Learn the Data Literacy Essentials Needed for Higher Education in 2026 | |
Strengthen your ability to use data for decision-making with our Data Literacy in Higher Education program—an online, asynchronous series offered via Brightspace.
Start with Fundamentals of Working with Data (Jan 6th–Feb 16th, 2026) to build a foundation in data concepts, governance, and analysis, then continue with Storytelling with Data (Feb 17th–Mar 30th, 2026) to turn insights into impactful narratives.
Perfect for faculty, staff, and administrators who use data to inform planning, assessment, and strategy.
| | Career Readiness Champion Certificate Spring 2026 | |
Equip yourself to support student career success with Career Readiness Champion Certificate, an online program designed for faculty and staff across campus.
The three-course series includes:
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An Introduction to the Career Development Process (Jan 6th–Feb 16th) – Learn foundational competencies for advising, coaching, and guiding students in career planning.
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Designing Your Career Development Toolkit (Feb 17th–Mar 30th) – Explore career resources, campus services, and strategies to help students achieve their goals.
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Integrating Career Development into Your Role & Campus Culture (Mar 31st–May 11th) – Apply your learning to create a concrete plan for embedding career development into your work and campus environment.
Ideal for faculty, advisors, coaches, counselors, student affairs staff, and anyone supporting students’ career journeys.
| | DEISJ Curriculum Development Certificate Program | |
This three-course certificate supports SUNY educators in developing curriculum that aligns with SUNY’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice (DEISJ) General Education outcomes. Developed by SUNY DEISJ faculty fellows and staff, the program builds foundational knowledge and practical course design fluency.
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Course 1: Foundational Concepts in DEISJ (January 27th – March 9th, 2026)
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Course 2: Select Topics in DEISJ (March 10th – April 20th, 2026)
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Course 3: Building Your DEISJ Curriculum (April 21st – June 1st, 2026)
Audience: Faculty, adjuncts, librarians, instructional staff, graduate assistants, and others involved in course design or teaching.
| | SUNY Business Intelligence Workshops (Online) | | |
Join these live, half-day Zoom workshops to learn how to create, customize, and share reports using the SUNY Business Intelligence (BI) platform.
Two Introductory Student Data Workshops will be held on February 11th and March 17th, 2026, with an Advanced Workshop on April 30th, 2026.
Sessions run 1:00–4:00 p.m. ET and cost $50 per person, per workshop.
| | Nominations Open: Summer 2026 Leadership Program | |
SUNY Summer Leadership Retreat
August 3rd-7th, 2026
White Eagle Conference Center, Hamilton, NY
Now Accepting Nominations for the SUNY SAIL Summer Leadership Program. You may nominate yourself or someone else. Submit nominations before April 24th, 2026.
About the Program:
The summer program is a week-long retreat to enhance the leadership mindsets and skills of the participants, making them more effective leaders at their campuses and preparing them to take on more leadership responsibilities within SUNY in the future.
The week is devoted to the personal exploration of individual leadership, as well as gaining mastery in interpersonal, team, and collaborative dynamics. Throughout the week, participants are engaged in scholarly readings, thought provoking lectures, and challenging exercises, assessments, and case studies. Evening hours are devoted to fireside chats with senior leaders, coaching team feedback, team building and reflection. Participants leave with a professional development action plan and a new network of colleagues to assist them in continuing their growth.
| | Build Your Accessibility Skills with Deque University! | | |
Did you know that SUNY provides free digital accessibility training through Deque University — available to all faculty, staff, and students? Deque offers a rich catalog of self‑paced, online courses covering web accessibility, document accessibility (like Word and PDF), mobile accessibility, and even customer service for people with disabilities. These courses help you create more inclusive digital content that works for every SUNY community member.
Whether you’re a content creator, developer, or educator, there’s something for you — and most courses take 60–90 minutes to complete. After enrolling, you’ll receive a certificate for each course you finish!
| | Registration is open for the 2026 SUNY Online Summit! | | |
Dear Colleagues:
You are invited to join colleagues from across the SUNY system and beyond at the 2026 SUNY Online Summit, February 23rd-27th, 2026! This year’s event will be delivered virtually and free of charge.
The SUNY Online Summit is an annual SUNY-wide conference specifically focused on teaching and learning in the online modality. Over the past 25+ years, the Summit has evolved to address online learning in its entirety, including technology, student supports, administration of online programs, and instructional design. We welcome online faculty, administrators, instructional designers, technologists, concierges, faculty developers, researchers, students, and everyone who contributes to the success of online students. Anyone, including Friends of SUNY, are welcome!
Explore the Summit website for full conference details and registration information.
Register by February 16th, 2026 to receive access to the exclusive Summit Connect companion site in Brightspace where we will post all Summit session resources, supplemental materials, and continue the conversation in daily discussions. After February 16th, you’ll still enjoy the conference sessions, but access to the companion site will not be available.
We look forward to learning together and connecting with you at this year’s SUNY Online Summit!
| | SUNY Academic Innovation Grants | | |
The SUNY Academic Innovation Grants (IITG and OER Impact Grants) are now open for the 2026–2027 cycle, offering over $1 million to support projects that advance teaching, learning, and student success. This year’s focus areas include AI, openness, and accessibility. Please share this opportunity with faculty and staff on your campus.
Volunteer Reviewers Needed
We are seeking volunteers to serve as peer reviewers for the grant proposals. Reviewers typically evaluate 3–5 proposals and spend 4–6 hours reviewing during March. Applicants may also serve as reviewers; reviewers are not assigned proposals from their home campus. Sign up here.
