final version of the self-study document - Keuka College's Middle ...

appointments will participate in an annual review process. In response to the concern that tenure
would be eroded over time, a maximum cap on the percentage of fixed-term lecturer
appointments was set at no more than 10% across the institution. The College will need to
continue exercising sound judgment and monitor carefully its overall faculty lines so as to
balance the need for flexibility with the goal of fairness and equity.
Successful academic programs depend on sound recruiting and hiring processes. Faculty
searches are conducted under the direction of the Vice President for Academic Affairs with the
divisional chair leading the process. Tenure-track faculty are hired through a national search,
ensuring that their credentials and expertise are appropriate for Keuka’s programs. Keuka
College approaches hiring faculty in a manner that is spelled out clearly in the Faculty Handbook
(pages D. 15-18), distinguishing between adjunct, probationary/tenure-track, and special
appointment faculty (see above for discussion of recently approved new kinds of appointments).
With the exception of adjunct and some special appointment faculty, the process involves several
layers of review including vetting and interviews by the program-specific faculty search
committees, the Professional Standards Committee, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
The academic divisions are mindful of the need to achieve and maintain diversity in its faculty,
both at the tenure-track and adjunct level. To add in these efforts, former President Joseph
Burke enlisted a faculty member to develop a handbook, Guidelines for Recruiting
Underrepresented Faculty at Keuka College (Appendix 6.4 Guidelines for Recruiting
Underrepresented Faculty at Keuka College) to be used by search committees. In response to
this work, the College has increased its job postings in diversity-related publications, posts
positions on list serves within the discipline and within specialized disciplinary groups, and on
the Keuka website, so as to achieve broader coverage. A number of recent workshops for faculty
and staff have also focused on this topic. The College continues to have limited success,
however, in increasing the number of diverse faculty. Factors that play a role are Keuka’s rural
location and relatively modest salaries. To underscore diversity as a key institutional value and to
cultivate a more inclusive climate for students, staff, and faculty, as well as the broader
community of which Keuka College is an integral part, we recommend that the College dedicate
increased effort and resources to recruit diverse faculty more successfully.
Faculty Orientation and Support
The search process is designed to find faculty who not only meet the academic/professional
requirements of the position, but also to find faculty who will fit with the community ethos of
Keuka College. The community ethos of Keuka College is underscored in the commitment to
student-centeredness and experiential learning. The formal introduction to Keuka’s community
ethos begins with Community Day, held a week prior to the beginning of the fall and spring
semesters. Over the course of the morning, faculty, staff, and administration share updates on
items of community interest and welcome personnel new to their divisions. Table Talk sessions
offer opportunities for the community to learn more about college initiatives, ranging from
diversity recruiting, assessment work, to strategic planning. Community Day closes with awards
to faculty and staff for years of service and meritorious accomplishments.
Administered by the Faculty Development Committee, New Faculty Orientation (NFO) for fulltime
faculty, both traditional and ASAP, officially begins following Community Day, with the
first day’s agenda devoted to an overview of key points of the Faculty Handbook (institutional
Page 6 of 39 Chapter 6: Faculty, Ed Offerings & GenEd