Learning community, asynchronous resources for inclusive faculty searches available online

The Office of Faculty Affairs and the Provost’s Office for Inclusive Excellence announce new resources for faculty search committees available through an online learning community and asynchronous resource repository. Consisting of online learning modules, webinars and Vanderbilt-specific presentations, these resources will support the efforts of departments and schools to attract a strong, diverse pool of candidates and to recruit the best new colleagues.

The online resources will be available to faculty in three substantive areas and can be found on the Office of Faculty Affairs search committee resources page. The first area focuses on the basics of effective and inclusive faculty searches and is currently available to all faculty through Oracle Learning. The second area concentrates on mitigating bias to make informed decisions at each of the distinct stages of the faculty search process, including building a candidate pool, interviewing, assessment and group decision-making. Developed by Vanderbilt community stakeholders, these materials will be available in November. The third area covers specific issues via an in-depth interactive guide and an inventory of best practices and strategies specific to the Vanderbilt faculty search process—a collection of artifacts, rubrics, protocols and strategies from successful searches.

In addition to on-demand web-based trainings, asynchronous workshops and digital tools, there will be opportunities for current faculty search committee members to engage in synchronous conversations with various campus stakeholders and search committee members from other colleges and schools at Vanderbilt. The conversations provide an opportunity to collectively tackle any challenges and obstacles impacting the search as well as to share strategies that can be utilized to ensure an inclusive search process.

These new tools and trainings further the university’s larger mission of being a center for scholarly research and a leader in informed and creative teaching by advancing inclusion at Vanderbilt.

Current faculty search committee members will receive an email consisting of information on how to access the resources in Oracle Learning and will be auto-enrolled in the various modules. All other faculty who are interested in these resources and seeking updates can access this info via the Office of Faculty Affairs search committee resources page and will need to self-enroll in Oracle Learning to engage in the online modules.

Any questions can be directed to Jermaine Soto, director of faculty development in the Office of Faculty Affairs, at vpf@vanderbilt.edu.