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
