Office of the Provost and Dean of the Faculty Information for and about New Faculty (Academic Year 2023-2024)

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Tuesday, July 18, 3:00 p.m. EST: Virtual Session: Course Planning, Tips, and Resources Online 

Zoom link and RSVP were emailed to new faculty.

This session on teaching at Amherst has been developed to help you prepare for the fall semester.  Faculty and representatives from the Center for Teaching and Learning, the library, Academic Technology Services, the Strategic Learning Center, the Center for Community Engagement, and the Writing Center will share tips and resources on planning classes for Amherst students.  Please feel free to reach out to anyone in these offices at any time with questions.  They are here to help you succeed.  Please RSVP here.

Tuesday, August 29, 5:30 p.m.: Welcome Reception and Dinner for New Faculty at the Inn on Boltwood, Garden Tent

Dinner for new faculty members, department chairs, and members of the Office of the Provost and Dean of the Faculty

Wednesday, August 30, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Multiple Sessions at the Inn on Boltwood, Dickinson Ballroom

Light Breakfast
8:00 a.m.; Dickinson Patio

Welcome Remarks by Provost and Dean of the Faculty Catherine Epstein
8:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Getting to Know One Another
9:00 a.m. to 9:35 a.m.

In small groups, we will start by getting to know our new colleagues.  It is our hope that you will share details such as the position you had before coming to Amherst, what you enjoy most about teaching, what you are looking forward to the most as a new member of our community, and what you may feel most anxious about as you prepare to assume your new role.

Hearing from Our Students
9:40 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

Teaching students is at the center of the mission of the college. You will hear from four students on what drew them to Amherst, what motivates them to learn, and what they want new faculty members to know.

Break
10:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.     

Starting Classes with Ease
10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

Four faculty members from different departments and disciplines, who have been at the college for different lengths of time, will share their experiences and offer suggestions about how to get off to a good start.  Topics include what you should expect during the add/drop period, where to turn for assistance with your teaching, how not to let teaching consume your lives, and more.

Accessibility Services and Testing Accommodations
11:20 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.     

How does the college respond to students who voluntarily disclose a disability(ies), submit appropriate documentation for verification, and request accommodations?  How do faculty members learn about those accommodations?  What resources are available to faculty to help in providing digital and physical accommodations?  What accommodations are available to faculty who need them?  Precious Parham, Accessibility Services Specialist, and Raphaela Moreno, Access Coordinator will lead this discussion.

Lunch
11:50 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; Dickinson Patio

A chance to get to know one another.       

Title IX and Identity-Based Harassment Training 
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Laurie Frankl, the college’s director for civil rights and Title IX coordinator, will offer Title IX training.  This training is mandatory.

Break
2:05 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.     

Amherst Students: What Do They need? How Do We Help Them?

2:15 p.m. to 2:55 p.m.

This session will feature a discussion about the student body and the ways in which the college supports students.  Matt McGann, dean of admission and financial aid; Angie Tissi-Gassoway, chief student affairs officer and dean of students; and Darien McFadden, director of the college’s Center for Counseling and Mental Health, will provide information and offer their perspectives.

The Class Deans

3:00 p.m. to 3:40 p.m.

Class deans are our go-to support for students. When you have a concern about a student, the first people to look to for support are our class deans. At this session, they will introduce themselves and discuss their role.

Teaching Resources

3:45 p.m. to 4:25 p.m.

Jaya Kannan, director of technology for curriculum and research at the college; Emily Potter-Ndiaye, head of education at the Mead Art Museum; Sarah Barr, Director of the Center for Community Engagement; and Missy Roser, head of research and instruction at Robert Frost Library, will lead a conversation about resources that are available to faculty to support their teaching and answer your questions about teaching support.

Campus Tour
4:30 p.m.  

The Office of Admission will offer campus tours.

Friday, September 1, 8:15 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.: Half-Day Program at the Inn on Boltwood, Dickinson Ballroom

Light Breakfast; Dickinson Patio
8:15 a.m.

Welcoming remarks by Michael Elliott, President of the College
9:00 a.m.

Academic Support for Students
9:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. 

This session will focus on the work of the Writing Center, the Moss Quantitative Center (the “Q Center”), and the Strategic Learning Center.  Larissa Hopkins, director of the Strategic Learning Center; Jennifer Innes, director of the Q Center; and Jessica Kem, director of the Writing Center will provide information and respond to questions. 

Conversation on Teaching
9:50 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) will facilitate a conversation and engage with your questions about teaching at Amherst College.  They will offer resources and support for engaging with your students throughout the semester in ways that develop and sustain an effective, perhaps even joyful, learning environment.

Break
10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.

10:45 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.

Lunch 

12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

A chance to get to learn about the local area.

