February 24, 2025

TOP NEWS

FGCU faculty make commencement meaningful for our graduates

Left to right, Jaffar Ali Shahul Hameed, Ph.D., Mathematics Department chair and professor in the College of Arts & Sciences, Menaka Navaratna, Ph.D., associate dean and professor in the College of Arts & Science, Brian Johnson, Ph.D., associate professor of Mathematics in the Department of Mathematics, and Senthil Girimurugan, Ph.D., associate dean in the Honors College, during the fall 2024 commencement.

Interim Provost Dr. Tony Barringer is calling for increased commencement participation from FGCU faculty.

"I want to reach out to encourage the faculty to consider attending commencement. This encouragement stems from exceptionally low attendance that doesn't accurately depict our appreciation and dedication to our students," said Dr. Barringer.

Commencement is more than a ceremony; it is an opportunity to publicly acknowledge and celebrate student achievements. Faculty presence is a testament of their role in the students' academic journey and shows support at the culmination of the educational process.

“No doubt, seeing those who have taught, motivated, and mentored them makes commencement meaningful for our graduates,” said Dr. Barringer. “I urge you all to take this opportunity to appreciate them and all they have achieved. They could not have done it without you!”

By actively participating in this significant milestone, faculty reinforce the importance of FGCU’s mission and academic values. 

Faculty participants are part of the actual ceremonies, including marching in the faculty processional in full regalia and sitting alongside degree candidates.

FGCU encourages faculty participants to wear regalia from the school they graduated from. If faculty do not own their set, they may rent regalia through the FGCU Bookstore.

To have the regalia match their college colors, faculty will need to place an order by March 21, by emailing Tanya Preisinger at AM8356@BNCollege.com. (Faculty renting regalia from the bookstore will receive the 25% off employee discount.) 

**After March 21, faculty participating in commencement will be fitted with FGCU regalia colors, as supplies last, through the FGCU Bookstore.**

Below is the schedule for the four spring commencement ceremonies at Alico Arena, May 3 and 4, 2025.

Saturday, May 3

Ceremony 1 | 10 a.m.

• College of Arts & Sciences (minus psychology and integrated studies majors)

Ceremony 2 | 3 p.m.

• College of Arts & Sciences (only psychology and integrated studies majors)
• College of Education
• U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering

Sunday, May 4

Ceremony 3 | 10 a.m. 

• Lutgert College of Business
• The Water School



Ceremony 4 | 3 p.m.

• Marieb College of Health & Human Services
• Daveler & Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship 

Join the 2025 Student Government Candidate Forum sponsored by FGCU’s Office of Public Policy Events

The 2025 Student Government Candidate Forum, sponsored by the Office of Public Policy Events (OPPE), will take place 7-9 p.m., on February 24, 2025, Cohen Student Union, Room 201. The entire Eagle community is encouraged to attend this significant event and demonstrate support for student leaders dedicated to advancing student success.

Minority Rights: Is the Minority or the Majority Currently Winning?

Next up on the Provost's Seminar Series

Guest Speaker: Andrew Ballard

Assistant Professor Political Science, Florida State University (FSU)

Feb. 27, 3-4:30 p.m.

AB9 (The Water School), Room 106

Faculty Spotlight. Are you a FGCU faculty member who has achieved a recent milestone or an accolade? Email us: academicaffairs@fgcu.edu

Stay connected! Visit the Academic Affairs Events page to learn about upcoming events and get involved.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ORSP and Hanover Research Present

Webinar: Communicating Great Aims and Objectives

Hanover Resources Senior Grants Consultant Tom Kuhn, will present a webinar training on how to take an idea from a concept to a fundable proposal with an emphasis on developing compelling and focused aims and objectives.

We will discuss strategies for developing great hypotheses, aims, and objectives, and examine a case study of how one PI took their aims from good to great. This session will incorporate time for you to work on crafting your aims and objectives.

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

9:00-10:00 a.m.

