The Faculty Factor: Developing Faculty Engagement with Living-Learning Communities edited by Jennifer E. Eidum and Lara Lomicka was published by Stylus Publishing in collaboration with Elon’s Center for Engaged Learning.
A new book co-edited by Assistant Professor of English Jennifer E. Eidum and with its roots in a research seminar led by the Center for Engaged Learning examines how colleges and universities foster faculty involvement in living learning communities in a sustainable way.
Part of The Engaged Learning and Teaching Series collaboration with Stylus Publishing. “The Faculty Factor” finds a collection of authors contemplating this question — why do faculty in these communities matter, now and in the future? The fact is that faculty are an essential component of the success these communities.
“The Faculty Factor,” edited by Eidum and Lara Lomicka, delivers evidence-based research, as well as practical examples and voices from the field. The book seeks to guide and support faculty serving in different capacities in living learning communities and to serve as a resource for student affairs practitioners collaborating with faculty in residential environments. In the book’s chapters, the authors offer guidance to administrators developing new and revising existing living learning community programs.
The book includes sections on how to create conditions for successful faculty engagement, how to build effective faculty partnerships and a section on the lived experiences of faculty-in-residence.
Until recently, Eidum served as the faculty director of Global Neighborhood, living in a residence with her family on the Elon University campus. Her co-editor, Lara Lomika from the University of South Carolina also previously served as a faculty in residence on her own campus. Their shared experiences sparked their interest in editing “The Faculty Factor.”
Eidum’s experience as a faculty-in-residence in the Global Neighborhood was featured in a 2021 edition of The Magazine of Elon, which explored how elon has approached using residential learning communities as a tool to help students thrive.
The collection includes other Elon connections, such as contributions from other Elon faculty and administrators. Elon University President Connie Ledoux Book and Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships Jeff Stein collaborated on chapter four, “Designing a Residential Campus: Faculty Leadership in Developing Strategy, Vision, Partnerships and Learning.”
Chapter authors Mimi Benjamin of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Jody Jessup-Anger of Marquette University and Shannon Lundeen of HERS were co-leaders with Cara Lucia, associate professor of sport management for the Center for Engaged Learning’s 2017-2019 research seminar on Residential Learning Communities as a High-Impact Practice. Eidum, Lomicka and chapter authors Rishi Sriram of Baylor University and Jill Stratton of Vanderbilt University were participants in the research seminar.
The Stylus/Center for Engaged Learning Series on Engaged Learning and Teaching features concise books from single authors and edited collections for a multi-disciplinary, higher education audience interested in research-informed engaged learning practices. Books in the series are published by Stylus Publishing and supplemented by open-access resources hosted on the Center for Engaged Learning’s website.
For more information about the book and the Center’s research seminars, please visit the Center for Engaged Learning website.