Questions? Contact IITGrants@suny.edu.
We look forward to your proposals.
| | SUNY SURC 2026: Abstract Portal Now Open! | |
The 2026 SUNY Undergraduate Research Conference (SURC) is your chance to showcase your undergraduate research and creative projects across SUNY—and the abstract portal is officially open!
Conference Dates & Locations:
- SURC West – SUNY Fredonia, Tuesday, April 21st, 2026
- SURC Central – Upstate Medical University (Syracuse), Friday, April 24th, 2026
Students and mentors from all disciplines are encouraged to participate! More details will be shared soon—visit the portal for updates or email SURC@SUNY.edu with questions.
| | Save The Date: SUNY CIT 2026 | | |
The Conference on Instruction and Technology (CIT) is back! Join educators, technologists, administrators, and thought leaders from across SUNY and beyond for CIT 2026.
This year’s theme, “Designing the Future of Learning,” celebrates innovative teaching, resilient practices, and inclusive strategies that drive student success.
Key details:
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Dates: May 26th–29th, 2026
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Location: SUNY Stony Brook
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Keynote Speaker: Sarah Rose Cavanagh, whose keynote will explore her recent book Mind Over Monsters, focusing on how emotion and motivation shape engagement, resilience, and learning in today’s classrooms.
Proposal submissions are now closed, but registration will open soon. Don’t miss your chance to attend, connect, and collaborate with colleagues shaping the future of teaching and learning.
| | Call for Proposals – SUNY GradCon 2026 | | |
The purpose of the SUNY Graduate Research and Creative Activities Conference is to showcase the research excellence carried out SUNY-wide at the graduate level. SUNY graduate students from all academic disciplines are invited to submit their research, scholarly, and creative activities to the 2026 SUNY Graduate Research and Creative Activities Conference (GradCon) as panelist presenters or poster presenters.
Abstract submissions are due at 11:59pm on Sunday, February 22nd, 2026. The conference will be held virtually on Friday, May 1st, 2026.
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Register Now: SUNY General Education Conference | |
Registration is now open for the SUNY General Education Conference, taking place April 9th –10th, 2026 at the Holiday Inn Saratoga Springs in Saratoga Springs, NY. This annual conference brings together faculty, staff, and academic leaders from across the SUNY system to share ideas, strategies, and best practices related to general education.
The conference will feature sessions aligned with the SUNY General Education Framework, including topics such as diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice; civic discourse and engagement; artificial intelligence literacy; and sustainability. Attendees will have opportunities to engage in meaningful discussions and connect with colleagues from across the system.
Visit the conference website below to register and find additional details, including program information and logistics.
| | SUNY Technology Conference 2026 – Submit Your Sessions & Get Ready for Registration! | | |
June 8–11, 2026 • Lake Placid, NY
Empowering Education Through Technology
The SUNY Technology Conference (STC) is your chance to connect, learn, and share with colleagues who keep SUNY running.
Submit your sessions by March 31st, 2026, or start planning your schedule—conference registration for SUNY attendees only opens Monday morning, January 26th, 2026, at stc.suny.edu.
Key Details:
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Dates: June 8th–11th, 2026
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Location: Olympic Conference Center, Lake Placid, NY
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Early Bird Registration: $325 (through early May)
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Regular Registration: $450
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Hotel Rate: $144/night (per diem rate)
Share your expertise, join engaging sessions, and take advantage of CPD program points if your campus participates.
| | Instructor Spotlight: Nikki Childrose | | |
We’re excited to shine a spotlight on Nikki Childrose, Professor of History and Founding Director of the Center for Innovation, Teaching, and Learning at Columbia-Greene Community College, and instructor for SUNY CPD’s Assessment Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness Course 3: Championing Change: Applying Institutional Effectiveness on Your Campus.
Nikki’s course supports campus leaders who are driving innovation and change grounded in assessment, backward design, and team building. Through practical, real-world cases, participants strengthen their leadership, networking, and innovative thinking in a supportive learning environment enriched by diverse professional perspectives.
“If you are open to applying your experiences, honestly and authentically immersing in the learning environment, and investing in your future growth as a professional, you will not be disappointed.”
Reflecting on teaching, Nikki shares: “It is amazing to learn that although we may all serve really diverse institutions throughout SUNY and across the country (and even internationally), there is a similarity in the kinds of unique challenges we are experiencing—and together, we can rise to these challenges and imagine a very bright future for students, the communities we serve, and the mission of our institutions.”
Thank you, Nikki, for your passion, energy, and dedication to advancing assessment leadership and institutional effectiveness across higher education.
| | Connect, Share, and Collaborate on Viva Engage! | | |
Did you know? The SUNY Learning Commons on Viva Engage is your members-only space to connect with colleagues from across the SUNY system!
In the Commons, you’ll find:
- Communities of Practice and Groups focused on shared interests or professional roles
- Topic-based groups where you can dive into specialized discussions
- Spaces to share photos, updates, and event highlights
- And the option to request new groups for projects, initiatives, or emerging topics
We already have an active SUNY CPD group—and there are many other channels where you can:
- Ask questions
- Share resources and best practices
- Celebrate successes and milestones
Access is open to anyone with a Microsoft email, but to keep groups focused and relevant, you’ll just need to fill out a short form to be added.
Ready to get involved? Click the button below to see our active communities.
Let’s keep building our SUNY community together—one conversation at a time!
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