Strategic Priority 1

Invest in a comprehensive faculty development program that includes the integration of high impact practices in key curricula. 

2024 Update and Accomplishments

1. Accomplishment #1: WG1 commissioned COHRE to assess the status and functioning of the LT&ITC, resulting in the COHRE report. 
2. Accomplishment #2: WG1 compiled a list of recommendations, together with objectives, recommended actions, and responsible parties, for the university campus with respect to Priority 1. They are published in the Work Group Recommendations document.
3. Accomplishment #3: Solicit and compile updates from across campus on current (as of Spring 2024) professional development activities that are occurring and have followed from the publication of the COHRE report and the Work Group Recommendations documents

Updates on Professional Development from Across Campus (i.e., Accomplishment #3)

1. Following the commission of the COHRE report and the recommendation of Strategy 1 (Create a centralized headquarters for all faculty development (Center for Faculty Development)) from the Work Group Recommendations, the LT&ITC has engaged in the following structural and leadership initiatives: 

• Help instructors reflect on and strengthen their teaching skills.
• Promote innovative teaching approaches to ensure student success.
• Support professional development and career advancement.
• Offer teaching observation opportunities.
• Share knowledge through workshops and seminars.
• Organize writing groups, reading groups, learning communities, and expert panels.
• Encourage scholarly productivity.
• Share resources and best practices for teaching and learning.
• Develop and offer workshops for new faculty and staff. NEW
• Create digital knowledge banks on the scholarship of teaching and learning. NEW
• Showcase the excellent work of faculty and staff. NEW
• Sponsor institutes or conferences on teaching and learning. NEW
  • Facilitate a GTA “boot camp” for teaching and learning. NEW
  • Deliver an annual conference for MTSU faculty and staff, such as an intensive weekend of workshops with panel and paper presentations and/or a scholar-to-scholar poster session. NEW

2. Following the recommendation of Strategy #2 (Provide tools, trainings, and support for all faculty to create a culture of continual improvement) from the Work Group Recommendations, the Office of the Provost has engaged in the following initiatives to support faculty development: 

• Leadership on Deck Institute
• Provost Fellowship Program
• New Faculty Orientation
• New Chairs Training and Learning Community
• Tenure and Promotion Workshops
• In collaboration with LT&ITC:
  • Faculty Fellows Program
  • Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs)
  • Book Groups
  • Associate-to-Full Professor Initiative
  • Non-Instructional Assignment Grants

3. Following the recommendation of Strategy #3 (Provide tools, training, and support for faculty development in the areas of research/creative activity and service) from the Work Group Recommendations, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs has engaged in the following initiatives to support faculty development in research/grant-writing: 

• Grant-Writing Enhancement Program, including assigned grant mentor/mentee relationships
• Hanover Pre-Award Support for Grant Writing, including live webinars and one-on-one coaching
• Q&A Sessions with ORSP (Monthly for campus community)
• ORSP also welcomes invitations to speak with departments on campus about services offered
• IRB Training Sessions (Monthly)
• CITI Modules, e.g., on Grant Writing

4. Following recommendation of Strategy #4 (Provide individual, personal, and discipline-specific support for all faculty of all ranks/types) from the Work Group Recommendations, many colleges and departments are implementing professional development initiatives that are individual, personal, or discipline-specific. Below is a sampling of some of the many individual initiatives, as informed and led by members of WG1: 

• Connections Course (Team-Teaching)– new compensation structure to allow for team-teaching (Leah Lyons)– see blurb here.
• Teaching TRIOS – observers as learners (Sarah Bleiler-Baxter)– see blurb here.
• Community-Engaged Pedagogy and Community-Engaged Research– how to gain recognition for T&P (Monica Smith, Bethany Wrye)–see blurb here. 
• Associate Director and Faculty Fellow Program through the Tennessee STEM Education Research Center (Gregory Rushton, Sarah Bleiler-Baxter)– see blurb here.

Work Group

Co-Chair: Leah Lyons	College of Liberal Arts
Co-Chair: Sarah Bleiler-Baxter	College of Basic and Applied Sciences
Jenn Caputo	LT&ITC; College of Behavioral and Health Sciences
David Carleton	College of Liberal Arts
Jane Lim	College of Education
John Merchant	College of Media and Entertainment
Susan Myers-Shirk	True Blue Core
Carol Swayze	EXL
Cornelia Wills	Office of Student Success
Tiffany Wilson	College of Education
Bethany Wrye	College of Behavioral and Health Sciences