This Week in LANG 2/9/2026

In this Edition: “Chair Office Hours M11-1 (virtual), T 11-1(f2f and virtual), W 11-12 (virtual), Chair out of office: R and F, Listening Session Re: Committee Structure Friday 2:30-3:30 (Zoom)”

Dear colleagues, 

Wishing everyone a great week as the weather is looking more typical for February. Spring is just around the corner. Please note that I will be out of the office this week Thursday to next week Tuesday. I will have access to email but my response time will be slightly delayed. I will host the listening/discussion session regarding the revision of our committee structures on Friday 2/13 at 2:30-3:30 in my Zoom.

Dates and Events this Week

Chair Office Hours Week of February 9:

M 11-1 (virtual), T 11-1(f2f and virtual), W 11-12 (virtual)

Chair out of office: R and F, Acting Chair: Dr. Kai Werbeck 

Thursday, February 12

  • NinerCare Liaison Training for Faculty-Led Study Abroad, 3:00-5:30, CHHS 128

Friday, February 13

Looking Ahead: Dates and Events Spring 2026

February 19-20

  • Heritage Language Symposium 

February 26

  • Poetry Slam, Cone After Hours, 6:30–8:30

February 27

  • Department Meeting, Mebane 434, 2:30-4:00

March 20

March 26

  • Faculty Forum for Associate Professors interested in learning about Promotion to Full 

March 27-28

  • SEACS Conference

April 24

  • Department Meeting, Mebane 434, 2:30-4:00, end of year party 4:00-6:00

May 11, 12, 14 and 15

  • GLI Institute

May 13

  • 4th Charlotte AI Summit for Smarter Learning

Congratulations

Congratulations to Dr. Sandra Watts whoI gave a presentation titled ” International AI: Ethical Decision-Making for Multinational Contexts” to the Global Charlotte GLII community. In addition, one of her students as Lee Barnes Fellow was accepted to Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He is a first gen Finance major and Philosophy minor, Army veteran, and adult student. 

Congratulations also to Dr. Watts as she  was invited to represent Higher Ed on InsightJam’s Mesh Lab Kickoff Panel: The Future of Work and Learning. 

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Information for Faculty and Staff

Office of Research Services Office Hours in CHESS

Starting this week, staff from the Office of Research Services in the Division of Research are holding weekly office hours for CHESS faculty and staff in Fretwell 324D (in the suite with our business team). The schedule is as follows:

Pre-Award: Jordan Rizzo, Tuesdays from 10am-12pm

Post-Award: Kim Wilson, Thursdays from 9am-10:30am

                    Michael Cohen, Thursdays from 10:30am-12:00pm

Faculty and staff should use this sign-up sheet to select an appointment time. Pre-award consultations may involve questions about proposal development and budget preparation. Post-award covers the full range of concerns after an award is received. The hours and sign-up link are also posted in the CHESS calendar.

OUR Proposals
The Office of Undergraduate Research is accepting submissions for mentored project proposals and mentored community partner project proposals for the 2026 OUR Fall Research Program.

Need more Travel Money?

Present Your Lectures to Seniors and Earn a Speaker Fee 

Our senior residential communities are getting ready to pick their CHESS Lifelong Learning speakers for 2026-2027! Fresh ideas are collected all year long for this enthusiastic audience, but please submit your topics by February 5 for consideration this year. There are 14 available evenings. This program matches CHESS speakers with two community partners, in exchange for a speaker fee payable to the dean’s discretionary fund. Your portion of $500 is transferred to your designated unit of record. It’s a great way to make the most of an existing lecture or to try out something new in a safe space. chess-events@charlotte.edu 

GLI Institute
Charlotte Global invites faculty members to apply for the Global Learning and Internationalization Institute (GLII), scheduled in person on May 11, 12, 14 and 15. We will not have the Institute on Wednesday May 13, so interested faculty can attend the 4th Charlotte AI Summit for Smarter Learning. GLII is a faculty engagement and development initiative to support and align with the University’s Strategic Plan 2021-2031 Shaping What’s Next and our status of a top-tier research university. Faculty completing the GLII will receive a $1,000 stipend for professional development. More information.

Upcoming Events

2026 Poetry Slam

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2026 Heritage Language Learning Symposium 

The 2026 Heritage Language Learning Symposium will occur on Thursday, February 19, and Friday, February 20, 2026 (10:00 am – 6:00 pm US EST each day). For 2026, the symposium will feature five prominent scholars engaged in Heritage Language Education. The presenters will share their research and practical experience with UNC Charlotte faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, as well as K-12 educators and attendees from other institutions. 

The Symposium will promote a broad understanding of literacy practices and training for heritage speakers by bringing together experts in bilingual education in Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish.

Please visit the website to find the program, abstracts for the research presentations, and workshops, as well as the registration form.

Wishing you a good week. 

All the best, 

Anabel