OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR
UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

RUTGERS – CAMDEN
FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
INTERCULTURAL FELLOWS PROGRAM
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 13, 2002

click here for a printable pdf version of this document
click here for the printable pdf application

PURPOSE

Through a generous grant from the Bildner Family Foundation, the Rutgers – Camden Intercultural Fellows Program will provide support for faculty members to revise the content and/or pedagogy of existing courses or curricula, or to develop new courses that address issues of intercultural interaction.

These courses, which will be offered beginning in Fall Term 2003, will typically be courses with large enrollments. They may be in any discipline, but should address intercultural issues in a multidisciplinary way. According to the terms of the grant, the faculty who teach these courses should be “interested in bridging multicultural theory and practice, … interested in multidisciplinary work, and in academic boundary crossing.” Faculty will be expected to attend a summer “Intercultural Institute” which will “cultivate the capacity to examine new areas of intercultural learning holistically, critically, and reflectively.” Faculty will also be expected to become familiar with the basic concepts of diversity, multiculturalism, and multidisciplinarity to which students will be exposed in English Composition I, which is being revised to include a focus on diversity.

According to the terms of the grant, the intercultural issues that are to be addressed may include the following:

1) examination of the interaction among cultural groups;
2) comparative exploration of cultures, with cultures explored in larger contexts;
3) examination of power relations among groups, including the issues of privilege, subordination, discrimination, disenfranchisement, and the sources of inequality;
4) examination of the enriching aspects of cultural diversity and interaction;
5) examination of current problems related to intercultural interaction and potential solutions;
6) examination of issues related to cultural diversity in the United States;
7) examination of the tension created by global interdependencies and diverse world cultures.

FUNDING PARAMETERS

Intercultural Fellows will receive $4000 which can be used for a variety of purposes including summer salary, travel, and supplies. Fellows will also be invited to participate in workshops and consulting sessions with nationally known experts who will provide expertise and assistance in intercultural curriculum development. In addition Fellows will be provided with assistance in evaluating the effects of their course revisions.

ASSISTANCE

Applicants are encouraged to discuss proposal ideas with Susan Forman, Vice President for Undergraduate Education, (732-932-1644, sgforman@rci.rutgers.edu). Applicants may contact Dr. Holly Blackford, Director of the Writing Program at Rutgers-Camden, at blackfor@camden.rutgers.edu for a copy of a document that explains how English Composition I instructors will incorporate diversity into the freshman writing program.

APPLICATION

The application form is linked. Applications should not exceed four pages and should include: a) a brief description of the current course or curriculum to be revised;
b) student enrollment; c) frequency of course/curriculum offering; d) goals of revision in terms of student learning; e) outline of proposed changes in content and/or teaching methods; f) preliminary evaluation plan; g) biographical sketch.

PROPOSAL REVIEW

Proposals will undergo a peer review process. Reviewers will consider the following factors; a) relevance to the objectives of this program; b) clarity of project plan;
c) soundness of proposed changes; d) potential for impact on students; e) innovativeness of proposed changes. Priority will be given to proposals that link course revisions to build on intercultural content in English Composition I and address large enrollment courses.