ODI is seeking a Faculty Fellow for the upcoming year to be a part of the Synchrony Equity-Focused Student Success Initiative designed to increase rates of student success for students of color, low-income, and other student populations traditionally minoritized in higher education. One area of focus within this initiative is to enhance faculty and student research to support inclusive student experiences at UConn.
Toward this goal, UConn will fund and centralize a new Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (JEDI) Research focus for fellows and minoritized undergraduate students: This initiative will allow the faculty fellow and students to engage in research that works with minoritized students to understand what programs are working and which ones need to be developed to meet the needs of these students. The inaugural Synchrony JEDI Faculty Fellow will be located at the UConn Hartford campus but work with students from the Stamford and Waterbury campuses as well.
General duties for this strategic area include:
- The ODI Synchrony JEDI Faculty Fellow will lead a research team composed of three JEDI undergraduate student research assistants at Waterbury, Stamford, and Hartford regional campuses to engage in institutional research to understand what programs are working and which ones we would need to be adjusted to meet the needs of historically excluded and underserved students.
- Established baseline data for all dimensions of the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Survey and identify where equity gaps exist.
- Examine existing resources already in place to address areas where equity gaps exist and identification of 3-4 areas to prioritize for needing innovative solutions.
- Provide a report on baseline data and present findings to institutional leaders.
Application Process: If you are interested in nominating yourself for the Synchrony JEDI Faculty Fellow, we ask that you submit a letter of interest (2 pages single-spaced) in response to the following prompts:
- Briefly explain how this is an area of interest and expertise.
- Beyond the scope of this program, what are some of the long-term possibilities for the work you would like to engage in related to DEI?
- What are some potential indicators of success for your participation in this program?
In addition, each nomination must be accompanied with a letter of support from the person’s respective academic dean addressing the following questions:
- How has this faculty member contributed to the advancement of DEI in your unit and/ or UConn more broadly?
- How might this faculty member benefit from participating in this leadership development opportunity
- Describe your support of this faculty member for the ODI Faculty Fellow program.
- How might this proposed work align with strategic initiatives in your unit?
Please note that ODI will select only one Faculty Fellow for this position. Both the nominee’s letter of interest and the Dean’s letter of support can be emailed together (if possible, as one PDF) to: Diversity@uconn.edu. Please put “Faculty Fellows” in the email subject line. Deadline for submission of nominations: July 28th, 2023.
Resources All ODI Faculty Fellows will receive the following during the 2023-24 academic year:
- Funds of $7,500 to be used to participate in external DEI and leadership training or to attend relevant conferences during the term of the fellowship.
- A course release arranged in consultation with the department head and dean.
- An assigned leadership mentor in the Office for Diversity and Inclusion to advise on professional development, leadership competency, and progress.
ODI Faculty Fellows Program: Purpose and Description
The establishment of the ODI Faculty Fellows Program provides leadership opportunities in support of creating a sustainable capacity-building model for diversity and inclusion across academic colleges/schools and campuses at UConn. Toward that end, the ODI Faculty Fellows will be positioned to serve as a resource and platform for DEIJ innovation and transformation.
Each ODI Faculty Fellow commits to a minimum of one academic year to the role. The position may be renewed at the discretion of ODI and the Faculty Fellow’s dean. Potential candidates can self-nominate but must have a letter of support from their academic deans.
Benefits to the Institution: Faculty Fellows will serve as DEIJ specialists providing support to strategic efforts to advance DEIJ planning and development within and across academic units. The Faculty Fellow will, through their affiliation with ODI, leverage university-level insights and resources to support institution-wide and unit level DEI efforts and response.
Benefits to the Faculty Fellow: ODI will provide the Faculty Fellow with compensatory resources, including but not limited to a course release arranged in consultation with the department head and dean; an assigned leadership mentor in the Office for Diversity & Inclusion to advise on professional development, leadership competency, and progress; and funds of $7,500 to be used to participate in external DEI and leadership training or to attend relevant conferences during the term of the fellowship. This intentional experience will be structured to support potential readiness for future leadership opportunities.