These programs are designed to orient new faculty to best practices in teaching and learning and to provide opportunities for socialization, community building, and professional learning. The goal of these programs is to contribute toward effective and scholarly teaching and overall success and satisfaction in faculty roles.

New (Full-time) Faculty Orientation (NFO)

All full-time faculty are required to participate in the orientation portion of the program running in August; the details of this involvement are outlined in the MRU Human Resources faculty appointment letter. The Department of Human Resources is in contact with all new faculty members prior to their arrival on campus.

The NFO provides support and resources to all new full-time credit faculty members. The broad goals of the Orientation are to provide support across faculty roles, to assist in building community, and to be responsive in terms of addressing and supporting the professional learning goals of faculty members.

The program commences with a three-day orientation in August, where faculty are introduced to the Mount Royal institution and community and to the various support systems available to them at the University. The August program also includes a series of guest speakers from across the University and optional workshops covering topics such as the first day of class, classroom management, planning and funding a research program, course planning and assessment, and the use of learning technologies at MRU.

Contract Faculty Orientation (CFO)

An optional program, the CFO introduces contract faculty to the Mount Royal institution and community, provides resources, and builds awareness of the support systems available to contract faculty. The program also explores best practices in teaching and learning and classroom management and addresses the integration and use of technologies for teaching and learning, including support for D2L Brightspace, the MRU learning management system.

Please note – contract faculty are also welcome to join any of the other ADC programs and workshops offered across the year; they may access any of the services identified on the ADC website and in the bi-weekly newsletter distributed to MRU faculty members.

Orientation sessions are held prior to the start of each fall and winter semester. Department Chairs are notified in advance of session dates in order to provide details to their contract faculty members. Email notices are sent to all contract faculty members (for whom we have email addresses) to alert them to the date/time of the CFO sessions.