The Office of Faculty Affairs, Teaching and Learning with Technology, the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, the Office for Research Protections, and Penn State University Libraries have announced programs for new full-time Penn State faculty. These offerings include initiatives to foster professional growth, build a sense of belonging, and facilitate connections within the University community.
"We are thrilled to partner with colleagues across the University to launch comprehensive opportunities, which combine orientation, mentoring, technology training, and skill building to help ensure a successful start for our new faculty members," said Kathy Bieschke, senior vice provost and interim dean of Undergraduate Education. "By providing a supportive environment and valuable resources, we aim to empower our faculty to excel in their roles and contribute to our institution's mission of excellence in education, research and service."
New Faculty Orientation
The New Faculty Orientation (NFO) will consist of a one-afternoon, virtual live event to be held from 1-5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19, and an accompanying Teams site. The orientation will feature President Neeli Bendapudi and other executives, highlighting the institution's mission as a land-grant university, its multi-campus structure, and its commitment to teaching, research and faculty success. Faculty members also will be able to select their own learning experience and participate in breakouts relevant to teaching at Penn State, the use of technology and AI in the classroom, and interdisciplinary research facilitating a deeper understanding of the University's vibrant educational community.
New Faculty Canvas Site
The public-facing New Faculty Canvas Site provides vital information for new faculty members, offering insights into more than 25 offices and entities across the University. President Neeli Bendapudi has recorded a welcome video, expressing support to new faculty as they start their Penn State.
New Faculty Network
The New Faculty Network, a Provost Endorsement Program run by the Office of Faculty Affairs, is a mentoring program to support professional growth and foster connections within the University. By leveraging the expertise of mentors from Penn State Emerging Academic Leaders, also a provost endorsement program, the New Faculty Network focuses on academic and professional development, knowledge sharing, guidance, and enhancing academic performance.
‘Prep & Practice’ Sessions
Teaching and Learning with Technology is partnering with the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence and IT Learning and Development to host two “Prep & Practice” sessions to help further empower new faculty members. These sessions, titled "Preparing your Penn State Syllabus" and "Introduction to Canvas," will equip faculty with the necessary skills and knowledge to use technology effectively in their teaching practices. Faculty will learn about syllabus requirements and recommendations, best practices for organizing course content in Canvas, setting up assignments and grade books, and providing meaningful feedback to students. "Preparing your Penn State Syllabus," will be held from 10:30-11:45 a.m. or 1:30-2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, and "Introduction to Canvas" will be held from 1-3 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 13, or 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
New Faculty Discovery Series
The New Faculty Discovery Series connects new Penn State faculty with timely, relevant educational technology topics that support teaching and learning. Through informal conversations and insights from content experts from across Penn State, faculty will explore the tools and resources available at the University. For the first session, Teaching and Learning with Technology is partnering with the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence and Top Hat to explore active learning strategies that can be implemented using Top Hat’s polling and interactive features. “Leveraging Top Hat to Promote Student Engagement from the Start of the Term” will be held from 10-11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Provost Endorsement Program
The Provost Endorsement Program aims to make current large-scale professional development opportunities more easily discoverable and accessible to faculty across all Penn State campuses and colleges and to promote the growth of rich professional development opportunities. New faculty are invited to participate in any of the programs. The program below may be specifically beneficial for new faculty:
- “Embracing Teaching and Learning with Technology for New Faculty to Penn State” provides access to key teaching and learning with technology resources and support for faculty who are early in their careers at Penn State. Faculty enhance their knowledge of essential teaching and learning technologies, connect with peers across the commonwealth who are also new to the University, and learn about administrative units that support and provide faculty resources to faculty.
Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence — Fall 2026 New Faculty Programs
- This fall semester, the T3 (Targeted Teaching Transformation) Program is open to anyone new to teaching at Penn State. Get matched with a consultant and receive up to 10 hours of personalized support as you transition to teaching at Penn State. Work with a Schreyer Institute faculty consultant to build on your strengths, refine your teaching skills, and address questions that arise during your first semester. You're in the driver's seat — apply to the T3 Program here.
- "Building Your Classroom Discussion Repertoire." This in-person workshop series in the month of August is designed for faculty who want to grow their discussion strategy toolbox and put human connection at the center of their courses. You'll explore writing as a springboard for discussion, the Student-Centered Discussion model, and structured activities that invite equitable, meaningful participation. In each session, you'll experience the techniques firsthand, examine the thinking behind them, and leave with practical strategies ready to adapt for your own students and discipline. This series is designed for faculty new to Penn State to meet other new colleagues as they build their engaged class. Register for the "Building Your Class Discussion Repertoire" through the Schreyer Institute events page.
- "Put It Into Practice" is a three-touchpoint experience focused on how teaching unfolds in real time, not just how it is planned on paper. The program centers on a single, manageable class session or teaching segment from the first two weeks of the fall semester. You will workshop your segment with peers in a supportive, experimental environment; implement it in your own class with optional observation; and return to reflect on what happened in practice. The result is a structured but flexible arc: a brief pre-semester workshop, classroom implementation, and a follow-up debrief, with close attention to lesson flow, facilitation moves, and how the learning experience feels from the learner's perspective moment to moment. Register for "Put It Into Practice".
Research Integrity and Compliance Workshops
The recently rebranded Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) program, previously referred to as SARI, is designed to build awareness of ethical principles and meet federal requirements related to Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training. New full-time faculty should complete the RCR course in CITI, or may choose to attend two semester-based workshops within their first 12 months. Faculty also may find it helpful to know that graduate students are required to complete at least five hours of RECR training, along with the RCR course in CITI, so they can be supported in meeting these expectations. Graduate students are encouraged to attend an RECR orientation session in the first two weeks of the semester.
The Office for Research Protections offers additional training, including how to submit research protocols to the IRB and IACUC for those working with human subjects or animals, among other research ethics related topics.
To further support faculty development, those seeking practical tools for responsible research practices, clear expectations, effective mentoring, and avoiding common challenges are encouraged to enroll in the Provost Endorsement for Research Culture by Design: Mentorship, Integrity, and Practice.
Penn State University Libraries invites and strongly encourages new faculty to connect with our subject experts in order to:
- Meet their department or field’s library experts, known as library liaisons.
- Learn about or request instructional and research related support.
- Learn about, request or suggest library resources.
- Learn about open access policy and open publishing.
- Learn about research data management and additional research data related services.
- Learn about ways to reduce course material costs for students, including course reserves, open educational resources, and other library materials.
- Collaborate with University Libraries on student wellness efforts. Links to an external site.
- Penn State University Libraries (Link to Canvas Page)
For more information about opportunities for new faculty, contact facultyaffairs@psu.edu.