$100 million ‘Destination Vanderbilt’ initiative launched to recruit top faculty, address essential challenges
Sep. 23, 2020, 10:00 AM
Vanderbilt University today launched Destination Vanderbilt, a $100 million university excellence initiative to recruit new faculty. Over the next two to four years, the university will leverage the investment to recruit approximately 60 faculty who are leaders and rising stars in their fields.
Chancellor Daniel Diermeier (John Russell/Vanderbilt)
“This is a pivotal time for leading research universities and higher education. Vanderbilt is stepping up now to attract the world’s top scholars to join us in our mission of providing an empowering education and advancing critical research breakthroughs,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “The urgent questions facing society today require the collaboration and innovation that only exist at research universities. This investment will strengthen our ability to lead during this historic and unprecedented time and long into the future.”
The approximately 60 new faculty hires will represent an increase of approximately 50 percent above the usual hiring rate over the past three years. The new hires will be in addition to existing faculty hiring plans for each Vanderbilt school and college.
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Susan R. Wente (Vanderbilt University)
“This significant support will fuel a hiring strategy that will make possible new recruitments in key areas across the university, building trans-institutional excellence and making Vanderbilt the destination for launching the next generation of leaders,” said Susan R. Wente, provost, vice chancellor for academic affairs, and holder of a Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair. “Our faculty are the lifeblood of the One Vanderbilt community. When these new faculty join our current outstanding faculty, it will be a critical step toward expanding and strengthening the faculties’ collective force, at the same time sparking innovation to accelerate Vanderbilt’s teaching, discovery and service missions.”
To recruit new faculty who bring high levels of expertise and a broad range of viewpoints, individual schools and colleges will provide proposals and strategies to address their specific context and needs. While many components of the search authorization and launch will follow standard faculty recruiting processes, the specifics of this initiative will be discussed in more detail and addressed collaboratively across campus in the weeks to come.
Vanderbilt is in a unique position to build on and accelerate our inclusive excellence strategies, and this investment will help ensure continued momentum toward making Vanderbilt University the destination of choice for faculty, staff and students.