Council of Faculties Volunteer Opportunities

The demands of academia often reward overwork and constant availability, yet long-term faculty success and well-being depend on a sustainable approach to productivity. Faculty members across all roles benefit from clarity about how to focus their time and energy on high-impact activities—while preserving space for rest, relationships, and personal identity. While institutional structures play a critical role in shaping workload expectations, this committee will focus on providing individual faculty with evidence-informed guidance on practices they can control to maximize their effectiveness and sustainability. This effort builds upon the Council of Faculties’ ongoing commitment to faculty success and well-being.

Charges

1. Review relevant peer-reviewed literature, popular press publications, and past AACP and COF committee reports on faculty workload, well-being, and time management.
2. Identify psychological mindsets, behaviors, and personal systems that support sustainable productivity for faculty across a range of roles (e.g., teaching, research, service).
3. Develop a guidance document on sustainable productivity practices that faculty can adopt to work efficiently and with impact—without overworking or sacrificing personal well-being.
4. Place individual practices within the broader context of institutional responsibility, clarifying what faculty can control versus what must be addressed at the organizational level.
5. Develop and deliver a 30-minute presentation summarizing key guidance at the 2026 COF Business Meeting.

Deliverables

• Guidance document for faculty on sustainable productivity strategies across teaching, research, and service roles
• 30-minute presentation delivered at the 2026 COF Business Meeting
• Annotated reference summary or bibliography of sources reviewed (academic and popular press)
  

Charges

1. Provide ad hoc support to AACP staff and relevant workgroups or committees in addressing matters related to the engagement, programming, and governance of staff members during the implementation of the new membership model. 
2. Organize and deliver at least one virtual event (webinar or COF coffee chat) in the fall semester on a topic relevant to staff at colleges/schools of pharmacy. Committee members may present or collaborate with external speakers.
3. Post at least once per month in the COF Connect Community on a topic relevant to staff for discussion.

Deliverables

• Support as requested by AACP staff, committees, and workgroups
• Virtual event(s) on topic relevant to staff
• 2 contributions to COF Connect Community on topic relevant to staff

Teaching can become unnecessarily burdensome when administrative tasks, time constraints, and logistical complexities overshadow the core joy of educating students. The 2026 Teachers Seminar aims to help faculty rediscover that joy by offering practical perspectives and strategies to simplify teaching, streamline course design and management, and bring fun back into teaching.

Charges

1. Design the 2026 Teachers Seminar around the theme of simplifying teaching to make it more joyful with a potential title of “Uncomplicate your class for happier teaching.” Potential areas to address include course design, course administration, assessment, bringing fun into the classroom, and experiential education.
2. Develop the learning objectives, identify the sessions, and determine the schedule.
3. Identify and recruit speakers for each session.
4. Work with the speakers to develop effective instructional strategies and materials that align with the Seminar theme.
5. As appropriate, create AACP Connect posts, webinars, and/or coffee chats, to promote the seminar and/or provide a more longitudinal learning experience.
6. Work with AACP staff to conduct a post-program evaluation

Deliverables

• Seminar learning objectives, format, and speakers for the 2025 Teachers Seminar
• Plan for promoting the seminar and/or extending learning opportunities through AACP Connect, webinars, and/or COF coffee chats

Charges

1. Review standing rules and procedures and suggest any modifications that are deemed necessary. Review resolutions submitted by individual(s) or committees/task forces within the Council of Faculties. 
2. Review the 2024-2025 final report of the Rules and Resolutions Committee to determine if any other recommended topic impacting COF should be considered for resolutions
3. Plan to present topics being considered for resolutions for discussion at the Council of Faculties Forum at the 2026 interim meeting.

Deliverables

• Present any resolutions developed for discussion by COF membership at 2026 Interim meeting.
• Submit final report of resolutions discussed and put forth.