Location: Teams

EagleLink RSVP

FGCU Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)

Faculty Fellow Program



Call for Applications

Click here to apply or scan the QR code above. 

Join us March 6, 2025 at the Resnick-Wynn Family Business Conference in partnership with FGCU!

The Resnick-Wynn Family Business Conference on March 6, 2025, offers FGCU faculty a unique opportunity to delve into the complexities of family businesses. The program includes a keynote address on navigating economic shifts, along with focused panels and presentations on cybersecurity best practices and successful leadership transitions. Join us for insightful discussions and networking with industry experts.

Learn more here.

 Let's get #ReadyTogether!

Join the Department of Emergency Management as we discuss the steps, resources, and strategies essential to a unified University response. 

Session 1 [In-Person} - The date has already passed.

Session 2 [Virtual] - Register Here

Session 2 is open to students, faculty and staff. Visit our Inform the Nest page for more information. 

EduBite Canvas Accessibility Made Easy: Quick Wins for Accessible Courses

There are two separate dates/times to accommodate different schedules, both sessions are the same, and you will only need to attend one.

• Session 1: Tuesday, March 18, 1-1:20 pm
• Session 2: Wednesday, March 19, 11-11:20 am
• Modality: Teams

Click here to register for Session 1 on March 18

Click here to register for Session 2 on March 19

Questions? Please contact us at elearning@fgcu.edu

🎓📚 Apply for Grant-in-Aid Program! 📚🎓

The application is open now

FGCU is offering awards for the 2025-2026 academic year to support employees in advancing their education! Whether you're a Support Personnel (SP), Administrative/Professional (AP), or Faculty member, this is your chance to take your learning to the next level.

🔹 Award Options

Full-time leave for one semester or Part-time leave for two semesters.

🔹 Eligibility

Open to Support Personnel (SP), Administrative/Professional (AP), and Faculty. Doctoral-level applicants must show satisfactory progress toward their degree.

🔹 Deadline to Apply:

Monday, March 10, 2025, by 5:00 p.m.

🎯 How to Apply:

Submit your application before the deadline to be considered for this incredible opportunity.

🔹 Read more about Grant-in-Aid and apply here:

🔗 https://www.fgcu.edu/ombuds/grantinaid#

Don't miss out on this opportunity to invest in your future! 💡 #FGCU #GrantInAid #EducationalLeave #CareerDevelopment #ApplyNow

The PhotoVOICE Project | Share your FGCU experience!

Deadline to submit photos: February 28, 2025

Use the QR code or link above to submit photos by February 28.

UPCOMING EVENTS

SAVE THE DATE - SOAR INTO SPRING 2025

Calling all FGCU SP/A&P Staff

Join your colleagues during the week of Spring Break for personal and professional development opportunities! 

End the week with free lunch at our Food Truck Rally on the Library Lawn!

Session Registration and Food Truck Rally Sign up Information Coming 

University Recreation and Wellness

February events

Visit us: www.fgcu.edu/university-recreation-and-wellness

WALK DAYS at FGCU

Join us and enjoy the benefits of walking

Each Tuesday and Wednesday until 2/26, or until spring break. 

United Campus Ministries (UCM) Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheon

"Faithful and Grateful" with guest speaker Jorge Lopez

RSVP by Feb. 18 to hmathews@fgcu.edu

FREE Blues Concert for FGCU's faculty, staff, and students



Tuesday, March 18 | 5:30 p.m.

Featuring from Clarksdale, Mississippi

Big A & the All-Stars and Super Chikan

Compassionate Caregivers Support Group at FGCU

Every other Wednesday at Merwin Hall, Room 120.

Upcoming: Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Please RSVP at rock@fgcu.edu

Student Faculty Partnership Program Info Panel

• Date: Wednesday, March 12
• Time: 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.
• Modality: In-Person at the Lucas Center (LIB-221) or Virtual via Zoom

• Click here to register to attend in-person
• Click here to register to attend virtually

If you are interested in learning more about the SFPP but cannot make it to the info session, you can read about the program and watch a video in the FGCU 360 feature here!

