NEW FACULTY ORIENTATION | AUGUST 13-14, 2018

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As a new faculty member, we look forward to your participation in the new faculty orientation. The new faculty orientation will introduce you to critical information, resources, and support for your research, teaching, and service, and provide you an opportunity to meet key senior leaders of the University and hear about their vision.

The new faculty orientation is a two-day event focused primarily on teaching, research, and faculty and student success; optional sessions on Tuesday afternoon will focus on Canvas Learning Management System and HR benefits.

Optional Afternoon Workshops

1:00 – 2: 00 p.m.  – Canvas Training, IT Learning Spaces | Zarrow 120
(choose one)        – HR Benefits, HR | Zarrow 145 [pdf]

2:15 – 3: 15 p.m.  – Canvas Training, IT Learning Spaces | Zarrow 120
(choose one)        – HR Benefits, HR | Zarrow 145 [pdf]

Dinner

6:00 – 7:30 p.m.  – Dinner at Sam Noble Museum

Contact: Jill Irvine, Vice Provost for Faculty (jill.irvine@ou.edu)
Hong Lin, Interim Director for Center for Teaching Excellence (honglin@ou.edu)

See 2017 schedule here.
See 2016 schedule here.
See 2015 schedule here.
See 2014 schedule here.

Videos & Resources

Welcome to the University of Oklahoma (OU), where we have a proud tradition of service and leadership in teaching, research, and outreach. We are pleased you made the choice to join our outstanding faculty. Please take a few minutes to explore these quick guide videos to learn more about OU culture and traditions, and to get access to the university system even before you arrive at OU. We look forward to your contributions in making OU an ever stronger leader in teaching, research, and service.

» Watch Videos

» Download Sooner Sheets [PDF]

2019 New Faculty Seminar Series

The seminar series promotes an environment for conversations, interactions, and networking with new faculty and the campus community. Faculty will connect with the units and personnel responsible for supporting their careers in teaching and research. Lunch will be provided.

Tuesdays, September 3 to October 22, 2019
(8-Week Luncheon Meeting)
12:00pm–1:00pm

Download [PDF]

See 2018 schedule here.
See 2017 schedule here.
See 2016 schedule here.
See 2015 schedule here.

2019 New Faculty Profiles [PDF]

2018 New Faculty Profiles [PDF]

2017 New Faculty Profiles [PDF]

2016 New Faculty Profiles [PDF]

2015 New Faculty Profiles [PDF]

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) are a valuable asset in the University. Their responsibilities vary from teaching a course independently to grading assignments, preparing and presenting lectures, administering exams, assisting in the labs, holding office hours, and taking attendance. Therefore, positive interactions between professors and GTAs can tremendously enhance students’ educational experience, while poor interactions can negatively impact the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

Here are a few strategies that professors and GTAs can make concerted efforts to ensure positive interactions for everyone involved.

• Make Teaching a Team Project. Before the semester starts, meet with GTAs and review important components such as course goals, learning outcomes, structure, assignments, exams, and project deadlines. Make sure that grading criteria and expectations for students will be administered consistently. During the semester, involve GTAs on a weekly basis to provide you feedback on their work. Keep them abreast of materials you are teaching. Invite them to your class and make them very visible and accessible to your students. At the end of the semester, review and reflect on GTA work with GTAs, and give them candid feedback on their performance.
• Make Teaching a Mentoring Process. GTAs can/will grow professionally under your guidance and support. Meet them regularly and mentor them in the process. Acknowledge their accomplishment and work with them to improve. You can also give them teaching advice, let them give a lecture, write an exam, and/or design an assignment as a team.
• Make Teaching a Professional Development Opportunity. To help GTAs teach better now and prepare future faculty, you can direct GTAs to resources outside the department that may help them enhance their teaching. OU Center for Teaching Excellence has ongoing programs for GTAs on pedagogy, technology, and peer networking.

Reference: Nyquist, J. D. & Wulff, D. H. (1995). Working Effectively with Graduate Assistants. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

These recommendations will save precious time and help new arrivals feel more at home here in central Oklahoma.
» Live Well at OU

Extracurricular Information for Newcomers to
Norman and OKC, OK
(Compiled by Dr. Nancy LaGreca, OU Professor of Modern Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics)

These recommendations will save precious time and help new arrivals feel more at home here in central Oklahoma (Compiled by Dr. Nancy LaGreca, OU Professor of Modern Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics)

– FITNESS –

• GYM: Many good options in Norman; ask around or google for one close to you.

• YOGA: Yogalife studio for practice at any level. Advanced yoga practitioners may enjoy Ashtanga Studio.

• ZUMBA: To get on an email list re. zumba classes in Norman, email Shanika Bivines at nika@ou.edu

• RUNNING/WALKING TRAILS: Sutton Wilderness in Norman. Side note: dog park here next to Sutton.

