Faculty Development

The Center for Faculty Diversity and Inclusion offers a variety of professional development opportunities to support faculty success and satisfaction at UC San Diego. These include:

On-campus seminars and webinars
Institutional membership with NCFDD
Sponsored participation in the NCFDD Faculty Success Program
Faculty Affinity Networks
Summer Writing Retreats and Boosters
Funding opportunities

Click here to join our mailing list and keep up to date on events and opportunities. Read on to learn more about our programs and upcoming events.

The New Faculty Academy

The New Faculty Academy (NFA) is a cohort-based professional development program for new and early career faculty at UC San Diego. The year-long program consists of 8 sessions (at least 5 of which will be held online), including an orientation and closing ceremony to be held in person. NFA is designed to help new faculty understand general expectations and learn strategies for faculty success and advancement, while building a community of colleagues across campus.

Schedule

Session 1: Orientation and Community Building Date: Friday, October 11, 2024, 12 - 1:30 p.m. (In Person) Location: Ida and Cecil Green Faculty Club, Atkinson Pavilion

Session 2: Developing a Network of Mentors, Sponsors, Collaborators and Mentees Date: Friday, October 25, 2024, 12 - 1:30 p.m. (Virtual) Facilitators: Julie Burelle, Associate Professor and Head of Performance Studies, Theatre & Dance; Vic Ferreira, Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and Professor of Psychology; and Stanley Lo, Associate Teaching Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology Description: In this workshop, we will cover the different types of relationships important to your academic career, and strategies for cultivating a broad network of mentors, sponsors, collaborators, and mentees. Participants will have an opportunity to reflect on their current needs for mentorship, support, and connections, and identify ways to expand their existing network to meet those needs.

Session 3: Establishing a Consistent Writing Practice Date: Friday, November 15, 2024, 12 - 2 p.m. (Virtual) Facilitator: Chrissy Sharp, Director of Writing and Communication Learning Services at the Teaching + Learning Commons Description: In this workshop, we will discuss the importance of establishing a consistent writing practice to increase your writing productivity and decrease feelings of stress, anxiety, and guilt. We will share some of the common challenges among new faculty with regard to writing, as well as new tools and ways of thinking about writing to help you develop a healthy, consistent routine that will allow you to meet your department’s expectations for tenure and promotion.

Session 4: Research Development and Funding Opportunities Date: Friday, January 24, 2025, 12 - 1:30 p.m. (Virtual) Facilitators: Leila Adler, Director, Foundation and Research Relations; Kendra Mingo, Proposal Manager, Research Development; Linda George, Senate Analyst Description: This workshop will focus on UC San Diego resources to help you secure grants and funding for your scholarship, teaching, and service, including both internal and external sources of funding.

Session 5A: Launching a Successful Reseach Practice (for non-STEM Faculty) Date: Friday, February 21, 2025, 12 - 1:30 p.m. (Virtual) Facilitators: TBD Description: Building and maintaining an active research agenda as well as a cohesive and productive research team or group are often components of a successful research practice. In this session, we will share strategies for launching a successful research practice, including how to prioritize projects and publications, how to secure resources, how to effectively manage multiple projects and people, and how to delegate work tasks.

Session 5B: Launching a Successful Reseach Lab (for STEM Faculty) Date: Friday, March 14, 2025, 12 - 1:30 p.m. (Virtual) Facilitators: TBD Description: Most new faculty start with limited knowledge and training about the responsibilities of managing a research lab. In this session, we will share the responsibilities of being the leader of a research lab, and the skills and competencies needed to effectively manage multiple projects and people. Topics will include managing your start-up funds, purchasing equipment, selecting competent and motivated lab team members, building a cohesive, productive and inclusive team, and delegating responsibilities.

