Faculty Outreach to Undergraduate Residents
at the University of Delaware
(FOUR-UD)
Directed by: Faculty Fellows Dr. Mark Parcells and Dr. James McGee
In Association with: Residence Life, Residence Complex Coordinators
Introduction
In early Fall 2009, you were contacted via email regarding a new initiative for faculty to present and interact with students in residence halls in a more informal setting. These events were to be on an area of interest and could range from descriptions of hobbies, presentations and discussions on films, topics in the news, or important issues (political, philosophical, etc.). Because this program was seen as being distinct from the Residence Life Program Plan approved by the Faculty Senate, the drafted program required separate submission to the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate for approval prior to implementation. This proposal was submitted prior to the holiday break, but as we await approval of this initiative, we felt that faculty should be aware of the substance of this program.
Scope and Duration
The scope of this program spans disciplines from basic sciences to the arts, from political science to physical education. Essentially, the subject areas are up to the faculty and should be developed in coordination with a Residence Life Complex Coordinator. Each program should last 1 -2 hrs, depending on the topic and nature of the program. The program should be relatively informal in order to foster collegial interactions and discussions between faculty and students.
Goal
The overall goal of FOUR-UD is to establish and foster increased faculty – student interactions in order to enrich the overall academic experience of our undergraduates. Furthermore, our hope is that FOUR-UD will become part of an extensive network of faculty – student interactive programs (lunches, teas, competitions, etc.).
Programming Process
Faculty who have expressed an interest to participate will be asked to provide a brief statement on their program topic (2 – 3 sentences). The topics and faculty contact information will be provided to Complex Coordinators, who will directly contact faculty to schedule events.
Evaluation Process
In order to provide feedback to participating faculty and to have feedback from participating faculty, Facebook and GoogleDoc pages have been established. Faculty will be surveyed regarding their experiences and students will be invited to share their experiences, as well. At the end of each semester, outcomes will be assessed through the tabulation of these data and these results will be reported to Residence Life, the Faculty Senate Committee on Student Life and the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate. Recommendations will be sought to address any problems encountered.
Follow-up
Participating faculty are encouraged to establish longer-term relationships within residence halls. This may be a weekly snack and discussion session, a monthly get-together, or may only be once per semester depending on faculty schedules and student interest. How these interactions progress will be individually developed through Faculty - Complex Coordinator interactions.
Contacts
Residence
Life Complex Coordinators: http://www.udel.edu/reslife/staff/staff.html
Residence Life Website: http://www.udel.edu/reslife/
Faculty Fellows:
Dr. Mark Parcells, Parcells@UDel.edu
Dr. James Magee, mageesct@gmail.com
Websites
Facebook: