CITL would like to announce some good news for non-tenure track faculty: we have created a new position, a Principal Instructional Consultant for Non-Tenure Track Development. Funding for the position was provided by the Provost as a way of recognizing the growing importance of providing support and programming tailored to the professional needs of non-tenure track (NTT) faculty. I’ve been offered the position, and I assumed my new duties on January 2, 2020.
What is my mission in this new position? As I see it, my purpose is to support and promote teaching excellence, career development, and community among NTT faculty. At first glance, that may not sound very different from the work I’ve been doing up to now. And much of my day-to-day work will be the same: individual consultations, workshops, faculty learning communities, and larger programs such as the Course Development Institute.
However, my position will enable me to focus on two new areas that I’m very excited about. One is developing and implementing a strategic plan for NTT faculty support that highlights ways CITL can take a leadership role in developing initiatives to promote teaching excellence and career development among NTT faculty. The second is collaborating with other offices on campus that support NTT development, including the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs and FACET, as well as associate deans, department chairs, and other administrators. Basically I’ll be reaching out to everyone responsible for overseeing and mentoring NTT faculty, to find ways that CITL can work in partnership with them to promote NTT career development.
Although my planning is still very much in the early stages, here are some preliminary ideas I’m working on:
- Developing a structured curriculum to enable all NTT faculty to become master teachers. Building on the Teaching for Student Success online modules currently available on a variety of teaching and learning topics, the curriculum will offer face to face activities to supplement the modules for individual NTT faculty or groups at all levels of expertise, from those brand new to teaching to expert instructors looking to develop new skills. Faculty participants will be able to receive coaching and feedback on specific deliverables in each module.
- Expanding the Non-Tenure Track Day on Professional Development, to enable more NTT faculty to participate as either attendees or facilitators. I hope this event will provide a mechanism for more senior NTT faculty to demonstrate their teaching expertise; for more junior NTTs, this event provides help from experienced colleagues on teaching strategies and career development.
- Coordinating with OVPFAA and FACET to offer structured programming to help NTT faculty prepare for the important milestones in their career development. This includes help with developing teaching excellence, documenting it, and preparing a teaching dossier. But with the advent of the new Teaching Professor rank, there is an additional need to provide opportunities for NTT faculty to share their teaching expertise with a wider audience and demonstrate their pedagogical leadership. I think CITL can play a central role in this area, and I’m looking forward to facilitating these efforts.
Most importantly, I’d like to hear from NTT faculty. How might CITL expand its role in supporting your professional development? How might we help you succeed?
Please feel free to contact me (via email to kurz@indiana.edu) if you’d like to share your thoughts about NTT development. I look forward to hearing from you.
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