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General Resources for Faculty and Staff | Curriculum and Teaching | Research | Faculty Development and Mentorship | Faculty Appointments and Promotions

General Resources for Faculty and Staff

Curriculum and Teaching

GENERAL RESOURCES FOR TEACHING
  • The Office of Teaching Evaluation and Assessment Research (OTEAR, formerly CTAAR) offers numerous resources to help faculty hone their teaching skills, including workshops on topics such as instructional technology and classroom inclusivity, as well as a wide array of written resources on syllabus design, grading, and many other aspects of teaching.
  • Mason Gross has developed this syllabus template, which instructors are welcome to adopt
EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION IN TEACHING
  • Inclusive Teaching Grants: The Mason Gross Inclusive Teaching grants are designed to support instructors seeking to revise their courses to better reflect the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion. The call for proposals will be announced each spring, with applications due in early summer.
  • EDI Criteria: The Mason Gross EDI Subcommittee on Teaching and Learning has developed the following checklist for courses that reflect the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion:
    • The course materials are ADA compliant whenever possible.
    • The course uses open-access materials whenever possible.
    • The syllabus and assignments feature work by artists from diverse backgrounds in culture, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, disability, gender and gender expression, sexual orientation, etc.
    • The syllabus and assignments feature readings and other secondary materials by scholars from similarly diverse backgrounds.
    • The syllabus and assignments expand the canon and/or consciously interrogate it.
    • The syllabus and assignments avoid value judgments such as describing what constitutes a “great work” and instead seek to meet artworks of all kinds on their own terms. If the course uses texts that engage in such value judgments, instructors call attention to this language and interrogate it.
    • The syllabus and assignments expand students’ worldviews and understanding of the arts in different cultural contexts.
    • The language on the syllabus is welcoming and inclusive.
    • The assignments recognize and account for students’ diverse learning styles.
    • Methods of grading/assessment are designed to encourage growth and participation, regardless of students’ pre-college background and access to arts education.
  • Sample resources on equity, diversity, and inclusion in teaching:
CURRICULAR PROCESSES

How to propose a new program or course: Having a new program or course approved is a multi-step process.

  • This begins at the departmental/division level. Faculty should consult the Department Chair/Director or the Chair of the departmental Curriculum Committee about the documentation needed.
  • New programs require pre-review by the office of the Senior Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs.
  • Typically, the new course or program needs the approval of the departmental Curriculum Committee followed by the vote of the full departmental faculty meeting, but this varies by department.
  • Once the course has received all departmental approvals, the course proposal proceeds to the Mason Gross Curriculum Committee. This school-wide committee meets at least once each semester to review new course proposals and substantive changes to existing courses. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs chairs the Mason Gross Curriculum Committee.
  • Additionally, new programs or degrees may require approval by the state legislature or accrediting bodies. Department chairs/directors can work with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to determine what steps are needed.
  • Below are documents outlining the Curriculum Review Process, as well as the forms and templates needed to propose a new course to the school-wide committee:

Research

Research is fundamental to what we do at Mason Gross School of the Arts. As an arts conservatory in a public research university in a diverse region with a robust arts scene, Mason Gross is uniquely positioned to forge new paths in the study and practice of the arts—to create new knowledge about and through the arts in ways that are rigorous, inclusive, exploratory, and engaged.

  • Information about research at Mason Gross, including a link to the Research & Professional Activity Fund application, can be found on our research page.
  • This research proposal development worksheet can be used to craft a proposal for a project or grant.
  • The Rutgers Research Council provides funding for faculty research. A call for proposals is issued annually.
  • The Pivot database is an important source of information about funding opportunities. Click “Use login from my institution” and navigate to Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey to log into the database.
  • The university’s Office for Research offers support to faculty members seeking funding, as is the Rutgers Foundation. Faculty members are welcome to contact MGSA’s Director of Research to discuss research projects and funding opportunities.

Faculty Development and Mentorship

Professional mentorship is an important component of faculty development, and it is in the best interests of individual faculty members, the departments, and our students that we implement a robust system of mentorship. In addition to supporting colleagues through professional milestones such as contract reviews, reappointments, promotions, and tenure, such a system can promote excellence in teaching, support innovative research, and enhance the sense of community across our school.

