The purpose of the Campus Contact program for new faculty is simply to provide a connection to the campus that is not within their own department. This connection is someone who will reach out to the new faculty member to see how things are going, meet them for lunch or coffee, and sit with them at campus meetings. It is a friendly face and someone they know. We purposefully did not use the term “mentor,” as that implies a more formal relationship. However, sharing of information about where to find things on campus, how certain processes work, or who to ask is encouraged. While we hope friendships emerge, the purpose of the Campus Contact is to provide different sources of connections to make the new environment not seem so large.
As a new faculty member, you will be connected with a Campus Contact outside of your department. This is a current faculty member who has volunteered to help make the transition to Marian a positive one for you. As we move through the year, here are some ways to optimize your connection with your Contact:
Campus Contacts will be connected with one to three new faculty members outside of their department. During the academic year, they are encouraged to reach out to new faculty once or twice a month to:
Campus Contacts are asked to keep the following in mind:
It is the campus contact's responsibility to make initial contact with new faculty. New faculty receive their credentials two weeks prior to their start-date. Campus contacts will receive information from the CTL as to who their new faculty member is, their email address, and, if available, their start-date. Please introduce yourself as soon as you can by reaching out to your new faculty member. Exchange contact information with your new faculty member and set up a date and time to meet. If available, the New Faculty Meet n' Greet (date below) is a great time to meet with your new faculty member. If you are not available at that time, please set up a time to meet with your new faculty member. Here are some potential activities you might consider sharing with your new faculty member:
In addition, we hope campus contacts invite new faculty to eat lunch (or “do coffee”) at least once per semester, introduce them to the people and places of Marian, and reach out to them every so often. The CTL will provide Dining Dollars for campus contact and new faculty cover the cost of the lunch.