Faculty

Suggestions to get you started:

1. Conducting Searches and Hiring Faculty:

• Find out the status of any searches and department priorities.
• Check in with your personnel and search committees regarding their plans and priorities. Make sure your search committee members participate in the STRIDE trainings.
• Learn about the process for making salary and start-up funding offers with your Dean and College HR administrators.
• The UMass Amherst Provost's page on Faculty Hiring includes information on partner hiring, a Faculty Search Activities Guide, and information for prospective faculty. Review the faculty page on Policy and Labor Contracts.
• Add hiring and personnel related dates to your master calendar. Find out who will be going on leave that will need a teaching replacement (see Actions and Deadlines). Keep in mind that NTT faculty have a different hiring and promotion timeline. 

2.  Supporting and Mentoring:

• Familiarize yourself with the Office of Faculty Development's offerings for sustainable careers at all stages:
  • Resources and events for new and early career faculty to your new and early career faculty, including an orientation and a quick start guide
  • Mid-Career resources and workshops, including mentoring guides for mid-career
  • Non-tenure-track resources and workshops
  • Scholarly writing support including writing circles, drop-ins, and retreats
  • Leadership Essentials for all faculty and librarians
  • If your faculty are experiencing harassment regarding their work, OFD hosts the Academic Freedom Crisis Toolkit on its website which can guide you on steps to take
• Make sure that mentoring plans are in place for all early career NTT and TT faculty.
• Review the status of mentoring for your mid-career and senior faculty. Set meetings for discussions of promotion, AFRs, PMYR, etc. 
• ADVANCE - evidence-based practices and tools for share decision-making, inclusive departments, equitable collaborations and equitable evaluation of faculty.
  • National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity is a resource for you as well as your faculty. (UMass is a member institution so workshops are free.) 

3.  Personnel Actions:

• Make sure to put any personnel-related approvals and reviews on your master calendar (see Actions and Deadlines).
• Each year, you will be writing brief comments on each of your faculty member's AFRs. The comments typically include advice and praise, but their emphasis can vary across units, so it is recommended to seek direction from your Dean. This is also an opportunity to have a discussion with your faculty member regarding their progress.
• Consult with your Dean and/or Academic Human Resources with questions regarding a range of faculty issues that would benefit from advice.
• Familiarize yourself with the appointment and reappointment process for NTT (lecturer, clinical, extension, and research) faculty:
  • Lecturer Appointment and Reappointment Guide
  • NTT Continuing Appointment Guide

4. Recognition and Awards:

• List the departmental and university faculty awards on your master calendar with a detailed plan for the nomination process.
• Decide which international/national and/or discipline-related awards to nominate your faculty for and make a plan for the nomination process. Academic Analytics (login required) can help you identify faculty who are under-awarded relative to their peers.
• You will be asked to write many nomination and recommendation letters for your faculty in support of these awards, so block time in anticipation of these dates for this purpose.
• Sabbatical and Professional Development Fellowships

5. Retaining: 

• Focus on creating a community in which each member feels included, respected, and heard.
  • Faculty Diversity Office
  • Healthy Relationships at Work Fellowship
  • Faculty Satisfaction Research and COACHE
• Each school/college has a unique process for identifying and working individually with faculty who are at risk of leaving.  As department Head/Chair, you will first hear from your faculty member regarding a retention concern (e.g. another offer, spousal hire, etc.) and have responsibility for a feasible counter response.   
• Be accessible and listen to your faculty members' plans and concerns. Some issues are within your control but many are not.  Work with your Dean to address challenges and understand the possibilities with a response and next steps. 
• Contact the Ombuds Office to confidentially discuss concerns and conflicts.

Faculty Policies and Procedures:

• The UMass Amherst Provost's page for Faculty is a centralized resource you should bookmark. This is the information you will need on administration and finance, personnel, collective bargaining agreements, faculty diversity, curricular planning, and more.