Distinguished Diversity & Social Transformation Professorship
The University of Michigan has a long history of supporting scholarly inquiry into questions of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The excellence of our faculty and the breadth and depth of their expertise leads to innovative, often interdisciplinary, research and teaching that explores and addresses questions related to diversity in societies around the world.
The U-M is pleased to announce the Distinguished Diversity & Social Transformation Professorship, a new program to recruit senior faculty members to join the community of diversity scholars on campus. It is designed to expand our capacity to contribute to the understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion, to conduct research that informs policies and actions in this area, and to educate students to act effectively in creating equitable and inclusive societies.
Appointments at U-M will be as tenured faculty. Individuals appointed as Distinguished Diversity & Social Transformation Professors will also hold faculty fellow appointments for 3-5 years at the National Center for Institutional Diversity. In this role they will serve as mentors to the Diversity Scholars Network and post-doctoral scholars and develop research and/or teaching partnerships with faculty and students across the campus.
Eligibility
Scholars who are recruited to fill these positions should have strong research and teaching portfolios focused on diversity and must have the rank of associate or full professor.
Source of Nominations
All schools and colleges on the Ann Arbor campus may apply for these positions. Proposals should come from the dean’s office. Proposals may be for a new faculty position or for a specific person, the position should be at the associate or full professor level with tenure, and may be single unit or joint appointments.
Number of Positions
Five senior faculty members will be recruited to join the community of diversity scholars at the U-M.
Funding
The Provost’s Office and the school/college will share costs for these positions, with each providing 50% of the cost of salary and benefits and 50% of the cost of research start-up. The Provost’s Office funding is capped at $100,000 for salary and benefits and $200,000 for research start-up funds. Eligible start-up costs may include renovation, equipment, and GSRA support. The school/college submitting the proposal is expected to provide a two-course release (one course for the first two years), appropriate office and research space, any additional research support required, and subsequent merit increases. Provost’s Office funding will be provided to the school/college as long as the faculty member remains at the U-M. Should the faculty member leave the University, the Provost’s portion of salary and benefits will revert back to the Office of the Provost.
Selection Process
A faculty committee will be established to review submitted proposals and to advise the provost and vice provost, who will make final decisions about funding. Decisions will be made on a rolling basis until the five positions are awarded.
Guidelines for Preparing Proposals
Proposals can be for either a new faculty position or for a specific person.
- Proposals for a new faculty position should address the diversity focus of the proposed position and the ways in which a new position would expand [initiate or enhance] diversity work in the unit making the request. Schools/colleges are expected to do full searches to find candidates to fill positions that are approved through this initiative. Positions should be filled within two years of being funded. The Vice Provost for Equity, Inclusion, and Academic Affairs will consider one-year search extensions if requested in writing.
- Proposals for a specific person should include a statement about the scholar’s demonstrated commitment to diversity through their research/scholarship, teaching/pedagogy (including mentoring), and/or service activities. Also include how the scholar has contributed to diversity goals in the past and would contribute to diversity goals at U-M.
Proposal Requirements
Proposals are limited to five (5) pages using the Guidelines for Preparing Proposals stated above and the requirements below:
- Field of Hire | Proposals should indicate the school/college/department in which the position or person will be located and any additional units in which applicant candidate might have additional appointments (with effort or dry).
- Rationale | Proposals should provide a rationale for hiring in this area or for hiring this specific person. Discussion should include information about:
- national and international trends in the field;
- why the position or person is appropriate for U-M;
- the appointing unit’s strength/needs and future plans for the field; and
- the likely impact of this position or person on undergraduate and graduate teaching and on research.
- Potential Applicant Pool | Proposals for positions should provide a thoughtful description of the potential pool of applicants for the requested position. This could include discussion of the strengths of the programs from which recruiting would be done and consideration of the pool of applicants at the associate and full professor levels. As with all searches, diversity within the applicant pool is an important objective.
- Curriculum Vitae |The candidate’s c.v. should be uploaded if the proposal is for a specific person.
- Budget | The budget should include information about the cost of salary, start-up research support, and renovation. Expected additional costs, which will be covered by the school/college, should be included as well. It is recommended that the budget form found here be used.
For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.