Charges

1. Revise the Emerging Teaching Scholar Award scoring rubric to provide reviewers more detailed guidance on scoring criteria. The revised rubric should allow for better interrater reliability and better differentiation between candidates
2. Review award applications and recommend to the COF Administrative Board up to 5 individuals who are worthy of the Emerging Teaching Scholar Award. 
3. Identify speakers/panel members for webinars/coffee chats to provide interested COF members with guidance on preparing quality applications. 

Deliverables

• Revised scoring rubric
• 2 panel coffee chats about preparing successful ETS applications. First panel coffee chat is broad guidance.  Second coffee chat is a Q&A workshop for applicants who are working on their packet.
• A list of up to 5 candidates worthy of the Emerging Teaching Scholar Award

Charges

1. Work with AACP staff to determine if a quorum has been met during the 2026 COF Annual Business Meeting using the online check-in system
2. Volunteers on this committee are required to attend the 2026 AACP Annual Meeting in-person

Deliverable

• Quorum report at the 2026 COF Annual Business meeting

Charges

1. Solicit and develop a well-qualified slate of a minimum 2 candidates for the COF election to be held Nov 2026 for each the following COF offices: Chair-elect, Secretary of Knowledge Management.
2. Identify and nominate qualified candidates for the following AACP Offices: President-elect, Treasurer, and Speaker of the House.

Deliverable

• Slate of candidates for COF offices

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) is a vital avenue through which faculty enhance educational quality while meeting scholarly expectations. Recognizing that many in the Academy seek support to grow as teaching scholars, this committee will complement existing resources by offering programming that builds skills and confidence in designing, conducting, and disseminating impactful SOTL work.

Charges

Design, create, and deliver a cohesive series of virtual educational seminars or workshops (e.g., webinars or Zoom coffee chats) that support Council of Faculties members in beginning or enhancing their Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) efforts. Topics should be sufficiently different from those in the AACP SOTL Certificate and microlearning series. Focus content on developing skills to design, conduct, publish, and present impactful SOTL research. Committee members can host, facilitate, and/or deliver the events, or can invite external speakers. Engage speakers with practical experience in SOTL and represent a range of perspectives and career stages. Ensure programming is relevant and accessible to a wide range of COF members, with emphasis on supporting newer faculty members and those who are new to SOTL.

Deliverables

• A schedule of 1-3 virtual events each semester (e.g., webinars or coffee chats) to be offered in 2025-2026 focused on supporting faculty in conducting meaningful SOTL work.
• Promotional messaging and event summaries for dissemination via AACP Connect and other COF communications.
• Final report summarizing event attendance, participant feedback, and recommendations that can guide future AACP SOTL programming activities.

Charges

1. Identify relevant microlearning topics for department chairs and recommend a series of sessions to develop along with potential speakers.
2. Plan and host a networking session and relevant programming for department chairs at the 2026 AACP Interim Meeting.
3. Explore opportunities for collaboration with the Council of Deans (COD) Mentoring Committee related to mentoring of department chairs interested in becoming a dean.
4. Create and submit a session proposal for the 2026 AACP Annual Meeting focused on the professional development of department chairs.
5. Develop and facilitate at least one virtual event (webinar or coffee chat) on a topic of interest to department chairs.
6. Promote and engage in discussions in the AACP Connect COF Department Chairs Learning Community.

Deliverables

• A prioritized list of recommended microlearning session topics with descriptions and potential presenters.
• Host the 2026 Interim Meeting networking session.
• Provide recommendations about a future partnership with the COF Department Chair Community.
• A completed and submitted session proposal relevant to department chairs for the 2026 Annual Meeting.
• One or more hosted virtual events (webinar or coffee chat), on topics of interest to department chairs

Charges

1. Work with AACP staff in planning a junior faculty development program
2. Submit a minimum of one session proposal for a presentation at the 2026 AACP Annual Meeting.  
3. Develop and facilitate one virtual event (webinar or coffee chat) per semester on a topic of interest to junior faculty.
4. Contribute to monthly postings to AACP Connect to stimulate group discussion. 

