For the 130+ new full time faculty starting at Columbia this year, there is a lot to take advantage of, but it can be hard to know where to start.
“When you’re starting in a new position, in a new university, and possibly in a new city, it is like drinking from a firehose. There is so much to take in,” said Interim Provost Dennis Mitchell.
Supplementing School-Based Orientations
To help new faculty acquaint themselves with Columbia, this year’s virtual faculty orientation will introduce faculty to the broad spectrum of University resources and offices devoted to supporting their teaching, scholarship, and overall well-being. These cover a range of topics, from strategies for course design to an overview of tenure track and tenure review processes to resources to create a more inclusive Columbia. This program is intended to complement school-based orientations, and is presented by the Office of the Provost's Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement.
This is the fourth time that the program will be presented virtually and asynchronously, and this has its benefits. “Faculty can access the course at their own convenience, and can refer back to the modules once they have had a chance to get settled,” said Mitchell.
Modules Offer Easy Checklists
In addition to introducing new faculty to support from the CTL and the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement, these online modules include resources from the Office of Research Initiatives, the Office of Faculty Affairs, the University Libraries, the Office of Work/Life, Columbia University Information Technology, the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, Academic Affairs at CUIMC, and the Office of Multicultural Affairs. Each module contains an introduction from leadership, a list of key contacts, and a checklist of action items.
