News
Emphasis on faculty diversity as large number of retiring professors necessitates new hires
By Emily Eisler ’17
February 11, 2016
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The administration is currently in the process of hiring a number of tenure-track faculty members for the 2016-2017 academic year. The search is underway for 12 new professors, a higher number than usual due to the amount of faculty members hired when the faculty expanded in the 1970s and 1980s.
The expansion of the faculty three to four decades ago was due to a number of reasons including Hamilton’s absorption of Kirkland College by Hamilton and a nationwide increase in the number of college students.
Since many of the professors hired during that time are retiring soon, the College is now faced with the decision of where those positions will go.
Dean of Faculty Patrick Reynolds spoke about the process that goes into hiring new professors, which includes interviewing the top three or four finalists for each position; this year the College will be conducting more than 40 interviews in total. Most of the candidates applying to positions at the College are just starting their careers after finishing doctorate programs.
The administration is currently in the home stretch of the hiring process, and Reynolds stated that he is very impressed with the academic strength and diversity of the applicants he has met. Reynolds noted that the quality of these candidates reflects Hamilton’s ability to attract academics from the top of their fields from across the country.
Currently about 95 percent of Hamilton’s faculty are tenured or on the tenure track. The remaining faculty are employed in either renewable contract positions or as replacements to full professors on leave for various reasons. As of the end of January, seven of the 13 positions have been filled, with a few more soon to be finalized.
The professors hired will start at the entry level as assistant professors, and later be promoted to associate and eventually full professorship.
The College rarely hires visiting professors for tenure track positions. Consultants come in during the year to discuss best hiring practices with departmental search committees.
This has been especially helpful this year, since the large amount of retirees means that some departments have not had to search for new faculty for at least a few years.
Reynolds stated that from the beginning, the College has been concerned with faculty diversity and what actions to take to promote it. By examining studies revealing how many doctoral students eligible for positions at colleges like Hamilton are people of color, administrators are able to gauge what proportion of applicants, and therefore new hires, they should expect.
According to Reynolds, currently about 25 percent of doctorates across all academic fields are non-white. Hamilton asks in their faculty applications for job candidates to speak about how they are contributing to an increasingly diverse campus. Of the seven already confirmed new hires, two are people of color.
Hamilton tends to be especially attractive to job candidates due to the number of support mechanisms for new faculty, such as clearly expressed expectations for tenure, mentorship for faculty and funding to help with their new scholarship at the College.
About ten tenure track positions will be open to applications next year as well.