Follow up meeting with dean of faculty after on-site faculty interview

Question

This is for a US R1 institution.

About 2 weeks ago I had an on-site interview for an assistant professor position, and last Friday the department wrapped up interviewing candidates. Today I got an email about having a follow up meeting with the Associate Dean for Faculty Development to discuss my future research goals as well as how I plan to use the resources at the university. Does anyone know if this is a normal part of the hiring process, because I've never heard of a follow-up interview like this before? Also, I already met with the the dean of the college during my on-site interview, and this is a different person.

Answer 1

It sounds pretty normal, actually, but may not occur everywhere. It can depend on the organization and on the personalities.

But the instructions you got imply that the dean wants a heads up on what resources you will require and how they will be allocated, both from existing university resources and for the potential for grants.

The Associate Dean for Faculty Development is the key here. One of their responsibilities will be to manage (herd) faculty toward tenure decisions and may be able to provide key support in that.

They are unlikely to be part of the decision process, though that is possible. Be prepared to talk about your research and your needs and how you can help obtain resources. There might even be talk of teaching, especially for advanced students. Expect a wide-ranging but friendly conversation.

I'd guess that you are high on the list for an offer if you are being asked to do such an interview.