Fellow Program Overview

Faculty participation is at the heart of the very existence of residential colleges. This program supports faculty, staff and visiting scholars' presence and participation in the colleges supplementary to that of the college master and the associate master. On the recommendation of the masters and the student officers of the colleges, the provost appoints interested faculty, staff members and visiting scholars to serve as Fellows in the colleges for the academic year. Deans and department heads are notified of these appointments.

The Fellow program provides students with the opportunity to become acquainted with these individuals outside the classroom--at firesides, over meals, or on excursions to Chicago. Although Fellows receive no compensation for their affiliation, there are a number of benefits to their participation. Fellows are encouraged to take meals free with student members in the colleges' designated dining halls. Fellows also have the opportunity to lead tutorials, small credit-bearing seminars reserved for college members and generally limited in size to nine or fewer students; a modest honorarium is provided.

Some faculty select to participate in informal academic advising related to their discipline with college residents. Fellows are also encouraged to submit research proposals for the RC Fellow Research Assistant program (FARA) which provides funds for a RC member to serve as the faculty member's research assistant. In addition, the residential college program enables faculty from various schools and departments to network with each other. College masters periodically sponsor social and other events exclusively for Fellows to promote collegial networking opportunities (spouses and significant others are also invited to certain events).

Faculty, staff members and visiting scholars who serve as Fellows agree to attend occasional college receptions and firesides; to attend meals with students in the college once or twice a week; and to work with the college master and student officers to advance the goals of the college. Support is available to underwrite expenses incurred when Fellows sponsor activities with students related to the goals of the college. The time commitment for a Fellow rarely exceeds a few hours a week.

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