The Opportunity

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU or Carnegie Mellon) seeks an innovative and experienced leader to serve as its first vice provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion and the university’s chief diversity officer (VP-DEI). This individual will have an extraordinary opportunity to shape and lead diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within one of the most creative and entrepreneurial institutions in higher education.

CMU is a private, global, research-intensive university ranked #25 in 2019 by U.S. News & World Report among national universities, and many of its programs are among the top ranked in the world. In addition to its main campus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, CMU has campuses in California’s Silicon Valley, and Qatar, and programs in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, New York City, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and Mexico. Its program areas ranging from science, technology and business, to public policy, the humanities, and the arts are supported by approximately 6,300 faculty and staff. Nearly 14,800 students in the university’s seven schools and colleges benefit from a small student-to-faculty ratio and an education characterized by its focus on creating and implementing solutions for real problems, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovation.

Context

Carnegie Mellon University has long embraced diversity as a core value that is central to and indivisible from the pursuit of intellectual and artistic excellence. For more than two decades, it has made increasing diversity in every constituency and building a supportive and nurturing community strategic priorities. At the same time, this initiative to create the office of the VP-DEI recognizes that we require expertise and resources to achieve our aspirations.

CMU has taken steps to assess and improve our environment. In 2018, President Farnam Jahanian convened the Task Force on Campus Climate and charged it with making specific recommendations to support a more diverse, inclusive, fair, and respectful climate. To achieve this, the task force conducted nearly 75 listening tours, meetings, and town halls involving more than 400 members of the community. In addition, in April 2019, Provost Jim Garrett charged all of the academic units to develop a 5-year strategic plan for DEI with implementation to begin in AY 20-21.

The campus climate task force report, released in November 2019, identified specific concerns from the community and outlined five high-level recommendations and numerous action items to improve the university’s campus climate. The report acknowledged that CMU had not been working strategically on issues of DEI, supported the DEI strategic planning efforts of the academic units, and encouraged a similar effort for the administrative units. It also made a recommendation, among others, to offer more training and education to increase community members’ cultural sensitivity.

In response to the climate task force report, President Jahanian instituted an implementation steering committee to turn the task force’s insights into urgent and meaningful commitments. As the first initiative, the president charged each administrative unit to also develop a 5-year strategic plan for DEI with implementation to follow the same schedule as the academic units.  The second initiative is the establishment of the office of the VP-DEI that includes the specification of the mission, responsibilities, resources, span of control, span of support, expected competencies, assessment of, and onboarding plan for the new office.

The creation of the role of VP-DEI reflects CMU’s strong commitment to transform the institution to become a leader in:

  • diversifying its community of faculty, staff, and students by attracting and retaining the very best talent;
  • creating an equitable environment that allows equal opportunity for success and for all to thrive;
  • building an inclusive and antiracist culture that fosters respect for one another, creates belonging, and allows everyone to participate fully in the life of the institution; and
  • coordinating DEI efforts across administrative and academic units, creating synergies between them, and accelerating progress towards the university’s highest aspirations for inclusive excellence.

CMU has spent many years studying its challenges in the area of DEI and is now preparing to take strategic action. This inaugural role represents a direct commitment to action and resources to make change happen.

The Position

Role of the Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer

While Carnegie Mellon University currently has DEI resources and structures for students, faculty, and staff, there is no senior-level role with the responsibility for driving the change necessary to realize CMU’s aspirations. The VP-DEI will report to the provost and serve as a member of his senior leadership team, and will work collaboratively with the entire CMU leadership, including the president, vice presidents, deans, and other vice provosts to shape the university’s DEI strategies. The VP-DEI will have the opportunity to shape the work, initiatives, and goals necessary to build greater diversity among CMU’s students, faculty, and staff, and to create an antiracist, equitable, and inclusive community.

The initial work will involve taking the time to understand CMU, the work currently being done, and the many opportunities and challenges facing the institution. The role will then shift to working across the university to determine areas of focus, articulate specific goals, and marshal the resources needed to achieve these goals.

