Sponsored by The Division of Equity and Inclusion, Office of the Provost, UO Human Resources, and the Division of Student Life

 

Summary of Events

Detailed Itinerary

Employee Engagement Workshop for University Leadership* 10am-12pm 

Description: In alignment with UO’s strategic goal to create a flourishing community, Deans, Vice Presidents, and their leadership teams* are invited to learn about plans for supporting units in their efforts to continue to enhance employee engagement and for the 2026 employee engagement survey, which will once again be administered by Gallup and will be primarily focused on the Gallup Q12. 
 
The session will feature Dr. Tim Hodges, Senior Consultant at Gallup, who will share information about the science behind Gallup’s Q12, the connection between employee engagement and institutional performance, data-driven evidence on the impact of engagement, and practical strategies for leaders to drive engagement. There will be opportunities to ask questions and for discussion with your colleagues.

Each school/college/division is encouraged to invite up to 8 people to this workshop; if more space is needed, please reach out to learning@uoregon.edu. Attendees should include Deans, Vice Presidents, their core leadership team, and/or other team members involved in employee engagement related work within your area, as you deem appropriate. (This could include diversity council chairs, HR leaders, or team members who have led the administration of unit level surveys in the past, for example).  Click here to RSVP. 

Please note: This workshop will immediately precede Amplifying Action: A Summit on Employee Engagement and Flourishing. Attendees of the morning leadership workshop are encouraged to attend the plenary lunch and afternoon sessions. More information about the Summit will be forthcoming from DEI.  

Summit Plenary Lunch 12pm-1:20pm 

Concurrent Session 1 (1:30 – 2:45 p.m.)

Participants will register for one of the five sessions offered

Launch Committees: A Multi-mentor Support Model for New Faculty

Presenters: Chris Poulsen, Tykeson Dean of Arts and Sciences (College of Arts and Sciences); Sierra Dawson, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty & Leadership Development (Office of the Provost); Lisa Mick Shimizu, Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives (College of Arts and Sciences)

Departments: College of Arts and Sciences, Office of the Provost

Description: To support new assistant professors in their transition to UO, the College of Arts and Sciences has implemented a formalized multi-mentor model beginning in AY 2024-2025. Each Launch Committee—comprising the new faculty member, a convener, their department head, and a senior faculty mentor—provides guidance, encouragement, and confidential support throughout the first academic year. This initiative aligns with the IDEAL Campus Climate Initiative and Oregon Rising by fostering an inclusive, welcoming environment where faculty can thrive both professionally and personally. By prioritizing mentorship and belonging, we help new professors integrate into the university community and contribute meaningfully to its academic mission. 
 

Empowerment, Engagement, and Change: Fostering Inclusion and Eliminating Disparities

Presenters: Rich Margerum, Krista Chronister, Ina Asim, Ernesto Martinez

Departments: College of Design, Department of History, Division of Graduate Studies, Department of Indigenous, Race and Ethnic Studies (IRES) 

Description: In response to concerns about inclusion and disparities, four units have undertaken efforts to change curriculum, address student experiences, respond to service challenges, and improve GE onboarding. Presenters of each of these efforts will give short presentations describing their initial steps to make cultural and policy changes. The session will then break into smaller table groups to discuss two broader questions:

How do you translate new information and frameworks to implement change?

What are the barriers you are facing? 

Reimaging Spaces for Well-Being through Physical and Virtual Realities

Presenters: Sarah Kutten, Danny Pimentel, and Fatma Ali 

Departments: UO Portland Office of Student Life & Belonging; School of Journalism and Communication, Immersive Media Department

Description: Building a thriving community begins with prioritizing holistic wellness, allowing students and staff to flourish. In this interactive session, UO Portland will highlight projects designed to enhance well-being, including The Duck Nest, a dedicated wellness hub, and Seed to Sky, an augmented reality (AR) mural that explores the vibrant connections within Northeast Portland communities. Step into the experience—grab a VR headset or use your phone—and discover firsthand how emerging technologies are transforming both physical and digital spaces, big and small, to promote flourishing and well-being. 

Creating an Engaging Workplace: It Takes All of Us 

Presenter: Dr. Tim Hodges, Senior Consultant at Gallup

Departments: Office of Human Resources

Description: This session will introduce participants to the concepts of engagement. Employee engagement is everyone’s responsibility. When all employees help create an engaging workplace, creativity, productivity and passion fuel organizational success. In top-performing organizations, all employees share a commitment to engagement. These organizations communicate engagement goals and messages to everyone, collect and share best practices, and elevate issues that create barriers to engagement. This session incorporates findings from Gallup’s extensive ongoing research and practice partnering with organizations to measure and improve employee engagement. 

