4.1.b

Summarize opportunities and experiences for candidates to work with diverse faculty;
qualifications and expertise of faculty in supporting candidates in their development of expected
proficiencies; and the unit's affirmation of the value and efforts to increase or maintain faculty
diversity.

Of the four state universities in Connecticut, Eastern is the most diverse in terms of faculty ethnicity.
Out of approximately 200 full-time faculty, close to 28% are from a diverse background including
Hispanic/Latino, Black/African-American, Native American, Asian, or two or more races. This diversity
is even more apparent within the EPP with close to 35% of our faculty hailing from diverse
backgrounds. Given that many of the liberal arts core courses are taught by faculty outside of the EPP
and given that most of our candidates are expected to carry a second non-education major, the strong
diversity of the entire university faculty is important to consider. Within our EPP, several part-time
faculty support our candidates serving as university supervisors. This pool of retired teachers and
administrators further enhance our diversity.

All university tenured and tenure-track faculty are expected to hold a terminal degree in their field and
all of the EPP full-time faculty hold a doctoral degree in their cognate area. Eastern faculty are expected
to carry 12 credits teaching load per semester which leaves little time to pursue research and scholarly
activities. Nevertheless, as the table of faculty scholarships in exhibits demonstrates, our faculty
maintain rigorous research agendas, which concomitantly reflect diversity of thought. Faculty also
present at national conferences and publish their work at reputable journals on an annual basis. It is to be
noted that several faculty mentor undergraduate (and graduate) student researchers on an ongoing basis,
with many of these researchers successfully presenting at local or national conferences. Several have
also produced publications. See list of faculty scholarship.

Additionally, professional development for faculty and staff is interwoven within the fabric of our
university's various offices and their operations. Thus, the Center of Instructional Technology
periodically offers workshops and individual training sessions on technology tools for all faculty and
staff. The Office of Professional Development offers informal and formal resources and workshops on
diverse topics to enhance and support faculty productivity. Topics include faculty collaborations,
conflict resolutions and grant writing. These resources align with our university's mission to maintain
and support faculty scholarship to (in turn) engage and enhance student learning.

Eastern's EPP is deeply committed to recruiting, hiring and mentoring diverse faculty. We are required
by our university policies to follow a strictly laid-out search plan that adheres to the affirmative action
policy and guidelines and ensures that our search draws in a diverse pool of eligible candidates. The
search procedures ensure that the search is effective in finding the most eligible candidate for the
position in terms of qualifications and experiences. The search processes are further supported by the
AAUP Minority Recruitment and Retention program. This program also mentors faculty of color with
financial and other support. Besides these procedures and support system, the Diversity and Social
Justice Council oversees the progress of our university towards continued inclusive excellence through
the promotion of initiatives related to the campus climate, academic and institutional programming.

Return to Standard 4 Main Page

Return to Institutional Report Main Page