Comprising seven schools and colleges and multiple administrative divisions, Carnegie Mellon is a decentralized university with multiple campus collectives. Each unit holds disparate knowledge and perspectives on what constitutes DEI at CMU and how it can be cultivated. At the same time, many areas of the university are leading the way when it comes to DEI, and it is important that these activities are recognized and leveraged.

There is consensus among members of the CMU community that the inaugural VP-DEI must lead from the middle, acting as a central anchoring point, unifying stakeholders across campus around a core DEI mission. The position is multidimensional with a focus on leading strategic change, building capacity for training and providing expertise, coordinating and convening community members, serving as an advocate and ambassador, establishing metrics and systems of accountability, and communicating regularly about DEI to internal and external stakeholders. This work requires a talented leader who can straddle schools, colleges, and worlds—a person with high emotional intelligence and humility, excellent interpersonal and people-management skills, political savvy, and an innovative spirit.

To affect change at the pace and scale required, the university will make a number of investments in human capital. A base level of office support will be provided, including an administrative staff member as well as support for data analysis and communications. In future stages, the incumbent will work with the provost to ensure funding for additional office staff such as a deputy, training specialist, and faculty and graduate fellows.  In addition, the VP-DEI office will build staffing and capacity to intake, manage, and resolve grievances related to discrimination and bias. The VP-DEI will work closely with the provost to allocate significant resources to help achieve the DEI mission, including a multi-million-dollar Faculty Strategic Opportunity Fund, a fund to hire Presidential Post-Doctoral Fellows, and a fund for seed research activities and conferences. The VP-DEI will also have an operational budget to use for special projects and initiatives.

Opportunities and Challenges

The VP-DEI will have the opportunity to address the following priorities:

Lead the development of a unifying strategic vision for DEI

The VP-DEI is expected to formulate and articulate a vision around DEI and to provide campus-wide leadership, concrete steps, counsel, advocacy, and a point of connection and communication for achieving it. To that end, the VP-DEI will conduct an inventory of existing DEI resources and initiatives in order to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities, and work to bring them together into a cogent, powerful whole.

Guide the university in crafting and implementing an overarching DEI strategic plan

The VP-DEI will design, develop, and execute an overarching strategic plan for DEI in collaboration with all internal university partners including senior academic and administrative leadership, faculty, staff, and students, and a diverse array of external partners and communities. The VP-DEI will work with the colleges and administrative units on their strategic plans, and coordinate and convene their DEI directors to share best practices and support their planning and implementation efforts. This will include President Jahanian’s new set of strategic actions for confronting racism and promoting equity and inclusion, articulated in July 2020. These bold directives specify commitments on three fronts: to the campus community, to the expansion of knowledge and expertise at CMU, and to engagement and economic empowerment for our broader community.  The VP-DEI office will be central in helping to carry out these commitments.

Establish and maintain a culture of assessment and evaluation in relation to DEI

The VP-DEI will work with senior academic and administrative leaders to establish systems of shared accountability of the university’s DEI goals, offer recommendations and course corrections, and measure impact by using data-driven metrics to measure success and disseminate information. The VP-DEI will communicate results and use them to support future strategic planning.

Develop and lead the university’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

CMU is establishing a new office to drive the campus-wide vision for DEI, guided by the framework and plans that will emerge as the university builds its vision for the future. The office will serve as an organizational hub, a go-to place for partnership, technical support, resources, and assistance with advancing DEI efforts across the university. The VP-DEI will promote greater awareness of DEI resources and activities on campus and in the community, and work with the vice president for marketing and communications to develop Carnegie Mellon’s brand for DEI efforts and communicate regularly to the campus community regarding DEI activity and resources.

The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion will be included in the VP-DEI’s portfolio as well as components of the Office of Title IX Initiatives. Provost Garrett will look to the VP-DEI for direction in determining which elements and functions of the Title IX office should be included in the VP-DEI’s office. The office will build on the work of the Committee on Faculty Diversity, Inclusion and Development and will work in close concert with the vice provost for faculty, vice provost for education, Office of the Dean of Students, Human Resources, Staff Council, Faculty Senate, the Office of Disability Resources, student government, and the schools and colleges.

