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Faculty Collaborative Excellence Program

To enhance our university’s academic and research capabilities, we propose the implementation of 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.

Program Structure

Cluster Composition:

A model cluster will typically consist of three (3) hires that represent a mix of established, senior or mid-career scholars/researchers with active scholarship and/or funding and early career faculty positions.

Intellectual Diversity and Academic Breadth:

  • Clusters will contribute to the intellectual diversity and reflect the academic breadth of our university’s capacity in the topic area.
  • Clusters must include proposed hires in at least two departments or schools.
  • Proposals should demonstrate existing strengths in the area, such as faculty expertise, ongoing scholarship/research, or relevant programs that can serve as the locus for the cluster.

Call for Proposals

The Provost’s Office will issue a formal call for proposals to all Schools and the College, detailing the objectives, guidelines, and criteria for the Faculty Cluster Hire Program. This call will include a timeline for submission and evaluation.

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

The submission deadlines for 2024 proposals has passed.  Clusters will be announced soon.  2025 Submissions will be accepted next fall.

Proposals Due: October 1, 2024

Committee Review: October 1, 2024 – October 11, 2024

Decision announced: October 21, 2024

Each School or College interested in participating will develop a comprehensive proposal following the guidelines provided. Proposals should include:

Executive Summary

Brief overview of the proposed cluster, including its strategic importance and alignment with university goals.

Rationale

    • Clearly articulate the strategic importance of the proposed cluster area.
    • Explain how the cluster aligns with the university’s mission and strategic goals.
    • Highlight the potential impact on research, education, and public service.

Existing Strengths

    • Provide evidence of the university’s existing strengths in the proposed area, or a rationale for building in a new area, including:
      • Current faculty expertise.
      • Relevant research centers, institutes, or programs.
      • External funding, publication or performance record, and ongoing research projects.

Proposed Positions

    • Detail the proposed cluster composition, specifying:
      • The roles and expected contributions of each proposed position.
      • How each new position will enhance the cluster’s intellectual diversity and interdisciplinary collaboration.
      • Include potential candidates for recruitment (if known) or desired qualifications for each position.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

    • Describe how the cluster will foster interdisciplinary collaboration across different Schools and departments.
    • Outline plans for joint research projects, cross-departmental courses, and collaborative grant applications, publications, or performances.

Support and Resources

    • Detail the resources and support that will be provided to the cluster, including:
      • Office and laboratory space.
      • Start-up funds.
      • Access to research facilities and administrative support.
      • Include plans for mentorship and professional development for early career faculty.

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.
    • Potential impact on the university’s research, education, and public service.
  • Existing Strengths
    • Evidence of existing strengths in the proposed area.
    • Potential to build on and enhance these strengths.
  • Cluster Composition
    • Appropriateness and heterogeneity of the proposed hires.
    • Potential for interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.
  • Resource and Support Plan
    • Adequacy of the proposed resources and support.
    • Feasibility of the implementation plan.

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.

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.