AI misuse.
Engage to Learn: Supporting Student Motivation
Thursday, November 12, 2026 @12:00pm
Zoom link: https://umsystem.zoom.us/j/98029384789?pwd=Sjl5eDFGcEFyaDljb2ZlZmdYclFOZz09
Meeting ID: 980 2938 4789
Passcode: 643036
In this workshop, we’ll reflect on what factors impact learners’ motivation, and then explore ways we can motivate learners in our respective environments to support academic success and retention. Faculty will review practical strategies that encourage students’ agency and commitment to their own learning.
Introduction to Evaluation of Teaching: Peer Formative Review
Thursday, December 3, 2026 @12:00pm
Zoom link: https://umsystem.zoom.us/j/98029384789?pwd=Sjl5eDFGcEFyaDljb2ZlZmdYclFOZz09
Meeting ID: 980 2938 4789
Passcode: 643036
Our university encourages new instructors to engage in formative peer review as their initial experience with peer review and as an ongoing professional development strategy. Unlike summative peer review, which is primarily evaluative, formative peer review aims to identify effective teaching strategies to retain and explore new techniques for improvement. In this session, participants will familiarize themselves with the MU Formative Peer Review Checklist and Processes and have the chance to ask questions about this essential element for promoting effective teaching at Mizzou.
Faculty Development Appointment Groups
by appointment
Our instructional and media design teams are available to support you on a variety of topics. To register for a specific topic, click the link below:
- Academic Integrity: Want to promote academic integrity while supporting student learning? Meet with an instructional designer to explore assignment design strategies, AI guidance, authentic assessments, and proactive communication approaches. We’ll help you move beyond detection tools and focus on creating learning experiences that encourage originality, transparency, and trust.
- Accessibility: Is your course content inclusive and navigable for all learners? Book a session with an instructional designer to review your materials for digital accessibility. From screen-reader compatibility to closed captioning and alt-text, we’ll help you remove barriers and ensure your course meets universal design standards for every student.
- Assessments & Learning Activities: Are your assessments truly measuring what students are meant to learn? Schedule a consultation to align your learning objectives, activities, and assessments for greater clarity and impact. We’ll explore strategies for designing meaningful assignments, incorporating authentic and low-stakes practice opportunities, and creating clear criteria for success. Together, we’ll ensure your course activities actively support student learning—not just evaluate it.
- Canvas Organization: Is your Canvas course easy to navigate and aligned with your learning goals? Meet with an instructional designer to streamline your module structure, clarify page layouts, and improve consistency across assignments and assessments. We’ll help you organize content in a way that reduces student confusion, supports accessibility, and enhances the overall learning experience.
- Community & Social Presence: Looking to build stronger connections in your online course? Schedule a consultation to explore strategies that foster meaningful interaction, instructor presence, and a sense of belonging. From discussion design to personalized feedback and low-stakes engagement activities, we’ll help you create a learning environment where students feel seen, supported, and connected.
- Video Consultation: Ready to take your course videos from “webcam recording” to professional-grade content? Meet with our team to plan your scripts, discuss filming techniques, or refine your post-production workflow. Our goal is to help you create engaging, high-quality video assets that capture student attention and enhance learning outcomes.
- Visual Design Consultation: Does your course need a visual facelift to improve engagement and flow? Book a session with our team to focus on layout, branding, and the effective use of imagery. We’ll work together to create a polished, professional aesthetic that simplifies navigation and keeps your students focused on the content that matters.
Additional Resources
Online Teaching: https://teaching.missouri.edu
On-Campus Teaching: https://tlc.missouri.edu
New Employee On-Boarding: https://hr.missouri.edu/new-employees/information-new-employees
Health and Benefits: https://hr.missouri.edu/benefits-and-retirement
Parking: https://parking.missouri.edu
Canvas Site
New Faculty Members have a shared Canvas site, where they will find videos, resources, and information about a variety of important topics, organizations, and offices. To access, go to https://umsystem.instructure.com and login with your MU pawprint and password.