Faculty Handbook_Asia_v5 BB.indd - University of Maryland ...

5. FACULTY COMMUNITY5.2 Faculty Meetings and DiscussionContinuing faculty support is provided to faculty members through a number of different approaches, designedto appeal to diverse faculty preferences and targeted at faculty in varying stages of their teaching careers. Allfaculty development and support programs are offered to our faculty free of charge.5.2.1 Online Faculty Discussions: WebTycho 999 SectionsDiscipline-specific faculty classrooms in WebTycho are designed by academic administrators to serve as “communitiesof practice,” where faculty members disseminate and discuss curricular issues; participate in virtual facultymeetings; post sample class materials, including syllabi and assignments; and explore a variety of academicissues. Typically, these classrooms are named with the discipline’s four-letter course designator and the number999 (i.e., AMBA 999). If a faculty member has been rostered into a discipline-specific faculty classroom, itshould be listed among his or her other online courses in WebTycho. If it is not listed, the faculty membershould contact his or her academic administrator for information on participating.5.2.2 On-Site Faculty MeetingsFor those able to attend in person, general faculty meetings are held on-site in Maryland as well as overseas.Both the School of Undergraduate Studies and the Graduate School of Management and Technology sponsorsuch meetings at least once a year. In addition to general sessions, smaller discipline-area meetings may also beconvened. Many disciplines also provide opportunities for synchronous participation online.Such meetings provide faculty with useful information about new academic policies and initiatives and often includepresentations by internal or external speakers or workshops on topics of particular importance to faculty.They also offer an opportunity for engaging with colleagues in the same discipline to discuss common issues.5.2.3 Online Faculty Forum Discussion SeriesSponsored and moderated by the Faculty Advisory Council, the online Faculty Forum offers discussions atvarious times during the year. Each forum is typically available over a period of several days, allowing for thewidest possible participation. These discussions, open to all faculty, provide an opportunity for faculty to engagedirectly with UMUC administrators on key issues and also provide a venue for global faculty to discuss issuesof common concern. Faculty can register for these discussions through the Center for Teaching and Learning athttp://www.umuc.edu/distance/odell/ctla/gffs.shtml.January 2011 www.asia.umuc.edu 16