Who is eligible for ECFI?
All full-time early career faculty who are in their first 3–4 years of appointment at NYU on the New York campus are eligible to apply.
Are both Contract/Continuing and tenure-track faculty eligible to apply?
Yes. As long as you are an early career faculty member in your first three (or four) years of appointment at NYU, you are eligible to apply.
Are faculty from other NYU global sites eligible to apply?
No. At this time, a majority of the ECFI modules are planned in person and can only include faculty at NYU New York. However, resources used during the ECFI can be provided to faculty at global sites upon request. For additional resources on professional development programming and resources, we encourage you to use the NYU institutional memberships available to faculty through Academic Impressions (AI) and the National Center for Faculty Diversity and Development (NCFDD).
What is the expected time commitment?
The core programming includes a required program orientation and monthly modules that span four semesters (approximately 8-10 modules over 18 months). Each module is about two hours long. In addition, optional events such as networking coffee chats, one-on-one mentoring sessions, office hours, and topic-specific talks are planned throughout the program. Please visit the ECFI sample curriculum and timeline page for more information.
I am unable to attend the ECFI in person. Can I attend the sessions virtually?
We strongly encourage faculty to attend in person so that they can make the most of the group work, interactions with senior faculty, and networking with peers. However, you are eligible to participate if you are on sabbatical/leave and want to continue to be a part of the program. On a case-by-case basis, we will accommodate faculty virtually in extenuating circumstances. Zoom recordings can be provided upon request, and faculty will have to complete assignments and pre-work, if any.
What is the difference between modules and events?
Modules are evidence-based seminar-style sessions that cover “core topics” directly related to the pillars of tenure and promotion (teaching, scholarship, professional service). They are planned sequentially over 18 months, and are typically organized as interactive sessions, including panel discussions with NYU’s senior leadership (Office of the Provost) and senior and recently tenured faculty. Events are one-time occurrences that are planned in collaboration with the Center for Faculty Advancement (CFA) partners and NYU faculty members, who may change from year to year depending on the needs of the faculty.
What topics do the modules cover?
Please visit the ECFI sample curriculum and timeline page for a list and description of all the modules.
Do I have to attend all of the modules?
While it is understandable that you may need to miss a module due to unforeseen circumstances, attendance and completion of 6 out of 8 modules is required for you to complete the ECFI and obtain a completion certificate from the Office of the Provost. Participants are expected to attend all modules and complete the reflective assignments and activities in order to receive a completion certificate. In extenuating circumstances, missed modules may be made up through Zoom recordings and completing assignments.
What happens after I complete all the modules?
In addition to receiving a completion certificate, participants who have successfully completed the ECFI program will be invited to apply to serve as Provostial Ambassadors (peer mentors) for future cohorts. All ECFI graduates will be honored at a graduation reception at the end of Year 2, when they will receive their certificates and briefly share their experience with the ECFI.
What is the difference between ECFI and school-level mentoring? If I am participating in my school’s mentorship program, why should I participate in the ECFI?
The ECFI is a university-wide, multilevel mentoring program, which means that we work in close partnership with your schools and school leaders to ensure that you get the most out of your mentoring experience. Your school helps you select your mentors, and the ECFI provides you with resources to enhance and maximize your mentoring relationships. Topics include best practices on being a mentee, email templates on how to reach out to your mentor, how to prepare your tenure and promotion dossier, and other relevant materials. We also provide insights from university leadership and present university-wide resources to facilitate your academic journey. School-level programs give you insight into departmental expectations in your school. For tenure-track faculty, tenure and promotion need to satisfy school and university expectations, which are simultaneously addressed by ECFI.
Does being in the ECFI ensure my tenure or promotion?
No. Participation in the ECFI is not a deciding factor in tenure or promotion decisions. The ECFI is a resource that early career faculty may opt in for participation to strengthen their scholarship, publication portfolio, and overall profile. Faculty are still responsible for satisfying all of the tenure and/or promotion criteria specific to their school.
I do not have a mentor. Will ECFI help me select one?
It is the responsibility of your school or department to match you up with suitable mentors. ECFI provides guidance on how to assemble a successful mentoring team. Once you have identified your mentors, ECFI provides you with support on how to work with your mentors as you prepare for tenure or promotion.
Are mentors involved with ECFI?
ECFI hosts mentoring forums approximately once per semester, where we provide resources, strategies, and facilitate open discussions to support mentors and strengthen the mentor-mentee journey..
Who can I contact if I have further questions?
Please do not hesitate to email Niyati Parekh, ECFI Lead, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Initiatives and Global Engagement at np3@nyu.edu; Autumn Rain, Manager for Faculty Initiatives at ar6950@nyu.edu; Lauren Lewallen, Graduate Program Assistant at lel8218@nyu.edu; or Center for Faculty Advancement at facultyadvance@nyu.edu.
Do I have access to additional resources to support my tenure and promotion journey?
A rich array of faculty advancement, mentoring, and writing support resources may be accessed through NYU’s institutional partnerships with Academic Impressions (AI) and the National Center for Faculty Diversity and Development (NCFDD).
We highly recommend resources from Academic Impressions and NCFDD that may be accessed at no cost to faculty using your NYU credentials to access the NYU institutional membership. Academic Impressions and NCFDD offer curated resources on a breadth of topics to support faculty development, including high-quality synchronous and asynchronous sessions on scholarship, publishing, grant writing, fostering student success, teaching, and maintaining a vibrant writing practice, among many other topics.
Please email facultyadvance@nyu.edu with questions regarding membership privileges for Academic Impressions and NCFDD.