ADVANCE Center Semester in Review

ADVANCE continued to make infrastructure and programmatic impacts. Read below for some Fall 2024 semester highlights.

ADVANCE Center scope and resources for optimizing impact

• ADVANCE Center selected and completed appointment process for Dr. Stephanie Powell Watts joining as a co-Faculty Director for three years starting January 1.
• Transition new website
• Collaborated on new vision and proposal for physical space with CGE and WGSS

Advancing Future Faculty Diversity Postdoctoral Program

• Onboard Cohort 2, and deliver activities for Cohort 1 & 2 (total of 7 scholars)
• Launch internal and external calls for Cohort 3, information sessions and collaborate to support the host units
• Adapt policies and programming based on Year 1 Lessons Learned, including from June EISCC Presentation.
• Reviewing mentoring plans and progress for each scholar
• Partnering with Office of Postdoctoral Affairs for improvement of onboarding, professional development for all postdoctoral scholars

Faculty Recruitment (Outreach, Hiring, Onboarding)

• Hosted 4 workshops Best Practices for Inclusive and Excellent Faculty Recruitment satisfying the requirement for members of search committees to attend every other year. Of 136 members of Faculty Search Committees, 47% completed training
• Faculty Recruitment Ambassador Program recognized by HEED; Trained new cohort of ambassadors (22);  Met with 23 candidates across 8 departments
• Expert consultation to the Faculty Senate in final developments ahead of the passage of the  DI&E in Hiring Motion; preparing for supplemental education, implementation, and assessment needs.

Faculty Retention & Advancement (Mentoring, Culture, Climate, Advancement-Evaluation, Leadership Capacity Building)

• Mentoring & Community
  • New Faculty Orientation
  • New Faculty Mentoring via INC Program, implementing IDP framework, four main INC groups, 3 fall meetings
  • Published first New Faculty Professional Development & Leadership Table to enable faculty to identify opportunities and programs At-A-Glance 
  • Facilitated CIMER Research Mentoring Skills workshop series, (completed by 9 faculty and 4 postdocs), in partnership with Associate Deputy Provost for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs Manager.
  • Co-sponsored University membership to NCFDD and administered application and selection of 6 faculty to the Fall 2025 Faculty Success Program of NCFDD
  • LU-WISE started semester emphasizing focus on awards and nominations
  • Partnered with CGE and LU-WISE to consider future leadership and other needs
  • Adapting CIMER-based curriculum for Clare Boothe Luce Undergraduate Research Scholars and their faculty and grad student mentors, in partnership with Associate Deputy Provost for Graduate Education
  • Adapting CIMER-based mentoring bootcamp for RCEAS Grad mentors of undergraduate Research Scholars, in partnership with Associate Deputy Provost for Graduate Education 
  • Networked with Mentoring Experts and Practitioners during the UNM National Mentoring Conference, incorporating learnings to existing programs
  • Advised and contributed to Office of Research guidance and resources to support faculty to include robust mentoring plans within their grant proposals 
  • Consulting with Office of Research for the equity and outcomes assessment of internal grants programs

• Promotion & Tenure:

  • Co-authored revisions to faculty evaluation guidances for internal colleagues
  • Convened session for 12 mid-career faculty with the Deputy Provost about the Promotion Plan philosophy within the triennial review
  • Hosted FSPN, LU-WISE+, and RCEAS D&I Council to solicit additional feedback and insights about the Faculty Workload Equity Policy and Implementation Framework and provided that to faculty senate for integration into their working group structure
  • Consult with Faculty Senate: provide expertise to Tenure and Promotion working group, and the Service Load and Equity working groups
  • Consultations with individuals facing equity and climate challenges and associated follow-ups with university leaders, as needed
  • Department and Department Chair Knowledge and Capacity consultation and support
  • Exit Interviews, upon request

ADVANCE Women in STEM Outreach/Faculty Equity Research & Dissemination Opportunities

• Sponsored at Da Vinci Center WISE Forum, 130 HS girls met 9 faculty, student mentors and admissions/outreach staff, at networking/mentoring reception.
• Prepared two abstract proposals to the 2024 EISCC Equity in STEM Community Convening
  • One on RCEAS Recruitment related outcomes and learnings with Drs. Swann and Jellison
  • One on AFFDP emphasizing transition to faculty process with Drs. Jones and Ramage
• Co-author with Dr. Taneka Jones on abstract to FWCA conference