Re-visioning process for the FPDC addresses professional development holistically

In June 2013, Provost Todd Diacon requested that, through the proper shared governance processes, appropriate faculty members and administrators examine the current direction of the Faculty Professional Development Center and consider clarifying its mission and focus. The Faculty Professional Development Re-design Steering Committee was formed to meet this purpose. Committee members, nominated by Deans, Chairs and Directors, Faculty Senate, and AAUP, considered all elements of the center including name, focus, location, staffing, and consulted with faculty colleagues throughout the process. In an effort to include as many perspectives as possible, an advisory group to the steering committee, consisting of other nominated faculty colleagues as well as professional development individuals from within and outside the university periodically provided feedback and insight as the ideas and suggestions were created. The more significant recommendations include: a) re-focusing the center’s mission towards teaching and learning, b) significantly increasing the center’s staffing to support expanded offerings, c) creating a virtual university-wide clearinghouse of information to ease faculty access to the support services available, and d) adjusting the center’s advisory council to be more representative of the current structure of the university. 

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