Dear East Carolina University New Faculty:

Welcome to East Carolina University! We are writing to invite you to attend “Pirates Aboard: New Faculty Orientation 2009” which will be held August 17–21 on the East Carolina University campus. We believe that “Tomorrow Starts Here,” and we’re delighted to have another excellent group of faculty join our growing university. This mailing is designed to prepare you for the program in August. It includes the university Pirates Aboard schedule; a CD of start-up information; and handouts from Human Resources, ITCS, Academic Outreach, and others. The Pirates Aboard program is designed to give new faculty members the information they need to make a smooth transition to the university. Other opportunities will include unit orientations, a new faculty Blackboard site, workshops, and other activities through the Center for Faculty Excellence and other offices on campus. We ask you to participate actively in these activities.

The nature of your appointment may make some sessions more relevant for you than others. For example, only tenured, tenure-track and fixed-term faculty teaching 50% or more need to attend the New Faculty Benefits orientation on Tuesday, August 18. If you are being hired into a temporary position or to teach less that 50%, you will not attend that session. Tenure track faculty members will find the session on tenure and promotion more relevant than fixed term faculty will. However, since most units require all faculty (fixed term and tenure track) to complete the same annual evaluations, you should determine your unit’s requirements and review the parts of the evaluation session most pertinent to your needs.

We are pleased that the orientation will address other topics that new faculty need:

• Support from Joyner and Laupus Libraries
• Parking and 1 Card sign up
• Faculty and Student Information Technology Resources: Smart Classrooms, software, web publishing resources, IT Help Desk, etc.
• The ECU Faculty Manual; syllabus requirements and recommendations
• Blackboard and teaching with technology (until you have your own password, you can visit the site by using newfaculty for both the userid and password)
• Research assistance, application for graduate faculty
• Service requirements and opportunities; opportunities for service learning in your classes
• The Personnel Action Dossier and Sedona system for reporting research and creative activity
• Faculty development opportunities through the Center for Faculty Excellence, units, and other offices.

Two activities are planned to include families: food and fun at the Recreation and Wellness Center on Thursday evening and Wednesday afternoon at Uptown Umbrella Market. These events are designed to provide information about university and community activities available to you.

Please review the materials in this mailing prior to your arrival. We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you personally to East Carolina University!

Sincerely,

Dr. Marilyn A. Sheerer Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs

Dr. Dorothy H. Muller Director, Center for Faculty Excellence