Requirements for PFF Fellows
While the PFF Program at Duke has several requirements, Fellows typically participate in three or four events per month. For example, one might attend a Teaching IDEAS workshop, a Colloquia Seminar, and a mentor and/or site visit during the same month. Some Fellows invest more time with mentors and develop ties to the institution that can lead to adjunct teaching positions. Others use the program to gain more clarity on the type of institution in which they hope to teach. Overall, PFF Fellows not only learn more about the realities of academic life, but also gain insight on their own personal and professional development.
- Professional Mentoring
The Graduate School, in conjunction with cluster schools, often assists Fellows to identify effective mentors in related fields of study. The overall goal is to learn first-hand the realities of faculty life at cluster campuses. Fellows meet with their mentors at least once a month.
Each PFF Fellow selects a faculty member from one of the cluster institutions and plans a set of activities over the course of the year. See "Resources for PFF Fellows and Mentors " section for "Ideas and Expectations of Mentoring."
- Site Visits to Partner Institutions
PFF Fellows must attend half-day site visits to each of the cluster campuses held during the academic year. These trips provide an opportunity for conversation with faculty, administrators, and students on each campus. Various events are planned for PFF Fellows by the host institution, including classroom observations, campus tours, departmental visits, and panel discussions on topics relevant to faculty life. Fellows often have the opportunity to talk with undergraduates about their graduate school experiences. Each site visit usually concludes with a dinner meeting hosted by faculty and administrators to discuss issues related to the job market, tenure, teaching, advising, research, funding, publishing, or service.
2005-2006 Schedule of Site Visits
- Teaching IDEAS workshops
The Graduate School sponsors a workshop series called Teaching IDEAS during the academic year open to the entire campus. Each month, Fellows will have the opportunity to talk with faculty members from Duke or Partner Institutions about issues related to undergraduate teaching. Topics have included "Teaching Introductory Classes", "Gender in the Classroom", and "Making the Most of Lab Courses". Fellows must attend a majority of these events.
- Colloquia Series on Higher Education
PFF Fellows will have a unique opportunity to meet with senior administrators at Duke. In the Colloquia Series (limited to PFF Fellows), you might hear from the President, Provost, various Deans, or the Chair of the Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee regarding their perspectives on faculty life, their own career paths, or current responsibilities as leaders in higher education. Fellows must attend a majority of these throughout the year.
- Assignments:
- Short Readings serve as background for discussions and colloquia, (Prior texts include DeNeef and Goodwin, The Academic's Handbook. Second edition. Durham: Duke University Press, 1995).
- Teaching statement or portfolio
Since teaching statements are becoming a required component of the academic job market, each PFF Fellow is required to write a teaching statement and/or teaching portfolio. Workshops on how to develop these materials will be held as part of the Teaching IDEAS series each year, or GS301 or GS302.
- Final self-evaluation
Each PFF Fellow must write a brief final evaluation of her/his experience in the program. Your mentor will also provide a short final evaluation of your experience. See "Guide to Final Self-Evaluation" under "Resources for PFF Fellows and Mentors ".
- PFF Retreat
The Graduate School will offer occasional mini-retreats for past and current PFF Fellows and Mentors. These retreats may include a picnic gathering, social activities, opportunities for further networking, and a keynote speaker.
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