Faculty Success
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is committed to building an academic environment in which faculty members feel valued and can thrive. We support our community of scholars and educators by hosting mentoring programs and events that cover topics including teaching, research, and career development.
Events and Programs
The College builds community by hosting workshops, trainings, and other events on important topics each year.
Teaching and Research Conversations
CLAS teaching and research conversations provide faculty members with opportunities to discuss and explore specific topics of interest across the College. Examples of past teaching conversations include working with the Dean of Students and the Center for Students with Disabilities, and research conversations have explored funding opportunities and strategies across all CLAS disciplines.
2/15/24 – Alan R. Bennett Public Health Policy Research Conversation
A generous contribution by a CLAS alumnus, Alan Bennett, provides resources for projects in an area of priority for the CLAS Strategic Plan: Public Health Policy Research. We are pleased to present this call for proposals to advance the scholarship of CLAS faculty in this area during the 2024 fiscal year. The call will go live on March 4th 2024.
Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024
4-5 p.m.
Heritage Room, Homer Babbidge Library
3/4/24 – Teaching Conversation: Equitable Assessment of Student Participation
Panelists: Anthony Rizzie (MATH), Katie Hall (MATH), Noga Shemer (ANTH)
Monday, Mar. 4, 2024
4-5 p.m.
Webex
4/15/24 – Teaching Conversation: Teaching Innovations at CLAS; Results of Teaching Enhancement Grants
This event has been rescheduled from 4/8 to 4/15.
Monday, Apr. 15, 2024
4-5 p.m.
Webex
5/2/24 – Research Conversation: Legislative Agenda Proposals
Every year, typically in September, the University solicits proposals that inform the development of UConn's federal priorities list that will be shared with our Congressional delegation. The goal of this research conversation is to demystify the purpose of the annual review of UConn's federal priorities as well as to explain the process for submitting proposals.
Thursday, May. 2, 2024
4-5 p.m.
Webex
Career Development
CLAS career development trainings help faculty members understand factors and strategies that will help them successfully advance to their next career stage. These trainings address broad issues of integrating individual aspirations with departmental, College, and University priorities; communication about one’s work; and service, leadership and empowering others.
The College will host career development trainings at the regional campuses during the 2023-2024 academic year. For more information about these events, please contact stephanie.turbes@uconn.edu.
9/27/23 – Career Development – Waterbury Campus
Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023
10/2/23 – Career Development – Avery Point Campus
Monday, Oct. 2, 2023
10/30/23 – Career Development – Stamford Campus
Monday, Oct. 30, 2023
11/6/23 – Career Development – Hartford Campus
Monday, Nov. 6, 2023
Other Events
The College also hosts events beyond the scope of those listed above. Each year the College facilities events for new faculty hires, as well as events focused on significant research themes. Examples of research themes include climate, the environment, and sustainability.
8/22/2024 – New Faculty Onboarding
Location: Storrs Hall WW16
Date & Time:
9-11am. Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024
Mentoring
Mentoring is essential to building community and helping faculty members of all career stages develop professionally. The College supports mentoring at the individual, small group, and department level.
Individualized Mentoring
The College’s individualized mentoring program pairs faculty members with an enthusiastic colleague who has expertise in a topic of interest. Faculty members in any career stage and appointment type can request a match based on a particular interest. The College provides $100 per pair for resources that would facilitate conversation.
Please email clas@uconn.edu to join the individualized mentoring program.
Group Mentoring for Junior Faculty
The College facilitates mentoring groups that engage junior faculty in discussions about a topic of interest. Hosted by experienced CLAS faculty members, these groups meet once per month throughout the academic year.
The 2023-2024 mentoring groups will be hosted by:
- Expectations and Opportunities for In-Residence Faculty: Michael Finiguerra, Associate Professor-in-Residence of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Natalia Smirnova, Associate Professor-in-Residence of Economics
- Research: Inge-Marie Eigsti, Professor of Psychological Sciences, and Jane Gordon, Professor of Political Science
- Teaching: Françoise Dussart, Professor of Anthropology, and John Redden, Associate Professor-in-Residence of Physiology and Neurobiology
Department Mentoring
We encourage academic units to develop mentoring programs tailored to their faculty.
- Faculty Mentoring Toolkit - Office of the Provost
- Department Mentoring Programs – CLAS Faculty and Staff SharePoint (NetID login required)
- If you would like to discuss developing a mentoring program for your academic unit, please contact Kate Capshaw, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Collaborative Programs, and Faculty Development.
CLAS Faculty and Staff SharePoint
Faculty members can access resources for CLAS faculty via SharePoint. UConn NetID login is required.