Showing posts with label Tenure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tenure. Show all posts

Monday, March 6, 2017

Remaining Innovative as a Faculty Member After Tenure


Slightly before or after achieving tenure, most faculty think that they've reached the end of their innovation journey and their teaching can solely focus on the best practices that they've developed throughout the last few years. Wrong! I challenge each of you to keep thinking, being creative, and reaching students in your classroom.

Whenever I reach the end of my current innovation point, I have to look for innovators in the academic industry. Usually this search occurs online (fast, easy, and FREE). However, after joining the AACU's Liberal Education and America's Promise in the state of Texas, I just have to look at the innovative social media posts from colleagues in the state and in other LEAP States.

If you are wondering about LEAP States initiative, I am including their links below...
LEAP Wisconsin Innovation Hub - https://www.uwp.edu/facultyandstaff/innovationhub/

LEAP California Innovation Hub - http://www.calfaccollab.org/

LEAP Indiana Innovation Hub - https://sites.google.com/iu.edu/leap-indiana/

LEAP Texas - http://leaptx.org/

So, I charge you to remain innovative, keep thinking, being creative, and reach students in your classroom. Use these free resources and learn how you can improve your teaching techniques without leaving your home (or campus).

In addition to the innovative techniques from LEAP Texas (and the other LEAP States), here are "10 Ways that Faculty Can Remain Innovative After Tenure".

Have a great week! Thanks for visiting the Millennial Professor Blog!

Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards

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Monday, February 27, 2017

10 Ways Faculty Can Remain Innovative After Tenure


After achieving tenure, most faculty members think that they are finished! However, the work REALLY begins when you receive tenure. To help tenured faculty members with remain innovative, here are "10 Ways Faculty Can Remain Innovative After Tenure".

1 - Mentor a Tenure-Track Colleague
Mentoring is very important and it can help you remain informed about the newest research in your discipline. Also, your tenure-track colleagues have the most energy and you have the most experience - MAKE IT WORK!

2 - Dedicate a Specific Amount of Time Each Week to Research Something New
It is important to remain excited and informed about your field of study! Take time to research something new and to find out the most recent research in your field! Share with your tenure-track colleague(s)!

3 - Make Friends with the Librarians!
The librarians order books and they can let you know when a book, resource, or a database that is relevant for your discipline arrives at the library.

4 - Join a University Committee
Committees are time consuming, but they can also help you connect with your faculty and student affairs colleagues on campus. Through these committees, your experience can impact the outcome of the committee and can impact university decisions. In addition, through this committees, you can help your students and colleagues gain opportunities and partnerships on campus.

5 - Write Grants to Expand Your Research
When you write a grant, you can include additional travel funding, request course releases, and receive operations/maintenance funding for your project. Include a tenure track faculty member and students on the proposal as well!


6 - Write a Book Contributing to Your Discipline
The after-tenure journey is a great time to write a book (or two) to share your knowledge with others. Depending on your personal goals, you can partner with a publisher (potentially less money) or participate in a Amazon publishing agreement (potentially more money).

7 - Create Your Own Research Institute/Leave Your Legacy
When you create a research institute or initiative on your campus, you are leaving your legacy. Remember to include other faculty and undergraduate/graduate students on the proposal. Also, the research institute can keep you accountable for your research.

8 - Participate in a Study Abroad Experience with Other Faculty and StudentsStudy abroad experiences can definitely impact student and faculty success. Also, these experience can help you renew your motivation for your research and your field of study!

9 - Work with Undergraduate ResearchersWhen you form your own team of undergraduate researchers, you gain a group of eager students who are excited about learning more about you and your research. Find some mutual research interests and set up a research plan for these groups of students. There are many publication outlets for these eager researchers (and you)!

10 - Remember to Document Your Progress on Your CV and Social MediaYou never know when you will need to pull a list of your current (and past) projects. Remember to document these important projects on your curriculum vita and on your social media outlets.

Have a great week! Thanks for visiting the Millennial Professor Blog!

Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards

Follow Me on Twitter/Instagram - @drjtedwards
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Monday, December 19, 2016

Searching for a Long-Term Academic Relationship (LTAR)


Relationships change, friendships evolve, and values are reaffirmed. The past sentence defines my life for the past six years. When I began my academic career, I had a core group  of academic friends at the institution. However, when lives changed and mindsets evolved, our academic lives drifted apart.

Thinking Back to the Sorority Days

I have to remember that this was a similar experience that I encountered with some of my sorority sisters after college. We had a lot in common when we saw each other each day and were completing college together, but when we began our career paths we discovered how different we truly were.

Focusing on Today

So, the differences. Yes, they are definitely evident now. I am no longer on the tenure track, I am almost an associate professor and my academic value systems changed from a faculty research focus to a student research focus. Everything that I do now focuses on helping our students navigate college while integrating high impact educational practices from their first-year to their senior year. 

Thinking Beyond Your Department

Just because you share an academic discipline and work on project together does not guarantee a long-term academic relationship (LTAR). A LTAR is strengthened when we participate in those high-impact relationship building activities like study abroad, text messages sent to encourage one another, a spontaneous coffee/tea invitation for a 30 minute walk around campus, and a telephone call just to let the other academic know that you are thinking of them.

Encourage Others by Thinking Positively

My past academic relationships have been VERY transactional and research and project-based. Now, I can say that these relationships are based on common experiences (away from the university) and shared (encouraging) conversations. We also encourage one another by discouraging any negative conversations about other people. These conversations can taint your views of others and the time that you spend gossiping can be allocated to conversations about family or classroom innovation ideas.

I am much happier since I realized that relationships in my 30s need to be long-lasting and based on common experiences and common mindsets, not purely transactional. Sometimes you just have to let friendships wither away, this can make you open to new (and better friendships).

Have a great day and keep thinking positively! Thanks for visiting the Millennial Professor Blog!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards
Follow Me on Twitter/Instagram - @drjtedwards
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Thursday, August 20, 2015

5 Ways to Avoid Discouragement When Writing Grant Proposals (A Tip Sheet for Tenure Track Professors)


My goals for this year include writing a grants for the Texas Social Media Research Institute (@TSMRI). Grants will definitely be important for our success at TSMRI because it will enable us to provide more students with internships.

I know each of these grants will help get closer to our goal, but sometimes you can become DISCOURAGED. :(

5 Ways to Avoid Discouragement When Writing Grant Proposals
1 - Realize each unfunded grant application is a step in the right direction.
2 - Reading the comments will make your next proposal better.
3 - Grant writing builds long-lasting research
collaborations.
4 - Think about providing funding for undergraduate research
experiences for your students.
5 - You can still include unfunded proposals on your CV.


What would you add to the list?

Sincerely,

Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards
- Twitter/Instagram - @drjtedwards
- http://www.facebook.com/millennialprofessor/
- drjtedwards at gmail.com

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Save Your Data Week! - Where Do You Keep Your Academic Portfolio?


Readers,

I know that this might sounds crazy, but one night I had a weird dream about something happening to my academic portfolio which I kept at my office. So, I decided to relocate my academic portfolio to my home in a Rubbermaid container (to protect it from water, etc.).

Do you scan the items in your academic portfolio?

Do you keep multiple copies of your CV?

Do you have the original copies of your diplomas (which you probably have hanging in your office)?

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.
Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41
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Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Keeping a High Level of Motivation in 2012! - Wandering Wednesdays - "Historian on the Run"

Readers,

This week, I have seen a wealth of posts about effectiveness and productivity levels. However, I have not seen many professors post on their academic or writing goals for the new year. Thankfully, there are a few! :) So, for this week's Wandering Wednesday post, we will visit several professor's blogs that are focused on goal setting for the 2012 school year.

This "30-something" professor is focused on health and academics! She posted eight goals for the 2012 semester, which are divided into running and health goals, writing and professional goals, and personal goals. I like how she divided her goals into three distinct categories.

Also, here is a great video about something that is in my horizon...the end of the tenure process..



Did I miss YOUR goals from YOUR blog?

Sincerely,

J Edwards


Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.
Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41
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Friday, September 30, 2011

Tenure Revisited (5/5) - (Freebie Friday) Download a Free Song (or Two) from Amazon.com (Great for Grading and Commuting)!