Deliverable

• Junior Faculty Development Program proposal
• Submit at least one formal proposal for a program at the AACP Annual Meeting. 
• Develop and facilitate one virtual event per semester.
• Minimum of one post per month to the community’s AACP Connect page

Charges

1. Identify relevant microlearning topics for curriculum committee members and recommend a series of sessions to develop along with potential speakers.
2. Develop and facilitate one virtual event (webinar or coffee chat) on a topic of interest to curriculum committee chairs.
3. Promote and engage in discussions in the AACP Connect COF Curriculum Committee Chair Learning Community.

Deliverables

• List of relevant microlearning topics for curriculum committee members submitted to AACP Education Team for review and consideration.
• Minimum of one virtual event (webinar or coffee chat) on a topic of interest to curriculum committee chairs.
• Minimum of 1 Connect post every 2 months in the AACP Connect COF Curriculum Committee Chair Learning Community.

Charges

1. Develop and launch a campaign to recruit new members from Council of Faculties and Council of Deans to the Preparing Future Pharmacy Educators Community, with special attention to faculty and staff involved in developing future educators.
2. Initiate and contribute to regular discussions on the Community’s AACP Connect page to build engagement and share resources.
3. Conduct a needs assessment of current and potential Community members to identify interests, challenges, and opportunities for support that the Community can assist with.
4. Host one COF Coffee Chat during fall semester on a topic pertinent to the community 
5. Make recommendations to the COF Chair-Elect regarding potential committee charges and focus areas for the 2026–2027 cycle, based on the needs assessment findings.

Deliverables

• A member recruitment campaign targeting members of both COF and COD who are interested in preparing future pharmacy educators
• Initiate and/or contribute to a sufficient number of the Community’s AACP Connect discussions in order to maintain the Community’s eligibility.
• A brief report summarizing key themes from the needs assessment (e.g., survey results, anecdotal feedback, discussion insights).
• A COF Coffee Chat on a topic pertinent to the community.
• A list of 1–3 suggested charges or strategic priorities for the 2026–2027 committee, grounded in the needs assessment findings.

The Council of Deans (COD), Council of Faculties (COF) Faculty Affairs Committee, and the AACP Institutional Research and Assessment Committee (IRAC) Taskforce will work together to develop recommendations for a national wellbeing assessment tool for faculty and staff at colleges and schools of pharmacy.

Charges

With the impact of the pandemic and the subsequent great resignation, faculty and staff have been left with lingering effects on workload, wellbeing, morale, and job satisfaction. The 2023-2024 COD/COF Addressing Burnout Taskforce was charged to explore systemic influential factors contributing to faculty wellbeing and professional satisfaction as well as make recommendations for creating community that foster belonging and connection to meaningful work. They developed programming for the Academy and two narrative reviews on 1) social support and work experience, and 2) work design and work conditions. Additionally, ACPE Standards 2025 has renewed focus on wellbeing of faculty and staff (Standard 5.2.h) and APhA has renewed focus on wellbeing programming and continues to collect data for the Well-Being Index for Pharmacy Personnel, a research-validated online tool that measures fatigue, depression, burnout, anxiety, and stress. The time has come to explore development of a national wellbeing assessment tool for faculty and staff that colleges and schools of pharmacy may administer as part of the AACP survey program.

Deliverables

• Analysis of the 2023-2024 COF/COF Addressing Burnout Taskforce work and the existing tools that assess wellbeing and burnout to determine the domains of a wellbeing assessment tool for faculty and staff.
• Request colleges and schools share what was submitted to ACPE as part of their readiness report for Standards 2025 to inform a possible national assessment tool for faculty and staff.
• Exploration of components of existing assessments for inclusion in a possible national assessment tool for faculty and staff.
• A recommendation on the feasibility (including resources and a proposed timeline) of a national assessment tool to be administered by IRAC as part of the AACP survey program.