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WELCOME NEW INSTRUCTORS BY INTRODUCING community to another are usually a challenge. New faculty
THEM TO ALL ASPECTS OF THE COLLEGE. members are buying and selling homes, moving children
What does it mean to welcome new instructors to a college? from one school to another, and leaving family and friends.
To some that may mean issuing them a handbook, textbooks, Some of these stresses can cause more challenges for a new
keys to their ofce, and a login to their computer. Te welcome instructor than making the transition to teaching. Academic
is so much more. It is critical. It is systematic. Te welcome is leaders need to be realistic and empathetic. If on-boarding and
the frst part of a very important transition to a diferent kind ultimately retaining talent is important, academic leaders must
of business. Te welcome should be warm, genuine, and should understand the personal stress that moving from one position
introduce the new faculty member to the mission and to another can cause an individual and his or her family.
For example, an instructor who is moving from out of state
needs to miss two days of college in-service because of the
move. Some academic leaders may stand frm and say that
those two days are contractual; however, the right response is to
help the instructor maintain his or her personal balance. Place
yourself in the role of the new instructor and imagine what it
was like to move to a new community. Valuing the emotional
health of a new employee so that he or she can make a smooth
transition with his or her family will earn good will with the
new instructor and get his or her best moving forward at the
college; the payback is strong to the institution.
USE A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO
DISSEMINATE INFORMATION.
Colleges can use many different pathways to help instructors
be successful; the key is a consistent system that gets the
right information to the new instructor at the right time.
When new instructors enter higher education, they are
bombarded with the new educational jargon that often
leaves them confused. New instructors receive important but
often overwhelming amounts of information from human
resources, academics, and other operational areas of the
Welding lab “Teachers are critical to student success.” college. All of this information is critical but adds to the
complexity of joining a college. Each institution must define
vision of the college. Furthermore, it should introduce the new the core competencies they want to organize into a systematic
instructor to the college values, the priorities, the expectations, process. Providing an introduction to these core parts may
and most importantly, to the culture of the college. Te reduce some of the anxiety that may come from entering the
academic leader must commit to helping new faculty members world of higher education. The timing of the delivery of
get to know their division, department, and team. Tis is all
very purposeful and quite intentional.
A simple way to help your new faculty members gain a deeper
understanding of your institution is to provide an actual tour
of your facilities. Whether committing to an entire day or
just an afternoon, viewing different parts of the campus and,
when possible, interacting with different department chairs
and program directors is beneficial. The pride shared by
members of the faculty as they talk about their programs to
new instructors is invaluable. Inspired by the passion shared
by the institution’s instructors during the tours, new faculty
members return from these outings truly excited about
teaching and working with students. The tour is a key element
of on-boarding and helping our new faculty members really
understand and embrace our mission.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE WHOLE PERSON.
Academic leaders must understand the challenges faced by a
new instructor while transitioning from working in the feld
to teaching. Being overwhelmed is fairly common and can be
attributed to many factors – both professionally and personally. Machine tool lab “Students deserve a prepared instructor.”
Te personal factors that come from moving a family from one

LEADERSHIP Vol. 20.3 Winter 2015 9

Client: The Chair Academy Job: CHAIRAcademy_Journal_20.3 winter 2015 Final size: 8.5” x 11” Colors: CMYK Bleeds: Yes
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