NYU offers writing retreats for faculty at multiple stages of their careers. These are included as part of mentoring programs, or offered separately based on application criteria and availability.
ECFI/MCFI Writing Salon. The Early Career Faculty Institute (ECFI) and Mid-Career Faculty Initiative (MCFI) Writing Salon offers uninterrupted writing time to a community of multidisciplinary, academic writers who participate in these mentoring programs. Organized in partnership with the Division of Libraries, the Salon aims to support faculty scholarship and publication goals by prioritizing writing, fostering a culture of accountability, and providing a structure to enhance productivity. Participants in the Writing Salon meet once or twice a month to work on their projects in a supportive environment. Additionally, week-long writing salons are offered annually (and often during spring break) at one of NYU’s global academic centers. In 2024, faculty traveled to NYU Los Angeles, and in 2023 they traveled to NYU Tel Aviv.
Easton’s Nook. Faculty writing retreats at Easton’s Nook, a cottage located in a historic section of Newark, NJ, are offered by invitation only to ECFI Faculty, MCFI Faculty, Provostial Post-Docs, and other faculty who participate in Center for Faculty Advancement (CFA) programs. The retreats are held two to three times per semester, and are fully funded by CFA. Easton’s Nook was founded by Jaqueline Mattis, Dean of Faculty, and Professor of Psychology at Rutgers University. She has over two decades of experience as a researcher, author, journal reviewer, editorial board member, academic administrator, and as co-leader of intensive writing and publication boot camps and workshops for academics. To appreciate how these retreats can stimulate writing, read Judy Pryor-Ramirez’s essay Remembering bell hooks and Ella Turenne, written during a January 2024 retreat at Easton’s Nook.
Friday Open Writing Hours. The sessions join together fellow faculty members to collaborate and build community through writing. The CFA provides the designated space, time, refreshments, and camaraderie to help faculty plan, execute, and edit writing projects throughout the semester. Writing hours are drop in/out, and space is available for both conversations/collaborations and silent writing time, depending on faculty needs and preferences. Open writing hours are available to faculty clusters and new faculty.
Public Voices Fellowship. NYU’s Office of the Provost and Office of Global Inclusion, Diversity, and Strategic Innovation have joined forces with The OpEd Project to offer faculty a six-month fellowship. The goal is to increase the public impact of thought leaders from groups underrepresented in media and public discourse, and to develop skills to write an effective OpEd. All full-time faculty are eligible, but the following disciplines will be prioritized: public health, equity, and social justice; media and democracy; and climate and sustainability.
Virtual Writing Café. Through its partnership with Academic Impressions, CFA offers faculty a Virtual Writing Café. This asynchronous, four-part video series, allows faculty to set aside 45-minute sessions of writing time based on convenience and optimal times of day to write.
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