Questions? Please contact the Lucas Center at lucascenter@fgcu.edu

“Weathering the Future” with NOVA Executive Producer

Chris Schmidt

Office of Research & Sponsored Programs (ORSP) Announcements

ORSP is excited to announce that Effort Certification will be going live in Workday in February 2025!! 

ORSP will be holding training sessions in Workday Learning for Effort Certification Training. Whether you currently have an externally sponsored project or intend to apply for one in the future, this training is for you.

This training will show faculty and staff how to certify effort in Workday. Effort Certification is a requirement of Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.430 which contains the federal regulatory requirements for internal controls over certifying time expended on externally funded sponsored projects.

The University's practice is to utilize after-the-fact effort reporting to certify that salaries charged, or cost shared to sponsored awards, are reasonable and consistent with the work performed. It requires that each employee whose salary (or portion of salary) is charged to an externally sponsored project certify that the amount that the sponsor is billed for his/her work is reasonable in relation to the work that the employee actually performed.

All individuals involved with the administration and conduct of externally sponsored award activities, including central and departmental sponsored project administrators, principal investigators, and other research personnel must comply.

While we understand that not all projects are federally funded, Uniform Guidance also requires us to treat all projects with consistency so the effort certification will be on all externally sponsored projects.

  Please sign up for one of these sessions using the link below before the session date. 

Course Link: https://wd5.myworkday.com/fgcu/learning/course/e1d7e48ed2631001158206f323bb0000

Friday, February 21 -10-11 a.m. (Date has already passed.)

Friday, February 28 -10-11 a.m.

Friday, March 7 -11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Friday, March 14 -10-11 a.m.

Friday, March 21 -11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Friday, March 28 -11 a.m. - 12 p.m. 

FGCU has received a new federal rate agreement from the Federal Government.

Our F&A costs effective immediately are 43% for on-campus activities and 19% for off-campus activities. The rates will be applied to all applications submitted on and subsequent to January 13, 2025. 

ORSP staff will work with faculty to ensure proper rates are applied. If you have existing sponsored program funding the rate at the time of application or budget amendment will be honored.

If rebudgeting occurs on an existing award, new rates will be applied. Reach out to ORSP if you have questions.

New platforms for IACUC and IRB protocols through Streamlyne

ORSP is excited to announce that there will be new platforms for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols through Streamlyne. These platforms will allow us to better track protocols and renewals. Please note that training will be required before you can enter an application. Please note that training will be required before you can enter an application.

With regard to IACUC – as of today, Formstack forms are no longer available. Please contact Sherry Alexander sralexander@fgcu.edu for information and training on the new process through Streamlyne.

With regard to IRB – The IRB application process will transition to the Streamlyne platform on March 1^st. The current Formstack application will be deactivated and closed to further submissions on Friday, February 28^th. All users are required to complete training to be given access to the new management platform. To sign up for training, please register at: https://wd5.myworkday.com/fgcu/learning/course/e1d7e48ed2631001a7c8ad45544c0000

For questions, please reach out to Sherry Alexander sralexander@fgcu.edu.

The compliance team in ORSP looks forward to sharing these platforms with you and will be available to assist you as this moves forward. Keep a lookout for more information later.

Implementing Effort Certification in Workday

With the assistance of Information Technology Services (ITS), ORSP will be initiating Effort Certification in Workday. Effort Certification is a requirement of Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.430 which contains the federal regulatory requirements for internal controls over certifying time expended on externally funded sponsored projects. The University's practice is to utilize after-the-fact effort reporting to certify that salaries charged, or cost shared to sponsored awards, are reasonable and consistent with the work performed.

It requires that each employee whose salary (or portion of salary) is charged to an externally sponsored project certify that the amount that the Government is billed for his/her work is reasonable in relation to the work that the employee performed. All individuals involved with the administration and conduct of externally sponsored award activities, including central and departmental sponsored project administrators, principal investigators, and other research personnel must comply.

