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They stepped into the campus bookstore in Kryzsko Commons to get a tutorial on the ins and outs of the book selection process. But they weren’t there to learn which ones to buy. That’s for their students.
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George Morrow, left, Lorene Olson, center, and Leon Tyler walk on Winona State University's campus Friday during a new faculty tour. Olson led about 10 new faculty members on a campus tour of the grounds and buildings. (Photo by Fred Schulze/Winona Daily News) |
Even professors need help navigating a university when they’re new. On Thursday and Friday, this year’s freshman class of tenure-track professors was shown the ropes in an orientation program the university has been hosting each summer for the past few years.
“There’s so much to learn, we are just trying to get them started,” said Lorene Olson, a therapeutic recreation professor who helped lead the tour.
Teachers learned about how to get copies made, got advice on their retirement plans and were shown where their classrooms are. They even took a trip to Wabasha, Minn., to the National Eagle Center, to show off the region’s beauty and provide a chance for academic discussion. Stace Rierson, a professor in WSU’s education department who was leading the group, said getting a jump start on learning about Winona helps teachers feel more connected.
“The more you feel integrated into a community, the more you feel you belong,” Rierson said.
Leon Tyler, a new marketing professor, has previously been an adjunct at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. He said the infrastructure of WSU was a pleasant surprise after years of using chalkboards during his lectures.
“I’ve been really impressed with the technology here,” Tyler said.
“It’s always nice to be on the leading edge.”
Brian Winrow, an incoming professor in WSU’s business department, left a similar position at Emporia State University three years into his tenure process. Now, his clock goes back to zero, essentially erasing years of work toward security. He said he decided to come to Winona because his department is seeking accreditation and he wanted to be a part of that, but he also had less career-orientated motivations.
“I’ve got five kids, and being in a community like this was important to me,” Winrow said.
Moving to a new place — especially one as bustling as WSU — and taking a new job can be intimidating, Rierson said, so events like these help people ease in to a new life. Rierson went through the tutorial when she came to campus two years ago, and she said the teachers she met there are still her friends.
“It takes a lot of human energy to find and hire the right person,” Rierson said. “This is the university trying to keep them.”
Nolan Rosenkrans can be reached at 507-453-3519 or by e-mail at nolan.rosenkrans@lee.net.
