January 9, 2026 President's Town Hall | Nexus at RFU: Real examples & practical takeaways

At Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, the Nexus for Faculty Success is positioned as an institutional investment in faculty excellence, with direct implications for student learning and academic quality. Grounded in three pillars—teaching and clinical education, scholarship and research, and shared governance—the Nexus reflects an understanding of learning as a collective enterprise. Its work centers on creating environments that support rigor, accountability, and professional growth, particularly as expectations for faculty roles continue to evolve across higher education and the health sciences.

The program highlights how structured faculty development contributes to long-term institutional strength. Initiatives such as the Nexus Faculty Academy focus on supporting early-career faculty as they define sustainable teaching and scholarly trajectories, while the Coulson Innovation Award provides resources for experimentation in pedagogy and learning design. The scope also extends to current shifts shaping academic work, including the ethical use of artificial intelligence in scholarship, the application of Universal Design for Learning to improve accessibility, and strategies for addressing imposter syndrome. Together, these efforts underscore how intentional support for faculty development serves as a foundation for student success, academic innovation, and mission-aligned growth.

Panelists:
Susie Calkins, PhD, Director, Nexus for Faculty Success & Associate Professor, SGPS
Nancy Jao, PhD, Assistant Professor, Psychology
Aubrey Penney, Academic Program Coordinator, SGPS
Bryan Roush, MSED, Designer, Virtual and Hybrid Learning Experiences