Call for Applications: CUNY BA Fellows Program 2019-2020
The application deadline is Friday, April 19, 2019.
The CUNY BA Fellows Program:
The CUNY BA Fellows Program provides support to students enrolled in the CUNY BA. The Fellows Program assists students in the process of developing areas of concentration, enlisting faculty mentors, managing course work, and navigating academic and administrative challenges. Fellows create and circulate information about the resources available to students to support academic success, expand awareness, and foster community development amongst CUNY BA students. They also contribute to and support programming for strengthening academic and professional skills and enhancing the overall student experience. Fellows will also assist in the gathering and evaluation of qualitative and quantitative program data. This information will aid in the creation of new success initiatives for CUNY BA students and for the program to interact more effectively among its students, campus coordinators, and faculty mentors.
To be eligible, applicants must be Level III by the start date of the appointment. Students holding one of the Graduate Center’s five-year fellowships are welcome to apply. Students with interdisciplinary research interests or interdisciplinary coursework and advising experience are especially encouraged to apply. This graduate fellowship requires fellows to work for a total of 450 non-teaching hours during the academic year. Compensation for the award will be $27,128 per year ($13,564 per semester) with eligibility to purchase the low-cost NYSHIP health insurance as well as in-state tuition remission for fellows who are within their first 10 registered semesters of study.
The CUNY BA:
The CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies (CUNY BA) is an individualized degree intended for highly motivated, academically strong students who have well-formulated academic and career goals and the vision and drive to design, with faculty mentors, their own areas of concentration. This degree is for students who wish to pursue areas of concentration not available as majors at any of the four-year CUNY colleges. The program is housed, operated, and accredited under the auspices of the CUNY Graduate School and University Center, which authorizes the degree on behalf of the University. The CUNY BA attracts many of the best students from within and from outside of the University. Sixty-five percent of CUNY BA students are over the age of 24, many are working adults (often raising families), and a significant number are returning to school, often after a hiatus from five to even 30 years. The program has an annual enrollment of approximately 350 students with over 8,000 alumni. At any given time, over 400 full-time CUNY faculty are serving as mentors. Students must matriculate at a CUNY college (their “home college”), but are able to take courses throughout the CUNY system (including The Graduate Center), and are encouraged to pursue independent research, fieldwork, study abroad, and other academic opportunities.
Application Specifics and Requirements:
The CUNY BA seeks fellows from across disciplines and CUNY campuses. Applicants should:
- Demonstrate familiarity with the CUNY BA
- Be Level III doctoral students who have successfully taught undergraduates at CUNY
- Understand the value of interdisciplinary studies and academic freedom
- Demonstrate an investment in pedagogy and mentorship
- Display exceptional interpersonal and organizational skills
- Have administrative experience and institutional knowledge
- Possess a range of skills useful to the development of programming, outreach, communications, information gathering and presentation
Application Instructions:
To apply, please send a cover letter (no more than 1-2 pages) describing your advising and mentoring experience, teaching history, personal investment in interdisciplinary education, and engagement with programming and academic administration. Include a CV (no more than 4 pages), and a letter of reference from a faculty advisor (which can be sent separately) to Chloe Edmonson, Fellows Coordinator (chloe.edmonson36@cunyba.cuny.edu) with “CUNY BA Fellows Application” in the subject line. Inquires about the program can also be addressed to her.
Application Deadline:
The application deadline is Friday, April 19, 2019. Interviews will take place immediately after spring break, starting the week of April 29. Applicants will be notified of decisions by Friday, May 17, 2019.