New offices support faculty recruitment, retention efforts
September 22, 2014
Dual career couples have valuable new resources in Purdue's newly created Office for Faculty Recruitment and Retention, part of the Office of the Vice President for Human Resources, and the Concierge Program in the College of Engineering.
These offices work with faculty partners to increase opportunities for success during the transition and search for local employment. They also work with community employers to create a network for the pipeline of talent brought to the area by dual-career partners.
"The Office of Faculty Recruitment and Retention will play a key role in Purdue's goal of attracting and retaining talented faculty," says Laurel Weldon, interim vice provost for faculty affairs and professor of political science. "It's a valuable resource for incoming faculty and partners, one that makes the University more competitive with its peer institutions."
In addition to dual-career and relocation support, the office's recruitment and retention consultants, Lauren Ratcliff and Laura Farkas, along with Michelle Jansen, director of the College of Engineering's Concierge Program, also provide concierge-style services related to campus, community and social information as well as information on international moves.
Klod Kokini, who oversees the College of Engineering Concierge Program, is a strong supporter of the effort.
"When we recruit faculty and they build successful careers at Purdue, they do it with people in their lives who are important to them. We want our faculty and their loved ones to be successful and happy," says Kokini, associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Engineering.
The Office for Faculty Recruitment and Retention is headed by Pam Nesbitt, director for academic units and employee communications.
More information on the office is available at www.purdue.edu/hr/OFRR, and the Concierge Program's website can be found at https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/Concierge.
For dual-career assistance in Liberal Arts, Libraries, Management, Pharmacy and Science, contact Farkas at 49-40113 or lfarkas@purdue.edu. Those in Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Sciences, Technology and Veterinary Medicine should contact Ratcliff at 49-40106 or lratclif@purdue.edu. In Engineering, contact Jansen at 49-46772 or mjansen@purdue.edu.
