Our Mission
Innovating Thoughtful Ways to Teach and Conduct Research
The Center for Teaching, Research & Learning (CTRL) is dedicated to promoting excellence in teaching and scholarship at American University. To fulfill this mission, CTRL collaborates with the campus community to create opportunities for faculty to re-envision and strengthen their teaching and research practices and to help prepare the next generation of faculty.
CTRL opened its doors in 1998 as the Center for Teaching Excellence. In 2009, that teaching mission was expanded to incorporate support for faculty research. The Center continues to identify and implement innovative educational practices, and to recognize the vital connection between successful teaching and faculty scholarship.
CTRL includes three groups: Teaching and Learning Resources, Inclusive Pedagogy, and Research Support. We are located in the second floor of Hurst Hall, with the main office located in Hurst Hall 214.
CTRL Statement of Confidentiality and Data Sharing
CTRL collects data on how our services and resources are utilized by the university faculty. These data, which include attendance at events, participation in programs, and individual consultations, are collected for analytic purposes such as to evaluate the impact of our work and to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our faculty.
These data are managed and held in confidence by CTRL and when shared, including with the Dean of Faculty to whom CTRL reports, it is done in aggregate and in ways that de-identify and anonymize participant information.
The one exception is in reporting on CTRL activity in support of AU’s Inclusive Excellence Plan. CTRL is required, by the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), to provide attendee lists containing AU ID numbers for events on topics related to DEI to AsuccesfulU to carry out demographic analyses. However, reports of these data are only made available in aggregate or anonymized forms.
