The Challenge for Universities and Colleges

Diversity in the professorate and inclusion within academia has been an ongoing and evolving priority at colleges and universities as they try to support the advancement and promotion of underrepresented members among their faculty members. Universities recognize the need to assure equity for women and minorities but the definition of diversity extends to include more than gender, race and ethnicity. Representation from individuals with differing world views and perspectives contribute to a more diverse body of educators and researchers. This sets the stage for a university or college to embrace the addition of adjunct faculty and to invest in the promotion of an associate professor.

Is it your plan to join the rank of adjunct faculty? Are you an associate professor halted in a process of tenure and promotion attainment? If yes, I can help you hit the mark and put yourself forth to be considered for that next promotion opportunity!

Understand Your Value

Understanding your value as an underrepresented faculty member will further define your immediate and long term goals. Universities and colleges are challenged to expand social norms, reduce stereotyping, encourage critical thinking and increase effective communication within its community. As members within not only the academic community but the community at-large, we are poised to become agents of change. Diverse role models can facilitate the recruitment and retention of others to the professions where underrepresentation exists. Leadership, citizenship and overall competitiveness are all areas that I can assist you with if you are an underrepresented faculty member.  Now more than ever in our history, it is important to emerge as a professional and to support diversity in the professorate.

Careers in higher education offer a wealth of experience and you bring your own to the academic climate. Those within underrepresented groups can add value to the intellectual and cultural environment and increase opportunities by which the extension of knowledge and perspectives occurs. The additional experiences realized by these contributions add to a culturally diverse and globally connected framework.

Developing Your Plan for Promotion

It is well-recognized that to write down a plan, makes it more tangible and realizable. Successful academics report that by developing and maintaining a plan, they realize that they are more efficient and effective in their career efforts.

Securing Career Funding Support

Identifying funding for your career support is a key task along the path to promotion. As an academic coach and mentor, I can assist you in developing a roadmap to take advantage of training and funding opportunities. Preparing that fellowship application or career award application is a skill, I will guide you in the proposal development process, conduct a review as part of the pre-submission process-all to assure your best proposal goes forth!

Realizing an award is a significant step toward promotion consideration. This underpins the next phase of your career advancement strategy. Managing one’s award, balancing the demands and staying the course on your individual development plan are all important components for advancement. Utilizing one’s time wisely and being effective in realizing the milestones set in place is critical to achieving the next overall goal in line to promotion.

Hire an Academic Coach and Mentor

Leveraging your strengths as an academic professional is what I stand ready to do! Together we can focus on a pathway to promotion and break down the journey into tangible, realizable milestones. Careers in higher education can be highly rewarding and personally satisfying and fun!  Contact me today to set a time to discuss your career plans!