Faculty Development
At Palo Alto University (PAU), we recognize that faculty development is a cornerstone of academic excellence and institutional success. We prioritize this as a vital, career-long investment in our educators' professional growth, yielding benefits that ripple through our entire academic community. Our comprehensive approach encompasses the trio of teaching, scholarship, and service, ensuring that faculty members are equipped to excel in all aspects of their roles. Through tailored workshops, mentoring opportunities, and continuous support, we empower our faculty to achieve their professional goals and advance their expertise. By investing in our faculty’s development, PAU creates a dynamic learning environment where educators continually refine their skills, stay at the forefront of their fields, and inspire our students with cutting-edge knowledge and innovative teaching methods. This commitment enhances the individual growth of our faculty and directly contributes to the quality of education we provide, the advancement of scholarship in our disciplines, and our ability to serve our community effectively.
Faculty Development Workshops
Workshops for faculty will be offered throughout the academic year. Workshop topics include but are not limited to inclusive teaching, grant writing, and assessing student learning.
Junior Faculty Development Program
The Junior Faculty Development Program is a two-year program designed to support junior faculty during their entry years at PAU. During the first year, full-time junior faculty will have a reduced teaching load equal to one course (max of 4.5 units), participate in new faculty orientation, and attend four to six sessions over the course of the academic year designed to support their success at PAU. In the second year of the program, junior faculty will participate in a writing retreat and attend three workshops over the course of the academic year. Workshop topics include teaching and learning, advising students, assessing student learning, preparing a reappointment file, balancing teaching, scholarship and service, and so forth.
Junior Faculty Second-Year Meeting
At the end of the second academic year, junior faculty on faculty lines will meet with the CAO, immediately followed by a joint meeting with the CAO and their department chair, to discuss how the first two years have been in their teaching, scholarship, and service, and in general at PAU. The primary purpose is to provide support that will ideally ensure the junior faculty members’ success at the University.
Following a mid-probationary review resulting in a recommendation for continuation through the probationary period, a tenure track faculty member is eligible for a leave of one quarter at full salary to advance his or her scholarship or teaching as appropriate to each case. This leave is to be completed no later than the penultimate year before the faculty member petitions for tenure and promotion.
Faculty Development Funds
The University recognizes that members of its faculty are interested in attending conventions/conferences of learned or professional societies as a means of keeping abreast of their fields of teaching and research, maintaining clinical licenses, and engaging in professional development and the University will, within its financial resources, strive to support such attendance.
There is an annual pool of monies available to support faculty development, travel, conference, licensing/certifications, and professional training from the Office of the Provost.
Full-time faculty members (tenure track, teacher-scholars, scholar-educators, and visiting professors) are eligible to be reimbursed for expenses, up to $3000 each academic year. Reimbursements for travel will be managed by the Office of the Provost and is subject to budget availability. Additional requests will be subject to available funds. Faculty members who have research grants from sources outside the University are encouraged to provide for their travel expenses from these grants.
The Department of Faculty success administers these guidelines (see page 46 of the Faculty Handbook).