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Shared Perspectives and Community Engagement, or SPACE, is organized by faculty from all different parts of campus.

It sponsors community-building events for faculty throughout the academic year, including a welcome back happy hour, monthly lunches and popup coffee hours around campus.

The basis of the effort is the idea that these events, which are a combination of socializing and discussing topics of importance to faculty, will bring faculty together on a regular basis and build community.

Campus Q&A with Professor Shelly Miller

What is SPACE anyway? 51�Թ��� Today sat down with Shelly Miller, professor of mechanical engineering, to learn more about the grassroots effort—a community-building series inviting faculty and instructors to gather and discuss topics they care about. Read up and plan to attend.��

How and why was SPACE created?

SPACE was created by a team of faculty who participated in the 2016–17 Faculty Leadership Institute, which is a faculty led initiative to learn more about how the campus is run as an institution and the best ways for impacting change.

The idea came from faculty experiencing siloing within their departments/schools/colleges/programs and wishing to find ways to develop and strengthen community among faculty campuswide.

Additionally, many institutions have a specific place/location where faculty can meet for coffee or lunch, sometimes called a faculty club, but 51�Թ��� doesn't have this,��so we are creating one from grassroots efforts.

Who is SPACE open to?

SPACE is open to all faculty—and the definition of faculty at 51�Թ��� is broad and meant to be inclusive: instructor-rank faculty, research faculty, tenure and tenure-track faculty comprising the “regular faculty.”

What is the goal with SPACE, and what have you observed folks getting out of it?

The goal is to have regular spaces to meet each other and talk about what we care about, including our research, families, CU, whatever. We won’t have a supportive, inclusive faculty community if we don’t have opportunities to meet and talk!

We have observed at our lunches last year a regular attendance of 30–50 faculty who have enjoyed getting out of their offices and meeting new people over food and drinks.

Is there ever a defined structure or topic for the gatherings, or is it always open discussion?

This year, we may include events that are more structured in nature. One idea I have is for faculty to share their expertise, so my dance colleagues would share a performance piece, or I would give a talk on air quality, or my music colleagues would play their instruments.

What is your advice to faculty who are curious about it��but have never been?

My advice is to come and check out an event and bring a colleague.��It takes some effort to put an event like this on your calendar and then leave the office and attend, but we hope you find it is worth the effort. ��And I think as a community of faculty, we get out what we put in, so if we want a healthy vibrant inclusive community, we have to actively create one.

Faculty can email me with any questions, and we will have a SPACE website up soon for event notices.��Check the , too, for when we will meet next.