Working with Deans, Course Assistants and Teaching Apprentices

A: I started at Wesleyan in October 2001.

Q: What are some of your duties?

A: The majority of my day is spent on the phone responding to inquiries from faculty and staff, reconciling accounts, gathering financial data, and maintaining various files and databases.

Q: What goes on during a day in the Office of Academic Affairs?

A: My job is a little different each day and I really enjoy the variations. Some days I spend most of my time maintaining the deans’ calendars and discretionary accounts, or working with proposals for internal sources of funding such as pedagogical, fund for innovation and seed grants. I also spend a great deal of time providing administrative support to the Educational Policy Committee and managing the Course Assistant and Teaching Apprentice programs.

Q: What are the Course Assistant and Teaching Apprentice programs?

A: A Course Assistant helps a faculty member by preparing course materials, managing logistics of a course and working with technology. They can receive a $400 stipend for completing the work. Students in the Teaching Apprentice Program work closely with a faculty mentor to understand the pedagogical issues related to a particular course and discipline and to deepen the student’s understanding of the subject matter. They receive course credit.

Q: Do you interact much with the students?

A: Unfortunately, my job doesn’t provide me the opportunity to interact with students on a regular basis. When I do engage with students, it is through AFCA or as a result of my role in Wesleyan’s Course Assistant and Teaching Apprentice programs. I ensure the students who are involved in these programs are properly registered for the tutorials, receive course credit and issue their payroll.

Q: What are some of the challenges of your job?

A: One of the most recent was working with Jen Curran in Information Technology Services in developing an electronic application and registration process for Course Assistants and Teaching Apprentices. It was a lot of work to orchestrate but it has really paid off because what was once a process of shuffling 400 pieces of paper per semester is now wonderfully organized within electronic portfolio.

Q: Who are the key people you work with in the Academic Deans section of the Office of Academic Affairs?

A: I work closely with the deans of the three academic divisions, LiLy Milroy, Don Moon and Joe Bruno, as well as with Billy Weitzer, senior associate provost, and Joy Vodak, coordinator for the Dean of the College Office.

Q: Tell me about your role as co-chair to the Administrators and Faculty of Color Alliance (AFCA).

A: I work closely with my co-chair and friend Andy McGadney of University Relations in planning and implementing current and future AFCA programming. I also work closely with members of the AFCA executive committee; Marina Melendez, Frank Kuan, Migdalia Pinkney, Lori Hunter, Ricardo Morris and Dianna Dozier. Being a part of AFCA has provided me the opportunity to give back to the Wesleyan community. It has also afforded me the opportunity to meet and interact with members of the Wesleyan community whom I ordinarily wouldn’t have met as part of my job in Academic Affairs.

Q: What is the purpose or goal of AFCA?

A: AFCA is a volunteer organization which seeks to strengthen and enhance the relationship between the Wesleyan community, its employees and students of color. Right now AFCA is going through a truly exciting period because we are currently working on creating a strategic plan which will help us to identify the organization’s key goals and objectives and to clearly articulate our mission, values and responsibilities. We really want the AFCA membership as well as the larger Wesleyan community to have a better understanding of our goals and priorities.

Q: Where did you receive your education and in what?

A: I received a bachelor’s in psychology from Quinnipiac University in 1998 and I recently completed my master’s of arts in liberal studies from Wesleyan in May 2005.

Q: What are your hobbies?

A: I am avid reader and I really love planning and hosting parties.

Q: Where do you live, and do you have children?

A: I live in Meriden with my 5-year-old son, Josiah. We spend a lot of time playing with our energetic dog, Sunny, and working on our soccer skills.

Q: What would you say is the most unique thing about you?

A: I guess one could say I have a passion for fashion.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about working here?