Overview
Since it first began in 1989, the Faculty Diversity Internship Program (FDIP) has provided learning opportunities for diverse faculty interns and students alike.
The program aims to recruit qualified instructors who mirror the racial and ethnic diversity of the Los Rios Community College District service area. It is our interest to provide members of racially minoritized groups with models of their own race, ethnic, and cultural background with whom they can identify and recognize as examples of occupational achievement.
Program Structure
Beginning Fall 2024, the FDIP structure will change to include the internship along with the training.
FDIP interns will receive training on topics to prepare them to teach in diverse classrooms as they are attending classes with their mentors.
Fall training topics include an overview of the California community college system and its students and faculty, preparing for a class, assessing student learning, effective and inclusive classroom strategies, equity and implicit bias, culturally relevant/responsive pedagogy, emotional intelligence, and racelighting.
During the Fall semester, when FDIP interns are receiving training on Saturdays, they will also be completing a full-semester internship with an assigned mentor.
Calendar
- January/February: Announcement for program posted, recruitment begins
- Late March/early April: Review of applications and selection of interns
- April (middle): Mentor/intern pairings
- May (last week of semester): Two-hour orientation and mentor/intern mixer
- August (middle): Interns start classes with mentors
- August through December: Interns attend classes with mentors
- September, October, and November:
- Saturday Training Sessions – six total (online via Zoom):
- September 7 and 21, 8:30 am to 2:30 pm
- October 5 and 19, 8:30 am to 2:30 pm
- November 2 and 16, 8:30 am to 2:30 pm
- Saturday Training Sessions – six total (online via Zoom):
- December (last week of semester): FDIP graduation
Eligibility
Applicants for FDIP must:
- Have an equity-minded focus, responsiveness, and sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.
- Meet the minimum qualifications for the subject area discipline set forth by the Academic Senate of California Community Colleges by the end of fall 2024 semester.
- Have no prior paid higher education teaching experience
- Meet one of the following educational/vocational requirements that fulfil the minimum qualifications for a discipline taught within the California Community Colleges:
- Have a Master's degree or be a four year-college/university graduate student nearing completion of a Master's degree
- Have a Bachelor's degree and a minimum of two years of full-time occupational experience in a vocational/technical area
- Have an Associate's degree and a minimum of six years of full-time occupational experience in a vocational/technical area
To determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for a discipline taught within the California Community College, visit Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges.
There are additional requirements to be eligible to teach at Los Rios. Learn more at jobs.losrios.edu.
Application
The application period for the 2024-2025 FDIP cohort closed on March 18, 2024, at 11:59 pm.
Frequently Asked Questions
FDIP is competitive. In the last cohort selected, the acceptance rate was about 35%.
Being accepted to FDIP is similar to being competitive for a teaching job with Los Rios. To be most competitive when applying, prospective FDIP interns should be familiar with the hiring information and resources provided at the website Jobs at Los Rios. What you need to know is there. In general at Los Rios, prospective employees, including prospective FDIP interns, do not meet with hiring managers to learn how to get a job or tips on being admitted to FDIP.
FDIP is designed specifically for people who would like to teach for Los Rios and who possess the minimum qualifications necessary to teach one of the disciplines offered by Los Rios.
Professors in Los Rios can work with interns outside of FDIP.
FDIP is designed for individuals who have an equity-minded focus and responsiveness with a specific sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students. People interested in FDIP specifically want to be prepared, prior to interning with a professor, for the diversity of students who enroll in the Los Rios colleges.
Most applicant pools for teaching positions receive an impressive number of applications. Interviews are granted based on a criteria prepared for screening of a particular job. So, though there are no guarantees, FDIP experience is certainly taken into consideration.
Courses must be in the discipline for which you meet minimum qualifications. Equivalency is determined by a faculty committee. For more information, see Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators Handbook.
FDIP campus facilitators make every effort to match you in the fall with a faculty mentor in your chosen discipline at your campus of preference and within your schedule of availability. To prepare, research the college catalogs and the upcoming spring class schedules and identify several courses you would like to teach which match your availability timeframe.
While most working interns ask for “evenings and Saturdays,” which are often staffed with adjunct faculty, the more flexible you can be during the day, the easier it will be to find a seasoned mentor for you before the start of the spring term.
Spring class schedules are not finalized and posted online until October of the fall semester. Campus facilitators will attempt to match you with a seasoned faculty member rather than a new one. Also, they will want to assign you to a course that is not likely to be cancelled. Though faculty may know their schedules earlier, waiting for the published schedules reduces uncertainty and changes later.
For unavoidable or unforeseen circumstances, one Saturday training session can be missed as long as you contact us and make up what you missed.
Your mentor has a genuine desire to be a part of this program, but they also lead busy lives. You will both need to be clear up front on your expectations and availability to commit to the mentoring relationship. Establish early on how to reach each other: by phone, email, and location of face-to-face meet-ups.
If you are new to a mentoring relationship, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Be there. Show up for meetings and strive to make things work.
- Be a colleague. Respect each other as professional colleagues in the workplace.
- Lead by example. Be a positive role model to each other and your students.
- Be ready to help out. Model ways to solve problems and offer possibilities and support.
We stand by to assist if you are struggling with a problem and will guide you in seeking a remedy. Speak to someone in the program right away, so we can help.
Please first have a conversation with us. We may be able to work with you.
Discuss your interest with your supervisor ahead of time. Find a spring class for your internship that meets outside of your work schedule. If that is not possible, discuss the following options with your supervisor to make sure your absence does not adversely affect your department:
- Flex your schedule on the same day the class meets (travel time included). To avoid overtime scenarios, you cannot flex time on non-class days when you have already worked 8 hours.
- Use available vacation time.
- Use both flex and vacation time.