The New Faculty Program (NFP) is coordinated by Dr. Katherine Steinmetz (Psychology) and Dr. Jessica Tomkins (History). Feel free to contact them any time with questions you may have about the New Faculty Program, moving to Wofford/Spartanburg, or anything else you need help with. The NFP is overseen by Dr. Dan Mathewson, associate provost for faculty development.
The purpose of the New Faculty Program (NFP) is to guide and support new faculty as they transition to their new institutional home. While much of the NFP focuses on new tenure-track faculty, it also includes support opportunities for contingent faculty and pre-tenured faculty in their second year and beyond. The NFP has a just-in-time structure that delivers information, programming, and support in rhythm with the most urgent needs of new faculty as they adjust to life at Wofford. The NFP provides support for your transition to Wofford, small liberal arts colleges and Spartanburg, including:
The college expects new faculty to attend all New Faculty Program events throughout their first three semesters at Wofford. The New Faculty Program offers the following support to tenure-track faculty:
The New Faculty Program offers the following support during your visiting year at Wofford:
For visiting faculty, attendance at orientation in August is mandatory. Attendance at all other events throughout the year is highly encouraged and welcomed, but optional.
The New Faculty Program offers the following support during your semester at Wofford:
For adjunct faculty, participation in the New Faculty Program is fully optional
Tenure-track faculty and visiting assistant professors are required to attend new faculty orientation in August. Adjunct instructors are welcome to attend but attendance is not required.
The New Faculty Program organizes monthly lunches that faculty are expected to attend for their first three semesters. These lunches discuss topics that couldn’t be covered during the August orientation, and require a more in-depth conversation, but are organized in a ‘just in time’ model, so information is discussed at relevant points throughout the year. These lunches are informal and serve to create community among the first-year cohort and to provide the opportunity to meet more faculty and staff in different campus offices throughout the year.
| Monthly Lunches: 2023 cohort |
|---|
| August 31, 2023 |
| September 26, 2023 |
| October 24, 2023 |
| November 14, 2023 |
| December 8, 2023 (Friday 4 p.m.) |
| February 8, 2024 |
| March 7, 2024 |
| April 11, 2024 |
| May 9, 2024 |
| Monthly Lunches: 2022 cohort |
|---|
| August 31 |
| September 14 |
| October 5 |
| November 2 |
| November 30 |
The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning organizes monthly teaching and pedagogy workshops for new faculty. Attendance is expected for tenure-track faculty and optional for visiting faculty.
Attendance is required for tenure-track faculty and is optional for visiting faculty. You will receive the schedule for the new faculty lunches at orientation.
September 14, 2023 — 11:30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.
October 5, 2023 — 11:30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.
November 2, 2023 — 11:30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.
November 30, 2023 — 11:30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.
February 22, 2023 — 11:30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.
March 21, 2023 — 11:30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.
April 25, 2023 — 11:30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.
Dr. Tim Schmitz, Provost of Wofford College, hosts an informal welcome social before orientation for all new faculty.
President Dr. Nayef Samhat extends an invitation to new faculty to attend the first home game of the academic year and join him for a reception in the President’s Box. Look out for an invitation in your campus mailbox the first week of the semester and RSVP promptly.
The Colleague Coffee Hour program pairs up a newer faculty member with a more established faculty member to meet for an informal coffee, paid for by the associate provost for faculty development. There is no set agenda or plan for these meetings. You can discuss whatever you’d like, Wofford-related or not, and just get to know someone new on campus. Involvement for both new and more established faculty is completely voluntary, but we hope many will take this opportunity to meet colleagues in different departments that you might not otherwise have many chances to interact with.
Once a month, Nayef and Prema Samhat organize Thirsty Thursday, a social hour for faculty and staff on campus. Look out for details in your email.