After Lehigh hires a new faculty member, there is typically some period of time between the offer letter being signed and when the individual begins their first official day. Some departments and colleges have their own traditions of welcoming new colleagues and the University offers "New Faculty Orientation."
As part of ADVANCE's commitment to ensuring all faculty join units possessing the skills and knowledge to welcome them well, and in recognition that the academic department home for the faculty is critical to belonging and career success of the new colleague, ADVANCE created a document to support department chairs' capacity around the onboarding/new faculty transition phase (spanning from the time the offer for employeement is signed through at least the first 30 days).
The creation of this document was recommended as part of the Year 2 IChange process in support of the overall goal of strengthening department climates, so all departments are welcoming to new colleagues, especially those from historically excluded identity groups.
See this Welcoming New Facuty Checklist, a tool in support of inclusive academic departments and knowledgeable chairs. If you have comments or questions about what might improve this tool, contact advance@lehigh.edu.
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