Session 6: Getting Started with Effective and Equity-Minded Teaching Date: Friday, April 11, 2025, 12 - 2 p.m. (In Person) Location TBD Facilitators: Kumiko Haas, Director of Engaged Teaching, and Carolyn Sandoval, Senior Director of Instruction and Pedagogy, at the Teaching + Learning Commons Description: In this workshop we will focus on the essentials of effective and equitable teaching in the college classroom. Specific topics will include identifying learning goals, aligning assessments and teaching practices, and ensuring that all students are supported and empowered to succeed in your classroom. We will share concrete, manageable strategies to support your success and well-being as you begin teaching at UC San Diego.

Session 7: Strategies for Tenure and Promotion Date: Friday, May 9, 2025, 12 - 2 p.m. (Virtual) Facilitator: Vic Ferreira, Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and Professor, Department of Psychology Description: Tenure and promotion at the University of California is a complex and policy-bound process with multiple reviews, checks and balances. Knowing the critical details that will set you up for a successful tenure can be daunting for new faculty. In this workshop, we try to demystify the process and share tips on how early career faculty can best prepare and avoid common pitfalls. The workshop will cover common challenges and allow plenty of time for discussion.

Session 8: Closing Ceremony Date: Friday, May 30, 2025, 12 - 1:30 p.m. (In Person) Location: Ida and Cecil Green Faculty Club, Atkinson Pavilion

Faculty Workshops and Events

Past Events

How to Prepare a Teaching Portfolio for Your File
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
12 - 2 p.m.

Faciliated by: Teaching and Learning Commons
Carolyn Sandoval, Sr. Director, Instruction and Pedagogy
Kumiko Haas, Director, Engaged Teaching
Josephine Relaford-Doyle, Assistant Director, Engaged Teaching
Paul Hadjipieris, Education Specialist, Teaching and Learning Commons

UC San Diego has recently moved toward a more fair and transparent system of evaluating teaching that supports both student success and faculty development. This workshop will cover essential information about the holistic evaluation of teaching, what to expect, and how to best prepare a teaching and mentoring statement and portfolio.

View the recording | Download the Slides

Life After Tenure at UC San Diego
Monday, October 14, 2024
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

So you got tenure. Now what? This workshop, facilitated by Associate Vice Chancellor and Professor Victor Ferreira, is designed for mid-career faculty building and thinking about their career trajectory. This workshop will review shifts in roles, responsibilities and expectations of tenured faculty; leveraging professional development and leadership opportunities; as well as UCSD policies on promotion and advancement, and available resources for retentions, accelerations and career equity reviews.

View the recording | Download the Slides

Demystifying Tenure & Promotion: Strategies for a Meritorious File
Friday, May 12, 2023
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Please join AVC Victor Ferreira for a special hybrid workshop to review the tenure and promotion process, and get tips on how to best prepare and avoid common pitfalls, particularly for early career and underrepresented faculty. The workshop will cover common challenges and allow plenty of time for discussion. Come prepared with questions and let's dispel myths together.

View the recording | Download the Slides

5 Lessons Learned on Advancing Racial Equity in Faculty Evaluation
Friday, February 24, 2023
10 - 11:30am

Dr. Damani White-Lewis will present five lessons learned through his research and extant scholarship on embedding racial equity and decision-making principles across different evaluative junctures throughout faculty careers. He will describe how these lessons translate into practice for faculty, department chairs, deans, and articulate the threat of neglecting these principles in critical evaluation areas.

View the recording

Misconceiving Merit in Academia
Friday, January 13, 2023
12 - 2 p.m.

Join us for a talk by Professor Mary Blair-Loy about her latest book, Misconceiving Merit: Paradoxes of Excellence and Devotion in Academic Science and Engineering, about the cultural ideas of merit in academic science that produce unfair and unequal outcomes, followed by a panel discussion.

View the recording

Demystifying Tenure & Promotion: Strategies for a Meritorious File
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

AVC Victor Ferreira shares tips on how to best prepare for the tenure and promotion process at UC San Diego, including how to avoid common pitfalls and write a compelling self-review.

Download the Slides

Presumed Incompetent II: Empowering Women of Color to Succeed in the Academic Workplace
Friday, February 4, 2022
9 - 10:30 a.m.

