Writing Fellows Program
Program Description
The Writing Fellows Program is a formal year-long writing (or analogous creative process) mentoring program for pre-tenure faculty. The impact of COVID has resulted in considerable barriers to advancing research for many faculty members, because of challenges related to personal circumstances, challenges related to the nature of the research projects, or both. The Writing Fellows Program will give pre-tenure faculty members a year of mentorship and structured support for research productivity and budget of $1,500 to advance a writing or other creative project (e.g. funds can be used to work with an editor, hire a writing coach or participate in a multi-day writing retreat at the end of the academic year). This is a cohort-based model of structured writing and productivity support, and Prof. Amy Mihyang Ginther will be involved throughout the year as a mentor to the participants.
The Writing Fellows program will create 2 cohorts in the 2025-2026 academic year, each made up of 5 faculty members. After an initial orientation meeting at the start of Fall quarter, each Writing Fellow will attend bi-weekly cohort meetings. The focus of these meetings will be informed by the writing-related needs of the cohort, with the guidance of the mentor. The program is not designed to offer ongoing peer editing. The purpose of the program is to support the development of consistent writing or creative production habits to advance the research agenda toward tenure.
Eligibility
- Any pre-tenure faculty member is eligible to apply, however, priority will be given to those whose research and writing progress have been significantly impacted by COVID or other adverse circumstances, and to those closer to coming up for tenure, should we receive too many applications to accommodate.
- Candidates who will be evaluated for tenure in the 2025-26 academic year are not eligible for this program.
- This program is not appropriate for those who are not at a writing/production stage of their research.
- The program is open to faculty at any stage of writing, broadly construed, including books, articles, films, and other research and creative projects that can benefit from a group accountability structure.
- Preference will be given to single-authored projects. Projects authored by two people will be considered but multi-authored projects, which benefit far less from collective writing outside the core author group, will not.
Selection Criteria
- Impact of COVID or other adverse circumstances on ability to advance the research project over the past year and a half.
- Excellence of the proposed research project.
- Clear statement of how peer support for your writing practice and for a specific writing project will be beneficial for achieving tenure goals.
- Willingness to commit to the year-long peer-group process.
- Proximity to tenure (though being early career should not inhibit you from applying, as we do not know how high demand will be).
Application Process
Applications should be submitted through this Writing Fellows Program Application Form. Note, CV and recommendations are not required.
The Application deadline is Friday, February 28, 2025 at 5pm.
Contact
If you have any questions, please email vpaa at acpas@ucsc.edu