Fellows are chosen through a highly competitive process that is as rigorous as the process for tenure-track hires (see Hiring Timeline for a general outline of the process). Applications are initially reviewed by the Fellows Committee (comprising 6 faculty members from all divisions of the University) and then by individual departments. Departments conduct phone interviews of promising candidates to determine whether to recommend a candidate for an on-campus interview. Departmental recommendations are reviewed by the Fellows Committee, which authorizes interviews. On-campus interviews include meetings with department members, an interview by members of the Fellows Committee, a presentation or class session by the candidate, and (in some cases) an interview by a student committee of department majors. Departments then submit a post-interview report, which includes both faculty and student evaluations. The Fellows Committee and the Provost, upon review of the department reports and the outcome of its own interview of candidates, makes hiring recommendations to the President.
Although all fields are eligible, some departments will have Fellows already in residence who will remain the following year and other departments may not (in a given year) be able to commit to the mentoring and development the Fellows program requires. Therefore, each year the Fellows Committee will survey departments in the Fall to determine whether they are eligible or desire to search for a Fellow for the following year. The hiring process begins with a general advertisement in the Chronicle of Higher Education and outlets that target underrepresented groups in academia, such as Black Issues in Higher Education (see Recruitment Memo to Faculty and Fellows Recommendation Form). The general advertisement specifies the eligible fields for the current search (in order to reduce the number of applications in inappropriate fields). Field-specific advertising relies on no-cost or low-cost listservs and web-based bulletin-boards, with postings made by faculty members and department Chairs. All faculty are emailed a general template advertisement to which they can add information relevant to their department or area.
The late start and end of January deadline for applications are designed to avoid directly competing with tenure-track hiring, which typically occurs earlier. The Fellows Committee, on the basis of departmental recommendations and their own review of materials, makes final recommendations to the Provost for on-campus interviews. Thus, the Committee has an important role in “quality-control” and also in ensuring equity across divisions where possible. Overall, the Committee’s primary concern is that only the highest quality candidates are selected for on-campus interviews and hiring.
The hiring process is designed to make it easy for departments to participate in advertising and initial screening of applicants, with increasing departmental and faculty commitment required as promising candidates are identified. Applications are sent to the Fellows Committee, which screens them to remove any obviously unqualified individuals. Other than for applicants rejected in initial screening, the cover letter and vita for each applicant is forwarded to the appropriate department (or departments) and interdisciplinary area faculty. Faculty may then request the rest of the application materials for candidates they find promising.
Once departments identify promising candidates, they are encouraged to interview these candidates via phone. At this point, departments must commit greater effort and, if they choose to pursue one or two candidates, to submit a recommendation form for each (see Recruitment Memo to Faculty and Fellows Recommendation Form).
Based on the Fellows Recommendation forms and its independent review of application materials for recommended candidates, the Fellows Committee decides how many and which candidates to recommend for an interview (with some degree of ranking or grouping according to overall quality of each candidate). The Committee’s recommendations are then forwarded to the Provost, who authorizes interviews.
Typically, departments are only authorized to interview one candidate. If the Committee believes that a second candidate is also worthy of consideration, this candidate may be held in “reserve” in case there is attrition. Thus, if, for example, the preferred candidate accepts a tenure-track job elsewhere before the on-campus interview has taken place, the department may be authorized to arrange an interview with the reserve candidate.
Fellows’ interviews take place within a two-week period toward the beginning of Spring Term. To the extent possible, other public talks and events (e.g., invited talks and colloquia) are avoided during this period so that faculty and students can attend Fellows applicants’ talks. The talks are advertised on campus through departmental postings and emails, a poster of all scheduled talks, and publication in other campus outlets (This Week, the Lawrence website).
A member of the relevant department is appointed as the person in charge of arranging the interview for a specific candidate (i.e., travel, talk, meetings with faculty and students, hotel, etc.). Requirements for all interviews (see Interview Guidelines) include meetings with department faculty, students, a talk or classroom session by the candidate, a meeting with the Provost, and a meeting with two members of the Fellows Committee assigned to interview the candidate using a standardized set of questions. Procedures for departmental interviews are detailed in a memo that includes a Post-Interview Report Form. Departments are asked to address specific issues (e.g., courses a Fellow would teach, resources required) as well as to assess the degree to which faculty and students are (or are not) enthusiastic about extending an offer to the candidate. Based upon review of the interview report, as well as the Fellows Committee’s independent interview of the candidate, the Committee and the Provost makes final hiring recommendations to the President.
