Faculty granted $750K
Rebecca Orbach & Mara Wood
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: News
Skidmore has received a $750,000 grant from the Andrew Mellon Foundation to extend the tenure of anticipated retiring faculty and hire new faculty for the next three years.
The Mellon Foundation has granted funds to various liberal arts colleges, such as Union College, Hamilton College, Colgate University, Hobart and William Smith Colleges and St. Lawrence University.
Skidmore has received grants from the organization in the past to help increase its collaboration with other academic institutions, enhance sabbatical support for professors and assist professor exchanges between schools.
The grant has arrived during a deep national recession that has affected the college and made hiring new faculty financially unfeasible for colleges across the country.
In addition, a significant portion of the college's 135 tenured professors is nearing retirement. The grant provides funding to extend their presence at the college.
Over half of tenured professors will be eligible for retirement within this decade.
"This grant will allow us to invest in the future of Skidmore's faculty and ensure stability and smooth transitions over a period where there may be clusters of retirements," said Susan Kress, VP of Academic Affairs.
To ensure a smooth transition, nine faculty members are in phased retirement in which professors teach part-time for one to five years.
Three new faculty members will be hired in different departments, including the Economics Department. The college will announce the other two departments in which the college plans to hire new staff within the next couple of months.
The hiring process is already underway for the Economics Department, which is expecting campus visits within the next couple of months.
The department received many applicants for the position and is upgrading a non-tenure track position to a tenure-track position.
The Economics Department is looking forward to strengthening its faculty. "It is an exciting opportunity," said Mehmut Odekon, chair of the Economics Department.
The Mellon Foundation has granted funds to various liberal arts colleges, such as Union College, Hamilton College, Colgate University, Hobart and William Smith Colleges and St. Lawrence University.
Skidmore has received grants from the organization in the past to help increase its collaboration with other academic institutions, enhance sabbatical support for professors and assist professor exchanges between schools.
The grant has arrived during a deep national recession that has affected the college and made hiring new faculty financially unfeasible for colleges across the country.
In addition, a significant portion of the college's 135 tenured professors is nearing retirement. The grant provides funding to extend their presence at the college.
Over half of tenured professors will be eligible for retirement within this decade.
"This grant will allow us to invest in the future of Skidmore's faculty and ensure stability and smooth transitions over a period where there may be clusters of retirements," said Susan Kress, VP of Academic Affairs.
To ensure a smooth transition, nine faculty members are in phased retirement in which professors teach part-time for one to five years.
Three new faculty members will be hired in different departments, including the Economics Department. The college will announce the other two departments in which the college plans to hire new staff within the next couple of months.
The hiring process is already underway for the Economics Department, which is expecting campus visits within the next couple of months.
The department received many applicants for the position and is upgrading a non-tenure track position to a tenure-track position.
The Economics Department is looking forward to strengthening its faculty. "It is an exciting opportunity," said Mehmut Odekon, chair of the Economics Department.
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