Performance and Professional Development

Swarthmore College is committed to sustaining our position as a competitive, private, liberal arts College through the purposeful selection, and ongoing development, of our internal talent. As the higher education environment continues to evolve, continued learning is not only an expectation for our students, but also for our faculty and staff. The College provides many opportunities for professional development, supporting our employees’ goals for both career and personal growth. See the sections below for learning solutions at the organization, group or team, and individual levels. Questions about professional development opportunities can be directed to Lindsay Raclaw, Learning & Development Manager, at lraclaw1@swarthmore.edu.

Institutional | Groups and Teams | Individuals 

Institutional

The offerings below are required of all faculty and staff to ensure understanding of the College's policies, procedures and expectations, and to support the wellbeing of all campus community members.

Compliance Training Through United Educators

To ensure that College employees are aware of these policies and practices, all faculty and staff are required to complete courses around the topics of preventing workplace harassment and discrimination, sexual harassment, and identifying and reporting sexual misconduct involving minors. Courses are between 25-45 minutes each, and can be completed one at a time, or in one sitting.

To access the required coursework, you must log into the United Educators training portal with your Swarthmore email address. All training materials must be viewed in their entirety, but you may begin a course and return to it later if you are not able to complete it in a single session. A green checkmark will show for each course when it has been completed.

New Employee Orientation

To support a seamless transition from hiring through onboarding, all faculty and staff will receive an orientation. Faculty orientation is provided by the Provost's Office. 

New staff joining the College attend in-person orientation for the full day on the Monday they start. Orientation allows staff members new to Swarthmore to build relationships with each other and receive information about College initiatives and expectations, benefits, technological tools, OneCard identification, and to tour our beautiful campus. 

Performance Assessments

Staff and faculty engage in performance assessments and have the opportunity to receive and provide feedback. Visit the Performance Assessment and Coaching page for more information for staff and contact the Provost's Office to learn more about the faculty process.

Groups and Teams

The training options below are designed for groups of employees within a specific position or category of employee.

Supervising Throughout the Employee Lifecycle

This four-session training series is designed for new and experienced supervisors around vital portions of the staff member lifecycle, in which supervisors play a key role. Sessions focus on material and people resources available for supervisors, important aspects of onboarding including fostering belonging and listening, the College's processes for documenting misconduct and supporting performance, and providing feedback and addressing conflict. Registration is now open for Spring and Summer 2025 sessions.

Supervisor Fundamentals Learning Pathway

The Supervisor Fundamentals Learning Pathway is a self-paced playlist within LinkedIn Learning that covers topics applicable to new and experienced supervisors, including but not limited to: psychological safety, goal setting, and giving and receiving feedback. Reflection prompts are included and debrief sessions are held throughout the year as an opportunity for supervisors across the College to share and ask questions. Dates for Spring 2025 will be scheduled soon.

Custom Development Solutions

The Learning & Development Manager collaborates with teams to develop customized solutions. Options may include but are not limited to:

  • Training on a requested topic (examples: communication, project management)
  • Stages of team development assessment and planning discussions
  • Supported development of team norms
  • Work style assessment (such as DiSC, StrengthsFinder)

Individuals

We encourage staff and faculty members to invest in their personal and professional development by participating in the offerings below:

Coaching

Employees have the opportunity to participate in one-on-one professional learning with the Learning & Development Manager. Coaching is an opportunity to identify goals, learn new strategies, and practice implementation in a safe and confidential environment. Employees and their supervisors can initiate a coaching request.

LinkedIn Learning

Swarthmore offers access to online career development courses via LinkedIn Learning free of charge to our employees. LinkedIn Learning provides standalone videos and courses on a wide variety of professional development and technical topics. Simply log into LinkedIn Learning with your Swarthmore credentials to get started. You may connect an existing LinkedIn account to your Swarthmore LinkedIn Learning or create a profile. Learn more about account options on the Swarthmore ITS LinkedIn Learning page.

Mental Health First Aid

In support of the College’s commitment to fostering a healthy and caring workplace environment, Human Resources periodically offers Mental Health First Aid training. This blended training includes online material and an in-person session to teach participants to identify, understand, and listen to the concerns of adults who may be experiencing mental health and substance use challenges. Upon completion, participants will be certified in Mental Health First Aid for three years through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. 

Please note: This training is intended for faculty and staff who are looking to develop skills to support other faculty and staff members. If you are interested in learning more about how to support students, please reach out to CAPS.

Continuing Education Opportunities

The College encourages staff to seek opportunities for professional development, both internally and externally. Most departments have funds available for employees to attend training, conferences or seminars, and the College also offers a tuition reimbursement program to those interested in pursuing educational goals.