TO:          Deans, Directors, and Departmental Executive Officers

FROM:    Andrew Beckett, Associate Dean, University College

RE:          Now Accepting Proposals for Fall 2021 First-Year Seminars

DATE:     January 5, 2021

We are now accepting First-Year Seminar proposals for fall 2021. First-Year Seminar instructors are highly engaged in student development and have an active, important role in their students' transition to college. As a result, First-Year Seminars introduce new, first year students to important principles and academic expectations that will help them be successful at The University of Iowa. In addition, First-Year Seminars provide students with an opportunity to work closely with UI faculty, instructional staff, or a senior-level administrator.  

First-Year Seminars should be designed around the four pillars of a First-Year Seminar: 1) Academic Inquiry, 2) Active Learning, 3) Community and Connectedness, and 4) Exploration of Identity. Additional explanations for these pillars, which offer structure and guidance for course design, can be found at https://fys.uiowa.edu.

All First-Year Seminar instructors are expected to attend an online informational session during the spring 2021 semester, as well as an enrichment session at the start of the fall 2021 semester. Instructors will be asked to select a spring session as part of the proposal submission process. These sessions create opportunities to share relevant information with and among all instructors and contribute to a more meaningful First-Year Seminar experience. For spring 2021, all sessions will be held online via Zoom.

Even if you are currently teaching or have taught a First-Year Seminar in the past, you must submit a proposal in order to be considered for the fall 2021 semester. Instructors should obtain approval from their DEO or direct supervisor prior to submitting a proposal. In addition to faculty, executive and instructional staff may submit a proposal for review. Merit staff and graduate/teaching assistants are not eligible to teach a First-Year Seminar. Additional policies are available at https://fys.uiowa.edu. Please check this new website regularly as other resources and information, including an FYS Instructional Toolkit, will be added throughout the spring semester.

To submit a proposal, please go to https://fys.uiowa.edu/proposals. Proposals must be submitted by Monday, February 1.

Thank you in advance for your interest in teaching a First-Year Seminar. Please contact me (andrew-beckett@uiowa.edu) or Angie Lamb (angela-lamb@uiowa.edu) if you have any questions.

Andrew Beckett
Associate Dean, University College