Expand pathways for assessing, understanding, and improving the campus climate

The VP-DEI will review and build upon the progress of the Task Force on Campus Climate, the CMU VOICES study, and other existing data in order to understand, make interventions, and identify strategies to improve the campus climate. Further, the VP-DEI will measure the impact of initiatives quantitatively and qualitatively, report these efforts across campus to develop a culture of accountability, and use this information to support decision-making and determine what resources are needed to create a more equitable and inclusive community. The VP-DEI will partner with the Office of Institutional Research and Analysis to collect, interpret, and disseminate data related to the campus climate.

The VP-DEI will work with the CMU Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation to catalyze efforts to diversify classroom content, incorporate inclusive classroom practices, and work with libraries to make sure course content is affordable. The VP-DEI will enhance CMU’s ability to prepare students for a diverse and global world by collaborating with the vice provost for education’s initiative to revise core competencies for students, in particular developing the cultural competence core competency. The VP-DEI will spearhead the development and operation of training programs for faculty, staff, and students to enhance inclusivity and civility, working collaboratively with the vice provosts for faculty and education and the vice president for human resources.

Collaboratively develop strategies for addressing recruitment and retention challenges impacting campus diversity

The VP-DEI will promote opportunities and strategies to achieve DEI for all faculty, staff, and students. The VP-DEI will work with administrative and academic units to increase the diversity of the faculty by overseeing the newly created Faculty Strategic Opportunity Fund and the Presidential Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program. The VP-DEI will provide expertise to these units regarding transparent and inclusive processes for recruiting and retaining a diverse student body, faculty, and staff and for selecting unit leaders, speakers, award recipients.

Serve as an ambassador for the university and its commitment to DEI externally in Pittsburgh and beyond

The VP-DEI will create and facilitate mechanisms of communication with internal and external stakeholders regarding the university’s messaging on and commitment to DEI efforts. The VP-DEI will be seen as a thought leader that will shape public discussion on DEI locally in Pittsburgh, nationally, and internationally.

 

Measures of Success

As the chief architect charged with Carnegie Mellon’s expanding DEI framework, the VP-DEI will lead the development of a unifying strategic vision for DEI, build consensus for a campus-wide DEI strategic plan, operationalize its goals, and establish metrics to monitor progress. The vice provost will work directly with Provost Garrett to identify specific quantitative and qualitative measures of success and their timetables soon after joining the Carnegie Mellon community.

The following are the general metrics for the position envisioned at this time:

  • The VP-DEI is broadly recognized as the catalyst, albeit not the only person, for the positive trajectory of CMU’s DEI commitments and efforts, and partners with the university community to move the university from planning to implementation.
  • The VP-DEI collaborates with President Jahanian and Provost Garrett in articulating an authentic vision for DEI and moves the university closer to a more diverse, responsive, and equitable position that is notable and supported by appropriate data points.
  • A DEI division is crafted that is coherent, coordinated and collective, an overarching strategic plan is developed that measures its effectiveness, and it holds the campus community accountable.
  • There is evidence of greater awareness and a broad, intersectional understanding of DEI throughout the university community.
  • The VP-DEI has leveraged the existing expertise within the campus community, has nurtured and helped the various units to fulfill their respective DEI plans, and has drawn on the energy and momentum of those plans to elevate the work at the university level.
  • The VP-DEI has initiated evidence-based efforts, and accompanying systems of assessment and accountability, which demonstrate that the university is investing its human, intellectual, and fiscal resources in a manner that advances the university’s articulated goals for diversity, representation, equity, inclusion and sense of belonging.
  • The VP-DEI has identified synergies between the campus efforts and the broader Pittsburgh community to advance the university’s DEI goals, and in the process has elevated the community engagement expectations for CMU.

Qualifications and Characteristics

The inaugural vice provost must be someone who not only demonstrates deep passion for the work of DEI, but also able to serve as a change agent who can capture the hearts and minds of the campus community and get them excited about the possibilities of this moment. The ideal candidate will be an accomplished strategist, administrator, convener, and community builder who has significant experience and a track record of successfully advancing DEI in higher education or mission-driven organizations. This individual will be comfortable with the many dimensions of identity and will be adept at fostering dialogue with multiple constituencies, building coalitions, and achieving results through influence and collaboration.

