Your unit hired a new faculty member, congratulations! 

Onboarding new faculty is a critical component of welcoming and inclusive departments.  

This is a set of suggestions through the first 30 days; settling in takes longer.

NEW FACULTY INFORMATION

NAME: ­­­­­­­­­­­_________________________________________PRONOUNS: __________

POSITION: ____________________________________   START DATE: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_________

LEHIGH ID & EMAIL_________________________


UPON CONTRACT SIGNING

Tell new faculty member they have a lehigh.edu email account and should begin checking it immediately.

Review with Faculty Affairs team and college pre-arrival plans, expectations, responsibilities

Establish space needs and explain steps for finalizing

Be in touch throughout any relocation activities


PRIOR TO NEW FACULTY’S FIRST DAY

Add faculty member to the department website/directory

Make certain office and research spaces as well as routine supplies are ready for their arrival

Computer, printer

Paper, pens, locking cabinets

Clean office, paint if necessary

 Office furniture (clean, adequate for needs)

 Lab, equipment

 Office/hallway signage and placards

Request or arrange access:

     ☐ LUID card and keys

building(s)           office         lab         other__________

parking, purchasing. Organize info so ready to “go” upon arrival

OneCard for purchasing

Prepare business cards with new faculty and order 

Discuss over email or phone/zoom things like mentors and professional development plans and scholarly/creative works resources- can be high level, demonstrate support before arrival

Schedule uninterrupted time to meet with the new faculty member and orient them to your department, facilities, and campus.

Prepare them for their first week on campus, offer to reconnect with offices or people they met at their interview

Assign courses carefully to the new hire

Arrange for the whole department to meet, with the dean or associate dean, to discuss how to welcome and support the new faculty member

Ensure members can pronounce the new faculty member’s name and use their correct pronouns

Identify how everyone will play a role in welcoming and supporting your new colleague.

Brainstorm how your new colleague will be introduced to useful networks and key players.

Lead a conversation about how your new hire enhances departmental excellence

If the new colleague is of an identity historically underrepresented in your discipline, note that they must not be devalued, belittled, excluded, called a ‘diversity hire’ or ‘othered’ - The chair is responsible for preempting and correcting such mindsets.

Take care to revive with the whole department, your commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging for everyone’s success.


DURING FIRST MEETING WITH DEPARTMENT CHAIR

☐ Provide an orientation to

 Building- including access times, common spaces, restrooms, emergency exits, etc.
Staff in the department and building- including roles and responsibilities
Surrounding area- including supplies, eateries, idiocrasies
Department and College  (do you have a handbook? Meetings? Etc.)

 Review the following (as applicable):

Office/desk/work areas

Keys

Building access/’security

ID card

Web/IT services/Voicemail

Conference/meeting room scheduling

Copying, Printing

CITL Programs

Mentoring needs: INC, NCFDD

New Faculty Orientation

Handling confidential information

Important offices, phone numbers, emails, new faculty resources

Mail room, Shipping

Purchasing, expense reporting, OneCard

CourseSite

Required Trainings

Libraries, research librarian


FIRST 30-days

Reiterate the newcomer’s qualifications and scholarly interests to students, staff, and faculty alike.

Introduce and warmly promote the new faculty to students-visit each newcomer's classes on the first day to briefly and enthusiastically explain why the department is so pleased about its new addition.

Email new faculty member at the end of the first 30 days (consider a meeting) to:

Review observations, issues, priorities

Ensure any required training and forms have been completed

Ensure they understand FERPA information  

Make sure they understand expectations for office hours, attending faculty meetings, etc.

Review how their mentoring relationships are going

Have they started a development plan? Attending any professional development?

What scholarly/creative works support and opportunities are useful right now?

Discuss how to document activities for review cycles

Determine how else you can support them