Presidential Fellows Program RFP

CORNELL COLLEGE 

MEMORANDUM

TO: All Faculty, with special attention to Department and Program Chairs

FROM: Office of Academic Affairs

DATE: March 9, 2009

SUBJECT: The Cornell College Presidential Fellows Program

We are pleased to request proposals for the Cornell College Presidential Fellows Program for the 2010-11 academic year. The Presidential Fellows Program brings distinguished visitors (scholars, researchers, writers, artists, musicians, actors, and others) to campus as block visitors to enrich the curriculum.  In 2009-10, four Presidential Fellows will teach at Cornell.  We hope to have at least four Presidential Fellows in 2010-11.

At the invitation of hosting academic departments and programs, distinguished researchers, scholars, artists, performers, policy analysts, activists, film directors, writers and others will teach at Cornell College within this program. The Presidential Fellows program is intended

• to enrich the annual course schedule by enabling departments and programs to offer courses they would otherwise be unable to provide or to provide students access to a visitor who brings distinctive knowledge or accomplishments to an existing course (a poet, for example, or a composer or director, teaching an existing course);

• to bring interesting and accomplished persons to campus to meet our faculty and students inside and outside the classroom, taking advantage of the original conception of the block-plan calendar;

• to contribute to development of departmental and interdisciplinary programs; and

• to highlight the vitality of the Cornell academic program to current and prospective students.

The proposals may include the name of the person the department or program wishes to invite, but a proposing department or program does not need to have a particular Fellow in mind.  In the latter case, a list of possible candidates for the position will be helpful.  Proposals should be submitted by June 3, 2009.

General Guidelines

1) Proposals will be screened by the chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, the chair of the Subcommittee on Academic Programs (or their proxies), and the Dean of the College for submission to the President. They will:

a) give attention to benefits which may accrue to the department and to the College.

b) give priority to proposals that have appeal accross a range of disciplines or programs.  Joint proposals from departments and interdisciplinary programs are welcome.

c) consider the overall proposed course schedule for the department(s) and/or program(s) in relation to the proposed course (or anticipated course topic or area, if the exact course is to depend somewhat on the Fellow’s area of expertise).

d) consider how the course enhances its students' experience by providing an opportunity not otherwise available.

e) look for evidence that the department will introduce the Fellow to the campus and host and mentor the Fellow well throughout the block, including plans for interaction with students and faculty beyond the bounds of the course -- luncheons, workshops, presentations, departmental dinners, or colloquia maximizing the Fellow’s presence on campus.

2) The college will seek funding for all proposals which pass the screening process and are approved by the president and the dean.  Once funding is secured, the departments or programs may move forward to identify and appoint the Presidential Fellow.

3) The process for searching and hiring a Presidential Fellow will be determined in consultation with and with the assistance of the Office of Academic Affairs.  Arrangements for work eligibility, the appointment letter, salary, housing, and faculty orientation will be handled as usual by the Office of Academic Affairs.  The host departments, with the assistance of staff in the Office of Academic Affairs, will arrange and publicize additional activities associated with the Presidential Fellow appointments, including luncheons, workshops, faculty dinners and lectures.

4) The chair of each awarded department and/or program will send a brief written report to the Dean at the conclusion of the Fellow’s block, describing the value of the Fellow and the enhancement block to the department(s) and program(s), noting student and faculty comments, and outlining any subsequent curricular plans that result from the Fellow’s presence in the department.

Application Procedure:

1) Applications should include the following labeled sections in order:

a) The department’s or program’s name and a concise proposal title.

b) A brief, one-paragraph introductory statement about the proposed course and Fellow.

c) A description of the value of the course and Fellow to the department. How does this course enrich departmental offerings? How widely does the proposed course benefit the College?

d) If you have identified an individual or individuals for this Presidential Fellow position, please provide information about them.  Have you identified a specific term in which to offer the course?  Do you have a topics course or other course number in the Catalogue that will serve, or will you need to propose a new topics course?  How do you propose seeking a Fellow, if you do not have a distinguished scholar or artist now in mind?  What will have been done to prepare for the course and the Fellow before the enhancement block?

e) How, when, and by whom will the value of the course and other activities of the President Fellow be evaluated? What short-term benefits do you hope for?  How will you gauge the outcomes?

2) Proposals should be submitted to Nancy Rawson, Office of Academic Affairs, by June 3, 2009.  Department and programs will be informed of the results of the screening process and will be informed when funding is authorized.

Back to Top