Opportunities for mentorship

One-on-one mentorship

As Mason Gross School of the Arts is building capacity for a robust system of mentorship, we will prioritize the mentorship of instructors and assistant professors, but gradually expand to include faculty at higher ranks. If an associate or full professor requests mentorship, the request should be granted if possible. If there are not enough faculty members in the department to fulfill this request, chairs/directors should be in touch with Ellen Bredehoft, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (ebredehoft@mgsa.rutgers.edu).

Department chairs/directors should discuss with each pre-promotion faculty member (instructors and assistant professors) what their goals are for the mentoring relationship and assign an associate or full professor as mentor with a view to meeting those goals. It would be best to align mentor and mentee as much as possible in terms of area of expertise and contract type; however, in a small school such as ours, this is not always possible. If the pre-promotion faculty member is on a teaching-track contract, the mentoring relationship may be focused primarily on teaching. For professional-practice-track and tenure-track faculty, the mentoring relationship should ideally cover both teaching and research. Each mentor/mentee pair should meet at least once per semester; a framework for these meetings is suggested below.

Faculty Development Series

The Mason Gross administration will also offer a Faculty Development Series, including panels and workshops that address various aspects of academic life. These might include teaching, research, professional networking, work/life balance, challenges for women and underrepresented minorities in academia, and preparation for promotion. The Faculty Development Series is designed to expand opportunities for professional development and share expertise from a variety of sources. These workshops are open to all faculty. Additional information is below.

Consultation with department leadership

All pre-promotion faculty members on the tenure track are required to meet with their department chair/director at least once per year to discuss their path to tenure. They must work with their department chair/director on the preparation of their promotion dossier, including their personal statement, form 1-b, and other required materials. Pre-promotion faculty members on the professional-practice track or teaching track are required to meet with their department chair/director at least once every other year (though more frequent meetings are encouraged) and work with their chair/director on the preparation of their promotion dossier. Anyone seeking promotion to any rank, regardless of their contract type, must communicate with both their department chair/director and the dean’s office at least three months in advance of submission of their materials in order to make their intentions known and allow sufficient time to collaborate in the preparation of the case and, if necessary, to seek external reviews.

Information sessions and consultation with school leadership

Each year, the dean’s office holds an information session for tenure-track faculty and another for professional-practice-track and teaching-track faculty to review the various policies and processes related to tenure and promotion.

Consultation with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

All faculty members who will be undergoing tenure and/or promotion review must send their personal statement, form 1-b, and other required materials to Associate Dean Ellen Bredehoft (ebredehoft@mgsa.rutgers.edu) for review and comment. Additionally, all faculty members—at whatever stage in their professional lives—are welcome to contact Dean Bredehoft to discuss research plans, teaching strategies, or other questions.

The mentor/mentee relationship

Mentors are experienced faculty members who are committed to supporting their colleagues’ professional development in teaching and research, construction of inclusive professional networks at the university and beyond, and preparation for a successful promotion case. Mentors are willing to commit the time to meet with their mentees at least once per semester and to check in regularly via email or other means. Mentors are supporters, listeners, advocates, coaches, colleagues, and role models in fostering the values of integrity and open inquiry. Mentors give feedback and advice in constructive, open-minded, and sympathetic ways that support their colleagues and forge a sense of connection and belonging within the Mason Gross community.

Mentees are faculty members seeking to become ever more integrated into the Mason Gross community. They are looking to build their scholarly independence, capacity for research and creative expression, skills as educators and communicators, and professional networks at the university and beyond. They are open to constructive feedback and advice, and they are willing to devote the time to assessing and rethinking their practices.

The mentor/mentee relationship can work productively in both directions, since experienced mentors can often learn from those who are newer to their department and field.

Mentors and mentees should meet at least once per semester. The meeting can occur in an office setting or in a more informal one, such as over coffee or lunch.

