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Faculty development

Cultivating excellence, diversity and inclusion throughout the academic journey

Faculty Development at the University of Washington is a highly collaborative effort involving various offices and units, including the Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty, ADVANCE center, the Office of Faculty Advancement and schools and colleges throughout the University.

Faculty development, encompassing both individual growth and institutional change, aims at enhancing the skills, knowledge, and effectiveness of faculty members. Through tailored workshops, mentorship programs, and resources, we empower faculty to excel in teaching, scholarship, and service. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth, we support faculty in reaching their full potential and advancing academic excellence. Our commitment to professional development ensures that UW faculty remain at the forefront of innovation and make lasting contributions to the university community and beyond.

Faculty Development Program

At the UW, we believe excellence requires a diverse faculty engaged in research, teaching, mentoring, and training. The Faculty Development Program, created by UW Presidential Term Professor Alexes Harris, fosters a supportive environment where faculty can build social and research networks across disciplines and discuss their experiences and goals. Department chairs nominate new faculty to participate in this program, reflecting our commitment to a sense of belonging throughout the UW.

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Dean & Chancellor Leadership Series

The Dean and Chancellor Leadership Development Series is a professional development and support program designed for deans, chancellors, divisional deans, associate deans and associate vice chancellors, addressing topics of shared importance to department and unit leaders. This collaborative series is led by the office for Academic Personnel and Faculty and provides an engaging platform to explore essential themes in leadership and academia.

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Office for Faculty Advancement

The Office for Faculty Advancement (OFA) provides tools and resources to enhance diversity and build an inclusive faculty. Key programs include a Handbook and Toolkit for faculty searches, funding initiatives to support diverse faculty recruitment in STEM and other disciplines, and retention initiatives for faculty contributing to diversity and inclusion efforts. These programs aim to strengthen campus-wide excellence through diversity.

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ADVANCE Center for Institutional Change

UW ADVANCE supports STEM faculty, focusing on women, through career development, mentoring, and leadership consultation in three core UW colleges. The program aims to enhance campus culture for women faculty to thrive. Key activities include professional development workshops for pre-tenure and mid-career faculty, quarterly leadership workshops for department leaders, and mentoring lunches featuring conversations with women leaders on career and leadership topics.

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Faculty Success Program

The NCFDD Faculty Success Program is a 12-week boot camp designed to help tenure-track and tenured faculty achieve personal and professional goals. The Office for Faculty Advancement offers one-third tuition support for faculty who register before the early bird deadline and submit a Support Proposal Form. The Faculty Success Program is open to all UW faculty with an active NCFDD account, priority is given to assistant and associate professors seeking tenure or promotion.

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NCFDD

The National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD) offers national-level support through UW’s institutional membership. You can access programs like the Faculty Success Program, which provides coaching, peer support, and strategies for academic achievement and work-life balance.

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Opportunity Spotlight

The Big Ten Academic Alliance offers leadership development programs for faculty and administrators from large R1 universities, drawing on member institutions’ expertise to enhance campus programs. The Academic Leadership Program (ALP) is a year-long initiative that enhances leadership and managerial skills for university-level academic leaders. The Department Executive Officer Program (DEO) is a hybrid program for new department heads and chairs, focusing on conflict resolution, communication, faculty development, and problem-solving. The Deans Leadership Program (DLP) is a six-month intensive program for new deans, addressing critical issues during their initial months and years.

Academic Leadership Program

Deans Leadership Program

Department Executive Officer Program

News


  • Reappointment Decisions Due – Submit by March 14

    March 12, 2025

    As the deadline for Reappointment Spreadsheets approaches, some departments and schools may have questions about the completion process, particularly in light of ongoing stop-work orders or funding challenges. Regardless of the circumstances, the Office of Academic Personnel and Faculty must move forward with the appointment renewal process, requiring S/C/Cs to submit their spreadsheets by March…

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  • Faculty contributions to DEI: Discussions with legal scholar Dr. Brian Soucek

    March 4, 2025

    Hosted by the Faculty Council on Race, Equity, & Justice on Friday, March 3, 2023 @ Foege Auditorium, 11:00 A.M. – 12:20 p.m. Diversity statements, which are increasingly used in faculty hiring and promotion, often generate confusion and consternation. Our guest, a leading voice in the use of diversity statements in academia, will explore the…

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  • Effective Practices for Conducting Interviews

    March 4, 2025

    Presented by: Chadwick Allen, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Joyce Yen, Director of ADVANCE Center for Institutional Change UW ADVANCE and the Office for Faculty Advancement, part of the Office of Academic Personnel, partnered to offer a second fall workshop on Effective Practices for Conducting Interviews. This workshop addressed best practices for conducting…

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