Fall 2025 Book Discussions
Join colleagues from a variety of disciplines to engage in collegial inquiry. Books are available upon request at registration. Please select the book title of interest for more information on the discussion and registration.
Facilitator: Ashley Black
Join us for a faculty book discussion on The Opposite of Cheating: Teaching for Integrity in the Age of AI by Tricia Bertram Gallant and David A. Rettinger. This timely, research-informed book offers a forward-thinking approach to integrity in the era of GenAI that is centered not on surveillance or punishment, but on meaningful learning, ethical engagement, and smart, student-centered course design.
The Opposite of Cheating asks us to reimagine our teaching practices in ways that make integrity the default. The authors provide practical guidance on how to design assessments, support student learning, and promote a culture of trust and accountability across disciplines, class formats, and teaching styles.
Book discussions will be held over one session, with multiple options:
Tuesday, September 16, 3:30–5:00 PM (In person, FDC103)
Wednesday, September 17, 2:00–3:30 PM (Zoom, register for link)
Thursday, September 18, 2:00–3:30 PM (Zoom, register for link)
Register to reserve a free copy of the book and to receive the Zoom link: Register here!
Facilitator: Lauren Fletcher
Join us for a two-part faculty book discussion on The Norton Guide to Equity-Minded Teaching. This concise, practical guide invites us to reimagine our teaching through an equity lens—one that centers student belonging, access, and success. Drawing on research and lived experience, the authors provide actionable strategies for creating classroom environments where all students can thrive.
Our first meeting will focus on community building and preparing ourselves to read with purpose. Faculty and lecturers are encouraged to use the fall break to dig into the book, returning for our second session ready to share insights, questions, and applications to practice.
Meeting Dates:
- Tuesday, November 11, 9:00–10:00 AM (community-building + getting ready to read)
- Tuesday, December 9, 9:00–10:30 AM (discussion and application)
Location: TBD
Spring 2025 Book Discussions
Join colleagues from a variety of disciplines to discuss topics from AI to grant writing to free speech. Books are available upon request at registration. Please select the book title of interest for more information on the discussion and registration.
Join us to discuss two books to understand Grant Writing and how powerful a tool it can be when leading a nonprofit organization that uses grants as a major source of funding. "The Only Grant-Writing Book You’ll Ever Need: Top Grant Writers and Grant Givers Share Their Secrets" by Ellen Karsh "Demystifying Grant Seeking: What You Really Need to Do to Get Grants" by Larissa Golden Brown and Martin John Brown. This will help us in understanding how to raise funds for local organizations and to fuel the fire in community giving.
Discussions sessions are offered online (synchronously) biweekly on Fridays at 4 p.m.
Join Brett Ashmun and Mark Thompson to discuss Campus Free Speech: A Pocket Guide, by Cass Sunstein, which uses a scenario-based approach to tackling current issues of free speech and academic freedom on college campuses: from shouting down speakers to considering faculty applicants' political views to whether a university should make institutional political statements. The case-based approach and topic ensure that most readers will find themselves both agreeing and disagreeing with the author and with fellow readers.
Sunstein is the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard Law School, where he is the founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy. He is by far the most cited law professor in the United States. From 2009 to 2012 he served in the Obama administration as Administrator of the
White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. He has testified before congressional committees, appeared on national television and radio shows, been involved in constitution-making and law reform activities in a number of nations, and written many articles and books.
Over the course of three 90-minute discussions, join Ashley Black in taking a deep dive into the three parts of Bowen & Watson’s book: “Thinking with AI,” “Teaching with AI,” and “Learning with AI.” Meetings will be held in person, with options in both Turlock and Stockton. (Times will be determined according to participant availability.) Books will be provided.
Updated: September 10, 2025