Faculty

Part of what makes SHIFT so innovative is the collaboration among the academic realm and student life. Faculty play a key role in SHIFTing the culture and establishing change. A handful of Signature Course faculty have joined in by integrating SHIFT related discussions into their existing course content and by enhancing protective factors of the classroom. These courses cover a wide range of topics, but share the unifying focus of caring for the success of their students.

Why give a SHIFT in the classroom?

SHIFT engages first-year students in their Signature Courses and supports additional faculty who are interested in further infusing well-being best practices into their courses. This initiative kicked off in 2019-20 with 38 instructors who taught over 1,700 students in their UGS 302 and 303 courses. SHIFT in Signature Courses now includes over 85 faculty and continues to expand.

What does it mean to be a SHIFT faculty member?

Faculty involved in this initiative integrate evidence-based protective factors in their course(s) (creativity, value varied perspectives, self-compassion, achievement motivation, etc.) that we know reduce substance use and mitigate its risks. These small shifts in instruction add up to large contributions toward changing campus culture.

How do I get involved?

Becoming a part of SHIFT faculty includes completing an hour-long training module and meeting with SHIFT academic leadership for an hour-long one-on-one workshop that could include classroom observation, syllabus audit and/or feedback on classroom activities.

If you are a UT faculty member interested in learning more, email us to connect! Discover more about ways you can get involved and hear directly from some of our amazing faculty.