LEAD+: Faculty Retention Strategies: Removing Barriers and Shoring Up Guardrails 2023-24

Faculty Retention Strategies: Removing Barries and Shoring Up Guardrails

Hosted by the Academic Personnel Office and the Office of Faculty Development

Higher education stands at the edge of the possibility of realizing racial justice, structural equity, and sustainable diversity. We can create the climate to prepare the next generation of citizens and professionals who will bring lasting changes to our world through fully inclusive practices and policies. Instead, we find ourselves struggling to create a sense of belonging on our campus, resulting in the loss of talented faculty members, who we have invested significant resources and time in training and supporting. 

Gasman, Kim, and Nguyen (2011) found that the leading causes for dissatisfaction and requests for leave among faculty were racial and social isolation, lack of mentoring, occupational stress, devaluation of "minority" research, the "token" hire misconception of underrepresented faculty, and biases in tenure and promotion evaluations. This session is intended to specifically discuss these barriers to retention and highlight tangible best practices to improve and sustain faculty retention.

LEAD+ (Leadership Enhancement for Academic Departments) is a professional development and support program for heads/chairs and associate deans covering topics of common concern to department/unit leaders. It is offered jointly by the Academic Personnel Office and the Office of Faculty Development.

Presenters: Wilmore Webley, Senior Vice Provost of Equity and Inclusion, Associate Professor of Microbiology

This session is open to heads/chairs and associate deans. Please email @email with questions and/or for more information.