Finding The Right Institutional Fit For You How To (Safely) Find Out About The Culture Of The Department And College

Panel Participants Eric Taleff, Associate Professor, ME Mechanical Properties of Structural Materials Mechanical Properties of Structural Materials Lynn Katz, Associate Professor, CE Aquatic Surface Chemistry, tenured at University of Maine and UT, Aquatic Surface Chemistry, tenured at University of Maine and UT, Janet Ellzey, Professor, ME Combustion, worked at University of Wisconsin and NRL, currrently developing international programs for engineering students Combustion, worked at University of Wisconsin and NRL, currrently developing international programs for engineering students Maria Juenger, Assistant Professor, CE Concrete Materials Concrete Materials Mia Markey, Assistant Professor, BME Biomedical Informatics Biomedical Informatics

The Who, What and Why Who: Department: Colleagues, Dept. Chair, Students College:Dean, Collaborators, Promotion committees University:Provost, Collaborators, What: Departmental Structure and Relationships Official and Unofficial Policies Mentoring Philosophy and Attitudes Historical Issues – Change can be slow Institutional Support Why: Climate is a key factor in determining success. You need to know whether your goals are in line with the department and college goals. You need to understand whether the policies are consistent with departmental behavior.

What are Some of the Culture Issues? Does the culture support: Your research and teaching interests Joint appointments and interdisciplinary collaborations Family commitments and varying lifestyles Dual careers Does the culture provide: Mentoring Opportunities for academic growth Flexibility Input from all faculty on policies, hiring, tenure and promotion decisions

Does the Culture Support: Your research and teaching interests What are the research priorities in the department? Are there people to collaborate with in your research area? Do they compete or collaborate? Is your teaching/research balance consistent with the department or college view? Joint appointments and interdisciplinary collaborations Are external collaborations common? Are departments you are interested in collaborating with looking for someone like you? Are their facilities across campus that would be useful and are they available? Family commitments and varying lifestyles What is the range of lifestyles in your department? Are leave, reduced teaching load, and delayed tenure policies used and effective? Dual careers Are there policies to attract dual career families? Are there other people who have taken advantage of these initiatives? How were they treated?

Does the Culture Provide: Mentoring Is there an assigned mentor? Do they really mentor? Does the dean promote mentoring? Is there someone whom you can relate to who you would like to be mentored by? Opportunities for academic growth Is their department support for travel? Is their a sabbatical program? Are there teaching resources? Are there research resources? Flexibility Are there leave policies? Can you buy out teaching time? Are family leave policies and reduced teaching loads used effectively? Do the faculty support different views of facility use, tenure, teaching? Democratic decision processes Do assistant professors have equal voting status?

Who and How do you ask? Teaching/research balance – –Who has not received tenure and what were the reasons? – –How is teaching performance evaluated? What are the expectations? Research priorities – –Are there faculty in other departments working in similar areas of research? – –Are their facilities across campus that would be useful and are they available? – –What areas will future hires target? Internal/external collaborations – –Ask all faculty about their research interests and assess potential for collaborative projects. – –Ask faculty if they have an interest in developing projects in area Z. – –Do many faculty have projects with faculty in other departments? – –Is there anyone I can talk to with interest in area X in department Y? – –Are there many joint research proposals funded or papers published?

Who and How do you ask? Faculty Development – –How are mentors assigned? – –Do the assistant and associate professors know there is a mentoring system? Did they find it useful? – –What resources are available to support course development? – –What type of support is available for matching funds? Governance – –Do assistant professors vote on hiring and tenure decisions? – –How are the decisions made for proposal submissions that are limited in number from particular institutions? Family Issues – –Are there affordable/reliable/available daycare options? – –Which faculty have taken advantage of family leave policies? – –Is this a family friendly environment?

Who and When do you ask? Dept. Chair Faculty Female Faculty Advocate Dean People Outside the Dept. Students