Some of your mid-career faculty members may be ready to reconsider what they are doing in their current job positions and what they might want to do differently during the second half of their careers. We have a program here at Kansas State University to provide mid-career faculty members with an opportunity to help themselves achieve or increase their job satisfaction, performance, and career success by redesigning their current position or developing a new job role in cooperation with their department head. The adjustments that faculty members make by participating in the program help them to reach their full potential as professionals and benefit both themselves and their organizational units.
The Kansas State University's Professional Renewal of Faculty (KSU PROF) program was initiated and established by the Office of Professional Development (OPD) in 1992 for K-State Research and Extension/College of Agriculture and is modeled after the University of Nebraska-Lincoln NU PROF program and Menninger Leadership Center's "Professionals in Transition" seminars. To date, 72 on- and off-campus faculty members with 6 or more years of employment with Kansas State University have actively participated in one of the seven classes and have created and implemented personal/ professional growth action plans.
KSU PROF is a practical, proactive, and systematic personal and professional self-development (not remedial) approach designed to facilitate (guide, assist, and support) mid-career faculty members to bring out the best in themselves by a) taking personal responsibility and control of their professional careers as researchers and educators, and b) self-directing and managing their careers and lives in the context of personal, organizational, or community changes.
The program consists of two major self-development activities: a 2½-day Faculty Development Institute (FDI) and a 1-day Personal/Professional Growth Plan Workshop. FDI is a retreat that focuses on participants gaining a better understanding of themselves and the dynamics of change, and reflecting upon and exploring their professional careers and lives present, past and future. The Growth Plan Workshop is an informal interaction session in which participants, with their colleagues and spouses, create and write a 12-18 month action growth plan and prepare for time and life management and balance.
The 2000-01 KSU PROF program (Class VIII) is being sponsored in cooperation with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and will involve approximately 20-30 Kansas State University and University of Nebraska mid-career faculty members as participants. FDI will be held on September 27-29, 2000 at the Boys Town Conference Center in Omaha, Nebraska, and the Growth Plan Workshop will be held on Friday, December 1, 2000 on the Kansas State University Manhattan or Salina campus. Both activities are conducted in very relaxed environments and are highly conducive for participants to self-assess and reflect upon their careers and lives and explore possibilities of new options and directions.
Financial assistance, as well as personal commitment, for faculty to participate in the KSU PROF program (including "developmental assistance grants") is provided by the K-State Research and Extension/College of Agriculture and other KSU college administrators. Participation in the program is voluntary. Faculty applications or unit head nominations are due to OPD by Friday, June 30, 2000. For more information and materials (brochures, application/nomination forms, etc.) on the 2000-01 KSU PROF program, contact professional development leader Dr. C. Stephen Scheneman by telephone (785) 532-4370 or e-mail at sschenem@oz.oznet.ksu.edu.