A sample 60- or 90-minute meeting might be constructed as follows:

  • Set the agenda: What issues are on the mentee’s mind?
  • Establish the priorities: What do the mentor and mentee view as the most pressing or important issue that needs to be discussed?
  • Address those high-priority issues: How are they manifesting themselves in the mentee’s experience? If it is a problem in the classroom, what resources or advice can the mentor offer to support the mentee? If the mentee is experiencing difficulty with research or presentation of their work, how can the mentor support or guide the mentee through that challenge? Is the culture of the department, school, or broader field affecting the mentee’s experience, and, if so, how can the mentor help to address those cultural factors?
  • Action steps: what does each party need to do in the coming days, weeks, or months in order to address the high-priority issue?
  • Follow-up: When will the mentor and mentee meet again? Plan to “close the loop” on the previous high-priority issues and also address the next issue on the list.
Mentorship and peer evaluation of teaching

Departmental responsibilities:

Department chairs/directors or faculty members whom they designate must provide a peer observation and evaluation report for:

  • every assistant professor seeking reappointment or tenure,
  • every faculty member seeking promotion,
  • every first-time PTL, and
  • every candidate for PTL Advancement.

It is recommended that all faculty and department chairs/directors review this short article on the peer observation/evaluation process. That document lays out basic criteria for the evaluation of teaching and includes links to additional resources that may be helpful. The questions outlined there may be supplemented with discipline-specific criteria.

For the purposes of teaching observation, mentors should seek training from OTEAR (formerly CTAAR). Workshops are scheduled regularly; registration is online.

The following resources can assist department chairs/directors, mentors, and instructors in understanding and conducting the peer observation process:

Departments should review these materials and determine which they would like to use; they may also substitute other materials, but these should be consistent in overall content with the documents provided. It is advisable for the department faculty to vote on the criteria materials to be used for peer evaluation to ensure the buy-in of the full faculty.

Steps in the peer observation/evaluation:

  1. The mentor and mentee meet to determine which course and which class meeting will be observed.
  2. The mentee shares the course management site, syllabus, and other course materials with the mentor, and the mentor reads those in advance.
  3. The observation takes place; the mentor completes the rubric and writes a brief narrative summary.
  4. The mentor and mentee meet to discuss the class.
  5. The mentor finalizes the report.
  6. The mentee has an opportunity to read the report and respond in writing. The mentee may stipulate that the response be included in the file for reappointment, tenure, or promotion.
Faculty Development Series

Mason Gross offers a series of workshops and panel discussions—some featuring members of our own faculty with expertise in a given area and others featuring guests from outside our school—that address a range of topics related to teaching, research, and preparation for promotion. Topics might include aspects of teaching and grading, establishing professional networks, research and grant-seeking, challenges for women and underrepresented minorities in academia, and preparation of the promotion dossier.

The events in the Faculty Development Series are held at various times of the week and day to minimize the risk that a given faculty member will be excluded from all meetings due to their teaching schedule. Events will be held as hybrid in-person/remote events and, in most cases, recordings will be made available on the Mason Gross website. The schedule of events will be announced internally via email at the start of each semester.

Faculty members are welcome to submit their suggestions for topics or volunteer to serve on a panel by contacting Ellen Bredehoft, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, at ebredehoft@mgsa.rutgers.edu.

Faculty Appointments and Promotions

Faculty appointments and promotions are governed by policies established by the university and by Mason Gross School of the Arts.

Tenured and Tenure Track Faculty

Tenured and tenure–track faculty should see the university’s instructions and forms below. Faculty members at the level of associate professor or above who wish to be considered for promotion should discuss the timing of their promotion case with their department chair/director and with the dean early on to make sure that process goes smoothly.

Non-Tenure Track, Full-Time Faculty

Appointments, promotions, and evaluation of NTT faculty are governed by university policies and processes. Additionally, Mason Gross is responsible for setting criteria, policies, and timelines for NTT appointment, reappointment, and promotion. The following documents outline those policies:

Complimentary tickets for events at MGPAC and NBPAC

Requesting Complimentary Tickets

These policies and procedures apply to Mason Gross events at MGPAC and NBPAC.

Exclusions: Complimentary and Rush tickets are not available for Christmas in Carol and Song, Mason Gross Presents…, or Rutgers in New York events. Other exclusions apply.

Questions? Email us: boxoffice@mgsa.rutgers.edu
Ticket Office Hours: Weekdays Noon–5:30 p.m.

COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS

Complimentary tickets are tickets distributed to authorized faculty, staff, and guest artists per departmental policy. They are only processed during our daytime ticket office hours.

