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The second annual University of North Georgia (°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾) Leadership, Engagement, Achievement, Development, Service (LEADS) Day will be held online Aug. 10, as part of °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾'s annual Faculty-Convocation. Sessions related to the COVID-19 pandemic and diversity will be among the professional development opportunities available to faculty and staff as part of the event.

°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ President Bonita Jacobs' State of the University address will kick off Convocation and °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ LEADS Day at 9 a.m. via livestream.

Each 50-minute topical session will be held via Microsoft Teams, with multiple selections available at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. A lunch break with interest group meet-and-greets is set for noon in Microsoft Teams. Faculty and staff awards will be announced starting at 2 p.m. in a video slideshow on the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ LEADS Day website.

Dr. Alyson Paul, associate vice president of Student Affairs and Dean of Students on the Gainesville Campus, said planning began almost a year ago for °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ LEADS Day, but COVID-19 and racial tensions across the country led to a pivot in the highlighted topics. Paul said the event has added significance this fall.

"We really need that opportunity to come back together," Paul said. "This will hopefully be a chance to get back on the same page. This is an opportunity to address some of the most timely topics."

At the inaugural °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ LEADS Day in fall 2019, sessions usually capped out around 60 people. With the online format, some sessions this year could have as many as 125 participants.

"To preserve the health and safety of our campus community, it was really important for us to offer this event virtually," said Anna Brown, executive director of University Events. "We hope faculty and staff will feel comfortable with the sessions in Microsoft Teams after getting to use the platform more in recent months."

The (USG) pointed to °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾'s session topics and plan as a best practice delivering for professional development remotely, even requesting that °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ record the sessions for possible use by other USG institutions at a later time. A few weeks after the event, the recorded sessions will be available on the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ LEADS Day website.

Some of the sessions include:

• COVID-19 and Diversity
• Fear, Anxiety and Agoraphobia
• Best Practices in Remote Instruction — Mindset
• Being Student-Focused in Times of Crisis: What We Learned About °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ Students
• Making Meaningful Student Connections in an Online World
• Faculty and Staff Experience through the Pandemic
• State Budget Implications for °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾
• Racism, Social Injustice, and the Role of Higher Education
• Returning to Campus — What You Need to Know
• Financial Planning through Crisis

For a full list of sessions or to register for the event, visit the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ LEADS Day website.