The successful candidate will be known for partnering well in complex environments, and will have demonstrated an ability to utilize data and analytics as important tools in measuring success. This person must be able to approach challenges with systems-level thinking to work toward institutional change rather than individual remedies. The inaugural VP-DEI must be able to mobilize a network of enlivened stakeholders across campus to support and claim shared ownership in this effort, and not take on the mantle of driving change alone. An earned doctorate or other terminal degree is strongly preferred, though truly outstanding candidates with a master’s degree and substantial experience will be considered.

The successful candidate will bring many of the following skills and qualities:

  • Experience collaboratively developing and implementing a shared strategic vision across a complex and decentralized institution to drive organizational change;
  • A keen understanding of the emerging and historical issues around diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education and an ability to help others understand these perspectives;
  • A deep and intersectional understanding of the dynamics of difference, privilege, and power;
  • The ability to inspire others and build strong relationships of trust and shared purpose with faculty, students, staff, and leadership on campus as well as with alumni and regional community members;
  • In-depth knowledge of theory and practice with regarding to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and an understanding of the large and small inequities and systemic practices that have inhibited progress;
  • Exceptionally strong communications skills, including the ability to credibly discuss data both orally and in writing to a wide range of audiences;
  • Demonstrated cross-cultural competencies, including strong emotional intelligence, negotiation skills, and the ability to help people engage in discussing difficult topics;
  • A strong sense of optimism, entrepreneurship, and the willingness to explore innovative ways of creating change;
  • Ability to anticipate and address challenges proactively, with systems-level thinking and working toward institutional change, rather than simply reacting to them or focusing on individual remedies to issues as they present themselves;
  • An appreciation for the culture of academic institutions, including respect for the principles and practice of shared governance and the priorities and needs of different constituencies;
  • Adept at strategy and operations, with ability to lead with vision and purposefulness while keeping an eye to new possibilities and emerging challenges;
  • Ability to guide the development and implementation of an overarching plan for inclusive excellence, establishing metrics, measuring progress, promoting accountability, ensuring continuous improvement, and adapting the plan as necessary;
  • Ability to inspire and lead teams of faculty, staff, students, alumni, trustees, and community partners who often have competing priorities and demands;
  • Strong mediation and conflict-management skills;
  • Key leadership attributes, including but not limited to considerable emotional maturity, unimpeachable integrity, intelligence, exceptional judgment, creativity, diplomacy, humility, the ability to inspire, and gravitas necessary to achieve ambitious goals.

Institution & Location

Carnegie Mellon University: An Overview

About Carnegie Mellon

Over the past 50 years, Carnegie Mellon University has set the standard for scholarship, education, and impact for a 21st-century research university. A member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), CMU is a global university with nearly 14,800 students, more than 105,000 living alumni, and approximately 6,300 faculty and staff. In 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranked CMU #25 among national universities, and many of its programs are among the top ranked in the world. CMU boasts academic strength across a broad range of fields spanning humanities, fine arts, social sciences, business, public policy, physical sciences, and engineering, and, indicative of this breadth, is home to the #1 ranked programs in computer science and drama.

The university is known for its distinctive culture, which champions interdisciplinary inquiry in a technology rich environment. It maintains a forward-thinking stance towards all disciplines, strives to be socially relevant, and embraces the traditions and values of humanistic inquiry across all pursuits. CMU faculty are renowned for inspiring students to think creatively, interpret with insight, and solve major societal, scientific, and technological challenges. Current and former faculty and alumni include 20 Nob0el Laureates, 79 members of the National Academies, 12 Turing Awards, 10 Academy Awards, 116 Emmy Awards, and 47 Tony Awards. Exceptionally talented students, roughly 47% undergraduate and 53% graduate, are drawn to the university’s commitment to innovative education and training and its outstanding programs across its seven schools and colleges. CMU has seen a dramatic increase in undergraduate applications that have led to increasing selectivity and rising yield, as well as substantial increases in master’s level students. CMU’s annual budget is over $1.3 billion with total research expenditures of $400 million.

