Writing Communities to (Re-)engage Faculty: The U See I Write Initiative

Authors

Ilona S. Yim, University of California, IrvineFollow
Nina Bandelj, University of California, Irvine
Olga V. Razorenova, University of California, Irvine
Peiyi Wang, University of California, Irvine

ORCID IDs

Yim 0000-0002-2769-7253

Bandelj 0000-0002-7103-7252

Razorenova 0000-0002-9442-6170

Wang 0000-0002-2276-1287

Date of this Version

Fall 2023

Document Type

Article

Citation

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development (2023) 42(2): 10

doi: 10.3998/tia.3630

Comments

License: CC BY-NC-ND

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on university faculty, unduly those from underrepresented groups, causing many faculty to disengage. Writing communities represent a promising tool to (re-)engage faculty and build an inclusive climate. As part of U See I Write, a faculty development initiative at the University of California, Irvine, we convened a series of monthly writing retreats between March and June of 2021, with between-retreat weekly writing sessions in smaller groups and an expectation to write daily for at least 30 minutes. In a diverse cohort of 34 faculty writers, program participation resulted in a significant increase in writing and work engagement. Similar initiatives at other institutions of higher education may prove successful in faculty (re-)engagement while also advancing faculty diversity.