At the 2018 New Faculty Orientation, the Center for Teaching Excellence hosted over 30 new faculty members for three days of informational sessions. In addition to receiving information about the many offices, services, and facilities here at IUP, the new faculty also learned about time management from Dr. Pagnucci and Dr. Weinstein, had an opportunity to hear stories from newer faculty on classroom management, and had a campus tour! Overall, the new faculty were amazed at the amount of resources the Indiana University of Pennsylvania has for faculty and staff in areas of research and teacher support.

A few of the new faculty members shared their thoughts and reactions to New Faculty Orientation:

” The sessions during orientation offered an overview of the different resources that exist on campus to help support my teaching and research. I found them to be really useful; in fact, I have made use of some of the services we learned about, including the reflective practice sessions from the CTE, the one on one meetings at the applied research lab, several research funding opportunities, etc. Overall, orientation set the tone for what I have experienced during the first weeks of the semester: everyone was extremely helpful and supportive.”- Dr. Cristina Sanchez-Martin, English

“I enjoyed the opportunity to meet new colleagues and learn more about IUP at the New Faculty Orientation. IUP goes above and beyond to provide support for faculty and students.  The faculty and the services I learned about in orientation have really contributed to the quality of my transition as a new professor.”- Dr. Andrea Palmiotto, Anthropology

The Center for Teaching Excellence and Reflective Practices also hosted an informational session for the new faculty that addressed common classroom questions. The new faculty members were asked to talk about their previous experiences in education and how they thought those experiences could transfer to their new classrooms. The Reflective Practice Co-Directors also discussed the importance of constantly improving your methods interacting with students inside the classroom.

The Center for Teaching Excellence wishes to thank the University President, Provost, faculty, and staff for their engagement with the New Faculty Orientation each year to make it a spectacular three-day event that culminates with the Fall IUP College of Education and Communication’s Technology Day, a free, in-house IUP conference day with sessions created to demonstrate IUP’s newest technological resources.

Here is a video highlight reel of the events at New Faculty Orientation- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nNoCh0JXKw

Written by Sarah Everett and Lauren Gaynord