Raegan Carter
palmettoreport@gmail.com

(Rock Hill, S.C.) — Faculty in the Winthrop University English Department are working to create an open environment and a feeling of community, by including their stakeholders in the hiring process.

For example, earlier this semester, the Writing Center hosted two events intended to introduce faculty candidates to students and staff in the English Department.

Candidates interviewing for an opening as a professor of African American literature were hosted at two separate luncheons.

Faculty in the English Department say it’s important to help staff and students feel like one community rather than a disconnected imbalance of groups. Particularly, when bringing in new professors.

“I really do value student feedback in a lot of ways,” said Dr. Devon Fitzgerald, chair of the English Department. “I think that it’s important that our students get to meet our candidates and the candidates get to meet our students.”

The opportunity to connect the candidates with people in the department is  important, according to faculty.

“Every faculty member had time with each of these candidates,” said Amy Bagwell, an English and creative writing professor. “And a lot of students did, too, which is also really important to us.”

The Writing Center, and by extension, the English Department, is no stranger to hosting events. Faculty and students often congregate on the second floor of Bancroft to create what staff hope is a welcoming and warm environment.

 “There always seems to be, in the other departments, this kind of serious undertone towards some of these events,” said Alyssa DeCaprio, a graduate tutor in her third year at the center.

“When Bancroft does something casual like trick-or-treating, and you see the professors dressed up and stuff and everybody’s having as much fun as you are, I think it just kind of…personalizes the professors a little bit more.”

DeCaprio said tutors at the Writing Center are taught to provide a safe environment for students to come in and share their work.

Thus, English faculty say the professor candidate luncheons were hosted in the Writing Center because it’s intended to be a space where people can relax and feel comfortable.