In March 2018, Dr. Farnam Jahanian was named the university’s 10th president. A nationally recognized computer scientist, entrepreneur, public servant, and higher education leader, Jahanian led the development of a strategic plan that builds on the university’s distinctive strengths and capitalizes on its alignment with the current higher education landscape. The plan outlines objectives across a range of areas including: cultivating a diverse and inclusive community; advancing technology-enhanced education; promoting the physical and emotional well-being of the community; sustaining the special culture where interdisciplinarity, innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, and action are valued and fostered; and continuing to impact the economic and cultural life of the Pittsburgh region and the nation through a clear commitment to solving societal challenges.

CMU is a dynamic institution that has exceptional impact in the world relative to its size and endowment. The success of the university emanates from its deeply held core values: dedication, impact, collaboration, creativity, empathy and compassion, inclusion, integrity, and sustainability. It is a place of creativity, pragmatism, and ambition, with a tradition of strategically focusing its efforts and resources in areas where it can lead, then pursuing those areas with startling intensity.

Pittsburgh, PA

Carnegie Mellon is deeply engaged with the city of Pittsburgh and the greater Pittsburgh region. The university has contributed to Pittsburgh establishing its identity as a technology hub as well as a thriving creative artistic center. Pittsburgh has been rated as one of the top five best cities for creative production and a top-ten tech city in America.

Ranked among the most livable cities in the nation, Pittsburgh features relatively low cost of living, a highly educated population, and an increasingly vibrant dining and social scene. The city features a suite of cultural institutions, four major professional sports teams, and a gateway to mountains, whitewater, and other outdoor activities. Many CMU faculty live close to campus, enjoying short walks or bike rides to work, a range of educational options for their children, nearby public transportation, and parks, restaurants, and shopping all within walking distance of home.

CMU Vision, Mission and Values

CMU Strategic Plan

Leadership

Farnam Jahanian, President, Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair

Farnam Jahanian, President, Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair

Farnam Jahanian was appointed the tenth president of Carnegie Mellon University by its Board of Trustees in March 2018. He was previously the university’s provost and later served as interim president from July 2017 to February 2018.

A nationally recognized computer scientist, entrepreneur, public servant, and higher education leader, Jahanian brings to CMU extensive leadership and administrative expertise, not only in advancing research and education within and across disciplines, but also in translating research into technologies and practices that benefit society.

He first joined CMU as vice president for research in 2014, where he was responsible for nurturing excellence in research, scholarship, and creative activities. In his role as provost and chief academic officer from May 2015 to June 2017, Jahanian had broad responsibility for leading CMU’s schools, colleges, institutes, and campuses and was instrumental in long-range institutional and academic planning and implementation.

Prior to coming to CMU, Jahanian led the National Science Foundation Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) from 2011 to 2014. He guided CISE, with a budget of almost $900 million, in its mission to advance scientific discovery and engineering innovation through its support of fundamental research. Previously, Jahanian was the Edward S. Davidson Collegiate Professor at the University of Michigan, where he served as chair for Computer Science and Engineering from 2007 to 2011 and as director of the Software Systems Laboratory from 1997 to 2000.

Jahanian has been an active advocate for how basic research can be uniquely central to an innovation ecosystem that drives global competitiveness and addresses national priorities. His highly influential research on internet infrastructure security formed the basis for the internet security company Arbor Networks, which he co-founded in 2001 and where he served as chairman until its acquisition in 2010.

Jahanian serves as chair of the National Research Council’s Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB), sits on the executive committee of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness, and is a board member of the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT). He is also active with the World Economic Forum, serving as co-chair of Global University Leaders Forum and as a member of the Internet of Things Council through WEF’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Jahanian holds a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, Tris. They have three children: Dan, Thomas, and Sara (who earned her statistics and data science degree at CMU).

James H. Garrett, Jr., Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Thomas Lord Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

James H. Garrett, Jr., Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Thomas Lord Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

James H. Garrett, Jr. was named provost and chief academic officer of Carnegie Mellon University in January 2019.

