Mon, 11 Jan 2027 8:00 AM - Fri, 14 May 2027 5:00 PM
Are you on educational leave in the spring? Join this community of other scholars for facilitated planning, peer support, and accountability.
Faculty sabbaticals offer a rare opportunity to step back from the demands of everyday academic life and dedicate time to scholarly, creative, and professional growth. While these periods can be deeply rewarding, they can also feel isolating. Faculty members find themselves navigating unfamiliar routines, evolving goals, and the challenge of sustaining momentum without the structure and connections that accompany the academic semester. Creating intentional opportunities to connect with colleagues can help faculty make the most of their sabbatical experience while building a sense of community and shared purpose.
In this faculty learning community, participants will explore ways to approach their leave time with clarity, flexibility, and support. Through a combination of synchronous discussion and working times and asynchronous accountability and shared resources, faculty will develop strategies for setting meaningful goals, establishing routines that align with their individual working styles, and connect with other faculty around navigating the balance between focused scholarly work and personal renewal. Faculty will have the opportunity to learn from one another's experiences, exchange practical approaches to common challenges, and build connections with colleagues. Rather than focusing solely on outcomes, this group emphasizes the value of community, shared learning, and mutual encouragement in making educational leave a meaningful and enriching chapter of one's academic journey.
The participants and facilitator will collaboratively plan the structure of the group at the end of the fall/beginning of spring semester.
Program Dates and Times: TBD
Location: TBD
Facilitator: Dayna Henry, CFI & CHBS
Genre: Faculty Learning Community
Program Outcomes
- Developing a leave plan that aligns with their scholarly, professional, and personal goals.
- Applying strategies for navigating the opportunities and challenges of extended leave, including maintaining focus, flexibility, connection, and well-being.
- Cultivating a community of peer support and accountability.
Attendance & Registration Information
Programs within the CFI are designed to support the development of instructional faculty and AP faculty with instructional responsibilities. We also welcome staff to many of our programs. If you are interested in attending one of our programs but do not identify with the above classifications, please email cfi@jmu.edu.
For more information on registering for our programs, please visit the CFI Programs & Events web page, which includes details on registering for programs and an instructional video on how to use the registration portal.
LOG IN: If this is your first time visiting the registration page, your account will be created automatically when you sign in with your JMU e-ID and password (Okta required). Be sure to clear your browser cache/cookies upon each visit to the registration page.
- Complete your profile information:
- Update your college/division and department (use the search feature and/or select from the dropdown) and enter your Mail Stop Code (MSC) for your department on-campus mail.
- Add comments about your dietary and accommodation needs at the bottom of the profile form. (This information is collected and stored with your online account for all future programs you may attend.)
- Once your profile is complete, you should see a status update as complete on your Dashboard (an overview of your account).
Registration coming soon. Please check back to register.
Cancellations
If you find that you are unable to attend a scheduled event prior to the registration deadline, please return to your CFI Program Account and cancel your registration. If it is after the event registration deadline, email cfi@jmu.edu as early as possible.
CFI programs will be canceled automatically if JMU is closed for inclement weather.
We want this program to be welcoming, accessible, and inclusive for all of our participants. Please describe any considerations or accommodations (e.g., dietary, disability, wellness, cultural, etc.) you want us to know about in your account profile. You may also reach out to us at cfi@jmu.edu or (540) 568-4846.