If your students inquire, direct them to the student complimentary ticket process here.

Things To Know

  • Complimentary ticket lists are submitted to the Ticket Office by the producing department for the event. The producing department has full authorization regarding who is included on the lists. Guest artists must be included on the lists.
  • Mason Gross deans, chairs, directors, and authorized administrators receive unlimited comps and can request at any time.
  • Conductors/Directors/etc. cannot request student tickets.
  • Additional complimentary tickets beyond the standard allotment must be authorized by the departmental representative of the event via email the Ticket Office prior to requesting tickets.
  • Additional non-complimentary tickets can be purchased at the full employee rate. (Limit: 2) Please purchase additional tickets online. Fees apply.
  • Recruitment comps are available upon authorization by the departmental representative for the event. Contact Mason Gross Admissions prior to requesting recruitment comps.
  • Requests over ten (10) tickets: If requesting over ten (10) complimentary tickets, a detailed list of users must be submitted when requesting tickets.
  • Cut-off times for Complimentary ticket requests are Fridays at 5pm for email requests and 5:30pm for in-person requests. Complimentary ticket requests emailed outside of those time and/or our Ticket Office hours will not be processed.
  • Transferring complimentary tickets is not permitted. Mason Gross faculty, staff, or guest artists can only request their own complimentary tickets as authorized by the sponsoring department.
  • Exchanging complimentary tickets is permitted. Email the print-at-home ticket during daytime ticket office hours.
  • Combining the authorized-per-event number of complimentary tickets across different events is not permitted.

Requesting Complimentary Tickets

Email (preferred)

Mason Gross Faculty/Staff must send an email from their @mgsa.rutgers.edu account.

Guest artists must send an email from their organizational (preferred) or personal account.

Email request should include:

  • The event title, date, and time of the performance you wish to attend.
  • The number of tickets you are requesting (usually 1 or 2).
  • Any accessibility concerns.

Receive your print-at-home tickets in your Inbox within 5-30 minutes.

  • Print-at-home tickets will be emailed in bulk to the requestor.
  • We cannot send individual print-at-home tickets to different users.
  • You can forward the print-at-home tickets to the user. Each ticket has a unique ticket number that can only scan once.
  • Print-at-home tickets must be printed, downloaded, or screenshot on your phone prior to arriving at the venue.
  • If you don’t receive your print-at-home tickets, go to ticketing online order help here.

In Person

The Mason Gross faculty, staff, or guest artist requesting the complimentary tickets must be present.

  • Visit the Ticket Office during daytime ticket office hours.
  • Fill out the Complimentary Ticket Request form.
  • Present your RU ID or myRutgers portal.
  • Tickets can be taken with the requestor, held in Will Call for pick-up at the venue within 1-hour prior to the scheduled performance time, or emailed as print-at-home tickets.

Rush Tickets

Mason Gross faculty rush tickets are last-minute tickets for faculty and guest artists to view the students’ work for their department of affiliation only. Mason Gross faculty and guest artist rush can receive up to two (2) tickets starting at 1 hour prior to the scheduled performance time. A complimentary ticket request email is not required for rush tickets.

Things To Know

  • The requestor must be present at the time of the transaction and must appear on the list provided by the producing department.
  • Presentation of RUID or MyRutgers Portal is required.
  • Faculty and guest artists may only rush performances within their department of affiliation.
  • Rush ticket(s) are last-minute seat fillers distributed directly prior to performances per departmental policy.
  • Rush ticket(s) are never guaranteed and are distributed on an as available basis.
  • The producing departments have authorized the Ticket Office to cease rush ticket distribution in the case of a reasonably imminent sold-out house.
  • The Ticket Office does not process rush tickets during daytime ticket office hours.
  • A Complimentary Ticket Request Form or email is not required for rush tickets.
  • A rush tickets(s) for a specific performance must be used for that performance.
  • Rush ticket(s) are not available for Christmas in Carol and Song, Rutgers in New York, or events at other NYC venues. Other exclusions may apply.

Requesting Mason Gross Faculty Rush Tickets

  • Arrive at the performance venue no earlier than 1 hour prior to the scheduled performance time.
  • Present your RU ID or myRutgers portal.
  • Receive up to (2) tickets.