Provost’ Tenure-Track Fellow to Faculty Program

Provost’s Tenure-Track Fellow to Faculty Program

The Office of Academic Affairs is pleased to announce the Provost’s Tenure-Track Fellow to Faculty Program for Autumn 2022 or Spring 2023 semesters.

This funding program, open to all tenure-initiating units (TIUs), will enable the university to recruit early-career scholars whose accomplishments make them exceptionally competitive for faculty positions.

The program is particularly interested in recruiting scholars who will contribute to a climate that values diversity and inclusion in the areas of scholarship, creative expression and/or community engagement.

Program overview

For the 2022-2023 academic year, OAA will fund a maximum of 10 fellows who may start in Autumn 2022 or Spring 2023. Fellowships will be two years, and OAA will provide up to seven years of salary support to the unit for each fellow hired. Following the tenure-track fellowship period, the individual will then transfer to the rank of assistant professor. 

Proposals for the 2022–2023 cohort should focus on recruiting early-career scholars whose research aligns with the Race, Inclusion and Social Equity (RAISE) initiative. The research areas of emphasis are:

  • Race and Health Equity
  • Race, Resources and the Environment 
  • Race, the Arts and Creative Expression
  • Race and Educational Equity — with an emphasis on STEAM education
  • Race, Justice and Public Safety 
  • Race, Economic Opportunity and Leadership

During the fellowship, fellows will receive research funding and participate in career development programs offered by OAA to support their transition to assistant professor and their long-term career success.  In addition, fellows will participate in the activities of their academic unit and have a designated faculty mentor. Units will be responsible for recruiting, hiring, and mentoring the fellow. As described below, OAA will provide up to seven years of salary support to the unit for each fellow hired.

The fellows will comprise a cohort of early-career scholars and are expected to (1) establish residence and participate in the academic life of the university, (2) focus time on research with limited teaching or co-teaching (teaching up to a maximum of one class per academic year as an option at the scholar’s discretion), (3) meet regularly with their faculty colleagues and mentor(s), and (4) participate in professional development programs.

College Application Process

The dean must submit the following items to OAA (facultyaffairs@osu.edu) with the subject “Fellow to Faculty Application” prior to posting the position: 

  • A letter of application describing the tenure-track faculty position and how the position will support the RAISE initiative; for the 2022–2023 academic year, positions to be posted or posted may be requested for the program
  • Position description
  • Hiring plan, including advertising plan and position announcement 
  • Mentoring plan for candidate
  • A description of the unit’s past and future activities to ensure an inclusive climate
  • Funding plan for support not provided by OAA

Appointments

A maximum of 10 Fellows will be funded for the 2022–2023 academic year. Fellows may start Autumn 2022 or Spring 2023.

If a proposal is approved, colleges must post the fellow position as well as a similar position at the tenure-track assistant professor rank. The fellow advertisement should be separate but related to the assistant professor advertisement; candidates may apply to either or both positions. The hiring unit will follow the usual process for assistant professor hiring, including review by the eligible faculty. If the candidate applied for the fellow position, the candidate will be hired into the Provost’s Tenure-Track Fellow to Faculty Program. Fellows will be appointed as instructor in the tenure track for up to two years. The tenure clock will begin when the candidate moves from the instructor position to assistant professor. Per Faculty Rule 3335-6-03, appointments on the tenure track are probationary until the sixth-year review with required annual reviews. The fellow is a faculty member and annual reviews by the tenure initiating unit must occur.

This program will assist new PhDs as they transition to the tenure track and achieve research excellence. Fellows will participate in the activities of their academic unit and have a designated faculty mentor. Fellows will receive research support and participate in programming offered by OAA designed to help support them in their transition to assistant professor and their success as a faculty member.

  1. The Chair and/or Dean apply to OAA for a position to be advertised as a potential fellow and assistant professor simultaneously. (Due to the timing of the launch of the program, for the 2022–2023 academic year, positions that have previously been posted for assistant professor and meet the criteria for the program may be requested to also post for the fellow position.) For future academic years, colleges must apply in advance.
  2. After OAA approval, both positions may be posted.
  3. The department/college proceeds with usual hiring process for an assistant professor, including usual procedures for the eligible faculty and/or search committee.
  4. Potential fellows are offered the opportunity to accept the Fellow position or an assistant professor position.
  5. The appointment is a tenure-track instructor.
  6. The fellow (as tenure-track instructor) primarily focuses on research for two years. This period allows an in-depth start on scholarship. If a fellow would benefit from some teaching, consider a very light introduction to teaching, such as one team-taught course or guest lectures. The fellow is to be assigned a mentoring team. All mentoring team members do not need to be from the hiring unit. Fellows are to participate in cohort activities.
  7. A fellow is filling a tenure-track position, so annual reviews must occur by the TIU head.
  8. At the end of one to two years, the fellow will transition to assistant professor and the tenure clock will begin.

No. The fellow is to be hired into the tenure-track instructor position which was advertised. Tenure-track instructor positions are, by faculty rule, faculty and must transition to an assistant professor by the end of three years. This program will only fund a maximum of two years.

No, you do not need to conduct a national search or a targeted hire. When the fellow is hired into the original tenure-track instructor appointment, the transition to assistant professor is approved as and a component of the appointment.

No, these positions must be approved by the college and will be within the usual process of each college’s decision-making for new positions. Only the funding for a fellow position is being considered in this program. Therefore, Deans must submit the application for positions to be offered as a fellow.

There is one position. The unit either hires for the fellow or the assistant professor position. OAA will only fund candidates entering the fellow’s position.

Beginning with the 2023–2024 academic year, the due date for all applications will be July 1. This date will allow colleges to plan their advertising and appointments.

No, they are not eligible for the Fellow’s program.