Faculty recruitment is a challenge for administration and departments, especially in an era of change in the academy. This article builds on information from an interactive conference panel session that focused on faculty recruitment best practices. The article addresses faculty recruitment strategies that focus on the optimization of search…

To support the growth of its blended courses, Bronx Community College (BCC), a unit of the City University of New York (CUNY), participated in a CUNY-sponsored initiative to increase blended learning options for students. The initiative allowed BCC to expand its existing faculty development program. This paper describes major aspects of the…

With the ever-changing landscape of America, diversity, equity, and social justice issues continue to be of great importance in independent schools. Undeniably, diversity work holds benefits--which is why it has a place in so many mission statements--but it also poses significant challenges. In particular, the recruitment and retention of faculty…

Ruth Simmons made a big news splash a decade ago when she was named president of Brown University, making her the first Black president of an Ivy League institution. She made another splash three years later by naming a committee to investigate Brown's role in the slave trade and make recommendations on possible reparations. Reflecting on her…

The search for and retention of good faculty is one of the most important tasks undertaken by a university; nothing is more discouraging than when a new faculty member leaves after only a few years. In today's climate of decreasing resources, a college or university must be clear and intentional about its search processes. This essay discusses…

Over the past several years, Hong Kong has made a determined effort to raise its profile by positioning its universities to compete globally for students, scholars, and research projects. In the process, it is refashioning its higher-education system from the British three-year model into a four-year system aligned with those of the United States…

Michael J. O'Connor, the physical-plant director at Appalachian State University, is watching his staff shrink bit by bit. When people leave, he's not rehiring. There is one exception to his staffing plan, however. Despite the economic duress, he is conducting a national search for a sustainability director. The university has ambitious…

In October 2010, the University of Southern California School of Social Work entered the online education environment with the launch of the first national web-based MSW program. After an initial enrollment of 80 students, in just 3 years this state-of-the-art MSW, offered in a technology-advanced synchronous and asynchronous format, has generated…

With a house languishing in the real-estate doldrums of southwestern Ohio, Edward F. Leonard III and his family have lived apart since he took over as president of Bethany College, in Kansas, nearly a year ago. Their situation is like that of many faculty members and administrators frustrated by housing prices across the country. Existing-home…

A few years ago, in "Student Success in College (SSiC)," the authors profiled twenty colleges and universities that were unusually effective in fostering student engagement and success, defined as better-than-predicted scores on the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and better-than-predicted graduation rates. These schools are…

New administrative offices for diversity are popping up at universities around the country, and one can usually count on them to cast minority-recruiting efforts in a favorable light. There is still, however, a role for the old-school rabble-rousers, as a new report from a faculty committee at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor makes clear.…

The University of Pennsylvania places great emphasis on talent management, specifically on attracting and retaining top-notch people. One way it accomplishes this is by offering several avenues by which its employees can further their careers. Penn's large, decentralized structure provides significant opportunities for career growth; however,…

Faculty are the bedrock of any university and they play a central role in all facets of academic life. However, despite impressive educational credentials, new faculty do not arrive with all the knowledge and experience necessary to advance in their new setting. This paper describes the use of a formal mentoring program as a powerful vehicle for…

When search consultants, like the author, are invited to propose their services in support of a college or university seeking new leadership, they are generally asked a fairly standard set of questions. But there is one question that they find among the most difficult to answer: How do they check a candidate's references to ensure that they know…

When it comes to building a top-notch faculty, racing to land prominent scholars is only half the battle for colleges. The other half: Fighting off poachers intent on swiping the college's existing talented mid-career professors. At Cornell University, a $35-million gift announced by officials in late September will give the institution an edge in…