Maximizing Visiting & Adjunct Faculty Appointments

Goals

• To familiarize visiting and adjunct faculty with Lafayette resources that can maximize their experience at the College
• To provide recommendations that promote the development of visiting and adjunct faculty at Lafayette

Overview

Visiting and adjunct faculty have the unique opportunity to contribute to the College on a full-time or part-time basis for a defined amount of time. There are a variety of benefits to being a visiting or adjunct faculty member at Lafayette such as having the opportunity to advance the education of undergraduate learners, furthering institutional strategic plans, refining teaching methods, forming networks and connections, having a flexible schedule around teaching obligations, and progressing towards career goals in higher education. Visiting and adjunct faculty can take a number of steps to orient themselves to the institution and maximize their experiences while at the College.  

Recommendations

Orientation to the College

• Review the Guidebook for Part-Time Faculty at Lafayette.
• Join a Campus Tour run by Admissions to learn more about the institution.
• Review a summary of key resources for faculty new to Lafayette.

Being Connected

• Ask your department head or program chair about relevant events.
• Attend College functions as you are able (social events, etc.). You can find events through Lafayette Today, our internal College-wide newsletter, which comes via email, as well as on the Lafayette Calendar of Events.
• Attend events facilitated by our consortium, the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC) .

Teaching Development

• Review the teaching resources on the Center for the Integration of Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship’s website and media site.
• Participate in initiatives run or co-sponsored by the Center for the Integration of Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship. The center has a running feed of events on its website as well as a Google calendar. You are invited to attend any new faculty events as your schedule allows.
• Ask a trusted colleague or the teaching center director to observe a class to obtain personalized formative feedback on teaching or ask relevant questions.
• Request a confidential consultation by the Center for the Integration of Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship if you have any questions about teaching at Lafayette.

Additional Resources

• Department Heads and Program Chairs – Key contacts for visiting and adjunct faculty for their teaching appointments including course-related logistics.
• Center for the Integration of Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship – Key contact for supporting teaching development of all faculty members including visiting and adjunct faculty.