2019 FALCON

The 24th annual Facet Associate Faculty and Lecturer Conference (FALCON)

November 15-16, 2019

Crowne Plaza Indianapolis

Maximizing Opportunity: Helping Students Where They Are

In higher education, we want the entry to the classroom to be democratic and the exit to lead to meaningful lives. And in alignment with the former, our classes are filled with a wide variety of students, coming to us with successes and failures, trials and tribulations, moods, longer and shorter attention spans, differing limits on working memory, large support systems, isolated, living with privilege, overcoming poverty, mainstream, marginalized, healthy, ill, and on and on. This diversity is what we want, and it presents great challenges and great opportunity for learning.

Register for FALCON

Indiana University Registration* $50 Non-IU Individual Registration $200 *Indiana University rate is limited to the first 120 registrants. Once reached - option to pay non-IU rate.

Reserve a Hotel Room

FALCON room rates start at $179. Click here to book online, or call 317-631-2221. If staying outside of November 15, please call hotel to ensure conference rate.

Group Rate Info

For Group Rate information please contact Jon Bingham, FALCON Planning Committee Chair

Review the Schedule

Schedule details will be available soon!

Mike Polites, Senior Lecturer of Communication Studies, IUPUI

Friday Evening Plenary

Mike Polites earned both his BS and MA in Speech Communication from Ball State University, along with a Certified Training Certificate. Prior to his academic career, he worked in sales and consulting. Since 2004 he has been teaching classes on Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, and Interviewing Skills in the Department of Communication Studies at IUPUI. In 2012 he received the “IU School of Liberal Arts Outstanding Lecturer Award” and was also promoted to Senior Lecturer. He is a 2014 and 2016 “Trustees Teaching Award” recipient. His academic interests include first year experience, humor in the classroom, methodologies for student engagement, service learning, and classroom civility. His desire to help students succeed in the classroom and after they graduate is a passion that drives him. As a former college recruiter, he has spoken to hundreds of high school classrooms and thousands of students, encouraging them to continue their education. Teachers frequently requested his engaging presentations year after year. He is a professional speaker, standup comedian, and corporate trainer for Training Group Inc.

George Mehaffy, Vice President for Academic Leadership and Change, American Association of State Colleges and Universities

Robin Hass-Birky Keynote Speaker and Session Presenter

George Mehaffy has served for 20 years as AASCU’s Vice President for Academic Leadership and Change. His division is responsible for developing programs in leadership development, undergraduate education, technology, international education and teacher education. Each year, his division organizes a number of conferences and meetings, including two national academic affairs conferences and a major civic engagement national conference. He has directed many innovative projects, including programs with China; a technology transformation conference; a transfer articulation project with community colleges; two major national studies of student success, and a number of other national initiatives. His most important work has been in civic engagement and student success. Before coming to AASCU, he had more than twenty years of teaching and administrative experience in higher education in Texas, New Mexico, and California. In addition, he served for 33 years in the United States Coast Guard Reserve, retiring as a Captain in 2000.

Learn More About the Hass-Birky Keynote