UGA tenure-track and tenured faculty are invited to apply by March 17 for a Writing Fellowship for the 2008-09 academic year. The Writing Fellows program was established to support faculty in their efforts to include more writing in their courses and is supported by the Office of the Vice President for Instruction.
Twelve faculty were chosen last year for the inaugural class of Writing Fellows. Another 12 will be selected this year. They will meet regularly to discuss the most effective ways to teach and respond to student writing. Each Writing Fellow will receive a stipend of $1,000 to subsidize projects aimed at constructing courses or initiatives that will support student writing at UGA.
The Writing Fellows will meet approximately every three weeks to discuss research that substantiates the best practices for helping students develop as writers. Fellows agree to participate in the regular meetings as well as to present their projects during a spring 2009 symposium on writing at UGA.
John Maerz, a current fellow and an assistant professor in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, said the program has increased his commitment to using writing as a major component of his courses.
“Being introduced to new technologies, sharing ideas and perceptions about student writing, and talking through the challenges and solutions to implementing writing in a variety of class settings has been so stimulating,” he said. “I feel more empowered to offer students rigorous writing experiences, and the opportunity to interact regularly with faculty from across campus has made me feel more engaged with the larger university community.”
The selection committee is seeking faculty who represent a range of disciplines and instructional modes. Each candidate should send a letter of interest, endorsed by the candidate’s department or unit head, to Nelson Hilton, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, Instructional Plaza.