Tuesday, September 12, 12:00-1:00 p.m.: Answering your questions

CHI Think Tank, Lyceum, catered lunch provided

Now that you have started the semester, new questions arise. For instance, how do you get funding to bring in a guest lecturer, what if you want a colleague to observe my teaching, what is this “entertainment fund” someone mentioned, what can you use your research funds for, etc.? We will answer your questions about teaching, research, the college, and anything else, while also making time to connect with one another.

Tuesday, October 17, 12:00-1:00 p.m.: DEI commitments

CHI Think Tank, Lyceum, catered lunch provided

Diversity, equity and inclusion are more than just topics for discussion, they are commitments that the college has made from the time students apply for admission. Faculty play a key role in this ongoing process. We will hear from representatives from the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on both their work and how faculty can be supported and support these goals.

Tuesday, November 7, 12:00-1:00 p.m.: Research support for faculty (for tenure-line faculty only)

CHI Think Tank, Lyceum, catered lunch provided

A representative from the Office of the Provost and Dean of the Faculty will provide information about college funding that is available to support the teaching and research of tenure-line faculty, including the Faculty Research Awards Program (FRAP) and the Gregory S. Call Academic Internship Program. In addition, a representative of the Office of Sponsored Research and Foundation Relations, the Director of the Library, and the Director of Compliance will discuss their respective services provided to the faculty.  Finally, an editor of the Amherst College Press will talk about support from the Press on writing book proposals and navigating the publishing world. 

Thursday, November 16, 12:00-1:00 p.m.: Making the most of your time (for visiting faculty only)

CHI Think Tank, Lyceum, catered lunch provided

Being a visiting faculty member at Amherst can be a very rewarding experience, while also a challenge as you consider what comes next. In this session, colleagues who have been/are visiting faculty members will reflect on their experiences as visitors. What worked for them in helping to get the most out of being at Amherst? What pitfalls can be anticipated and avoided? Current visiting faculty will share their perspectives.

Tuesday, December 12, 11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m.: Sustainable teaching, led by the Center for Teaching and Learning. Open to all untenured faculty

Mullins-Faerber, Valentine Hall

Early-career teaching can be a rich, joyful experience, and it can also involve a steep learning curve. What strategies can you use to manage the time you spend on your teaching responsibilities (i.e., preparing for class, managing student email, office hours, grading/feedback, reflection on teaching improvement, and course design)? What do you prioritize in relation to your teaching and why? This session will provide opportunities to learn, explore, and reflect on sustainable teaching practices, with the hope that you can maximize the joy of teaching and preserve the necessary time for other priorities. Amherst College faculty will share some of their strategies, and CTL staff will facilitate this one-hour session.

Tuesday, February 13, 12:00-1:00 p.m.: Faculty Governance and Major Committees (for tenure-line faculty only)

CHI Think Tank, Lyceum, catered lunch provided

Amherst prides itself on its tradition of faculty governance.  This conversation will focus on the roles that faculty members play in setting policy and making decisions at the college. The faculty meeting and its norms, as well as the roles and responsibilities of major college committees, will also be discussed. You will be encouraged to share your views on faculty governance, including what is working and not working from your perspective.

Thursday, February 15, 12:00-1:00 p.m.: Forging a Pathway Inside and Outside of the Academy (for visiting faculty only) 

CHI Think Tank, Lyceum, catered lunch provided

As visiting faculty, it is normal to be highly mindful of what opportunities are available after one’s time here and how to best prepare oneself for them. Those opportunities can be within or outside of the academy. We will discuss what it means and how it feels to be considering future possibilities while engaging fully at Amherst.

Tuesday, March 5, 12:00-1:00 p.m.: Coaches and Athletics

CHI Think Tank, Lyceum, catered lunch provided

Athletics makes up a major part of our campus life. Yet, what we mean by student-athlete can be opaque, and connections between faculty and coaches are limited. Faculty and students benefit from hearing from coaches how they approach the student-athlete relationship and how they can be a resource, along with how we can support student-athletes in turn.

Tuesday, April 9, 12:00-1:00 p.m.: Looking Forward to Advising (for tenure-track faculty only)

CHI Think Tank, Lyceum, catered lunch provided

Advising is one of the important and challenging of the responsibilities of the Amherst faculty. The success of our open curriculum depends on our advising. This session will address why advising is so important and so challenging.  Conversation will encompass what it means to do advising at the college, what makes a good advisor, and how to prepare for the work of advising.

Tuesday, May 14, 12:00-1:00 p.m.: Planning for the summer and open topic, based on your interests

CHI Think Tank, Lyceum, catered lunch provided

The summer is an important time to regroup and make progress on one’s goals. We will talk about how to make the most out of one’s summer and also have space to discuss a topic of your choosing.