Connections Instructors Recruitment

Instructor Description

Purpose and Background of Connections Course

Philosophy

The Association of American Colleges and Universities has identified first-year experience (FYE) courses—such as USU 1010 Connections—as a high-impact educational practice. Connections instructors often provide the first interaction incoming students have with a college professor. They will serve as the students’ first college mentor. Students in this FYE course come from various academic and cultural backgrounds. The advice and guidance of their first USU instructor/mentor can go a long way in easing the transition for these students. Furthermore, students who make academic and social connections during the first three weeks of their university experience are more likely to persist and succeed in earning a four-year degree.

Administration

The Connections course is administrated by the Provost’s Office. It is an academic course with appropriate rigor. Course content and structure are planned by the Connections Faculty Committee, which is a sub-committee of the General Education sub-committee, which reports to the Educational Policies Committee. The Connections Faculty Committee consists of lecturers and professors who have taught the course, as well as representatives from the Provost’s Office and Student Achievement Collaborative(see http://www.usu.edu/connections/logan/committee for a list of committee members).

Instructor Qualifications and Characteristics

It is expected that Connections instructors:

• Have the support of their supervisor(s).
• Be an enthusiastic proponent of Utah State University.
• Articulate Utah State University’s General Education Mission and the development of citizen scholars. · Embrace the Connections course objectives and curriculum.
• Assist students in becoming “intentional learners” through teaching the objectives.
• Model intentional learning in their own teaching and learning processes.
• Have a student-centered educational philosophy.
• Use engaging pedagogy that involves students in the learning process.
• Develop in- and out-of-classroom rapport with students.
• Serve as a mentor during the students’ first and second semesters. It is estimated that most instructors will average one hour of mentor-related activities per week throughout the fall and spring semesters.
• Provide targeted and specific outreach to at-risk students as coordinated by the Office of Academic Belonging & Learning Excellence..
• Commit to attend all training and professional development for Connections instructors.
• Be detail-oriented in meeting deadlines and tracking expenditures.
• Provide regular feedback and reports regarding mentoring and outreach experiences.

Benefits of Being a Connections Instructor

• President Cantwell has made clear that teaching this course should be classified as evidence of teaching excellence in the promotion and tenure binder. It is not considered “service.”
• A supporting document will be provided to add to the promotion and tenure binder.
• Fun, engaging instruction for even the most seasoned faculty or staff member.
• Opportunity to teach and mentor new students as they transition to college life.
• Connection with instructors from a variety of disciplines and the opportunity to engage within a campus-wide community of educators who are committed to intentional learning.
• Extra service compensation ($3,500 – over two semesters) via payroll deposit.
• The addition of portable vocabulary, values, and teaching strategies that will augment teaching within the discipline, particularly general education courses.

USU 1010 University Connections Objectives

The Connections objectives have been framed as three big questions that students should be able to answer at the end of the course. In referencing assignments, workshops, and activities back to the big questions, we focus on the "whys" and "hows" of a university education. The intention is to help students become "intentional learners" who understand how to get the most out of their education and how to address challenges that affect college students.

The Big Ideas of Connections

Why am I here?

• What does it mean to become a learner, and what are the intellectual habits of mind that allow learners to contribute to society—within professions and communities—as Citizen Scholars? 
• How is the Utah State University degree and each course intentionally designed to help me become a Citizen Scholar? 
• How will I intentionally design my university experience in order to develop the intellectual habits of mind needed to contribute to my community as a Citizen Scholar? 

How do I best engage myself in the process of becoming an educated person?

• What behavioral habits of mind do successful students have? 
• What behavioral habits do I have that are productive, and which do I need to develop to succeed at the university and beyond? 
• How will I intentionally engage with available resources to help me meet my goals? 

How do I become a fully engaged member of the university community?

• What are the shared values of the university community, and what is my role in enacting these values? 
• How do I develop a sense of belonging, engage in the university community, and find my place in the Aggie family? 
• What have I learned from Connections about how to intentionally build and maintain mentoring relationships? 

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Instructor Responsibilities

Applicant Responsibilities

• Submit the electronic application by January 1, 2024 at midnight. Applicants should ensure that their department head approves the application through ServiceNow by January 1, 2024. Please note: applications completed on or after January 2, 2024 will not be considered. Please follow up with the appropriate supervisors to make sure the timeline is met.
• A select group of new and returning applicants will be interviewed by members of the Faculty Advisory Committee. These interviews will take place in January.

Hired Faculty Responsibilities

• Complete the Extra Service Compensation (ESC) form which will be submitted by the financial officer supporting Connections. You will be paid $3,500 in ESC throughout two semesters.
• Make sure your EPAF has been completed and signed by your supervisor and financial officer.
• Attend all mandatory training sessions as noted below.
• Read Becoming a Learner (Matt Sanders). This is the textbook for the course.
• Read the Connections Reader: a compilation of selected readings that will be used to support the curriculum, class discussions, and assignments.
• Communicate with students about due dates, course requirements, etc.
• Correspond with the Office of Academic Belonging & Learning Excellence. regarding the progress and needs of students.  Properly report students of concern and/or student conduct or code violations.
• Respond to emails from students after grades are submitted to resolve any grading questions or disputes.
• Spend your budget money in accordance to guidelines given in training, and submit itemized receipts to the  Connections Index.
• Grade assignments, maintain grade book in Canvas, and export final grades to Canvas according to grading deadlines. Note: Peer mentors can grade non-subjective assignments, but instructors must maintain overall grades in Canvas.
• Provide strategic mentoring of students during the first two semesters (typically fall/spring) as directed by the Office of Academic Belonging & Learning Excellence. Plan on approximately 1 hour per week during two semesters to devote to mentoring.
• Provide a reporting and feedback regarding outreach and mentoring to at-risk students.

Important Dates

• January 1, 2024 at midnight – Application Due
• Spring Training for new and returning instructors
  • Choose one training session (required)
  • March 18, 2024 1:30 - 3:00 pm
  • March 19, 2024 10:30 - 12:00 pm
  • March 20, 2024 9:00 am - 10:30 am
• Fall Training for new and returning instructors
  • August 13, 2024 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm (required)

For those teaching the “traditional” 3-day Connections course:

• August 5, 2024: Syllabus due for ALL instructors
• August 12, 2024: Publish Canvas course
• August 19, 2024: Email a welcome message to all of your students
• August 21-23, 2024: Connections week