Concurrent Session 2 (3:00 – 4:15 p.m.) 

Participants will register for one of the four sessions offered
 

Managing Faculty Service Equity in UO Academic Units

Presenters: Ben Clark, Patricia Lambert, and Sophia Sienkiewicz 

Departments: School of Planning, Public Policy and Management, College of Design 

Description: This interactive workshop will present the toolkit, system, policies, and procedures developed by the School of Planning, Public Policy and Management to address ongoing disparities and dissatisfaction regarding faculty service workloads. Participants will gain tools to thoughtfully develop their academic unit committee structure and specific service assignments that will effectively, efficiently, and equitably meet the unit’s goals for each academic year. Through presentations, discussions, and role-play, participants will develop strategies and approaches to do the following: 

• Create an annual Faculty Service Handbook that outlines service assignments, committee structure, service roles and concrete deliverables for one academic year;
• Develop a data collection tool for annual assessment of faculty service, including invisible service; and

• Craft a new academic unit faculty service policy that reflects equity principles and addresses workload disparities. 
   

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Growing a Positive Climate by Embracing New Perspectives & Discomfort 

Presenters: Robyn Anderson, Taylor McHolm, Amanda Rosenberg, Stacey York 

Departments: Museum of Natural and Cultural History, Erb Memorial Union, Division of Student Life, Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact 

Description: As part of the IDEAL Climate Matching Grant and in an effort to build flourishing communities, our collective units embarked on initiatives to expand our stakeholders’ abilities to engage in challenging conversations, topics and situations through skill building. Through mini-interactive workshops, attendees will have the opportunity to explore, engage and ideate on how tools in these initiatives may be adapted or brought to their workplace situations. 
 

IDEAL Innovations: Building Flourishing Communities for Faculty, Staff, and First-Generation Students with Academic Residential Communities 

Presenters: Kevin Hatfield, Jessica Winders, Makaal Williams, Silvina Sousa-Ransford, Victoria Robinson (Contributor) 

Departments: University Housing & the Division of Undergraduate Education and Student Success 

Description: This session is designed to engage and develop faculty, administrators, and interested staff who want to learn about the innovative work happening at the nexus of University Housing & Undergraduate Education and Student Success. We will focus on providing tangible examples of how Academic Residential Communities (ARCs) and Residential Communities (RCs) are designed and implemented, including the variety of staffing methods used to support both curricular and co-curricular program elements. Leveraging the IDEAL Campus Climate Matching Grant, we have enhanced Faculty Recognition in the ARC program and developed a new symposium for sharing best practices within ARCs and RCs. This training will offer a high-level overview of those best practices that participants can take back to develop their own ARC or RC programs. Aligned with the UO Rising Flourishing goal, this session will highlight universally applicable practices that support First-Generation college students both in and out of the classroom. We will also discuss methods for compensating and recognizing faculty dedicated to making positive contributions to first-year students’ experiences. For those who already work with ARCs and RCs, you will learn ways to improve the experience of faculty and staff in the program and how to better serve First-Generation college students.  
 

The Power of Intentionality: The Art, Heart and Science of Faculty and Staff Retention

Presenter: Yvette Alex-Assensoh

Department: Division of Equity and Inclusion 

Description: In higher education, people are out most important resource, but there are internal and external conditions that create a revolving door for talented employees. In this workshop, we will discuss the push and pull factors associated with retention and provide tools and resources for retaining our valuable faculty and staff colleagues. 

The “Art Cart”  A Mobile Performance/Exhibition Space 

10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, EMU Green, no pre-registration required

Presenter: Stephen Rodgers 

Department: School of Music and Dance 

Description: The “Art Cart” is a mobile performance/exhibition space designed and built by a tiny-home company in Eugene, outfitted by an art collective called Harmonic Laboratory, and managed by the School of Music and Dance and the School of Art + Design. It is a 16' x 8.5' tiny home, which can be opened on the side to reveal a small performance/exhibition area.    The “Art Cart” will be set up on the EMU Green throughout the day, where passersby can hear everything from jazz tunes to roots music to a brass choir, and also enjoy art exhibitions, poetry readings, and more!   One of the “Inclusion Strategies and Initiatives” described in the university’s IDEAL framework is to “create new physical spaces for cultural and educational activities that promote inclusion.” Our project creates just such a space—a fully operational and easily transportable venue that brings people together around the creation and experience of art. 
 

Closing Reception 4:15 – 5:00p.m.