Update on the 2023 Hiring Plan

Rebecca Cole

Editor-in-Chief

The University’s final housing plan for 2023 will reduce Sewanee’s faculty from 166 to 159 full-time-equivalent positions, according to a final plan released on February 17 by Terry Papillon, dean of the college. The Provost accepted a proposed suggestion of reducing the faculty body from 166 full-time equivalent positions to 157, with an additional two posts made possible by the Dakin Fund. 

The adjustments made to the proposed plan and approved by Provost Scott Wilson include:

• Moving three VAP (visiting assistant professor) positions to tenure lines in the biology, finance, and neuroscience departments (the host program for the neuroscience tenure line is yet to be determined)
• Moving one TT (tenure-track) to VAP in the Russian department
• Removing one VAP from the English department
• Adding a VAP to the psychology department
• Adjusting “the hiring description in several areas to attend to diversity issues” 
• Reconfiguring positions to a full tenure-track position in the American Studies department devoted to African American Studies; a VAP in the politics department in global politics with attention to gender and/or ethnicity; and a VAP in the women’s and gender studies department (whose location is still to be determined but will teach women’s studies courses as well as courses in their housed discipline)

Announcing the final plan, Dean Papillon said that there will be more than 157 faculty next year because the number 157 does not include “the two tenure lines supported by the Dakin Fund; hiring behind sabbatical leaves or other leaves; those VAPs who have appointments beyond this year that we are honoring; staff who teach one course (e.g. the VC, Provost, and Deans).”