Support for Research and Teaching

You've Got Their Backs

Balancing the responsibilities of research, teaching, mentoring, and service can be challenging for incoming faculty members.

As department chair, you can help them by providing support and sharing information about university resources. Strategies that some department chairs use include:

• Monthly brown bag lunches on a variety of topics.
• Informal mentoring programs.
• Scheduled meetings with new faculty members each semester.

Money Matters

Newer faculty members might lack experience seeking external funding or writing grant proposals. Research and Innovation Initiatives (RII) helps faculty, students and staff identify and seek funding through such services as:

• Workshops and seminars on grant writing and managing sponsored projects
• Identification of funding opportunities
• Coordination of large-scale proposal efforts.

Teaching Well

George Mason is fortunate to have the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning as a resource to our community. The Stearns Center team has specialized knowledge and provides tangible, accessible support for teaching and learning practices that help faculty become aware of evidence-based practices that support student success. Please encourage your faculty members to take advance of the professional development offerings and resources that the Stearns Center provides.  

As a department chair/ LAU head, it’s a good idea to check in with your faculty about how their classes are going. Some local units make time during department meetings for faculty to share useful tips for supporting students, both within and outside of the classroom.  

Beyond checking in with your faculty themselves, it is a good idea to ensure that faculty are getting feedback from each other. Encouraging faculty members to periodically sit in on each other’s classes can be a helpful informal strategy, beyond the more formal peer reviews that take place as part of the promotion process.