Looking for dedicated time and space to write this semester? CAFE is pleased to announce that applications are being accepted for the Faculty Writing Initiative, which is designed to support faculty in achieving their academic and creative goals through work on writing projects of any kind—such as grant applications, book chapters, articles, essays, creative work, conference presentations, etc.
Launched in Spring 2020, the Faculty Writing Initiative (FWI) offers weekly online writing sessions so that faculty can make substantial progress on their writing projects. Each session begins with goal setting and ends with progress check-ins and brief discussions about writing strategies, to bring structure and a sense of community to the solitary work of writing. Many faculty who have participated in the FWI have noted that there is a sense of camaraderie that forms through individual writing in a group environment. The Faculty Writing Initiative is different from a typical writing group in that it supports faculty in building writing time consistently into their weekly work schedules. Facilitators and participants will not be reading and responding to each other’s writing, rather you will encourage each other in building sustained writing practices.
Faculty across all ranks, including non-tenure track, are encouraged to apply, and applicants can apply to participate in either a Tuesday or a Friday morning session. Both sessions will meet via Zoom. The weekly meetings will begin the second week of classes, and participants will be expected to attend these weekly writing sessions throughout the semester.
If you’re interested in participating in the UMKC Faculty Writing Initiative, apply online before the beginning of the semester. Applicants will be selected to ensure that the Faculty Writing Initiative serves writers from all disciplines and across all ranks in university.
Facilitators for the Faculty Writing Initiative will be Dr. Antonio Byrd , Assistant Professor of English and Dr. Jane Greer, Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor of English and Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. Both Drs. Byrd and Greer focus their research and scholarship on Writing Studies and Rhetoric and have enjoyed considerable success as writers as well as their fair share of writerly frustrations, anxieties, and disappointments. They have both participated in a variety of initiatives and workshops designed to support faculty writing, and they are eager to write with other faculty.
If you have any questions, please email Dr. Byrd, (antoniobyrd@umkc.edu) or Dr. Greer, (greerj@umkc.edu).