Early Career Success Faculty Learning Community

This year-long learning community consists of monthly 1.5-hour sessions structured around a central theme connected to MSU’s strategic plan, information about University governance and complemented by webinars from the National Center for Diversity and Development, workshops throughout the month* on different topics highlighted at New Faculty Orientation.

New faculty will automatically be invited to the first learning community meeting in September.

Session 1: September: Successfully Navigating the University System

• NCFDD webinar: Every semester (term) needs a plan

• Overview of the Strategic Plan and how it impacts the university culture.

Session 2: October: Successfully Navigating Challenges in the Classroom

• NCFDD webinar: Overcoming academic perfectionism
• Goal 1.1Broaden access for underrepresented populations and increase academic success for all students through excellence in undergraduate education.

Session 3: November Strategies for Enhancing Your Productivity in Research, Creative Practice, and/or Teaching

• NCFDD webinar: How to develop a daily writing practice
• Goal 1.3: Implement evidence-based high quality, high impact teaching and learning practices for every student.
• Goal 2.1:Enhance the significance and impact of scholarship.

Session 5:  December Departmental Expectations for Career and Tenure Track Faculty

• NCFDD webinar: How to align your time with your priorities
• Goal 2.4:Elevate expectations for scholarship.

Session 4: January Successfully Cultivating your Network of Mentors, Sponsors, and Collaborators

• NCFDD webinar: Cultivating your network of mentors, sponsors, & collaborators
• Goal 3.1:Increase mutually beneficial collaborations with Tribal nations and partners.

Session 6: February Moving through Resistance and Successful Grant Writing and Fellowships

• NCFDD webinar: Moving from resistance to writing
• Goal 2.3:Strengthen institutional reputation in scholarship.

Session 7: Your Strategic Plan, Service Expectations and Successfully managing your life as an academic

• NCFDD webinar: Mastering academic time management
• Goal 3.3:Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement and individual growth.
• Goal 3.2: Grow mutually beneficial partnerships across Montana.
• Creating a 5-year Research/Individual Development Plan

Session 8: April Managing Grads, Labs, Teams, and Difficult Colleagues

• NCFDD webinar: How to engage in healthy conflict
• Goal 2.2:Expand high-quality graduate education.

*This program is based on Faculty Onboarding at the University of Oregon and their “New Faculty Success Program.”

Questions about the Early Career Success Faculty Learning Community? Contact Nika Stoop at  [email protected].