Leaders’ Forum • February 10, 2005

Attracting, Recruiting, and RETAININGFaculty Members & New Leaders

Leaders’ Forum • February 10, 2005

Faculty Recruitment & Retention

Jennifer Hale

Coordinator, Office of Faculty Recruitment & Retention

February 10, 2005

Goals of OFRR

• Provide information & tools to those involved in academic searches in order to enhance their ability to attract and hire the best candidates

• Ensure that the process of integrating newly-appointed faculty and their families into the University and the city is comprehensive, efficient and welcoming

Faculty Feedback

• Held information sessions with 40 probationary/tenured faculty members who joined Western between July 1, 2001 and June 30, 2004

• Participants from all Faculties who had no assistance from a central office during the relocation process

Purpose of Information Sessions

• To learn from faculty members about their experiences of joining Western

• To identify opportunities and priorities to improve recruitment and retention performance

Emerging Issues

The following issues were consistently raised in each information session(in order of frequency):

• Immigration• Appreciation• Information availability (Relocation issues)• Spousal Employment• Social Networking• Mentoring• Research resources

OFRR Activities

• Information packages sent to short-listed candidates containing information on Western and London

• Personalized information to questions• Orientation Handbook to provide

answers to general questions in a timely & efficient manner

OFRR Activities

• Collaboration with Faculties and Departments to improve current practice

• Identifying concerns of faculty members

• Assistance with the immigration process

• Assistance with spousal employment (long way to go…)

Future Priorities

• Continue working with Faculties & Departments to bring in new hires

• To better the orientation process

• Further understanding of faculty concerns for retention purposes

Choosing Western; Integrating Here

• Dr. Radoslav Dimitrov, Assistant Professor, Political Science

• Dr. Blaine Chronik, Canada Research Chair, Medical Physics;Assistant Professor, Physics and Astronomy

• Dr. Kathleen Kevany, Director, Centre for New Students, Office of the Registrar

Choosing Western; Integrating Here

Table Discussion:

“One thing it’s really important to include in a new faculty member or new leader orientation is…”

Articles on Recruitment and Orientation

• Staff orientation guidelines: http://www.uwo.ca/humanresources/facultystaff/

new_employ/new_staff_checklist.htm

• Faculty and employee recruitment and orientation:

http://www.lib.uwo.ca/business/orientationretention.html

Next Steps

• Watch for: “Leaders’ Digest” - Forum Summary

• NEW DATE for next Forum: April 1, 2005, 1:00-3:00 Saugeen Lounge, with Dr. Tim Porter-O’Grady

• Staff & Leaders Conference!!! Feb. 21-24