As the university’s chief academic officer, Garrett is responsible for leading CMU’s schools, colleges, institutes, and campuses and is instrumental in institutional and academic planning and implementation.

A member of the faculty since 1990, James H. Garrett, Jr. became dean of Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Engineering in 2013. Immediately prior to that, he spent six years as head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Garrett is Carnegie Mellon plaid through and through, having received his B.S. (’82), M.S. (’83), and Ph.D. (’86) degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the institution. He joined the faculty of the College as an assistant professor in 1990 and was promoted to full professor in 1996. Garrett has served in other administrative roles including associate dean for graduate and faculty affairs (2000-2006) and acting dean (2004), as well as faculty co-director of the Smart Infrastructure Institute, a research center aimed at developing sensing technology for construction and infrastructure systems.

Throughout his research career, Garrett focused on how sensors and data analytics can make our cities more adaptive and efficient. This approach aims to give built infrastructures the ability to detect and report on problems directly to the humans charged with maintaining those structures, allowing for more proactive and cost-effective infrastructure management.

While dean of the College of Engineering, Garrett initiated a strategic planning initiative and oversaw its implementation aimed at making the College of Engineering more diverse at the graduate and faculty levels. The plan sought to help make the college be more of a leader in diversity, when compared to our peer colleges of engineering. During his time as dean, the college invested significantly, and continues to do so, in the GEM Program which supports talented and underrepresented students in the STEM fields. The implementation of the plan also saw a revamping of the faculty hiring process based on best practices that has led to more diversity in the faculty ranks.

Provost Priorities

Leadership Organization Chart (click to enlarge)

 

Academic Programs and Faculty

Curriculum

As the only U.S. university with top 10-ranked units in computer science, engineering and the arts, Carnegie Mellon is uniquely placed to advance education and research in technology-arts based creative industries through its Integrative Design, Arts and Technology network. The unique culture at Carnegie Mellon allows students and faculty members to work with scholars outside of their schools and colleges through additional interdisciplinary programs.

Colleges, Departments and Programs

Carnegie Mellon offers 80 majors and over 90 minors within its colleges and inter-college degree programs.  Below are highlights from each of our colleges. For a broader list of programs and departments please visit our programs website.

The College of Engineering, consistently ranked among the top 10 engineering schools in the U.S., is the perfect place for young men and women who want to learn, discover and invent. It’s the oldest and largest college at Carnegie Mellon with approximately 1,780 full-time undergraduates, 1,850 graduate students and 184 faculty members. Our fall 2018 class was 40.5% female, reinforcing Carnegie Mellon as a leading institution for women studying engineering.  The faculty consists of nationally and internationally recognized experts who guide students in the classroom and lab. This school of engineering is research-intensive and our faculty members are known worldwide for developing leading edge technology and research advancements are brought directly to the classroom.

 

The College of Fine Arts cultivates a community of nationally and internationally recognized artists and professionals within our five schools (Architecture, Art, Design, Drama and Music), our associated programs (BXA Intercollege Degree Programs and Arts & Entertainment Management), the Miller Institute for Contemporary Art and the Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry. We are internationally renowned for our unique multidisciplinary capabilities and distinctive pedagogical approaches, for our success and influence of our students and alumni, for our visionary leadership in the development and transformation of the professions and for our vital role in melding the exceptional capabilities of our great university with society and culture.

The School of Computer Science (SCS) is widely recognized as one of the first and best computer science programs in the world. Our programs train the next generation of innovators to solve real-world problems and improve the way people live and work. Most undergraduates in the School of Computer Science are working toward a bachelor of science in computer science. SCS also offers interdisciplinary majors in computer science and the arts, music and technology and computational biology. In fall 2018, SCS began offering a bachelor of science in artificial intelligence. SCS also offers additional majors in computer science, human-computer interaction, and robotics.

The Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences is not an ordinary liberal arts school. From creative writing and neuroscience to behavioral economics and bioethics, the Dietrich College is home to nine departments and programs as well as research centers that often cross disciplines, allowing our world-class faculty and students to investigate and solve real-world problems. Among our world-class faculty are six American Academy of Arts and Sciences members, four members of the National Academy of Sciences, two members of the National Academy of Medicine and two members of the National Academy of Education. They do foundational and deep disciplinary research, collaborate, take on problems that are important to the world today and share a passion for innovation in both research and teaching.

The Mellon College of Science (MCS) is home to four departments: Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Mathematical Sciences, and Physics, and many programs and research centers that cross disciplines. MCS faculty members are nationally and internationally recognized for their research in a variety of fields, including polymer science, cosmology, mathematical finance and neuroscience; they have channeled their ingenuity and interdisciplinary energy into developing a creative undergraduate curriculum. We designed courses and programs in emerging areas like green chemistry and developed a number of interdisciplinary degree programs that prepare our students to be at the forefront of science. At MCS, we encourage our students to collaborate within and across disciplines. Many begin research early in their college careers. More than 70% of MCS students conduct undergraduate research, where they don’t just summarize or repeat previous research—they discover new science.

The Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy (Heinz College) consists of one of the nation’s top-ranked public policy schools—the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration-accredited School of Public Policy & Management—and information schools—the School of Information Systems & Management. It is also a member of the Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection, one of 24 members of the iCaucus leadership of iSchools, and a founding member of the MetroLab Network, a national smart city initiative and New America’s Public Interest Technology University Network. The Heinz College educational process integrates policy analysis, management, and information technology. Coursework emphasizes the applied and interdisciplinary fields of empirical methods and statistics, economics, information systems and technology, operations research, and organizational behavior. In addition to full-time, on campus programs in Pittsburgh, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and Adelaide, the Heinz College offers graduate-level programs to non-traditional students through part-time on-campus and distance programs, customized programs, and executive education programs for senior managers.

The Tepper School of Business offers a future-focused business school experience, tailored for the complexity of today’s marketplace. Where others see challenges, we see opportunity. Always looking ahead, we are consistently moving the world forward with innovative ideas, creative solutions, and new approaches. Our strategy: Be the business school of the future. Our difference: The Tepper Quad — an innovation hub situated at the center of Carnegie Mellon’s campus where business school students access the top-ranked intellectual, creative, research, and technological experts from throughout campus. The Tepper School is home to several award-winning and nationally ranked programs, including undergraduate business and economics programs; graduate programs in business administration and computational finance; and doctoral-level programs which span numerous areas of study. The Tepper School currently has more than 200 full-time faculty and staff members, and numerous teaching and research centers dedicated to helping our students achieve academic excellence in all arenas.

Centers

Working at the nexus of technology and humanity, the university is enriching the everyday human experience through interdisciplinarity, innovation and ingenuity collaboration.

Home to more than 100 centers and institutes, researchers look across disciplines and reach beyond the boundaries of education for partnerships to create work that matters.

Among the centers is the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute, which was recently awarded more than $250 million. The institute integrates industry practices and institutional knowledge across disciplines to realize the promises of a robust manufacturing innovation ecosystem.

As a global model for smarter city solutions, Carnegie Mellon partners with the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and other government agencies, to incubate a range of technological systems that will improve safety, enhance mobility, promote efficiency and address pollution in the environment. Work related to traffic lights has decreased travel times and lowered emissions by over 20 percent in test areas, resulting in international recognition.

Global institutions with Pittsburgh presences like K&L Gates and PwC also leverage their client engagement experience with CMU’s world-class research, faculty and students to partner with the university to invest in the future.

Student Body

Carnegie Mellon provides a distinct educational experience, which is offered to more than 13,000 students through seven distinguished schools and colleges, augmented by campuses in Qatar and Silicon Valley, and degree-granting programs in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and Latin America.

For a broader breakdown of our CMU student body, you can view our current fact sheet.

Students, including the first-ever incoming class to have more women than men, are also drawn by curricula that complement academics with personal and career skills.

To help support students, CMU leadership launched the Presidential Fellowship & Scholarship program in 2014 to lower the barriers of the cost of attendance for undergraduates and reduce the dependence on external funding sources for graduate students.

