WHAT IS THE FACULTY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE (FEI)?
In the Fall of 2006, the Office of Residential Life launched an initiative
to increase the quality and frequency of “out-of-the-classroom” interactions
between students and faculty members. The Faculty Engagement Initiative (FEI)
was developed to bring faculty members into the residence halls to interact
with students in an intentional and purposeful manner. Faculty and student
interaction outside of the classroom is not only an important component of a
liberal arts education but is also a marker of student success and retention. A
number of recent studies evaluating the importance and impact of student and
faculty interactions have shown that students become more involved in all
aspects of campus life when they have quality interactions with faculty
members.
The Dean of the College area has a long-standing and dedicated commitment to
supporting the academic mission of the College. One proven factor in
enhancing the student experience in the classroom is the opportunity to
connect with faculty in less formal environments outside the
classroom.
The Office of Residential Life values interaction between students and
faculty members outside of the classroom and in the residence halls. ORL has
identified various programmatic opportunities to engage both students and
faculty in developing relationships with one another and to assist in
cultivating those relationships. The Faculty Engagement Initiative provides
financial resources as well as organizational support to students and faculty
members wishing to develop programming in the residence halls.
WHAT ARE FACULTY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS?
The ORL Faculty Engagement Initiative concentrates on six programmatic areas
aimed at creating and cultivating relationships between students and faculty
members.
- FYRE-Side Chats: Programs that bring together first-year
students and members of the Dartmouth faculty to discuss topics of personal and
professional interest. FYRE-Side chat programs can range from large,
cluster-wide BBQs to small, more intimate gatherings between two residents and
a professor.
- Sophomore Advantage Program: It is during the second year
of college that students begin to solidify their extracurricular and curricular
choices. Funding for Sophomore Advantage programs is available in order to
respond to student needs by offering targeted academic and major advising. All
sophomore students are eligible to request funding for these programs.
- Graduate Advisor Faculty Discussions: Many undergraduates
report that they are uncomfortable initiating relationships with faculty
members, particularly those whose research areas interest them but with
whom the students, as underclassmen, have not yet had the chance to
interact. The Graduate Advisor Faculty Discussions offer the opportunity for
undergraduate students to begin relationships with faculty with whom they might
not otherwise have the opportunity to interact by partnering with graduate
students to facilitate programming. Graduate students are also eligible to
request funding for programs they would like to organize to bring students and
faculty together.
- Faculty Student Initiated Programs: Student Initiated
Programs (SIPs) allow students living on campus to take ownership of their
residential experience and coordinate programs that meet their individual
needs. Faculty SIPs are student initiated programs that encourage
out-of-the-classroom, purposeful and intentional interactions between students
and faculty members. Student initiated programs that involve faculty members
enhance the residential experience for students by bridging the gap between
learning inside and learning outside of the classroom. Students are able to
develop substantive relationships with faculty members by inviting them into
their halls and interacting with them in a safe, un-scripted fashion. The
interactions are mutually beneficial; both student and faculty are able to
learn from one another as they engage during programs.
- Community Dinners: Funding for “Community Dinners”
provides an opportunity for students to invite faculty members into their
residence halls for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert or other programs. The
purpose of these programs is to bring one or more faculty members in contact
with two or more residential students to discuss an area of personal or
professional interest. Members of each academic class are eligible to propose
and receive funding for Community Dinners throughout the year. Residential
Education staff provided guidance, support, and resources to students wanting
to develop deeper connections with faculty. When needed, Residential Education
staff can also assist with the organizational aspects of program development
and outreach efforts to faculty.
- Co-educational, Fraternity, and Sorority Connections: The
commitment to Scholarship asks all CFS members “to pursue the acquisition of
knowledge, with individual academic excellence as the primary goal.” CFS
organizations are encouraged to utilize the Faculty Engagement Initiative as a
means to furthering their commitments to Scholarship. The CFS
Connections initiative is designed to facilitate faculty and resident
interaction outside of the traditional classroom setting and inside the CFS
houses. Programs include at least one faculty member and have an intentional
purpose in bringing together students and faculty. Faculty Involvement
Programs in the CFS houses target a specific population, such as members of an
organization registered for a certain class, members interested in a certain
field of study, or brothers/sisters interested in learning about a professor's
research interests.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR FACULTY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE
FUNDING?
Resources are available to assist students, staff, and faculty members in
developing and facilitating programming in the residence halls.
- Undergraduate students are eligible to request funding for
programming that involves the interaction of faculty members and
students.
- Graduate students are eligible to request funding for
programming that involves the interaction of faculty members, graduate students
and undergraduate students.
- Faculty members are eligible to request funding for
programming that involves the interaction of faculty members and students.
- Staff members are eligible to request funding for
programming that involves the interaction of faculty members, staff members and
students.
Click on the links below for more information or to apply for
funding:
Program
Ideas
Faculty Engagement Program Procedures
Propose
a Program/Request Funds
Evaluate
a Program-Students
Evaluate
a Program-Faculty
For information about Faculty Engagement Programs,
contact:
Rachel Head
Community Director, Russell Sage Cluster
Rachel.L.Head@dartmouth.edu
603-646-8552
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