Supporting Visiting Faculty: A Checklist

1. Goals of the Visitor’s Time at Amherst: What to Convey and Discuss

unchecked boxConvey that Amherst wants visitors to thrive and to use their time here to plan their next career steps.

unchecked box Note that the department should assign a mentor to visitors with multi-year contracts, if this is of interest to the visitor. 

2. Departmental Expectations about Teaching: What to Convey and Discuss

unchecked box Discuss substance and goals of visitor’s courses and how they fit into the department’s curriculum

unchecked box Describe workload and grading expectations for courses in the department

unchecked box Provide deadlines for submitting course materials 

3. Resources Available at Amherst: What to Convey and Discuss

unchecked box Note that most opportunities available to tenure-line faculty are available to visitors too

unchecked box Offer as examples: faculty orientation events, teaching and professional development workshops, teaching consultations through the Center for Teaching and Learning, funding for speakers

unchecked box Check in with Pawan Dhingra to confirm that an opportunity is available to visitors

unchecked box Describe the ADC’s role and responsibilities and services the department provides for faculty

unchecked box Plan for helping the visitor make connections with faculty and staff outside the department

4. Mentoring around Teaching: What to Convey and Discuss

unchecked box Ask visitors whether they would like to have their classes observed  

unchecked box Ask visitors whether would like to attend a class taught by the chair or another colleague

unchecked box Note that there is an expectation that teaching evaluations will be solicited from all of each visitor’s students in all classes (similar to procedures for pre-tenure faculty)

unchecked box Note that “annual conversations” take place with visitors who have multi-year contracts, if this is of interest to the visitor. 

5. Help with Tackling the Job Market: What to Convey and Discuss

unchecked box Ask if the visitor would like to do a mock job talk

unchecked box Ask if the visitor would like the chair or another senior colleague to review the visitor’s job application materials (e.g., CV, cover letter, teaching statement, research statement)

unchecked box Ask if the visitor would like the chair to provide a letter of recommendation around teaching

unchecked box Discuss what makes someone an attractive candidate for a tenure-track job

6. Department Meetings: What to Convey and Discuss

unchecked box Convey expectation that visitors are invited to attend department meetings unless the meeting concerns searches or personnel matters.

unchecked box Discuss department meetings’ norms and procedures

7. Faculty Meetings

unchecked box Note expectation that visitors will attend the first faculty meeting when they are introduced.

unchecked box Convey that it is understood that visitors have many competing obligations and that attending faculty meetings may not be the best use of their time

unchecked box Discuss norms and procedures of faculty meetings