New & Junior Faculty
New Faculty Orientation
The new faculty orientation spans two days during the week before classes start. One day is held at the Lake Shore Campus, while the other one is held at the Water Tower Campus. The goal is to orient new faculty to all aspects of faculty life. The President and Vice President of Academic Affairs present the university mission and strategic goals and initiatives. Faculty Mentors lead workshops on teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes, conversations on the balancing act of teaching, scholarship and service, and discussions of how to manage the numerous (and often very new) relations with peers, students, senior colleagues, and dean or department chair. More concrete problems about curriculum, how to develop and use online courses, technological support, benefits and student life are addressed during other sessions. Interspersed are lunches and receptions which provide a wonderful opportunity for new faculty to meet each other and some of the other personnel at Loyola University Chicago.
Ongoing Support
The Center for Faculty Professional Development meets with all new and junior faculties at least once a year. These meetings are designed to assist new faculty with developing a work trajectory that involves a balance of scholarship, teaching and at first, a minimum of service. These meetings are an opportunity to discuss adjustment to Loyola University Chicago, and to offer services and support. Additionally, links to other colleagues and to CFPD faculty mentors are provided. These meetings are viewed as providing a foundation of ongoing contact and assistance to the new faculty as they move through their careers here at Loyola.
The meetings with the junior, tenure-eligible faculty are designed to affirm that the balanced trajectories are established and to assist the faculty members in the preparation of their mid-probationary or tenure reviews. These meetings clarify the specific strengths and weaknesses of each faculty with the goal of enhancing the presentation and strengthening the application. Questions about direction of publishing, grant writing and teaching are frequently addressed. The faculty member will be encouraged to think about and discuss how best to use the guaranteed paid leave that follows a successful mid-probationary review. Information about guaranteed paid leaves and the mid-probationary review can be found here.
In addition, several workshops are offered for the junior faculty during the year. Led by various faculty connected with the CFPD, such as Nancy Tuchman, Associate Provost for lakeside research, and a number of the faculty mentors, the workshops are designed to enhance capacity, problem solve, support various academic endeavors, and develop new and continuing contacts within the university community. Workshops have covered teaching, grant writing, mentoring graduate students, publication and time management.