The nomination window is open for the sixth cohort of Chancellor Faculty Fellows. The Chancellor Faculty Fellows program invests in newly tenured faculty at a critical point in their scholarly careers to support their research, scholarship and creative expression.
The program is an important part of the Academic Strategic Plan’s Trans-Institutional Programs initiative and was started by Interim Chancellor and Provost Susan R. Wente during her first year as provost. In the past five years, 63 fellows have been named from a wide array of disciplines, reflecting the breadth of Vanderbilt’s intellectual and creative endeavors.
“The Chancellor Faculty Fellows program provides an opportunity to invest in our faculty at a critical juncture in their careers so they may explore new lines of inquiry and creativity,” Wente said. “Since its creation in 2014, the program has played a vital role in the careers of recently tenured faculty by helping to advance their teaching, research, innovation and service, and has thereby broadened their impact on society.”
For faculty at Vanderbilt, Chancellor Faculty Fellows is a competitive program open to newly tenured associate professors (or faculty of the equivalent rank in the Blair and law schools). The program’s goal is to support the professional development of the awardee. Those selected hold the title for two years and receive $40,000 each year to support their research, scholarship and creative expression. During each year of their fellowship, fellows also participate in at least four events designed to develop leadership skills, connect them to leaders across campus, and build relationships among fellows in the same cohort. Recent events included presentations on the nature of leadership, roundtable discussions of fellows’ current research, small group lunches with university leaders, and dinners with the provost and the Board of Trust.
In recent years, donors also have supported the creation of endowed Chancellor Faculty Fellowships that can be deployed in the recruitment of new associate professors to Vanderbilt. These fellows join the programming events for two years with a respective cohort of Chancellor Faculty Fellows.
Only deans can nominate candidates for consideration by the TIPS Council, provost and chancellor. Deans will work with their respective department chairs and faculty to conduct the nomination process.
Eligible candidates are full-time tenured faculty who were promoted in rank with tenure within the past five years. Detailed information about the program and eligibility is available on the Office of Faculty Affairs website.
Nominations must be submitted via InfoReady by Feb. 10, 2020. Questions about the Chancellor Faculty Fellows program, including the nomination process, may be directed to the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at vpf@vanderbilt.edu.