As thousands of new Redbirds flock for move-in, Illinois State University also welcomes nearly 100 new faculty members to campus for New Faculty Orientation. Hosted by the Center for Integrated Professional Development on behalf of the Office of the Provost and in conjunction with the Office of the President, the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs, and Milner Library, New Faculty Orientation is a weeklong set of workshops and social events designed to welcome new faculty to campus and help them get ready to start their first semester with confidence.

A Network of Mentors and Resources

On Monday, August 12, new faculty members were welcomed by Provost Ani Yazedjian for a kickoff event at the Bone Student Center, which also included presentations from Dr. Craig Gatto, associate vice president for Academic Affairs, and Dr. Craig C. McLauchlan, associate vice president for Research and Graduate Studies. “One of the great things about Illinois State University is that it’s the most welcoming campus I’ve ever worked at. I invite you to go up to anyone if you have a question you think they might be able to answer,” Gatto said, as he encouraged faculty members to seek out mentorship and support from all areas of their new campus community.

Following the welcome session, new faculty members networked in small groups with their college deans and more experienced faculty members from their colleges, followed by a buffet lunch hosted by the Office of the Provost. Later in the afternoon, President Aondover Tarhule hosted new faculty members for a reception at the Aaron Leetch Stadium Club. Throughout these events, connections were made that will help this incoming cohort of faculty members in “Building (Their) Networks,” as was the theme of the day.

“We know that the first day of any job is going to be at least a little overwhelming. That’s why we don’t bombard people with information for an entire day like we did years ago. The focus of New Faculty Orientation is on helping new faculty make connections with one another and the mentors they will find here,” said Dr. Dana Karraker, assistant director for educational development programs and the primary organizer of New Faculty Orientation. “We have an excellent collection of resources online for all instructors, so there’s no longer a need to try to fit all of that content into one day.”

Continuing the Conversations

Throughout the rest of this week, new faculty members are invited to choose from a variety of sessions that will help them meet their individual interests, “Getting Started with your Research” by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, orientations at Milner Library, and technology orientations and a session on “Equity in the College Classroom” by the Center for Integrated Professional Development. In addition to these offerings that are just for new faculty members, all instructors are invited to take part in other offerings during Faculty Prep Week at the center, including two syllabus open houses and multiple Canvas workshops.

A Beginning Continued Year-Round

Though New Faculty Orientation is one of our keynote events, the Center and our campus partners continue to support instructors year-round through workshops, consultations, and other services. New Faculty also have access to many dedicated support structures, such as the New Faculty Learning Community, that assist with the many transitions that come with the early stages of an academic career. Dr. Jennifer Friberg, director of scholarly teaching and the Cross Chair in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, joined Jim Gee of the School of Communication last fall to talk about these supports on this episode of Let’s Talk Teaching.

Questions about New Faculty Orientation or Faculty Prep Week can be directed to the Center for Integrated Professional Development at ProDev@IllinoisState.edu.