The Office of Faculty Development and Diversity (FD&D) serves as Harvard University’s central faculty affairs office. Working closely with colleagues across the University, it oversees and guides institutional policies and practices in all areas of faculty affairs, providing intellectual leadership and coordination across the Schools with the twin goals of increasing accountability and fostering measurable progress in important domains. In all its activities, the FD&D office places a special emphasis on junior faculty and on women and minorities at all academic ranks.

Central to the FD&D mission is the systematic collection, analysis, and dissemination of data on faculty appointments; and the development, implementation, and evaluation of University-wide programs designed to improve faculty life. Working closely with the President and Provost, the Senior Vice Provost for FD&D serves as a key adviser in the ad hoc tenure process, chairs the Provost’s Appointments Review Committee, and oversees the administration of funds designated to facilitate the appointment of outstanding scholars who increase the faculty’s diversity.

Working closely with the Schools and the President/Provost, FD&D oversees:

• Initial faculty appointments, from search authorization to accepted offer.

  Areas of focus include institutional policies, ongoing monitoring of search and appointments processes, review of prospective faculty appointments, and constructive feedback to the Schools to ensure both excellence and increasing diversity.

• The quality of faculty members’ experiences at the University.

  Areas of focus include cross-university convening, junior faculty mentoring and development, support for teaching, work/family balance, and institutional climate.

• Faculty review, retention, and promotion.

  Areas of focus include institutional policies, ongoing monitoring of processes, review of prospective promotions, and constructive feedback to the Schools to ensure both excellence and increased diversity.

• Support for pipeline programs.

  Because tomorrow’s faculty are today’s students, the FD&D office also supports a variety of pipeline programs—for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows—with the goal of increasing the pool of women and minorities who can become the faculty of the future.

Holyoke Center, Suite 800
1350 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 495-9904 (p) | (617) 495-7694 (f)
fdd@harvard.edu