A Toolkit for College Professors

A Toolkit for College Professors is designed to give new and established faculty members the skills they need in order to do their jobs more effectively. Combining case studies, scenarios, practical advice, and problem-solving activities, this book offers college professors a valuable resource for excelling in the classroom, lab, studio, library, and beyond. From teaching effectively to promoting student success, facilitating collegiality with their peers, conducting research, applying for tenure and promotion, and many other areas relevant to academic life today, A Toolkit for College Professors helps faculty members achieve their goals and avoid common pitfalls along the way.

Table of Contents:
Dedication Acknowledgements Preface Introduction Chapter 1: Teaching Effectively in the Classroom and Beyond Chapter 2: Promoting Student Success and Engagement Chapter 3: Facilitating Collegiality with Other Faculty Members Chapter 4: Establishing Positive Interactions with Administrators Chapter 5: Conducting Research Successfully Chapter 6: Engaging in Meaningful Service Chapter 7: Applying for Promotion and Tenure Epilogue: Our Reflections

About the Author :
Jeffrey L. Buller is dean of the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College at Florida Atlantic University. He holds a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of ten books on academic leadership and numerous articles, including 131 on higher education administration. With Bob, he is senior partner in ATLAS Leadership Traini9ng and serves as a consultant to the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia. Robert E. Cipriano has a doctor’s degree from New York University. He has published five books, contributed chapters in three additional books, has published more than 170 journal articles and manuscript, has received more than nine million dollars in state and federal grants, and has been invited to present at more than 250 colleges and universities in the US, Asia, and the Middle east. He served as department chair for 28 of his 36 years in higher education.

Review :
This book is pitched to college and university faculty at all career stages, and it stands out from other books in this category because of its research-based findings and its thoughtful case studies…. This book’s strengths include the liberal use of longer case studies and shorter scenarios, each of which works through a series of questions and proposed resolutions (for case studies) and a challenge question and outcome (for scenarios)…. These vignettes were well written and thoughtfully prepared, and on the whole they engage the reader quite effectively. That the scenarios are so clearly taken from actual experience makes them more valuable, especially to newer faculty members who haven’t yet seen it all…. Above all, this book uses the very techniques it suggests for effective teaching, and new faculty members in particular will find themselves better prepared for everyday faculty life after thinking through these realistic case studies. Buller and Cipriano have written a book that is a must read for faculty members at all stages of their careers. Senior professors will find helpful reminders of how one might mentor junior faculty and junior faculty in particular will be grateful for this smart, concise and wise guide to navigating an academic career, including how to be an effective teacher, to work well with colleagues, and to prepare for tenure. Highly recommended. A must for any faculty member’s bookshelf, Buller and Cipriano have combined their years of experience into a ‘go-to’ resource that is relevant, thought-provoking, and filled with real-world examples that will help professors of all ranks navigate the changing landscape of higher education. From the student fresh out of graduate school to the scholar who has been around the classroom block more than they can count, this is the one book they should have, and the first one they should grab. A cogent, accessible, and engaging text that hits all the important topics that faculty need to think about and act on from day one. Carefully constructed scenarios and accompanying questions help faculty think through appropriate responses to common, challenging problems, making this an ideal text for faculty development, faculty learning communities, and mentoring programs. Buller and Cipriano’s A Toolkit for College Professors is an invaluable resource for faculty interested in improving their teaching and their students learning. It is also a guide for a successful and rewarding career.