Faculty-in-Residence Positions

The Faculty-in-Residence (FIR) Program is staffed by UCLA faculty and academicians who reside in UCLA On-Campus Housing so that they can live and work with a specific Residence Hall community. The Faculty-in-Residence Program bridges the academic and residential experiences in a seamless living-learning environment by integrating UCLA faculty members into the residential experience and facilitating their active participation in student learning.

Program Goals

The goal of the FIR program is to provide both formal and informal resident-faculty interactions through educational programming, individual and small-group advising, and casual association. These interactions provide students in the opportunity to approach and relate to faculty members on a more personal level. Faculty-in-Residence are provided with an apartment and a meal plan in On-Campus Housing.

Program Overview

Faculty-in-Residence initially receive a 3-year assignment, during which they are required to maintain 12 "contact hours" per week with the students in their community. Contact hours may include educational programming, advising students individually or in small groups, working with and advising Office of Residential Life student staff and student volunteers serving on their buildings’ Residents’ Association, and casual interactions during social events and other Hill activities. Although minimum expectations are specified for each type of contact, Faculty-in-Residence have the flexibility to employ the methods that best compliment their individual talents and interests. Most contact hours take place through programming—either original programming that the FIR has designed or programs designed by student programmers. Past FIR programs have included film screenings and discussions, poetry groups, cultural celebrations, hiking and camping outings, paper-writing workshops, community service events, guest lectures, and theatrical performances.

Teaching and Programming

Since the program began, Faculty-in-Residence have sponsored a wide range of activities designed to enhance the intellectual, social, and civic development of students living on the UCLA campus. Whether hosting students in their home for a discussion about attending graduate school, convening a book club, or taking students to public lectures in the greater Los Angeles area, the FIRs create a dynamic and diverse intellectual environment for students.

Teaching on the Hill

Simultaneously, faculty members develop and enhance their own personal and professional skills in teaching and interacting with students—both in and out of the classroom. Many of our Faculty-in-Residence have blended their residential experience with their academic commitments by teaching with the GE Cluster Courses or Fiat Lux seminars offered in On-Campus Housing.

Connections to the College

Participants in the FIR program also teach undergraduate courses at UCLA. Faculty-in-Residence represent a diverse selection of faculty members representing a variety of disciplines—from English and History to Geography and Slavic Languages and Literatures. FIR academic departments include the College of Letters & Science, the School of Nursing, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies.

Recruitment Process

Faculty-in-Residence are recruited and selected by the Office of Residential Life based on their individual talents and interests and their commitment to ORL’s Core 4 principles: supporting the university’s academic mission, creating a safe living environment, promoting responsible citizenship, and fostering student development within the context of residential community.

Recruitment for the Faculty-in-Residence program occurs annually, subject to the number of open positions. Recruitment typically begins in late December for appointments beginning in September. Interested candidates complete and submit an application packet that includes personal information, brief responses to selected questions, a résumé or curriculum vitae, and a list of references. Applications are typically due the first Friday in February. Qualified candidates are invited to participate in a two-stage interview process: one interview with a group of Residential Life staff members and student representatives, and another with the Director and Associate Directors of Residential Life.

Questions?

For additional information about this position or the recruitment process, please contact:

Cheryl Sims
Associate Director
Office of Residential Life
370 DeNeve Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1375
(310) 825-4536
cheryl@orl.ucla.edu