The labor provided by an employee often is called his/her "effort." The method by which an employee certifies his/her effort depends on whether the employee is "non-exempt" (also called "hourly" i.e., that he/she is paid by the hour and fills in bi-weekly time sheets), "exempt," (also called "monthly," i.e., that his/her salary is stated by the month, semester, or year, he/she does not fill in bi-weekly time sheets), faculty, (9-month, 12-month, or out-of-unit) or student (including OPS salary who also fills in bi-weekly time sheets with the hours worked on each project they are assigned.)

Effort Certification will be initiated by ORSP in Workday within 60 days after the end of each semester, fall, spring, and summer. The effort certification will be routed for approval and review at the college level grant/budget manager, then to the employee, then to ORSP. Student/OPS effort will be certified by the principal investigator for the project, not the student/OPS worker. Once you log into Workday, the effort will show under notifications. There you will review the effort and decide whether it is the amount committed and hit approved. If the amount is not what you expect to see, you must hit "send back" with a comment on what the issue is, so the effort can be checked and adjusted, if necessary.

We ask that you not hit the "Change Effort" button. The changing of effort requires ORSP to review the budgeted amount and compare with the effort shown in Workday. Once confirmed, the department will enter any salary adjustments, if needed.

The following is an expected schedule for the Effort Certification to be initiated in Workday:

• Fall – ORSP will send notifications to grant/budget managers review in mid Jan – Feb will run Fall effort - Should have all effort certified by March/April.

• Spring – ORSP will send notifications to grant/budget managers review in late May will run Spring effort in June - Should have all effort certified by July/Aug.

• Summer –ORSP will send notifications to grant/budget managers in September and will run Summer in Oct. Should have all effort certified by Nov/ Dec.

ORSP will be announcing training sessions for grant/budget managers, principal investigators and employees that include handouts with instructions regarding effort certification prior to the release.

One can also sign up for a training on the Workday Open-Lab Sessons when they are announced. It is scheduled for April 4, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. In the meantime, please reach out to ORSP with questions.

Opportunities for Your Students

Fellow Opportunity for Students

The Florida Council of 100 is seeking a Fellow for the 2025 summer and is accepting applications from qualified graduate students (or undergraduate students who will graduate this spring). Attached is a description of this paid position. The application deadline is March 7, 2025.

The Florida Council of 100 (fc100.org) is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of business leaders committed to promoting economic growth and improving the quality of life for the people of our state.  The Council works closely with the Governor and state agencies, the Legislature, the Court, and other private organizations, to effect positive change in the state and improve the quality of life for Floridians.

Through their reports, position statements, policy letters, issue advocacy, and public relations, the Florida Council of 100 keeps state leaders and policy makers apprised of key topics relevant to today’s Florida and makes recommendations for enhancing state policies and programs in ways beneficial to all Floridians.  The Fellow will further these endeavors by conducting public policy research, drafting publications, and assisting in other substantive tasks, as assigned.

Applicants should respond to Steven Birnholz, Executive Vice President, Florida Council of 100, at sbirnholz@fc100.org.

Study in Scotland this summer

Scholarship online application: https://fgcu.formstack.com/forms/st_andrews_society_scotland_scholarship

University of Stirling online application:

https://www.stir.ac.uk/international/international-summer-school/

Contact FGCU Study Abroad at studyabroad@fgcu.edu for more details

Submission requests must be sent to academicaffairs@fgcu.edu by end of business on the Wednesday of the prior week. Submissions received after this deadline will not be shared until the following newsletter.

Please send attachments as either a .PNG or .JPEG file 250kb or less.

.PDFs are NOT accepted.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and content expressed in these programs, events, and materials are those of the author(s)/presenter(s) and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views, positions, or endorsements of Florida Gulf Coast University's Academic Affairs Division.