Presented by: Professor Carmen G. Gonzalez

Drawing upon the insights of Presumed Incompetent II: Race, Class, Power, and Resistance of Women in Academia (Utah State University Press, 2020), this webinar will discuss the subtle and overt patterns of workplace subordination encountered by female faculty of color in order to identify concrete strategies that may be adopted by faculty and administrators to overcome entrenched institutional inequities. All members of campus, including faculty, researchers, administrators, staff, and students are welcome to join.

Framing the Impact of Covid-19 on Your Promotion File
Friday, November 5, 2021
9 - 10 a.m.

Join AVC Frances Contreras and AVC Cindy Palmer for a conversation about how to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on your scholarly productivity and achievement.

View the recording | Download the Slides

Research Development at UCSD: Allies for Your Quest for Research Funding
Friday, June 4, 2021
1 - 2:30 p.m.

Join FDI for a conversation with the Research Development team at UC San Diego, a central research-development unit in the Office of Research Affairs. Learn about how RD helps faculty craft more persuasive, competitive proposals and available resources.

Please note accessing these resources requires an SSO login with ucsd.edu credentials. View resources on Creating Compelling Proposal Graphics | View Institutional Support and Commitment resources

Modeling Emotional Boundaries for Students: Strategies for Healthy Academics
Friday, April 23, 2021
1 - 2 p.m.

During the pandemic, there’s been an increase in students disclosing difficult information and wanting emotional support. Many faculty – and in particular women and faculty of color – have had to shoulder this emotional burden. Join FDI and Crystal Green, PhD, LMFT, for a discussion about how to respond to students with empathy, confidence, and care; strategies for healthy boundaries and self-care; and available resources.

Download the handout | View the recording

Post-Tenure Pathfinders
Friday, April 16, 2021
9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Facilitated by: Anthony Ocampo, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Sociology California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Learn why and how to chart your own path after winning tenure.

Racial Inequities in NIH Grant Funding
Friday, March 19, 2021
10:30 - 11:45 a.m.

Analysis of NIH grant success rates published in 2011 showed that grant applications submitted to the National Institutes of Health by African-American or Black Principal Investigators (PIs) were less likely to be funded than applications submitted by white PIs. A follow-up study in 2019 showed a similar pattern. Dr. Michael Taffe reviewed the findings and implications for biomedical research disciplines.

View the recording

Tenure & Time Management: Manage Your Time so You Can Publish and Have a Life Beyond Campus
Monday, March 22, 2021
9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Facilitated by: Anthony Ocampo, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Sociology California State Polytechnic University-Pomona.

This NCFDD workshop is specifically designed to provide participants with concrete skills to succeed as a junior professor.

Demystifying Tenure & Promotion: Strategies for a Meritorious File
Friday, February 26, 2021
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

AVC Frances Contreras shares tips on how to best prepare for the tenure and promotion process at UC San Diego, including how to avoid common pitfalls and write a compelling self-review.

Download the Slides | View the recording

Truth Without Tears: African American Women Deans Share Lessons in Leadership
Thursday, November 5, 2020
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Moderated by: Vice Chancellor Dr. Becky R. Petitt

Truth Without Tears is an insightful portrait of black women leaders in American colleges and universities. Both former deans, the authors draw extensively on their personal experiences to account for the challenges and opportunities facing women of color in educational leadership positions.

The ART of Inclusive Communication 2.0
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Training provided by: The National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC)

The ART of Inclusive Communication 2.0 is an interactive, dialogue focused workshop, where we take a deeper dive into how we can all be actively working to make our communication, our lives, and our organizations more inclusive and antiracist.

Demystifying Tenure & Promotion: Strategies for a Meritorious File
Monday, May 18, 2020
10:00 - 11 a.m.

Facilitated by: Frances Contreras, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor, Faculty Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Professor, Education Studies

Download the Slides

The Artful Conversation
Thursday, May 14, 2020
11:00 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Facilitated by: The National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC) in partnership with the Center for Faculty Diversity and Inclusion

The Artful Conversation helps participants learn how to communicate their needs with people in a way that helps build the relationship, rather than hurts it. This will be an interactive online webinar and faculty will gain a deeper understanding of how others perceive and process conflict and how to adapt their style to work more effectively with those around them.

