Orientation | Western Kentucky University

WKU New Faculty Guide to Surviving
and Thriving in Your First Semester

The following list is an evolving set of resources initially designed to help new faculty navigate new faculty orientation and updated over the course of the semester with new, helpful information.

The list is built around the concept of the three area for which faculty are concerned and closes with a collection of other important topics.

Teaching & Engaging with Students

Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Inclusive Learning Environment Strategies to Engage Students in the Classroom

The Inclusive Classroom

Engaging in Research

Office of Research & Creative Activity (ORCA). The mission of the Office of Research & Creative Activity (ORCA) at Western Kentucky University is to provide outstanding support for the research, service, creative, and scholarly endeavors of our faculty, staff, and students. We are situated in Wetherby Administration Building 209.
Office of Sponsored Programs
1. Pre-Award Team Services include Outreach/training; finding/disseminating funding opportunities; reviewing/interpreting proposal guidelines; developing budgets; assisting with proposal development; revising/submitting proposals. For questions regarding proposal development, e-mail, proposal.development@wku.edu.
2. Pivot Database,is available for free to WKU faculty.
3. Post-Award Team. Services include, negotiating awards and interpreting guidelines; establishing charts of accounts; submitting no-cost extension requests; approving budget reallocations; assisting with technical report submissions; managing database/reporting; assisting with Intellectual Property matters; handling out-going subawards. Contact sponsored.programs@wku.edu for questions.
Office of Research Integrity. The Research Compliance Program is committed to the highest standards of integrity and quality (Animal Research, Biosafety, Export Control, Human Subjects, Responsible Conduct of Research).
Internal Grants
1. Research & Creative Activities Program (RCAP). E-mail - internal.grants@wku.edu
2. Faculty-Undergraduate Student Engagement (FUSE), E-mail - fuse@wku.edu
The Sponsored Programs Internal Record Information Terminal (SPIRIT) is a web-based record management system designed to house records for all sponsored projects administered through the Office of Sponsored Programs. SPIRIT allows users to view project data, run reports, and receive automated reminders.
WKU Libraries
1. Library Services WKU Faculty
2. Covid-19 Library Updates