Faculty Development Series: New Faculty
The Office of Faculty Affairs welcomes new faculty as they begin their Vanderbilt careers by providing the curated resources and experiences that supports their faculty experience. Throughout their first academic year, new faculty are invited to engage various campus partners and gain a deeper understanding of the resources available. New faculty will also be invited to Conversations with the Provost – an opportunity to engage the provost and other new faculty across academic disciplines. Finally, there will be opportunities to explore Nashville through community engagement experiences. The Office of Faculty Affairs looks forward to seeing new faculty at these various workshops, cohort programs, and community events.
Spring 2022 Offerings
Impacting the Graduate Student Experience: A Conversation with the Graduate School
POSTPONED TO FALL 2022
The Critical Conversations panel presentation to new faculty is designed to encourage a dialogue about graduate student and postdoc mental health and wellbeing, and specifically how faculty and trainees can work together to create an optimal learning environment. The panel will consist of advanced graduate students and postdocs from across the academic disciplines (STEM, Humanities, Social Sciences), and will be moderated by Stacey Satchell, Senior Academic Life Coach. The goal of the panel is to convey that through mutual respect, empathy, and clear communication, faculty can significantly impact the student experience. Graduate student leaders and postdocs will be able to share what they have learned and speak on behalf of the constituencies they serve. Register here.
Book Proposal Workshop with Vanderbilt University Press
Tuesday, April 12, 11 am-12:30 pm
Are you working on a book proposal for a scholarly monograph or edited collection? Do you have questions about how to structure your proposal to highlight the unique contributions of your project? Let’s discuss the elements of an effective proposal and how to tailor your materials for submission to specific presses.
Gianna Mosser, director of Vanderbilt University Press, and Zack Gresham, VUP’s scholarly acquisitions editor, will help faculty members develop confidence in how to pitch projects to publishers with this in-person workshop. Registrants can submit draft proposals and/or descriptions for review prior to the meeting date. Gianna and Zack will speak to the full workshop group about best practices in cultivating scholarly proposals, tips for communication with editors, and common timelines to publication. The second half of the workshop will include breakout meetings with individual registrants to give tailored feedback on their particular project needs.
*Please submit draft proposals and/or descriptions to jermaine.a.soto@vanderbilt.edu by April 6, 2022. These will be shared with Vanderbilt University Press in preparation for the breakout meetings at the workshop*
Connecting Research to Policy
Tuesday, April 26, 11:00am – 12:15pm
An overview of the Division of Government and Community Relations’ support for faculty engagement at the federal, state, and local levels of government.
This session is for faculty interested in informing today’s policy debates and how they can share their research or expertise with people who are at the forefront of policy discussions and decision-making. In this session, faculty will learn how the university’s Division of Government and Community Relations can be an integral partner in navigating the political landscape and making the most of their engagements with elected officials and policymakers. Whether providing research to Nashville’s Metro Council or testifying before Congress or the Tennessee General Assembly, our division can help navigate the logistics, facilitate additional introductions, and position faculty for maximum impact. During this session, faculty will also learn about opportunities and the process for serving on federal, state, and local advisory boards, committees, or commissions. Register here.
Have a specific question or topic you want to be covered? Submit your question to the GCR Team here and they will do their best to address it during the session.
Nathan Green, Vice Chancellor for Government and Community Relations
Christina West, Associate Vice Chancellor for Federal Relations
Daniel Culbreath, Assistant Vice Chancellor for State Government Relations
Alfred Degrafinreid, Associate Vice Chancellor for Local Government and Community Partnerships
Faculty speakers TBD
Ongoing
Conversations with the Provost
New faculty will have the opportunity to join Provost Raver in conversation during the Spring 2022 semester. These hour-long conversations are intended to create an intimate space comprised of ten new faculty to hear directly from the Provost, share their stories including their journeys that brought them to Vanderbilt, and engage their peers representing the various schools/colleges and academic disciplines. Details, including registration info, dates, and other pertinent information, will be emailed to new faculty later this semester. For more information, please contact Jermaine Soto, Director of Faculty Development within the Office of Faculty Affairs.
Navigating Mental Health and Wellbeing as New Faculty
Mental health and well-being are a crucial part of academic success. This workshop presents an intentional opportunity for faculty to engage and discuss the topic of mental health within an academic setting, its impact on academic wellbeing, and resources and tools available for faculty to help navigate and alleviate their own mental health concerns and those of their students.
4 Stages of Psychological Safety
Have you ever been ostracized, demeaned, hushed, or scorned? These are all experiences that can result from everyday human interactions, whether in a personal situation or the workplace. Based on Dr. Timothy Clark's book, The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety: Defining the Path to Inclusion and Innovation, this workshop takes a journey through the four stages framework, illuminating the human need for inclusion as well as safety to learn, contribute, and to challenge the status quo. This workshop will build your awareness of patterns of fear and social friction and enhance your ability to create a sanctuary of inclusion and innovation at work and beyond. Presented by Vanderbilt HR's Employee Learning and Engagement Team.
Vanderbilt Libraries: Impacting the New Faculty Experience
The Vanderbilt Libraries are here for you. The Libraries staff thrive on connecting you with the people, tools, and collections to advance your teaching and research. Join several Vanderbilt librarians for an interactive workshop examining these resources and services and how they connect with your teaching and research. Three main areas will be covered: (1) subject librarians as partners in teaching and research; (2) keeping up with scholarship in your field and beyond; and (3) increasing the visibility and impact of your scholarship. Attendees will also learn about existing successful faculty+library partnerships and have a chance to network and brainstorm for future creative collaborations.
The Tenure/Promotion Process at Vanderbilt: A Guide for New Faculty
It is never too early to gather info on the tenure/promotion process. New, pre-tenured faculty are invited to join Tracey George, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, as she discusses the tenure/promotion process, expectations, timelines, and answers any questions you may have.
Questions? Contact Jermaine Soto.