Supporting Students Through this Transition
Thursday, April 30, 2020
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Facilitated by: Frances Contreras, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor, Faculty Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Professor, Education Studies

Download the Slides | Download the Handout

Being a Scholar and a Parent in a Remote Work Environment
Thursday, April 9, 2020
Noon - 1:00 p.m.

Facilitated by: Frances Contreras, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor, Faculty Recruitment and Retention
Professor, Education Studies

Download the Slides | Download the Handout

NCFDD Membership

UC San Diego is an institutional member of NCFDD. NCFDD provides online access to mentoring, tools, and support needed to be successful in the Academy. It focuses on helping academics achieve extraordinary writing and research productivity while maintaining a full and healthy life off campus.

For more information or to activate your account click here. Select UC San Diego as your institution to register for free.

If you are a Department Chair and want to learn how to maximize the benefits of NCFDD membership to build a stronger and more productive department, check out these tips.

NCFDD Faculty Success Program

The acclaimed Faculty Success Program (FSP) is an intensive 12-week virtual boot camp offered by NCFDD. It combines empirically-tested methods, coaching, peer support, and online tools to help academics thrive in their careers and achieve work-life balance.

The boot camp is intended for faculty who want to:

Set achievable professional and personal goals and create a realistic plan to meet them
Establish a consistent and sustainable daily writing habit
Develop a publication profile that exceeds their institution's promotion criteria
Better manage their time spent on teaching, service, research, and writing
Prioritize their physical and emotional health

➤ How the Program Works

Participants will be assigned to a small group led by an NCFDD-Certified Coach. Every week, participants will complete self-directed modules and coach-guided homework, and meet with their small-group to discuss their goals and progress. Participants will log on to the FSP platform, WriteNow, to check in and track their daily progress on writing, research, and personal goals. By the end of the program, participants will have developed the skills and habits they need to move forward with increased research and writing productivity and a better work-life balance.

➤ FSP Schedule

FSP participants should anticipate spending 1.5 - 2 hours each week watching the weekly training videos and completing the homework assignments.

Additionally, FSP participants will meet with their small group and coach for a 75-minute call every week at a recurring time. Participants are asked to select one of the following times.

Tuesdays - 9am-10:15am PT OR 12pm-1:15pm PT
Wednesdays - 9am-10:15am PT OR 12pm-1:15pm PT

Take a look at a sample schedule of a typical FSP participant.

➤ C-FDI Sponsorship

While most NCFDD tools and webinars are free for members, the Faculty Success Program has a registration fee of $4,650. This C-FDI award covers the fee for eligible faculty to encourage and facilitate participation. However, there are a limited number of sponsorships based on the availability of funds.

Anyone willing to pay their own registration fee can enroll in the Faculty Success Program on their own or through our office. For those interested in enrolling separately, C-FDI can assist to ensure that you receive the institutional priority registration discount.

➤ Eligibility

All Academic Senate faculty and non-Senate faculty at UC San Diego with expectations for teaching, service, and research (with a heavy emphasis on publication) are eligible to apply. Non-senate faculty must have a long-term contract or permanent position. Priority will be given to applicants who actively contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

➤ Award Requirements

Participants are expected to complete the 12-week program and participate in weekly calls and exercises.

Within two quarters following the program, participants are also expected to implement an activity that shares program insights with other scholars and/or graduate students. Examples include:

Hosting a webinar or brownbag for your department
Giving a workshop on relevant planning and time-management techniques
Organizing a weekly or monthly writing group for faculty

➤ Apply to the Spring 2025 Program by October 9, 2024

Program Dates: January 27 - April 6, 2025
Deadline to Apply: October 9, 2024

Applications are collected through UC San Diego's InfoReady system, you will need to log in via SSO to apply.

