If you are reading this blog (which you are!), you probably already have a good idea of what DCS is about. You may have even used DCS as a resource when locating a consultant for your own department. But have you considered becoming a consultant for DCS?
First, you should know that DCS does not pay consultants. Not even a dime! But the departments that contract with consultants do pay. So one reason to consider becoming listed as a DCS consultant is that it can provide opportunities to add to your income. Departments are expected to cover your travel expenses plus an honorarium, the honorarium being negotiated between you and the department.
You may also enjoy serving as a consultant because of the intellectual adventure involved in learning about a department and providing recommendations. You may find it satisfying to help a department make progress toward its goals, solve a problem, or validate its excellence.
Another benefit is the opportunity to learn about different departments and meet diverse faculty and staff. You may find that you learn things from other departments that you can apply to your own department.
If this sounds good to you, I hope you will consider applying to be listed as a DCS consultant. The basic requirements are that you must have some experience as an administrator (e.g. department chair, assistant dean), you must have experience as a program evaluator, and you must have expertise in multiple consultation areas (e.g., curriculum, faculty development, advising, assessment). The most common request that we get is for an overall department evaluation or self-assessment. We do have a fairly rigorous review process involving review by current DCS consultants and by the APA's Board of Educational Affairs.
We review applications at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. The deadline for spring, 2011 applications is January 28. If you are interested in applying, please contact me at kreiner@ucmo.edu.