Readers,

I love listening to music when I grade papers, conduct research, and organize my office. As a result, I was so excited to receive a free offer for a $2 MP3 credit for Amazon.com! For $2, you can download one (or two) songs from the website!

Click here (LINK) and enter FALLMP3S in the "enter your code" box!

Enjoy and take a SMALL break from the tenure process!

Thanks! About.com Guide Stacy Fisher!

Sincerely,

J. Edwards


Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.
Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41
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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Tenure Revisited (4/5) - The Barry B. Thompson Service Award & Texas A&M University System's Teaching Excellence Award for Teaching Excellence


Readers,

This past spring, I was very blessed to receive two wonderful awards from my university! These awards were the Barry B. Thompson Service Award (LINK) and the Texas A&M University System's Teaching Excellence Award for Teaching Excellence (LINK). 

            

I hope these awards will help me in the tenure process because I work very hard in the classroom (and on the weekends). A wealth of people supported me in this tenure track process and when I am finally awarded tenure (if I am awarded tenure), I will dedicate this process to my family, colleagues, current/former students, and friends from across the nation.

Sincerely,

J. Edwards


Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.
Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41
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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Tenure Revisited (3/5) - (Wandering Wednesdays) - National Clearinghouse on Academic Worklife


Readers,

Before this week, I did not know that there was a "National Clearinghouse on Academic Worklife". This website is offered by the University of Michigan Center for the Education of Women" and I look forward to actively exploring this website to read each and every article that they have to offer researchers.

Here are a few of their articles focused on tenure:

This website has the following pieces of information:

- Articles
- Research and Policy Reports
- Policies
- Demographics
- Additional Websites
- Narratives on Institutional Policy Change

Some of the most interesting interactive aspects of the website is the "join our community" and the "suggest resources for the clearinghouse" links.


Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.
Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41
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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Tenure Revisited (2/5) - "The Faculty Lounge & Other Reasons Why You Won't Get the College Education You Paid For" by Naomi Shaefer Riley


Readers,

A few days ago, my husband and I were persisting through our normal Saturday night activities. These include cooking dinner, grabbing a laptop, preparing lesson plans for the upcoming week, reading tomorrow's Sunday School lesson, and watching TV. This night, we were focused on CSPAN. As we flipped through the channels, we heard a book author on CSPAN mention the tenure process and we immediately stopped on this program. I love the weekend programming on CSPAN and I love Book TV, but this program was slightly different.

This program focused on a recent book titled, "The Faculty Lounge & Other Reasons Why You Won't Get the College Education You Paid For" by Naomi Shaefer Riley. I would  love to read and review this book because it seemed to contain a wealth of information focused on large research universities and it ignored professors who teach at smaller public and private colleges and institutions. Typically, we do not make over $50,000 and we teach more than four courses a semester. We volunteer to advise student organizations and to involve our students in extra curricular activities. For her next book, she should focus on mid-sized institutions and community colleges to give the public a holistic perspective of the faculty experience.

Enough of my commentary, here's the video:

What do you think of the video? I plan to order the book through our library's interlibrary loan program.


Sincerely,

J. Edwards


Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.
Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41
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Monday, September 26, 2011

Tenure Revisited (1/5) - My Personal and Ongoing Journey...Persisting Through the Tenure Process


Readers,

During this month, I have been focused on the tenure process. Every year, I set goals for my teaching, research, and service requirements. This year, I am more focused on undergraduate research, large-scale university events, and cross-collaborative research efforts. I hope to start working with a few of the professors from the STEM fields on a grant (or two).

This week's post is focused on the tenure process. Tenure is such a topic of conversation in Texas (as well as the nation) and there are various positive and negative views focused on the tenure process. Despite the attacks to the tenure process, I revisit my tenure portfolio and the tenure requirements for my department to determine how I can exceed my own expectations regarding teaching, research, and service. I attempt to integrate all three of the requirements in every activity that I choose to pursue. 

Despite the individual nature of the tenure process, I try to make each of my research projects and service activities a collaborative process to help early career faculty in their tenure process. Sometimes it is hard for others to persist through this process and I try to help as many people as possible.

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.
Become a fan of Millennial Professor on Facebook - http://goo.gl/gnN41
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