Communicating With Your Faculty Community
Building trust, maintaining connection, and helping faculty feel part of something larger
Building Your List
Start early. From your first days on campus, begin collecting email addresses intentionally and always with permission.
- Introduce yourself by email, explain what you’re doing, and give people an option to opt in or out from the start
- As you begin to meet faculty you’d like to connect with, decide together with a trusted faculty contact who is best positioned to reach out first: you or them
- If a faculty member makes an introduction, ask them to either copy you on an intro email (with the new contact’s permission) or pass along the address so you can follow up right away
- Always BCC your recipients. Never send an email with all addresses visible
- Once a year, let the group know how many people are receiving your emails. Many faculty are surprised and genuinely encouraged by the size of the community around them
What to Send and How Often
Aim for a rhythm that fits with your chapter life. Send no more than 1- 2 emails per month, and only when you have something worth their time: an invitation, a resource, or something meaningful to the community.
Emails work best when they:
- Extend invitations to upcoming events and gatherings
- Cast vision and make announcements on behalf of the broader community
- Pass along relevant outside resources from organizations like BSAP, WSAP, or the Trinity Forum
- Build a shared sense of identity and quiet excitement about what is happening on campus
Think of your emails as a “faculty gathering in writing.” They can make announcements, cast vision, and extend invitations all at once, reaching people who can’t always show up in person.
How to Write It
The tone to aim for: warm, inviting, pastoral, succinct, and trust-building.
- Keep it short enough to read in under two minutes
- Don’t go into great detail. Leave room for the conversation to continue in person
- Don’t get preachy. Assume people are glad to hear from you
- Communicate clearly what you understand about the value and dignity of their work, the pressures they’re under, and your genuine care for them
- Make clear that you’re available, you’re praying for them, and you delight in them
Signs It’s Working
You’ll know your communication is healthy when:
- Faculty thank you for the emails
- Some faculty show up to events you’ve invited them to
- Faculty ask to connect with you or respond when you reach out
- Faculty mention that the emails help them feel encouraged and part of something bigger, even when they can’t attend
Note: Some faculty will receive your emails for months or even years before engaging. Don’t remove them from the list prematurely. Consistent, warm communication builds trust over a longer horizon than you might expect.
