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If you are a first year faculty member (started in 2020-21) or mentor to incoming faculty (starting in 2021-22), consider joining the second “Teacher Scholar” Faculty Learning Community (FLC). FLCs have been shown to increase belonging and ease transitions into faculty life or a new institution, as well as provide increased support for faculty research and teaching excellence. DU’s first new faculty FLC, in 2019-20, lead to self-reported gains in connection to fellow faculty, confidence about managing workload, and understanding of DU policies and practices.
Sign Up
The FLC requires the following commitment
- Attend monthly workshops and discussions (virtual in summer, tentatively in-person in fall) (1-2 hours)
- Commit to set and attain one concrete professional goal (such as a grant application, intensive pedagogy training, or another teaching or research-related goal).
- Support fellow faculty by engaging intentionally with the materials and listening deeply during shared conversations.
Those who complete the FLC requirements will exit the program with a letter of support for their promotion file, a certificate of completion, a formative evaluation of their teaching, and a network of peers. They will receive books designed to support their growth, such as James Lang’s Small Teaching, Helen Sword’s Air & Light & Time & Space: How Successful Academics Write, and Marybeth Gasman’s Candid Advice for New Faculty Members: A Guide to Getting Tenure and Advancing Your Academic Career.
They will also engage with the Office of Teaching and Learning, Office of Research & Sponsored Programs, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, who will provide resources vital to thriving at DU.
The FLC design is suitable for both tenure track, and teaching and professional faculty. Some events will include both groups, recognizing that we are “one faculty,” while others will maintain separate discussion spaces to allow participants to connect with others in similar roles.
Most workshops or meetings will include guided work time for grant applications, strategic planning for research productivity, mindfulness and reflective writing, or practicing new pedagogy. While an FLC is an initial time investment, it pays off in increased capacity to manage workload, navigate the institution, and ultimately succeed as a DU professor. Meetings will be structured and task-oriented, but also designed to develop a sense of cohort and community.
We hope you will consider joining us or encouraging your new hires to do so!