Recruiting and retaining well-qualified faculty with diverse perspectives and experiences is essential to the fulfillment of UNO’s mission and the realization of our vision as a premier metropolitan university.
Faculty diversity broadens the perspectives involved in conversations and decision-making around strategic planning, the curriculum and degree programs, and engagement with stakeholders.
Additionally, when students are exposed to diverse perspectives and experiences in their classrooms and through independent work with faculty, they are better educated and better prepared for leadership, citizenship, and professional competitiveness in a multicultural society.
Special Faculty Development Program
This program supports the recruitment and hiring of individuals who contribute to the diversity of UNO faculty and educational experiences.
Faculty diversity is broadly defined and stems from myriad sources. Diversity in perspective and experience may derive from:
- a racial or ethnic background
- the nation of origin
- gender identity and expression
- sexual orientation
- cognitive ability
- faculty expertise
- academic or professional preparation
- regional upbringing
- socioeconomic status
- academic discipline
Nearly 30 UNO faculty have completed the program and another 11 are currently in the program. The program is being expanded in 2020-21 to further support the development of a diverse faculty body at UNO.
Faculty Search and Recruitment Guidelines and Toolkit
UNO’s Faculty Search and Recruitment Guidelines and Toolkit includes best practices as well as procedural guidelines for conducting faculty searches.
Other Helpful Resources
Below are links to a variety of resources that may be helpful in conducting faculty searches. They consist of tips and templates pulled together from other institutions as well as examples of best practices already in place at UNO.
- Search Criteria Matrix
- Position Announcement Tips and Templates
- Applicant Evaluation Templates
- Structured Short List Interview Questions and Tips for Video Interviews
- Candidate Evaluation Form Templates
- UNO and Omaha Guide
Learn more about how the Office of Academic Affairs is engaged in fostering an inclusive and equitable campus environment.