When Jason Fabrikant prepared to take on a role as assistant dean of faculty affairs more than a decade ago, the professorial lecturer in the School of Public Affairs would have benefitted from a session where colleagues could explain more about what working in administration was like.  

At a recent forum for term and continuing appointment faculty, Fabrikant had the opportunity to be that resource for someone else. As one of a dozen panelists at the inaugural Pathways to Thriving for Term and Continuing Appointment Faculty forum on February 20, he shared how taking on that work has helped him grow his career.  

“It develops another set of skills for you,” said Fabrikant, who has notched several administrative experiences under his belt. “If you’re teaching and working on your research and service, this is really a heightened sense of service. I think it helps you grow professionally,y and you’re working on social skills and collaborating with other faculty.”

Sponsored by the dean of faculty and ADVANCE AU, the event brought together about 50 continuing appointment and term to learn more about research, currency in the field, and service at American University.

“It created space for faculty to be able to talk to one another about the issues of concern for them, but also the ways they can support one another and learn from one another’s experiences,” said Priya Doshi, associate dean of faculty and inclusive excellence. “That was really valuable. Their stories were exactly what I hoped they would be.”

School of Public Affairs adjunct professorial lecturer Cara Seitchek was among the attendees. As an instructor who only teaches summer courses, she didn’t want to miss the opportunity to be in the same room with colleagues. Breaks were built in between structured sessions to enable faculty to connect and network.

“It’s a great place to meet other people, hear what others are doing, and feel like I’m part of the community,” Seitchek said. “[AU does a] good job of bringing faculty together.”

School of Communication continuing appointment professor Scott Talan said over the years, he’s seen support grow for continuing appointment faculty, who he called “the backbone of teaching for a university.” Talan attended the event to get out the office and his siloes and to learn how others are approaching their work.

“[You can] become a SME—a subject matter expert—in your own area, but what else is out there that you can learn from?” Talan said. “It’s a little bit of potential cross-pollination and learning tips, tools, and topics other faculty are using. If I didn’t have class this afternoon, I’d be staying for the whole thing.”

Based on the success of this first forum, ADVANCE AU and the dean of faculty expect to hold another event in the fall that aims to support continuing appointment and term faculty. The event is part of AU’s ongoing commitment to build community among faculty and staff through in-person gatherings.

“We got really positive feedback,” Doshi said. “I had several people write to me afterwards about how much they appreciated the honest dialogue and chance to chat with colleagues on the sidelines. This helps to facilitate dialogue that faculty don’t really have time for otherwise.”