Faculty-in-Residence

“Both students and institutional environments contribute to what students gain from college. Thus, the key to enhancing learning and personal development is not simply for faculty to teach more and better, but also to create conditions that motivate and inspire students to devote time and energy to educationally purposeful activities, both in and outside of the classroom.”

(Student Learning Imperative, 1996)

Current Faculty In Residence

Faculty-In-Residence Program

The Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs (EMSA) fosters experiential and personal development opportunities that engage, empower, and enrich the student’s experience. Student’s success is our pride.

The Division Strategic Priorities for 2020-2025

• Health and Wellness
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Strategic Enrollment Management
• Leadership
• Experiential Learning
• Compliance and Assessment
• Stewardship and Division Investments

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 Housing and Residence Life (HRL) partners with residential students to enhance their college experience by providing learning opportunities outside the classroom. We connect students living and learning to enhance their overall student experience. HRL uses a curricular approach to residential education. Our Residential Curriculum is intentional interactions that structures learning opportunities for residential students.

Throughout the residential experience, it is our expectation that these residential scholars will participate, take advantage, and own the learning opportunities provided in four key areas of development.

1. Academic Success
2. Diversity and Inclusion
3. Personal Growth
4. Community Engagement

The Faculty in Residence (FIR) program is sponsored by the Office of Housing and Residence Life and aims to increase meaningful interactions between faculty and students. The FIR position is a live-in position designed to strengthen the connection between students’ curricular and co-curricular activities. In collaboration with Residence Life staff, the FIRs help to create an intentional residential education experience for UTC students. The mission of Residence Life is to enhance student’s college experience through active learning and leadership in a supportive environment that appropriately challenges them inside and outside the classroom. The FIRs serve to model these ideals by providing programs, dialogues, and initiatives that engage, support, and intellectually challenge students. Research shows that student engagement with faculty has a positive relation to students’ retention, satisfaction, and learning. Through informal and formal interactions, the FIR program helps students to know faculty on a deeper level, in both academic and social contexts.

The goal of the Faculty-in-Residence (FIR) Program is to provide both formal and informal resident-faculty interactions through educational programming, classes, individual and small-group advising, and casual association. These interactions provide students opportunities to approach and relate to faculty members on a more personal level, learn about resources, and enhance their confidence and ability to interact with all faculty members. We hope that UTC faculty members will integrate into the residential communities and work with collaboratively to facilitate student learning.

The following outline provides information and guidelines for the Faculty-In-Residence Program:

RESEARCH AND JUSTIFICATION OF PROGRAM

Research has shown that faculty programs in residence halls help students and the university. Students who have contact with faculty outside the classroom have higher retention rates leading to graduation (Astin, 1977; Bean, 1980), are more satisfied with college (Astin, 1977; Pascarella, 1980), and show higher levels of achievement (Centra and Rock, 1971).

The faculty members involved with students in out-of-classroom experiences also receive help from the experience. Faculty gain a greater understanding of students’ needs, expectations, strengths and weaknesses that can lead to better structured academic expectations and challenges, and a reduction of misunderstandings (Pascarella, 1975).

GOALS OF THE PROGRAM

• Provide formal and informal resident-faculty interactions.
• Provide formal and informal individual and small group advising.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate programming that support the needs and interests of residents.
• Develop strategies to help students connect with resources on and off-campus that support academic, personal, and professional achievement.
• Strengthen collaboration within Enrollment Management Student Affairs and Academic Affairs. 
• Assist with the assessment of the overall effectiveness of the program.

LOCATION

First-year students concentrated living environments (West Campus, Boling, Lockmiller and Stagmaier, Walker and UC Foundation)

EXPECTATIONS OF THE FACULTY-IN-RESIDENCE

Faculty members serving as Faculty in Residence will provide academic engagement and enhancement opportunities for students outside the classroom.  Focused on student learning, the FIR will provide both formal and informal experiences for students to apply what they are learning in the classroom and advance their development as leaders, thinkers, and doers.

