Step 8: Fostering Conditions to Help New Hires Succeed

The purpose of this step is to ensure the long-term satisfaction and success of new faculty members.

The Environmental Studies Program at the University of Colorado Boulder understands that efforts to make its faculty-hiring process more inclusive and equitable will not, in and of themselves, result in a more inclusive and equitable unit.

During and after onboarding, the program must provide incoming faculty with a healthy and gratifying work environment. 

As discussed throughout this guide, unit culture is integral to the inclusive and equitable hiring process. ENVS is therefore adopting a two-pronged approach to both serve the immediate needs of new faculty members and promote a broader culture of inclusivity and equitability within the unit:

  1.  ENVS has outlined protocols to foster conditions for new hires to succeed.

  2.  ENVS has outlined specific objectives and action measures to enhance inclusive excellence in the program more broadly.

 

Protocols to Foster Conditions for New Hires to Succeed:

  • Provide ongoing educational opportunities to foster awareness among unit affiliates regarding how structural inequity operates in academic institutions
  • Provide mentoring opportunities for all teaching faculty, including instructors 
  • Ensure mentoring opportunities that address specific needs of underrepresented faculty
  • Compile and make accessible a list of campus resources specific to supporting underrepresented faculty
  • Provide opportunities for shadowing in classroom environments
  • Structure the service load of new hires with consideration to not overburdening underrepresented faculty

 

Objectives and Action Measures to Enhance Inclusive Excellence: 

ENVS is in an ongoing process of outlining specific objectives and action measures in the five draft areas below.

  •   Inclusive Program Culture and Climate 
  •   Inclusivity in the Graduate Experience  
  •   Inclusive Hiring and Retention  
  •   Inclusive Undergraduate Curriculum 
  •   Recruitment, Retention, and Equitable Support for all Undergraduate and Graduate Students 

We will update this page with details as we develop specific goals and strategies relevant to each of the five draft areas.

For more on the importance of fostering conditions to help new hires succeed, see these external resources.