Highlighting Best Practices

University Virginia

As part of its broader efforts to diversify its student body and faculty, the University of Virginia (UVa), has developed an online tutorial which all members of faculty search committees are required to complete. The tutorial takes about 20-30 minutes and search committee members become certified for two years. The tutorial covers topics such as what UVa does well in its recruitment efforts, how UVa ranks in terms of diversity compared to peer institutions, how to write a position description that will attract a diverse applicant pool, developing best practices, active recruitment of candidates, and how to asses reference letters. It also presents empirical research on cognitive errors and implicit bias which can effect the outcome of searches. Finally, the tutorial addresses why a search may result in the top candidate declining an offer or no offer being made at all and points out that interactions between the search committee and the candidates can have an important impact on the outcome of the search. The tutorial was developed by the office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement, which also sponsors faculty development lecture series. One series, specifically for new faculty is called "Getting Started @ UVa" and includes lectures on time management, course design, and planning an academic career.

UVa also provides many resources which promote work/life balance including an online faculty and staff guide that brings together in one place information ranging from salary and benefits to the locations of restaurants and children's museums. The Office of Dual Career Resources is available to the partners of all newly recruited or hired faculty. Their services include not only help in locating positions, but career counseling and continuing education for those facing career changes. UVa is a member of the Mid-Atlantic Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (M-A HERC), which was established in 2008 by Loyola College in Maryland, the National Institutes of Health, the University of Richmond, and Washington & Lee University and recently hosted the Spring Membership meeting of the M-A HERC. The M-A HERC has twenty-three member institutions located in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. It is one of eleven regional HERCs each of which has a website where all member institutions post their current job opportunities. Job seekers can search the postings using two sets of criteria simultaneously, making it easier for dual-career couples to locate jobs near each other.

The University of Virginia Faculty Search Committee Tutorial

Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement

National HERC website

 

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This page last updated: November 2, 2009