University of Maryland Announces $40 Million Investment in Faculty Diversity Initiatives

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland announced an investment of $40 million to create the Faculty Advancement at Maryland for Inclusive Learning and Excellence (FAMILE) program. Through FAMILE, the university will recruit and retain more than 100 tenured and tenure-track faculty from underrepresented backgrounds over the next 10 years. This investment represents a near-tripling of support for several existing recruitment and retention programs aimed at improving diversity among faculty.

“A diverse and equitable multicultural community will drive us to our goal of inclusive excellence in everything we do,” said University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines while announcing the initiative during his inaugural address. “We want our student body to be taught by the highest quality faculty who reflect our values and advance our journey of inclusive excellence."

Funded by the Office of the Provost with matching funds from colleges and schools, FAMILE will grow the funding for three existing initiatives: the President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, with an added emphasis on converting fellows to permanent positions; the Assistant Professor Targeted Hire Program; and the Senior Targeted Hire Program.

“We know that our students of color want to see faculty that look like them in the classroom,” said Interim Senior Vice President and Provost Ann Wylie. “They want to know that those positions are available to them.”

A primary focus of the program will be creating a welcoming climate for each recruited faculty member, so they are incorporated into a collegial academic community and exposed to connections that will advance their expertise, career and sense of agency.

Schools and colleges will be required to undergo readiness assessments to establish that they are prepared to successfully onboard diverse faculty; which includes ensuring that search committee members receive implicit bias training; and developing and submitting a faculty retention plan that addresses mentorship, professional development, grants, and scholarship opportunities.

For more information about FAMILE program, view the Official Investiture Ceremony for President Darryll Pines, and read his vision to Move Maryland Forward.