Developing And Implementing Guidelines For Dual Career Hires

Like many land grant institutions, Virginia Tech is located in a part of the state with limited employment options. In order to attract and retain an outstanding faculty, Virginia Tech must increasingly address issues related to the employment of faculty spouses and partners. These issues are particularly important for women faculty, since women are more likely to be married to other professionals, especially academics, than their male colleagues. As part of Virginia Tech’s NSF ADVANCE Institutional Transformation grant focused on increasing the participation and success of women in academic science and engineering careers, a committee of faculty and administrators collected information on services provided to dual career couples at other institutions, reviewed Virginia Tech’s existing practices, and drafted guidelines for dual career hires. In addition, the Advance project’s assessment team interviewed 20 Virginia Tech faculty members who were identified as dual career hires about their experiences with the hiring process, satisfaction with their current positions, and the receptivity of their colleagues to dual career hires. The study is currently being expanded to include faculty at three other ADVANCE institutions. This paper will describe the development of guidelines for dual career hires at Virginia Tech and lessons learned from the experiences of dual career couples.