[Plsfaculty] Update on SPFI hiring Process and Interviews

[Baltrus, David A - (baltrus)]

Hi all,

The Strategic Priorities Funding Initiative (SPFI)<https://facultyaffairs.arizona.edu/strategic-priorities-faculty-initiative> was established with the goal of enhancing Inclusive Excellence at the University of Arizona as outlined in the Universities purpose and values document and as such provides a unique opportunity to directly hire faculty outside of the traditional search process. Our candidate submissions for this program are due at the end of March to the Provost, hence the time frame described below.

We were able to advertise by word of mouth (and without an actual position description!) from late 2020 through January, and received information from approximately 70 applicants. For the first round we asked candidates to submit a C.V. and DEI statement, followed in the second round with a combined teaching and research statement for the second round. A huge thank you to everyone that helped to advertise throughout networks, it really made a huge difference!

Over the last few weeks we have narrowed down the candidate pool to four excellent candidates, and we've scheduled interviews to take place over the next two+ weeks. The candidate interview schedule is as follows:

Dr. Atiako Acheampong: March 4th and 5th
Dr. Andre Velasquez: March 9th and 10th
Dr. Cecilia Rodriguez-Furlan: March 11th and 12th
Dr. Daniela Vergara: March 15th and 16th

The interviews will consist of a virtual seminar (I think at 10am Arizona time) on the first day of the interview. This will be recorded and will be available to PLS faculty who cannot attend live. I've also planned on having two separate spots for faculty to meet with each candidate as a group. Given how tiring Zoom is for us all and certainly for the candidates, I'd like to try and avoid scheduling many smaller independent meetings. However, happy to try and accommodate other times if need be, just email me directly. For each faculty group time, I'd like to cap the number of participants to 5 as I think this helps to provide the best virtual environment experience. To sign up, please fill out slots on the Google schedule I'll send out for each candidate. Please also email me directly if you would like to have access to the files that the four candidates submitted.

Pending the results of the interviews, the committee would like to suggest two candidates for the SPFI initiative, with a couple of caveats. We have recently learned that SPFI positions must be cleared through CALS before we pass them up to the Provost. The committee is currently working on ways to clear the new positions through CALS in the next month, but the timing is tight. There is a chance that positive outcomes for hiring through the SPFI process could affect the status of the Digital Ag and/or Host-Microbe positions that have already been approved through CALS but which have not been cleared through the Provost (and which may not be approved until next Fall). I think it is highly possible that we can receive two SPFI hiring spots if they reach the Provost's office, but I also want to emphasize that nothing is promised and the Provost could deny one or both positions.

As we envision bringing in these faculty as Tenure track faculty, it is also likely that negotiation of startup packages could affect future hires. With these potential limitations in mind, I think it's critical that we as a School are on board with whatever plan is chosen going forward and so I'd like to schedule a faculty meeting for March 18th (at 12:30PM) to discuss the issue.

Thank you and please be on the lookout for scheduling emails for the four candidates.

Dave Baltrus (on behalf of the SPFI committee; Ramin Yadegari, Karen Schumaker, Rebecca Mosher, Mark Beilstein).

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