CMU strives to provide a holistic experience for students to foster intellectual and personal growth as well as create a united sense of spirit and purpose, or “One CMU.”

A new Health and Wellness Center is set to open in 2021 that will include an expanded Counseling and Psychological Services. In addition, CMU’s Cyert Center for Early Education, a full-day early care and education program, opened a second location in 2017.

The host family program for international students launched in early 2017. Within the first few months of its inception, 73 students were matched with 40 families who serve as hosts, and numbers are expected to increase significantly.

In August 2017, CMU established the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion (CSDI), a community hub that actively seeks to cultivate a strong, diverse, and inclusive community capable of living out these values and advancing research, creativity, learning, and development that changes the world. It is the manifestation of 50 years of tireless effort and advocacy within the campus community for students of color. CSDI builds upon these historical foundations to support communities of color, students who are first in their families to attend college, low-income, LGBTQIA students, women, and much more.

In August 2019, CMU established the Tartan Scholars program—a yearlong support program specifically designed to meet the unique needs of our incoming first-year students who are academically high-achieving and come from low-income backgrounds. Tartan Scholars are part of a week-long orientation program and continued support throughout the academic year. Tartan Scholars will get an early peek at life at Carnegie Mellon, meet some of their classmates, begin to build meaningful relationships with staff and faculty mentors, and learn about the academic and co-curricular landscape.

Faculty

At Carnegie Mellon, our emphasis is not only to attract the best and the brightest students, but to attract and retain faculty all-stars. With more than 1,300 full and part-time teaching and research faculty members (representing 50 countries) and a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1, our students have the opportunity to learn from world-renowned faculty. We are proud to say that approximately 96% of our faculty members have a Ph.D. or equivalent, and that our faculty is award-winning and have been recognized by professional societies across the board. Carnegie Mellon faculty are known to be accessible – from weekly office hours to answering emails and phone calls in the middle of the night.

CMU has four tracks for our current faculty (tenured and untenured): Research, Teaching, Librarian, and Adjunct/ Special Faculty. Depending on the college our Adjunct Faculty and Special Faculty can be classified as staff as well.

Staff

Our employees support a highly-selective, global, research institution with campuses in Pittsburgh, Qatar, and Silicon Valley and degree-granting programs in five continents. We offer competitive benefits to our over 5,000 faculty and staff, place importance on fostering diversity and a spirit of inclusion, and emphasize the power of creativity and innovation across the university—from our academic and research programs in art and technology to our staff positions in finance and administration.

In 2019, the Task Force on Campus Climate communicated many findings regarding the university’s staff. In response, CMU has launched several new initiatives in the last year to better support staff in both their personal lives and professional careers, both present and future. Our most recent initiatives include partnering with Care@Work by Care.com for additional and flexible benefits, launching a Staff Supervisory Awareness Training Program, and the creation of a consistent and standardized process for performance management.

Benefits Overview

A listing of employee benefits is available at: www.cmu.edu/jobs/benefits-at-a-glance/.

Application & Nomination

Application and Nomination

Carnegie Mellon University has retained Spelman Johnson to assist with this search. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled; complete applications received by October 9, 2020 will be assured full consideration. A resume or curriculum vitae with a cover letter that addresses the responsibilities and requirements described in the position specification may be submitted by clicking the apply button below. Confidential inquiries and nominations should be directed to Jim Norfleet at jmn@spelmanjohnson.com or Michel Frendian at mrf@spelmanjohnson.com. Applicants needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process should contact Spelman Johnson at 413-529-2895.

Visit the Carnegie Mellon University website at www.cmu.edu

Carnegie Mellon University considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, gender, race, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

We are sensitive to how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting work and personal lives, and will offer the utmost flexibility throughout the interview process. The search advisory committee expects to conduct initial interviews via Zoom for the safety and well-being of all involved. 

Spelman Johnson has prepared this document based on personal interviews and information copied, compiled, or quoted in part from source documents obtained from our client, and as such, the contents of this document are believed to be reliable. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, the original source documents and factual situations govern, and the limited material presented here should be relied upon for informational purposes only.

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