Dear Colleagues:

This is the second 2014-15 call for High Impact Hiring Plan (HIHP) proposals. We continue to refine the process for improved efficiency, so please note the revised procedure in bold following the program description below.

Program Description
Begun in 2013-14, the (HIHP) leverages our finite pool of resources to recruit new general campus faculty who are most likely to have a transformational impact on the quality, reputation, and impact of our academic mission. Last year, three HIHP proposals were chosen: fMRI Neuroimaging; Air Quality and Climate Change; and In Vivo In Vitro. These projects all embody the full intent of the HIHP. Two additional proposals were awarded as a result of the first call this academic year: Field Hydrology and Critical Theory.

We seek to recruit prominent and influential faculty leaders whose scholarly, scientific, and creative accomplishments and career trajectories promise to accelerate our ascendency among the ranks of globally preeminent research universities. Candidates may be eligible for appointment at the level of Chancellor’s or Distinguished Professor (pending review as usual), but we also encourage consideration of candidates with exceptional accomplishments and extraordinary promise at somewhat earlier stages of their careers.

These senior leadership appointments will be supported by additional FTE at lower levels, with the option of linking up to five of these more junior positions with each of the leadership hires. In most cases, in order to encourage broader impact, at least one or two of the less senior positions should be in disciplines other than that of the leadership hire. Clustering positions around each of these distinguished appointments should increase opportunities for successful high-level recruitment by demonstrating the campus’s commitment to outstanding research and global impact in the selected field.

Funding for positions allocated through this initiative require cost sharing between the central campus and the participating units. Recruitment may begin as early as fall 2015, but may remain open until filled, pending an approved hiring schedule. In addition to the HIHP, other hiring will proceed as usual, including the Career Partner Program, the Distinguished Professor Program, the President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, and turnover positions already allocated to the schools.

As is the case whenever we seek to recruit new faculty to our campus, our commitment to a culture of inclusive excellence requires us to consider a diverse cross-section of highly accomplished scholars and researchers. We recommend that as programs design their HIHP they work in consultation with their schools’ Equity Advisors, who will assist in addressing how the proposed positions might build on and advance the campus’s commitment to diversity and inclusion at all levels. In addition, the HIHP program has targeted the recruitment of at least one or two high impact scholars whose research focuses on diversity and inclusion. To reinforce the link between our research agenda and continuing development of our graduate programs, special consideration will be given to proposals that strengthen our participation in the Diverse Educational Community and Doctoral Experience Initiative (DECADE).

Process

We will not engage in a pre-proposal process in this round. Full proposals are due to the Office of Academic Planning by 5:00 p.m., April 20, 2015, and should be submitted electronically, as a complete package, to provost@uci.edu. In the interest of our ability to respond quickly, proposals received after the due date will be considered in the subsequent round of reviews, currently planned for fall 2015.
Please follow this outline when preparing your proposal:

1. Proposal Overview
   1. Proposal title or topic
   2. Proposer’s(s’) name(s), units, and UCI email address(es)
   3. Senior nominee’s(s’) name(s) and proposed primary UCI unit(s)
   4. If identified, affiliated candidates’ names and proposed primary UCI unit(s)
   5. One paragraph executive summary of the proposal
   6. Signatures from all relevant dean(s), chair(s), center or institute director(s), and your Equity Advisor regarding the nomination
2. Description of Impact: A 2-4 page thoughtful articulation of the ways in which the individual would advance the University’s standing, build on existing strengths, catalyze new inter-school or campus-wide initiatives, enhance our commitment to graduate education and outstanding undergraduate programs, and contribute to the diversification of our faculty community and scholarship; and a description of the major contributions that the individual has made to research and scholarship in his/her field. In other words, present a solid case for your proposal’s potential high impact for UC Irvine.
3. An account of how the proposed appointment will contribute toward the campus’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. (Please consult with your unit’s Equity Advisor.)
4. A description of extramural funding opportunities associated with the proposed plan.
5. Information about proposed affiliated candidates for the associated cluster positions, if any, including how their scholarly, scientific, and/or artistic accomplishments contribute to the campus-wide objectives and recruitment strategies of the High Impact Hiring Plan. (Identifying affiliated candidates for a cluster is optional.)
6. The CVs of the senior nominee(s) and any affiliated candidates, plus evidence of the senior candidate’s(s’) likely interest in the position; and
7. Optional: letters of support from Chairs and Center Directors, if applicable (but not Deans)

Proposals will be put through an extensive process of consultation with campus groups including the Academic Planning Group, academic deans and unit heads, the ADVANCE Program Advising Committee, Distinctions Committee for appropriate candidates, and more specialized ad hoc groups of faculty as needed for expert assessment. Each group will provide the Provost with a recommendation including 1) an assessment of whether the nominee meets the high standard of quality and impact that is required for appointment through this initiative, and 2) an assessment of the nominee’s potential, in conjunction with the proposed cluster, to advance the University’s standing in strategically significant ways. In light of this guidance, if he concludes that further consideration of the nomination is appropriate, we will initiate discussions with the pertinent dean(s) to develop a recruitment plan. All candidates will be subject to the normal review process for senior faculty appointments.

Any questions about this process or resubmitting previously-declined proposals should be directed to Judith Stepan-Norris, Vice Provost for Academic Planning, at jstepann@uci.edu.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in helping us identify and recruit this new group of outstanding faculty leaders.
Michael P. Clark