New Faculty Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are designed to help new tenure-track faculty acclimate to Mason academic life in a safe and supportive environment.
PLCs provide consistent and confidential spaces to experience support and collegiality with peers in the same phase of adjustment across departmental contexts. The goal of the PLCs is to create a robust, interdisciplinary, trusting community where faculty can freely discuss challenges, share successes, and address issues that emerge directly from their experiences as new Mason faculty.
PLC members will engage in strategic planning to achieve a well-integrated work life with the goals of:
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Aligning their time with their priorities
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Cultivating a network of mentors and sponsors
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Effectively dealing with stress and rejection
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Building healthy relationships
PLCs are designed to complement not replace disciplinary-specific support that individuals may receive in their schools/colleges or local academic units (LAUs).
Time Commitment
The PLCs require an academic year commitment. PLC members are required to meet eight times throughout the year. Each session is 1.5 hours (with the exception of the January retreat). The January retreat will focus on creating a strategic plan for the spring semester.