Documenting Improvement and Preparing for Promotion
A page within Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning (CATL)
Documenting Improvement and Preparing for Promotion: Workshop Series
Who? Any instructor going up for any part in the promotion process in the coming years; IAS and faculty are both encouraged to participate; ideal participants in their 2nd to 5th year at UWL
What? A year-long series of workshops, information sessions, and supported work time to explore the promotion process as well as plan for and reflect on assessments as part of documenting improvement
When? Throughout the academic year
Step 1: Assessment Workshop
Assessment: Revealing Opportunities for Student and Teacher Growth
Date and Time: Friday, October 10 as part of CATL Mini-Conference, from 8:50-9:45am
Location: 3314 Student Union
Description: In this session, we’ll discuss how to design assessments that are useful and meaningful, not just required. Differences between direct and indirect assessment methods will be explained and we will walk you through the steps of planning quality assessments to address a variety of learning outcomes. Participants will have the opportunity to brainstorm and develop techniques for implementing direct assessments in their courses.
Presenter: Tesia Marshik, CATL Specialist - Documenting & Assessing Student Learning
Register or express interest.
Join us for a full day of sessions!
Review the full CATL Mini-Conference schedule.
Step 2: Assessment Commons
Assessment Commons 2026: Engage
Date and Time: Wednesday, January 21 from 12:30pm - 4:30pm
Location: The Union
Description: Details to come
Presenters: Various
Step 3: Advice from Promotion Committees (Provost Supported Sessions)
Faculty and IAS Advice and Information from Promotion Committees
*** Workshop offered by the Provost Office; promoted as part of this series since documenting improvement and using assessment are important parts of the promotion process. ***
Date and Time: TBD for 2026
Location: TBD
Description: This session is intended specifically for IAS and tenure track faculty in years 2-5; however, new department chairs and members of department promotion committees are also welcome and encouraged to attend. Discussion items include the promotion process, as well as necessary artifacts and resources for their development. We will also discuss the promotion process and the required documents including narrative and digital measures report. We will review the composition of the promotion narrative, effective communication to a broad audience, and documenting data-informed (closed-loop) assessment in teaching.
Presenters: Ronda Leahy, Ryan Friesen, members of JPC and IAS-PC
Step 4: Assessment Hunker
Assessment Hunker
Due to low attendance last year, it is undecided if this will occur again in Spring 2026. Updates will be posted here as decided.