Elevate Faculty Collaborative Excellence Program
About the Faculty Collaborative Excellence Program
To enhance our university’s academic and research capabilities, the Office of Faculty Affairs is implementing a Faculty Collaborative Excellence Program (cluster hiring). This initiative aims to attract and integrate a group of interdisciplinary scholars into our academic community, fostering collaboration, innovation, and academic excellence. By strategically hiring faculty members in clusters, we can strengthen our university’s intellectual diversity, bolster existing research strengths, and address emerging areas of scholarly importance.
Eligibility
The Office of the Provost will consider providing support for full-time, tenured and tenure-track positions. Units are encouraged to apply for positions to hire exceptional individuals who will contribute significantly to the academic, curricular, and intellectual diversity goals of the unit. The College, Schools and departments, with approval from their Dean, may apply, individually or in collaboration for a cluster of hires.
Scope of Commitments and Budget
The maximum terms of support from the Office of the Provost includes three years of support for each hire at up to $100,000 in salary plus fringe. Schools and departments participating in the cluster hiring have the following commitments:
- The remainder of costs not provided by the Office of the Provost.
- After three years, 100% of the costs will be borne by the school/department of the faculty members’ appointment.
- Any associated startup or non-personnel expenses associated with the hires.
Cluster Proposal Guidelines
Process for Submission of Proposals for Cluster Hires
Proposal Submission
Proposals must be submitted to the Provost’s Office by the specified deadline. Submissions should be in a standardized format and include all required sections. The Provost’s Office will conduct an initial screening to ensure proposals meet the basic requirements and guidelines. Proposals that do not meet these criteria will be returned to the submitting School or College for revision.
Submission Details and Timeline
Proposals should be submitted to facultyaffairs@unc.edu no later than September 9, 2024.
Proposals Due: September 16, 2024
Committee Review: September 16, 2024 – September 27, 2024
Decision announced: September 30, 2024
Evaluation Committee Review
An evaluation committee, composed of senior associate deans and representatives from the Provost’s Office, will review the proposals. The committee will evaluate each proposal based on the following criteria:
Strategic Alignment: Alignment with the university’s strategic goals and mission as well as potential impact on the university’s research, education, and public service.
Existing Strengths: Evidence of existing strengths in the proposed area and the potential to build on and enhance these strengths.
Cluster Composition: Appropriateness and heterogeneity of the proposed hires and potential for interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.
Resource and Support Plan: Adequacy of the proposed resources and support and the feasibility of the implementation plan.
Final Selection
Based on the committee’s evaluations, the Provost’s Office will make the final selection of proposals to be funded. Selected proposals will be announced, and the respective Schools and Colleges will be notified.
Implementation
The selected Schools and Colleges will work with the Provost’s Office to implement their cluster hire proposals. This will include:
- Launching recruitment efforts for the proposed positions.
- Ensuring a transparent and inclusive search process.
- Providing the necessary resources and support as outlined in the proposal.
- Establishing mentorship and professional development programs for early career faculty.
Contact
If you have any questions during the submission process, please contact our office at facultyaffairs@unc.edu.
If you have any questions about the criteria or a potential proposal, please contact the Senior Vice Provost or Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs.