Welcome to Lehigh!
This year’s New Faculty Orientation (NFO) will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, August 14 and 15, with an optional third day on Friday, August 16.
On Wednesday evening, there will be a dinner for new faculty and their families. Kids are welcome—there will be kid-friendly food, plus movies, games, and more.
Tentative Schedule
Wednesday and Thursday
On Wednesday and Thursday, NFO will run from 7:45 or 8:00 am until 4:00 or 4:15 pm. Breakfast and lunch will be served, and there will be breaks in the morning and afternoon. Vegetarian and gluten-free options will be available.
The event will be held in the Business Innovation Building on Lehigh’s Asa Packer campus, at 201 E Packer Ave, Bethlehem, PA 18015.
At NFO, you’ll hear from campus leaders about Lehigh’s mission, history, and core values; from offices on campus that support faculty in their research, teaching, and service; from offices that support diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for the entire Lehigh community; and more. There will be presentations, hands-on “micro-workshops,” and panels for discussion and Q&A. Plus, plenty of time for networking with your new colleagues.
The sessions on Wednesday and on Thursday morning are for all new faculty. Thursday afternoon’s sessions will be primarily designed for tenure-track and tenured faculty, though term faculty (Teaching Professors, Research Professors, or Professors of Practice) are welcome to stay if they wish.
Wednesday Evening
Please join us on Wednesday evening, 5:00–7:00 pm, for our New Faculty Reception. Partners and kids are welcome! We’ll have kid-friendly food (and, of course, grown-up friendly food and drinks), plus movies, games, and more.
Friday
Friday, August 16 is an optional third day of NFO. We’ll have signups for professional headshots and campus tours, plus drop-in “office hours” with offices such as the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, the Provost’s Faculty Affairs team, the Office of International Students and Scholars, and more.
Summer Webinars
We will be hosting three webinars during the summer for new faculty as they prepare for their arrival at Lehigh. These webinars are optional, and will be recorded if you’re unable to attend but wish to view them later. You'll need to log in with your Lehigh credentials to access the recordings. If you haven't already set up your Lehigh e-mail, please see the instructions on the faculty onboarding page.
The topics of the webinars are:
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Welcome to Life at Lehigh. Hosted by leaders from Human Resources, this webinar will introduce you to some of the perks and pleasures of working at Lehigh University and living in the Lehigh Valley. We'll discuss Lehigh wellness and engagement benefits, as well as onboarding steps you can get started on during the summer. We'll also discuss ways to take advantage of all that Lehigh University and the Lehigh Valley have to offer.
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Thursday, June 20, 2:00-3 pm EDT
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Your First Semester in the Lehigh Classroom. Bill Gaudelli, Vice Provost for Innovation in Education, will provide an overview of the shift to a model of learning that is based on User-Designed Inquiry at Lehigh, part of our new strategic plan. The essence of the model is providing a flexible, user-centered learning experience that allows the unique attributes of students to shine and supports engagement by amplifying student choice and agency throughout course design and execution.
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Tuesday, July 2, 11 am-12 pm EDT
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Libraries and Computing Resources at Lehigh: Lehigh faculty count on Library and Technology Services (LTS) for expert guidance in the effective use of library resources and academic technologies for teaching and research. In this session, led by Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning Greg Reihman and colleagues from LTS, you will learn about LTS places (libraries, classrooms, and computing labs); services (expert consultations on library materials, instructional technology, academic software, and research computing); systems (email, storage, video conferencing, course management, etc); and our approach to supporting faculty engagement with emerging technologies (AR/VR/XR, AI, GIS, Digital Communications, etc).
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Wednesday, July 24, 1-2 pm EDT
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Accommodations
There will be vegetarian and gluten-free options at all meals. The Business Innovation Building is ADA compliant, although parking is not. There are a limited number of handicapped parking spots on the street near the building. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these or other accommodations, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I wear?
Most attendees and presenters wear some version of “business casual,” but feel free to dress however you are most comfortable.
If I joined Lehigh recently but didn’t attend NFO, can I attend?
If you joined Lehigh in January, 2024 or later, you are welcome to attend. If you joined earlier but still wish to attend, please contact us to discuss.
Who should I contact with questions?
Please feel free to reach out to Daniele Holland (drh514@lehigh.edu) or Janele Krzywicki (jak511@lehigh.edu) with any questions about New Faculty Orientation.
More Information
Stay tuned for more information, including a more detailed agenda, later in the summer. In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out. We’re looking forward to meeting you in August!