The American Psychological Association (APA) is participating in a new
initiative entitled Shaping the Preparation of Future Social Science and Humanities
Faculty: A Future Faculty Program. This new initiative is sponsored by the Council of
Graduate Schools (CGS) and the Association of American Colleges and Universities
(AAC&U) with grant support from an anonymous donor. The initiative will enable
psychology departments at four universities, each with a team of partner institutions of
higher education, to serve as models for preparing the next generation of college and
university faculty.
The APA Education Directorate, responsible for the implementation of
the new initiative, recently awarded grants to four institutions for the establishment of Preparing
Future Faculty in Psychology Programs. Departments of psychology in the following
institutions have agreed to create faculty preparation programs over the next two years:
Miami University of Ohio, University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Georgia
(College of Education), and the University of New Hampshire. A national leadership team of
psychology educators reviewed and selected the grant awardees.
An important concept governing the design of each proposal selected was
a formalized plan by each program outlining the teaching opportunities and mentoring
experiences to be achieved by graduate students as teachers, scholars, and members of an
academic community in different types of academic institutions. Proposals were required to
show a commitment by the lead institution to develop partnerships with departments of
psychology with other higher education institutions diverse in their institutional
mission, such as, community colleges, women’s colleges, tribal colleges, and
historically black colleges and universities. Additionally, each proposal was required to
show evidence of a commitment by the lead institution to recruit and graduate students
from traditionally under-represented populations.
For more information about the Preparing Future Faculty Program in
Psychology, please see the website at www.apa.org/ed/pff.html.
Future announcements will include information about workshops supported by the Preparing
Future Faculty Program, and proposed activities outlined and implemented by the model
programs.
This article first appeared in the Fall 2000 Edition of the APAGS
Newsletter, Vol. 12(3)
