The Writing Across the Curriculum program offers interdisciplinary faculty and staff writing retreats called Writing Hunkers. These programs combine dedicated independent writing time with structured writing activities, writing and research consultations, and reflective lunchtime discussions about writing and teaching. Hunkers create a distraction-free, supportive, and productive community of writers from a wide variety of disciplines and a range of academic ranks at the University of Minnesota.
Research from Robert Boice (1990), McGrail, Rikard, and Jones (2006), and Paul J. Silva (2014) have demonstrated that opportunities to write in parallel, participate in writing groups, and receive coaching on academic writing increase faculty writing productivity. In addition to dedicated writing time, Hunkers create a community of writers who share their experiences, tips, and tricks for managing writing projects and encouraging regular writing practice.
Our Next Hunker:
The Summer Faculty Writing Hunker is a five-day, interdisciplinary faculty/P&A writing retreat scheduled for May 22–26, 2023 in Nicholson Hall. A remote option will be available for all.
Whether you have a grant proposal to write, a journal article to revise, or a manuscript to complete, participating in the Summer Hunker can help you focus your writing activities and establish a plan and routine for your summer research. Each day is dedicated to independent writing time in a quiet and collegial environment. Brief structured writing activities, lunch discussions about writing, and opportunities for consultation and feedback on writing and teaching with writing round out the week’s activities.
We are seeking applicants who have specific projects already in development and can devote an entire week to making progress on their writing projects.
Applications will be accepted until 4pm on May 17, 2023. Feel free to email Dan Emery ([email protected]) with questions. Priority consideration is given to those who have not previously participated in a Hunker.
We will encourage all applicants to participate in our Hunker community and a variety of writing groups (for motivation, accountability, or feedback).
Facilitator
Daniel Emery, Assistant Director, Writing Across the Curriculum
Interested? Questions?
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about Writing Hunkers (including developing your own departmental or area Hunker), please contact Dan Emery ([email protected]).
For additional support for your writing and research, please see our Resources for scholarly writers page. If you are a graduate student writer interested in writing support (or a faculty member who advises graduate writers), please see the Dissertation Writing Retreat and Student Writing Support resources, especially for graduate writers.