These expectations are designed to encourage regular interaction, collaboration and communication between the Faculty-in-Residence and their respective area residence life staff:

• The Faculty-in-Residence will maintain a high level of visibility in the residence area and initiate informal contact with students (minimum 6 hours/week).
• The Faculty-in-Residence will set up and advertise office hours in their residence hall and be available to residents during that time to aid with various issues on a walk-in or appointment basis.
• The Faculty-in-Residence may use their apartment to meet with small groups of students for formal and informal meetings.
• The Faculty-in-Residence will create a written or video welcome for residents in the community to be shared with the community in August and January.
• The Faculty-in-Residence will plan and implement at least 2 formal complex-wide program per semester. Collaboration with residence life staff and residential living learning communities is strongly encouraged.
• The Faculty-in-Residence and the Residence Life staff will meet at least once per month to discuss the residential community. At this meeting, the FIR and RD will provide updates on monthly events, student interactions, and plans for future events.
• The Faculty-in-Residence will attend staff meetings, in-services, and recognition programs, as reasonably requested and schedule permits by the Residence Life staff.
• The Faculty-in-Residence will take part in Residence Life staff training activities (July – August), Operation Move-In, Convocation, House Calls, and Welcome Week activities and Scholars in Residence to name a few.
• The Faculty-in-Residence does not have supervisory or operational responsibilities in the residence hall. The focus of his/her interaction is developmental and as university.
• The Faculty-in-Residence is expected to support and abide by all University and Housing and Residence Life rules and regulations, as well as state and federal laws.
• The Faculty- in-Residence is also expected to conduct him/herself in a professional, legal, and ethical manner when dealing with students. 

Eligibility Criteria for Faculty in Residence 

Faculty in Residence must be full-time tenure or tenure track faculty member preferred. Non-tenure track teaching appointments may be considered. 

Faculty in Residence must support the benefits of a living/learning environment, be strongly committed to undergraduate and/or graduate education outside of traditional academic framework and have a willingness to make the necessary investment in time and energy in support of the aims of the Residential Education program.

Faculty in Residence must be excellent communicators in both one-one and group settings, effective programmers (including conception, promotion, implementation and assessment); able to work collegially and effectively with diverse constituencies, including students, faculty and staff; and accessible and approachable to students.

TERM OF APPOINTMENT An initial Faculty in Residence appointment is for 2 years, with the option for renewal based on annual evaluations and demonstration of exceptional/exemplary service.

Full-time residency in one’s residential community is central to the position except during university breaks and research/teaching obligations.

Most duties expected of Faculty in Residence shall be conducted during the 9-month academic school year. However, all Faculty in Residence should expect to begin planning meetings and orientation at least one week prior to Move-In Day in fall and spring.

Faculty in Residence have full occupancy of their residence throughout the entire calendar year, including the times when Faculty in Residence have minimal obligations.

PACKAGE INCLUSIONS

Compensation: $1500/year professional development funding.

Apartment: The faculty member is provided a two-bedroom apartment, including rent, utilities, basic cable service, and internet. Basic furniture provided (1 bedroom set, sofa, chair, table and chair). The program does not cover the cost of moving, liability insurance for personal property, or long-distance telephone charges.  An inventory of the apartment will be conducted by the residence life professional staff member when the FIR moves in and again when s/he moves out. It is an expectation that the apartment is clean, and all personal items removed when the FIR moves out.

Meal Plan:  A meal plan for the academic year is provided and is to be used in part for the academic mission of the FIR program.

Dependents: Housing and Residence Life welcomes dependents of full-time live-in faculty and staff. Dependents over 16 and/or not currently employed by the university must complete a background check prior to taking residency on campus.

Programming Funds: $2500 - FIR will have a budget of $1250 per semester for programming initiatives.

SUPPORT FROM ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT

The faculty member is responsible for communicating with his/her academic department about their role. The Department Chair should acknowledge their support by signing a Statement of Support. 

EVALUATION OF PROGRAM

The Faculty-In-Residence program will be evaluated each year by the Executive Director of Residential Education and Campus Life or their designee.

TERMS OF AGREEMENT SELECTION

Faculty interested in the FIR program will submit a completed application, signed Statement of Support from Department Chair and curriculum vitae by February 28, 2024. Individual interviews will be conducted by selection committee and group interviews will be conducted with students/student staff. 

REFERENCES

American College Personnel Association (1996). Student learning imperative: Implications for student affairs [Report].  Washington, DC: Author.

Astin, A.W. (1977). Four critical years.  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Bean, J.P. (1980). Dropouts and turnover:  The synthesis and test of a causal model of student attrition. Research in Higher Education, 12, 155-187.

Centra, J., and Rock, D. (1971). College environments and student achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 8, 623-634.

Kuh, George D., Schuh, John H., and Thomas, Robert O. (1985). Suggestions for encouraging faculty student interaction in a residence hall.  NASPA Journal, 22, 29-37.

Pascarella, E. (1980). Student-faculty informal contact and college outcomes. Reviews of

Educational Research, 4, 545-595

For More Information Contact:

Valara Sample Executive Director for Residential Education & Campus Life Housing and Residence Life Phone: (423) 425-4304 E-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Valerie Rutledge Dean, College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies Chair, Faculty in Residence Selection Committee Phone: (423) 425-5374 Email: [email protected]