Applications are due Friday, Jan. 16, 2026.
Program Overview
CATL is pleased to announce that the peer teacher mentoring begun in 2022 based on recommendations from the Teaching Effectiveness Working Group and the University Committee will continue in the Spring 2026 semester with Provost support.
The purpose of the program is to provide mentoring and support for professional development related to teaching. Additionally, this program can help build a culture of collegial teaching observations. Professor David Voelker (Humanities and History) will work with up to four faculty and teaching professor colleagues this spring semester. In addition to serving as a teaching mentor for the past three years, David has co-facilitated the UWGB Teaching Scholars program and the UW System’s Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars program. He has taught in most modalities, including in-person, hybrid, virtual classroom, and asynchronous online. He has experience working with colleagues across all four colleges at UWGB. He has completed both the “Teaching with AI” course (offered by CATL in partnership with Auburn University) and CATL’s new “Essentials of Accessibility” course.
David will work with each mentee instructor on a course of their choosing, providing feedback about classroom practices. He will meet with each instructor both before and after observing a class session. Mentees will also complete reciprocal peer observations with another participant in the program to benefit from additional feedback and to gain experience in conducting formative teaching observations. Participants are welcome to choose courses in any modality for observation.
At the end of the year, the teaching mentor will provide a written, confidential evaluation of each mentee’s teaching performance. The mentee will have the option of including that evaluation in their file for contract renewal, tenure, or post-tenure review but will not be required to do so. This process is different from typical CATL observations which are instead conducted at any time to address a specific teaching issue or concern, not to provide an overall evaluation of teaching performance.
Why Should You Sign Up to Be a Mentee?
Participation in this program will give you two opportunities to discuss your teaching in depth and to receive detailed feedback from a supportive observer. Participation also demonstrates your commitment to professional development and provides evidence that may be utilized in a contract renewal, tenure, and/or promotion review.
Criteria for Selection
Participation is open to all UWGB faculty and teaching professors. While applications from assistant professors or assistant teaching professors will be prioritized, more senior faculty and teaching professors are encouraged to apply to gain experience with conducting teaching observations.
Four mentees will be chosen for the Spring of 2026. If there are more applicants than available slots, preference will be given to eligible applicants with the least amount of teaching experience at UWGB for the first two slots. Faculty or teaching professors at the associate or full rank are encouraged to apply, however, and will be given full consideration for the remaining two slots. Mentees will be selected by the CATL director and the program mentor.
To Apply
Please complete this brief Qualtrics survey by Friday, January 16, 2026.
Questions
Contact CATL Director Kris Vespia (vespiak@uwgb.edu) or Professor David Voelker (voelkerd@uwgb.edu).