• FOR THE AMBITIOUS: Koda Crossfit

– ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT –

• Fred Jones Jr Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma

• Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History

• OKC Museum of Modern Art

• Art House Cinema

• Moore Warren Theater. Enjoy table service, full bar, in the Balcony and Oscar’s Lounge

For listing of current ballets, concerts, and more:

Oklahoma City Arts Council: Click on “calendar”

Norman Art Council: Click on “calendar”

– GROCERIES, SPECIALTY –

Central Norman:

• Natural Grocer. Organic and specialty; Main between Mercedes and 24^th.

• Sprouts grocery. Organic and specialty; Main street near Flood.

• Forward Foods. Imported and domestic cheeses and other gourmet items. Carriage plaza, near Main and Mercedes.

• Super Target Grocery etc. On 24^th north of Robinson.

• Crest Supermarket. Across from Target.

• The Earth. Organic, Specialty. Neighborhood grocery and café.

• La Baguette. Bakery, pastries, café. Various locations.

• The Spirit Shop. Wine; liquors. Locally owned; knowledgeable, helpful staff.

Oklahoma City:

• Whole Foods Market
  

– RESTAURANTS AND CAFES –

CENTRAL NORMAN:

• Local Restaurant. Main and 24^th, Hastings Plaza. Focus on locally produced ingredients; nice ambiance; free on-site childcare facility “Localville” (CPR trained and background checked attendants, toys, crafts, mini movie theater)

• Benvenuti’s Italian restaurant. Main at the railroad tracks. Elegant historic ambiance. I recommend the pizza (great cheese-less pizza upon request) and the carpaccio salad.

• Abner Ale House. Irish pub; good fried pickles.

• Michelangelo’s Coffee & Wine Bar. Small, cozy.

• Gray Owl Coffee. Alternative coffee shop; many worktables and outlets.

• Scratch Kitchen and Cocktails

• Syrup Breakfast Boutique

• Blu Restaurant. American fusion, seafood, good wine list, contemporary. On Crawford south of Main.

• Misal Bistro – Indian – in Ed Noble Parkway shopping center, west of I-35.

• Mamaveca – Mexican and Peruvian Hemphill Dr. in Lowe’s parking lot.

CAMPUS CORNER/OU:

Restaurants and shops in Campus Corner:

• Thai Delight . Worth the extra walk to Jenkins, just north of Boyd, next to Vietnamese Pho, which is also good.

• Shawarma Vite. Limited table space, good Mediterranean food

• Blackbird Gastropub. University just north of Boyd.

• Legends. Lindsey west of Berry; a Norman classic; steak, seafood; dependable service. Surprisingly good vegan and vegetarian upon request. The lemon cake is a crowd pleaser.

• Classic OU watering holes: The Mont ; The Library

Worth the drive to Oklahoma City:

• Ludivine. Farm to table. One of my favorite restaurants for a special outing.

• Cheever’s Café. American/Southwest; consistently excellent food; great ambiance.

• The Mule. Hipster pub with thoughtful, creative menu.

• Café Antigua. Guatemalan.

• La Oaxaqueña. Central Mexican bakery and café; good reports from trusted sources.

• Red Piano Bar and the Park Avenue Grill. At the Skirvin Hotel.

• Queen of Sheba. Ethiopian; far, but well worth it.

• McNellie’s. Irish Pub in historic Midtown.

• Vast. 50^th floor views of Oklahoma City.

– FOR KIDS –

(*SOME FUN FOR GROWN-UPS TOO)

• *Norman Parks and Recreation. Our favorites: Lion’s, Reaves, Andrews (water park in the summer)

• Bart Connor Gymnastics

• Julia’s Academy of International Dance

• Gymboree

• Local restaurant. (Above) has an onsite, free, background checked childcare play facility.

• After-school care: Also, ask your local school administrator for providers who pick up kids for after-school programs

• Summer Camp: Language Immersion Summer Camp through OU Precollegiate Programs and MLLL. See website for other camp options.

• OU Swim lessons

Pre-schools and daycares that I have toured and/or that have a good reputation among my colleagues:

• Rose Rock School. (Waldorf/Lifeways method)

• Children’s House (Montessori)

• The Institute for Childhood Development (University of Oklahoma)

• Terra Verde school

• Middle Earth

• Gingerbread preschool

• Pumpkin Shell preschool

Babysitting: I have had luck finding babysitters on sittercity.com and care.com (after checking references thoroughly).

• Toys and Gifts: Kidoodles inside Copelin’s.

• Canine children: Dog Park. See also Myriad Gardens in Oklahoma City, below.

Worth the drive to OKC:

• *Myriad Gardens. Gorgeous. Lots to do.

• Frontier City. Amusement and Water Park.

• We have an impressive zoo and a science museum in Oklahoma City. I recommend the season pass for each.

• Fun in Edmond (40 min. from Norman) Unpluggits. Play and Craft Studio.

• OKC Children’s Theater

• OKC Ballet performance of the Nutcracker during the winter holidays (see arts calendar above)

Web sources for kids’ activities in the Oklahoma City Metro:

• Top 13 Places to Take Your Kids in the Oklahoma City Metro Area

• Metro Family Magazine: Oklahoma Family Fun.

• Free Kids Activities and Events in the OKC Metro

• Visit Oklahoma City: Things to do.
• OKC — Best Trips 2015 from National Geographic