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Recruiting, Retention, and Mentoring of a Diverse Faculty. Steve Marcus Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Institute for Systems Research Director of Faculty Leadership, Office of Faculty Affairs. Nothing is More Important.
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Recruiting, Retention, and Mentoringof a Diverse Faculty Steve Marcus Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Institute for Systems Research Director of Faculty Leadership, Office of Faculty Affairs OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS
Nothing is More Important OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS The faculty represent the future of the department for decades to come Your legacy, a place to really have long-term impact
Recruiting OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS This is how the department renews and improves itself Work with faculty to determine highest hiring priorities—replacement for a retiree? Hiring in a new area? Greatest department need for next 20-30 years? Appoint search committee carefully—critical! Be proactive and use networks
Recruiting a Diverse Faculty OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS Recruit at professional conferences Involvement in minority/women’s networks Minority postdocs and visiting faculty Stay in touch with your undergrads Build as broad a pool as possible
Interviewing and Hiring OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS • Well-planned interview involving many faculty • Evaluate the candidate and sell the department • Mentoring, environment, community, support, family leave policies • Make a good offer—ask for resources from the Dean, Provost, VP for Research! • Be an advocate for the department: you won’t get anything unless you ask!!
Closing the Deal OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS • Multi-pronged approach • Connections with URM group members • Many faculty following up after offer given • Let the candidates know how much they are wanted and how supportive the community will be • Conversations with Chair and others may be important—understanding the issues of importance to candidate • Help with job for partners • Higher Education RecruitmentConsortium (HERC)
Retention and Promotion OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS • Orientation • Welcoming and supportive community • Mentoring—address APT issues up front • Annual reviews and feedback • Chair and mentors vigilant about potential issues • Beware of too much service • Keep eyes on the prize; stay focused • Scholarship and funding • Critical and honest feedback
Mentoring and Environment OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS New faculty: have invested money in them, search committee’s and faculty’s time help them in any way you can, NOT “sink or swim” Make sure about space, equipment, & support You work for your faculty, make things possible for those in the department Minorities tend to be isolated Have social events, assigning a mentor is not enough
Commitment & Leadership OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS • Leadership & commitment of Chair (and Dean) • Commitment to building a sense of community • Commitment to finding the best mentors and setting expectations for mentoring • Taking care in initial assignments not to overwhelm new junior faculty: protect them • Explaining processes and criteria for promotion and tenure, contract renewal, merit raises
Key Issues—Need for Mentoring • Time management (blocking off time to work) • Hard to understand how quickly 5 years passes (to have a sense of how long things take) • Importance of outside (vs. inside) service & getting known—when to say no, even to Chair • Where to publish, being visible, grants • Importance of having an independent research program at UMD (balance own and team work) • Solid, focused, rigorously reviewed publication • Evidence of quality, impact,significance OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS
Multi-faceted Approach • Integrate new faculty into the life of the department, entire senior faculty’s responsibility • Not just at 3rd year review • Continuing until tenure and beyond: mentor Associate Professors! • Chair monitors mentoring process, vigilant in noticing problems, works with mentors • Consider choosing mentors in consultation with jr. fac. • Tell junior faculty: if there are problems of any type, let the Chair know OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS
Mentoring • Be good listener and build trust, then give advice • Show information on successful tenure cases • Written feedback each yr, discussed w/senior faculty • Sense of belonging: your success is our success • Multiple, outside dept. mentors if interdisciplinary or joint appointment • Emphasize scholarship & funding OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS
Mentoring (cont.) • Beware of too much internal servicehelp saying “no” • Clear strategies for overcoming deficiencies • Discussions of departmental politics and culture • Nominate them for awards • Help them to know the players in their field: these will be letter writers • Help them get funding • Get involved in professional society activities • Openness to personal issues of faculty OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS
New APT Guidelines/Policy • Important to understand what has changed—come to workshops and Academic Leadership Forums on this and other topics • External letters, teaching portfolios, peer review of teaching, interdisciplinary research, mentoring Associate Professors, candidate notification, “star” appointments OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS
Problems/Issues? • Feel free to contact me • marcus@umd.edu • x57589 OFFICE OF FACULTY AFFAIRS