Note: If you are not already an NCFDD member, please make sure to activate your account by going to www.facultydiversity.org/join and selecting UC San Diego as your institution (for FREE access). Being a member is required to be enrolled in the boot camp and doing it ahead of time will facilitate registration.

For inquiries, please email vcedi-faculty@ucsd.edu.

Faculty Writing Retreats

Summer 2024 Faculty Writing Retreat

WRITE WITHOUT DISTRACTION + GET SUPPORT + BUILD COMMUNITY

Tuesday, July 30 - Thursday, August 1, 2024
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily

Professional success in academia depends largely on one’s writing and research productivity. Yet faculty who prioritize teaching, mentorship, and service can struggle to find the time to write and stay on course with publication goals. Writing retreats can offer support and increase writing productivity, as well as connection and well-being.

At the C-FDI Faculty Writing Retreat in the summer, faculty will have the opportunity to join a supportive writing space in a beautiful setting and make progress on scholarly writing projects. Participants will have plenty of time to write without distraction while building a diverse community of UC San Diego scholars. The retreat will be facilitated by Chrissy Sharp, Director of Writing and Communication Learning Services at the Commons, in collaboration with the Center for Faculty Diversity and Inclusion, and incorporates many of the strategies for writing success taught by the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity’s Faculty Success Program.

For inquiries, please email the Center for Faculty Diversity and Inclusion at vcedi-faculty@ucsd.edu.

➤ Program Details

Location: Mission Beach Women's Club, 840 Santa Clara Pl, San Diego, 92109

Cost: Free

What's Included: Facilitation, writing consults, meals, and support for dependent care

Eligibility: All Senate and Non-Senate Faculty, Project Scientists, Project Researchers, and Academic Coordinators are eligible to apply.

Application Timeline: Deadline: June 5, 2024

Notification of Admission: June 18, 2024

➤ Daily Schedules

Participants can expect

Breakfast, lunch, and coffee/tea throughout the day
Daily reflections and writing intention setting
Focused writing sessions with optional pomodoro
Structured and unstructured breaks
Optional writing consults to discuss a writing project or process issue

Faculty are expected to be fully present for the scheduled period. Exceptions can be made for dependent care responsibilities. However, please do not schedule other meetings or appointments during the retreat.

➤ Application Process

Please complete an application by June 5, 2024.

Applications are collected through UC San Diego's InfoReady system; you will need to log in via SSO to apply.

➤ Support for Dependent Care

In support of broader and equitable participation in the writing retreat, we are offering financial assistance to those with dependent care responsibilities who would need to pay for caregiving services in order to participate. The maximum support is $300.

For the purposes of the Writing Retreat, eligible dependents for dependent care support are:

A healthy child (≤ 12 years) who resides with the applicant and for whom the applicant is a primary caregiver;
A child/adolescent (≤18 years) who is physically or mentally disabled, requires assistance with daily activities, resides with the applicant, and for whom the applicant is a primary caregiver;
A disabled adult/elder (e.g. spouse, parent, parent-in-law or grandparent) who spends at least eight hours every day in the applicant's home and for whom the applicant has responsibility.

Please note that pets are not eligible for dependent care support. Caregiving services provided by a spouse, partner or immediate family member are not eligible for financial assistance.

Faculty Affinity Groups

FDI Faculty Networks

Looking for community, networking opportunities, or mentoring? Join one of these two affinity networks for historically underrepresented faculty:

Faculty of Color Network
Women’s Faculty Network

The Networks meet quarterly and for special events, including the annual Faculty of Color Reception in the fall and the Women’s Faculty Reception in the winter.

Women in Health Sciences

The Women in Health Sciences (WIHS) Committee at UC San Diego is an organization dedicated to creating a fair and equitable environment for women as well as promoting networking and career development.

Women in Health Sciences

Membership is open to all, including non-faculty and all gender identities.

Funding Opportunities

Do you have an amazing idea that will help transform educational access? Are you organizing a cultural celebration on campus? EDI provides grants (up to $15,000) and co-sponsorships to faculty and staff who propose innovative programs and events that advance the goals of the EDI Office.

For additional information and to apply, click here.