ADVANCE Impacts during a Pandemic and Racial Unrest

Lehigh ADVANCE, together with numerous campus offices, had a critical role listening and advocating for resources, policies, and programs to support historically marginalized faculty, including STEM women and Faculty of Color through one of the most difficult periods in our shared history- the COVID-19 pandemic and racial unrest.  Thanks to colleagues in the ODI&E offices and centers, CITL, Office of Research, Student Affairs, Faculty Senate, College Committees, and the Provost Office for their expertise and implementation tools. 

From the earliest weeks following the "pandemic-pivot," ADVANCE was aware the pandemic would expose and exacerbate existing inequities. It was imperative ADVANCE share emerging research and consensus reports with Lehigh's decision makers. It was also important that we keep our community as connected as possible through the remote work environment. Lastly, ADVANCE is situtated to support transformational thinking to create a better, more equitable, anti-racist, new normal, rather than come through such a trying time only to go back to the old normal.  Thus, engagement and professional development through ADVANCE Cafes, the Writing Accountability Groups, LU-WISE over Zooms, the workshops for faculty search committees and inclusive excellence in teaching and the orientations for new faculty and new department chairs all took place. In addition, ADVANCE created, hosted, advocated, informed, launched or otherwise guided the following programs, toolkit resources, statements, or policies, which are noteworthy.

• ADVANCE input for Senate re: COVID-19 Response and Recovery

• ADVANCE Affirms Black Lives Matter

• ADVANCE Compiled Resources for faculty to learn about Anti-Racism and Racism in STEM 

• Caregiving and Work in the Age of COVID-19 

• Provost hosts: Equitable Evaluation of Faculty Workshop for P&T Leaders

• Lehigh joins ICHANGE Network of NSF ASPIRE ALLIANCE

• New Resource! Check-List for Search Committee Chairs

• Promotion & Tenure Committee Chair Check-List

• Faculty COVID-19 Caregiving Support (just completed the second round)

• Speaking Up: How Bystanders Can Change the Conversation about Social Bias

• Understanding Expectations for Full Professor

• Lehigh COVID Impact Statement - sent with instructions to External Reviewers 

• Lehigh ADVANCE part of NSF project to study external review letters used in promotion & tenure

• Reemergence Grants

• Rossin College Diversity Plan

• Streamlining Associate Professor Triennial Review

• Sponsoring Pre-Tenure Faculty to NCFDD Faculty Success Program