University of Virginia
PA-7: Support for Future Faculty Diversity

The Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs Diversity Program is committed to attracting talented, traditionally underrepresented students to the University and supporting their successful matriculation throughout their graduate and/or professional programs. Towards these ends, Diversity Programs welcomes students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds to participate in The Mentoring Institute, an interdisciplinary, inter-ethnic mentoring program. Through The Mentoring Institute, first year students can receive direction and develop longitudinal relationships with dedicated faculty members who believe that diversity, with its many facets, serves as a cornerstone for scholarship and innovation among a community of learners. Additionally, graduate and professional students at all stages can take advantage of opportunities to offer and receive guidance and support from an interdisciplinary group of peers. The Mentoring Institute organizes social and professional development activities throughout the school year to foster community among students and faculty mentors, provide opportunities for networking and professional development and acclimate student participants to the rigors of life within and beyond the academy. The Mentoring Institute seeks to create a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment for students. Our goals include the following: 1) To facilitate a positive social and academic transition into graduate and professional studies for students who are traditionally underrepresented in their respective disciplines at the University of Virginia. Additionally, to contribute to setting a foundation for their success throughout graduate and professional studies. 2) To provide two-fold opportunities for advanced graduate, professional and postdoctoral scholars to develop valuable and transferrable communication and mentoring skills. 3) To create communities of mutual learning and respect within and between diverse and interdisciplinary cohorts. 4) To promote innovation and improved quality of life for all by increasing the recruitment, successful matriculation and advancement of scholars and professionals from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in advanced studies. The Excellence in Diversity Fellows Program offers incoming junior faculty one-year Fellowships to help them develop productive long-term careers at the University of Virginia. Originally funded by the Provost and by the Deans of Arts & Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the Program now receives permanent support from the University of Virginia. The program cultivates new and diverse colleagues' connection to the University. In doing so, it helps them navigate the challenges of being junior faculty members and fulfill their potential as excellent teachers and researchers. Our goal is to invigorate the intellectual climate and the educational experience of our students by supporting our diverse faculty in building thriving long-term careers at the University of Virginia. The University also administers several faculty recruitment programs to promote a diverse faculty. The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost offers financial and recruitment assistance to support the strategic goals of Schools in building a diverse faculty. In response to surveys of faculty who did not accept University employment offers, the University has identified dual career support as a key factor in recruiting a diverse faculty and has increased capabilities in this area. The "Leadership in Academic Matters" program is geared towards junior faculty who demonstrate leadership characteristics and potential. The program, a combination of lectures and experiential workshops, covers a range of topics relevant to becoming an effective leader: self-awareness, teamwork, negotiation, financial decision-making and conflict management. Also included are sessions on dealing with change, mitigating unconscious biases, talking to media and balancing work and personal life.