As we reflect on the past three years of faculty development at CAU, those of us who have participated with any consistency in its maturation can see that the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, CETL, has achieved much and has achieved it rapidly. We recognize, of course, that we have not met the needs of the entire faculty, and in many cases, we have not even been successful in identifying those needs. However, from those faculty who have taken advantage of the activities and programs and from those who have helped in the planning of these activities and programs, CETL has received only praise and commendation. We have attempted to create a democratic faculty development program, one that listens to the needs and desires of the constituents and responds accordingly, wherever possible. We only wish that more faculty would participate in this democracy.

This year, we are moving into a new era for CAU and for CETL. Not only do we have a new president who will infuse all the University programs and units, including CETL, with a bit of his DNA, but CETL is also faced with the challenge and opportunity of obtaining new funding to support its programming. CETL, like many CAU units, is in the process of recreating itself, not totally, of course.But we are in the process of enhancing the image and identity of who we are on campus.

We really do want to become the center of faculty life on this campus, and we believe we can do it—if the CAU faculty wants a center. We are proposing to become even more of what The Professional and Organizational Network in Higher Education (POD) defines as faculty development. This organization states “faculty development refers to those programs which focus on the individual faculty member”; each faculty member must be seen as important. We believe we have achieved success in at least two of the focus areas which POD identifies, but we want to do more and better.

We have engaged in programming that focuses on the faculty member as a teacher. Given that teaching is the primary responsibility of most of the CAU faculty, we recognize that this must be a priority. In so doing, we have established a host of activities geared towards teaching effectiveness, from summer workshops to brown-bag luncheons. The second focus is on the faculty member as a scholar and professional. We have held grants writing workshops; workshops on writing and publication and even, in conjunction with the Provost’s office, workshops geared towards assisting new faculty in their professional and practical navigation at CAU. We believe we can do much better in this area and we are striving to do so. But, surprisingly, it is the third focus that we recognize as our tabula rasa, that of the faculty member as a person. We actually do not have a single program or activity in place that incorporates “wellness management, interpersonal skills, stress and time management…, programs which address the individual’s well-being.” But we are open to suggestions.

We implore all faculty members either to assist CETL in becoming a wholistic faculty development center, one that has something for all faculty persons at CAU, or to volunteer to conduct an activity related to any of the focus areas; specifically request an activity in any of the focus areas; and especially, attend those activities once they are offered. We have so much potential as the Center of Excellence in Teaching and Learning, especially if we expand our own definition of teaching and learning. Hopefully you, the faculty will assist us in doing so.

Janice Liddell
Director,
Center of Excellence in Teaching and Learning