Faculty Career Development Yearbook 2016-2017

HIGHLIGHTS FROM ACADEMIC YEAR
2016-2017

This inaugural edition of the Faculty Career Development team’s annual yearbook serves as a
reflection on the successful faculty programming, establishment of faculty networks, and
launching of some creative new initiatives on the part of faculty collaborators and partners
during AY 2016-17.

The Faculty Career Development (FCD) team undertakes each academic year with a plan of
initiatives that appeals to faculty across the spectrum from new to veteran, adjunct to
professor, and lecturer to researcher. The design of offerings is updated annually based on
faculty input and continuous dialog in order to fulfill faculty needs and deliver programs that
are engaging and worthwhile. Your feedback on future programming and the value of this
publication is welcome!

EVENTS

FCD’s efforts supporting faculty in advancing their careers focused this year on professional
development and mentoring programs as well as faculty orientation and special events. Key events
included:

NEW FACULTY ORIENTATION
Overarching goals include reinforcing faculty’s
decision to join RIT by providing a welcoming
and helpful first experience on campus and
introducing faculty to critical information that
will ensure successful assimilation to RIT--
including the resources they need to succeed.
Feedback from faculty was positive: The
sessions were very helpful; thank you for
putting this all together, for sharing useful
information, and for welcoming us!

NEW FACULTY ROSTER
An add-on to NFO intended to help faculty make connections with each other is the new online Faculty
Roster that includes each new faculty’s research and teaching interests and to encourage inter-
disciplinary collaborations.

“POWER” RECEPTION
A special “welcome to RIT” reception hosted by
President Destler enabled new faculty to meet
Academic Leadership from each of the colleges and
continue establishing their RIT network.

 Great way to catch-up with colleagues and
to meet the new faculty.

 Thank you for the event. It was a great
opportunity to meet other new faculty and
other RIT family!

GRANTS EXPOSED! FACULTY SHOWCASE
Academic Year 2016-2017 offered the 2nd annual opportunity for faculty
to share their outcomes of grant-funded projects and continue
strategically building their networks as they meet others from across all
disciplines and exchange ideas for scholarly work and future grant projects.

 Great networking event, in the past 2 years it has allowed me to meet
new faculty, see how others are approaching mentoring, and always
gets me thinking of ways to collaborate outside my college.

 I like hearing what other faculty are doing with regard to pedagogy,
research, data analysis, scholarship and research. Many new faculty
were there and it allowed them to ease their apprehension by seeing
successes.

FACULTY WRITING SUPPORT GROUP
FCD collaborated with National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD) alums and David
Martins, Associate Professor and University Writing Program Director, to launch a Faculty Writing
Support group as a follow-up request from NCFDD participants to further their scholarship/writing at
RIT.

ADDITIONAL EVENTS
 360° Leadership Skills Inventory – For a second year, FCD partnered with the SUNY Leadership

Institute (sunyli.suny.edu) to offer a 360° (multi-observer) survey for individual professional and
leadership development.
 Mid-Tenure Review Panel – Our 6th Annual Review panel was held allowing faculty to ask questions
about requirements for mid-tenure review and learn about this important process from faculty who
have served on tenure committees or may have been recently tenured
 The Slow Professor – A collaborative event with CLA brought authors of The Slow Professor:
Challenging the Culture of Speed in the Academy, Maggie Berg (Queen’s University) and Barbara K.
Seeber (Brock University) to campus for a presentation and discussion of their work.
 Newly instituted Faculty Coffee Break – Faculty Need Love Too! Over 100 faculty took a break from
the last week of classes on May 10 to join colleagues and unwind at the Wallace Center.

ADJUNCT FACULTY OPPORTUNITIES
FCD hosts two special orientations annually along with several
professional development activities exclusively for RIT adjunct
faculty. This “community of adjuncts” comes together to
network and share conversation around teaching in today’s
classroom, to learn about the many RIT resources available, and
to provide guidance and support.

In addition, adjunct faculty were invited to apply for year two
of the Adjunct Professional Grant funds, intended to be used
toward their professional development, such as attending
conferences, workshops, meetings or delivering presentations as a means to further their expertise in
teaching at RIT.

GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS

GRANT PROGRAMS
The FCD team prepared the call for grants and managed submissions and the faculty selection
committees for four annual grants: Lecturers’ Professional Development Grant, Faculty Mentoring
Grant, Adjunct Professional Development, and the College Collaboration Matching grants. Each year the
faculty serving on the awards committees reflect a diverse group of faculty across disciplines, and most
are past recipients of an award or grant. The College Collaboration Grants matched funds that
supported partnership projects in three colleges – these grants are designed to support activities that
support faculty success, leadership development, and faculty mentoring projects.

Although aimed at different target faculty groups these grants clearly link to student learning as well as
professional networking opportunities. Additionally, the awarding of these funds allow faculty to
showcase their teaching excellence, research activity, and pedagogy in collaborative ways. The grants
are available to all faculty, including our international campuses.

Type of Grant # Projects Funded $ Awarded
Adjunct Professional Development 5 projects funded $1,399
3 Colleges funded $4,200
College Collaboration Matching 6 projects funded - 48 faculty involved! $6,275
Faculty Mentoring $14,482
9 projects
Lecturers’ Professional Development

NCFDD & CORNELL SCHOLARSHIPS
In response to continuing faculty requests for funding professional development related to faculty
leadership and academic management, Faculty Career Development provided four scholarships for the
Cornell Faculty Leadership & Professional Development Program. For the third year in a row FCD in
conjunction with the Provost’s office and AdvanceRIT sponsored seven faculty scholarships for the
National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD) Faculty Success Program (an online, 12-
week intensive mentoring program).

 I had an enormously productive summer and made important progress on my project for an
upcoming sabbatical. My time management skills are much better and my work-life balance is
better.

 I developed many great skills and expectations for what is realistic and an appreciation for work-
life balance. I am definitely more focused with my improved skills in developing strategic
planning and weekly planning.

EXCELLENCE IN FACULTY MENTORING AWARD
Additionally FCD, in conjunction with the Provost, recognizes faculty who demonstrate an outstanding
commitment to faculty mentoring by actively helping less experienced faculty in developing their career
at RIT. They do this by offering advice, feedback, and guidance that reflects a deep understanding of
their department, college and university. This year’s award recipients were Shal Khazanchi, Associate
Professor, Saunders College of Business and Elizabeth Kmiecinski, Associate Professor, College of Health
Science and Technology whose involvement shows all the hallmarks of excellent mentoring of others’
teaching, networking, research and professional development. A selection committee consisting of
former Mentoring Award recipients is an integral part of this process of recognizing their peers’ valuable
efforts.

OTHER INITIATIVES & SPECIAL PROJECTS

 Conceptualized and Launched new FCD non-newsletter (Faculty Forecast)
 Completed mentoring article “Growth and Development: The Power of Many”

A FINAL NOTE
The Faculty Career Development team’s efforts this past academic year will guide our work for 2017-
2018. Several new initiatives have emerged as a result of partnerships, collaborations, and special
requests. We look forward to a new year of opportunities to continue supporting RIT faculty at all ranks.