2012-2015 Core Committee Self-Nomination Statements

Name: Chris Garrett
Title: Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning & Associate Professor, English
Institution: Oklahoma City University

Background in Professional and Organizational Development:

I am in my fifth year as Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Oklahoma City University, which is a small, liberal arts university with about 250 full-time faculty. We have established a thriving program that has enticed over 84% of our full-time faculty to participate in one or more of our offerings, including workshops, faculty learning communities, portfolio retreats, individual consultations, a structured certificate program, etc.

For over twenty years I've been teaching in diverse contexts. I have had the privilege of teaching undergraduate students at various levels and institutions in higher education: a community college, a junior college, a research institution, and a small, private liberal arts university. Prior to entering academia, I served a two-year stint teaching English as a Second Language at a private high school in Gotemba, Japan. I've also spent numerous hours on the court as a tennis teaching professional.

While completing my doctorate at Texas A&M University, I spent two years leading the Graduate Teaching Academy, a professional development program for graduate students. I am gratefully indebted to Nancy Simpson, Christine Stanley, and Prudence Merton (longtime POD members), who provided the mentorship and encouragement I needed to take this "road less travelled." These varied experiences, coupled with a burning passion for promoting the cause of effective teaching, have helped prepare me for my work in faculty development..

Specific involvement in and contributions to POD:

In 2007 I participated in the International Institute for New Faculty Developers (IINFD) held in Ottawa. I have reviewed proposals for POD conferences, and over the past four years I've served on the review board for To Improve the Academy. Since 2008 I have served as a POD Ambassador (welcoming new members to POD) and also on the membership committee. Currently, I serve on the POD Membership Executive Committee.

What would I like to see POD accomplish over the next three years:

Here are several ideas: 1) Provide support in developing new and strengthening existing regional networks. This will increase retention of members and added-value for its members. When a member joins POD they not only are welcomed into the international organization but they also should be automatically included in a smaller, regionalized network of colleagues. These regional networks would hold local meetings and also would be allocated sessions/time slots for meetings at the annual POD conferences.

2) Provide additional professional development opportunities to POD members. What if POD offered a summer institute on faculty development that included several tracks and/or cohorts? It could be offered in tandem with the IINFD, but other courses would be offered to all faculty developers (e.g., tracks focused on topics such as learning theory, assessment, etc.).

3) Provide members with an updated membership directory.

4) Last but not least importantly: bring back karaoke and the dance at the annual POD conference!