The first weeks of a faculty appointment can feel both exhilarating and overwhelming. New colleagues arrive with ambitious research agendas, innovative teaching ideas, and a desire to contribute to their departments and disciplines. Yet even the most accomplished scholars can find themselves navigating a complex institutional landscape: unfamiliar systems, new expectations, and a vast network of resources spread across one of the nation’s leading public research universities.
That is precisely why the University of Washington’s Faculty Welcome Week, scheduled for September 8–11, 2026, has become an essential part of the new-faculty experience.
Designed for faculty across all ranks, tracks, and disciplines, Faculty Welcome Week offers a structured introduction to the people, programs, and support systems that help faculty thrive. As part of Faculty Welcome Week, New Faculty Onboarding, hosted by the Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty on September 10–11, a program that goes beyond orientation to help new colleagues begin building the connections and knowledge they need for long-term success.
More Than an Orientation
Faculty often arrive at the UW with a deep understanding of their scholarly field but a limited understanding of the resources available to support their work. New Faculty Onboarding provides a roadmap.
Through sessions led by partners from across the university—including the Office of Research, CoMotion, the Office of Global Affairs, UW Libraries, UW Human Resources, the Graduate School, and Undergraduate Academic Affairs—participants gain practical insight into the many opportunities available to support research, teaching, mentorship, collaboration, and professional development.
The goal is not simply to share information. It is to help faculty understand how a large, decentralized institution can become a partner in their success.
What Previous Participants Valued Most
Feedback from recent participants suggests that the most meaningful onboarding experiences combine useful information with opportunities to build relationships. Survey respondents from the 2025 New Faculty Onboarding consistently reported feeling better informed about the UW resources and support systems. Faculty especially valued sessions that connected them with colleagues and helped them begin developing professional networks across disciplines and campuses.
Among the highest-rated components were networking opportunities, mentoring conversations, and portfolio-based panel discussions during the in-person session on day two of the event, that provided insight into faculty life at the UW. New faculty also highlighted the importance of hearing directly from experienced colleagues about navigating research, service, mentorship, and career development.
These findings reflect what many institutions are coming to recognize: successful onboarding is not only about transmitting information. It is about fostering a sense of belonging.
Building Connections Early Matters
One of the clearest messages from participant feedback was a desire for more opportunities to connect with peers. Faculty requested additional time for informal conversations, networking, and relationship-building throughout the program.
That emphasis on connection is intentional.
Whether a faculty member is launching a research program, establishing a teaching practice, seeking collaborators, or simply learning how things work at the UW, professional relationships often become the foundation for success. Faculty Welcome Week creates opportunities to meet colleagues from different schools, colleges, campuses, and disciplines—connections that can spark collaborations, mentorship relationships, and lasting professional networks.
For faculty who may be relocating to Seattle, joining a new department, or entering a different type of institution than they have previously experienced, those connections can be especially valuable.
A Gateway to Ongoing Support
Faculty Welcome Week is also designed as the beginning of a broader journey rather than a standalone event.
New faculty will be introduced to resources that can support them throughout their first year and beyond—from research development and innovation support to global engagement opportunities, library services, graduate education resources, and human resources programs. The onboarding experience connects faculty to a larger ecosystem of support that continues long after Welcome Week concludes.
In many ways, New Faculty Onboarding serves as a gateway: a chance to discover not only what resources exist, but also whom to contact when opportunities and challenges arise in the months ahead.
Register and Join the UW Community
For faculty beginning their UW appointments this year, Faculty Welcome Week offers an opportunity to invest a few days in building a foundation that can benefit their entire academic career at the University of Washington.
New Faculty Onboarding, taking place September 10–11, 2026, is relevant to all faculty members regardless of rank, track, or discipline. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of university resources, a broader professional network, and a clearer sense of how to navigate and contribute to the UW community.
Register for New Faculty Onboarding
Also Recommended: Teaching@UW New Faculty Program
Faculty with teaching responsibilities are strongly encouraged to participate in the Teaching@UW New Faculty Program, hosted by the Center for Teaching and Learning in the Office of Academic Strategy & Affairs on September 8–9, 2026.
Teaching@UW complements New Faculty Onboarding by introducing evidence-based teaching practices, student-engagement strategies, and instructional resources designed specifically for UW educators. Together, Teaching@UW and New Faculty Onboarding provide a comprehensive introduction to academic life at the University of Washington—helping new faculty succeed in the classroom, in their scholarship, and as members of the UW community.