New Faculty Checklists
Being a new full-time faculty member can be a bit of a rollercoaster ride. First, the elation and excitement and imagining new opportunities! This exhilaration may be followed by anxiety about new responsibilities, new colleagues, and managing your work/life balance. With the right strategies and support, stepping into your new role can be energizing and enjoyable! These checklists have been designed to help you get your career off to a great start.
Prior to Your Arrival:
- Mark your calendar: NFO 2024 will be held August 14 and 15, 2024.
- New full-time faculty will receive an email invitation in mid-July. Notify us at FCDS@rit.edu if you have a new email address.
- View the New Faculty Orientation Schedule and plan your day accordingly. Send any questions to FCDS@rit.edu.
- Print the 2024-2025 Academic Calendar for your reference throughout the year. Fall 2024 classes begin Monday, August 26.
- Discover RIT! Spend some time familiarizing yourself with the university:
- Contact your department head to discuss your arrival date and any college-specific orientations.
- Meet your department’s staff assistant/admin, as they will be a key contact and great source of information!
- Watch your mail for an important packet from RIT's Office of Human Resources with critical "getting started" information.
- You will also be receiving information directly from HR on required compliance trainings, new employee orientation (for all employees), and information on Talent Roadmap.
- Familiarize yourself with Rochester’s unique deaf/hard-of-hearing culture and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID).
- Get to know with the Rochester community if you are new to the area.
Upon Arrival:
- Prior to OR immeidately upon your arrival, complete your I-9 form and any other outstanding forms for new hires. Instructions for completion of the I-9 may be found here > New Employee Onboarding.
- Obtain your RIT user ID in order to access email and campus networks (submitted by your department). Accounts are ready for activation within 12 hours of Human Resource's processing of your hiring information.
- Get your RIT ID card and Photo (UID needed!)
- Register your computers/phones with ITS. Also set up your phone for multifactor authentication.
- Register your vehicle(s) for on-campus parking.
- Sign up for direct deposit.
- Register for workshops offered by Faculty Development and the Center for Teaching and Learning.
- Start a "kudos" file for yourself to keep positive notes from students, colleagues, and department heads.
Within your first six months:
- Create a “Plan of Work” with your department head around your teaching, scholarship, and service (differs depending on rank).
- Familiarize yourself with your college's Tenure and Promotion Polices and Expectations. See your department head if questions.
- Tenure Track and Tenured Faculty should plan a research agenda (see your department head).
- Depending on your department’s mentoring policies, meet with your assigned mentor.
- Connect with your library liaison.
During your first year:
- Evaluate annual milestones for goals established in your Plan of Work.
- Set goals for the next academic year for your Plan of Work.
- Evaluate your mentoring network and benefits of building relationships with colleagues.
- Sign up for a free membership with NCFDD.org! RIT has an institutional membership!
- Maintain a healthy work/life balance! Check out the opportunities available to all employees at RIT's Better Me Employee Wellness division.
Conclusion of your first year:
- Congratulate yourself on a job well done!
- Reflect on your first year and see your department head if concerns around your roles in:
- Teaching - Take a look at your teaching evaluations. Not what you expected? Don't beat yourself up over them—it’s your first year and there are many resources here at RIT to help! Consider what you might do next year to improve and seek support and guidance from units across campus.
- Scholarship – (for Tenured/Tenure-Track faculty) Look at the research agenda you set. Are you reaching your milestones for publication or works in progress? Consider joining a faculty writing group or community of practice.
- Service - (for Tenured/Tenure-Track faculty/Non-Tenure Track) have you achieved your goal for service in establishing yourself as a member of internal or external committees?
- Consider how you have balanced your work and life responsibilities this year. Does something need to be adjusted?
- If so, consider the many resources RIT provides.
- Revisit your "kudos file" for positive reinforcement.
- Plan your summer vacation!