(Photos by Lee Pellegrini)
Larger, more diverse, younger
The first quarter of the 21st century has seen significant changes in the 艾可直播 College faculty: It鈥檚 become larger, more diverse, and younger.
Statistics presented by Winston Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley at last month鈥檚 University Convocation clearly show these trends:
鈥he overall number of BC 艾可直播was 679 in 2005, climbed to 805 in 2015, and this year stands at 936.
鈥he median age of the BC faculty鈥攎eaning half are younger and half are older鈥攚as 52 in 2005 and 53 in 2015, but has now dropped to 50.
鈥n 2005, 38 percent of the 艾可直播was female. By 2015, it was 41 percent and is now 45 percent.
鈥he 艾可直播was 14 percent AHANA in 2005, 17 percent by 2015; as of the 2025-2026 academic year, over a quarter of the 艾可直播are AHANA.
Winston Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley
Institutional mission, University and departmental priorities, and emerging trends in teaching and scholarship are major considerations in recruiting new 艾可直播from year to year, according to BC senior administrators. At the same time, the University takes a broader, holistic view when considering the size and make-up of the faculty, and how it will enable BC to live out its calling to be a particular kind of great university, one animated by the Jesuit and Catholic dimensions of its mission.
鈥淎s I begin my 12th year in Waul House, I come to see the work of 艾可直播renewal, across all nine schools and colleges, as central to the work that the deans and I are called to do,鈥� said Quigley. 鈥淲e have worked hard to recruit and retain a remarkable cohort of teachers and scholars.听 The successes of the past two decades gives me hope that 艾可直播 College will retain its distinctive ethos and culture across the next generation and beyond.鈥�
The overall growth of the 艾可直播during the past 20 years鈥攏early 38 percent鈥攕tems in part from the success of the University鈥檚 capital campaigns, such as 鈥淓ver to Excel鈥� (1997-2003) and 鈥淟ight the World鈥� (2008-2013), which have provided resources making it possible for BC to add more teaching positions, notably including a considerable expansion of the number of endowed chairs. Besides contributing to a highly favorable student-to-艾可直播ratio鈥攁pproximately 10-1鈥攖hat increase also reflects BC鈥檚 movement into new areas of teaching and research.
This doesn鈥檛 happen in one fell swoop, however, but on a year-by-year basis, note senior administrators.
The process for hiring new 艾可直播begins a full 18 months before new hires will ultimately arrive in a 艾可直播 College classroom.听 Departments and schools submit proposals to the Provost鈥檚 Office, where all submissions are assessed against institutional priorities, shifting enrollment patterns, and the University鈥檚 Strategic Plan. Hiring authorizations that are made typically combine long- and short-term factors with regard to financial resources, available space, and other constraints.
Vice Provost for Faculties Billy Soo
鈥淚n March, we start telling the deans for BC鈥檚 schools, 鈥楬ere are the slots that you can fill,鈥欌�� said Vice Provost for Faculties Billy Soo. 鈥淏y then, we鈥檝e had discussions鈥攕ome of which have been over the course of a few years鈥攁bout what we鈥檙e trying to accomplish programmatically, so there are some clear objectives in our recruitment and hiring.鈥�
For example, Soo noted, in recent years the University focused on building up the 艾可直播for new programs and departments, such as Messina College, the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, and the Engineering Department.
鈥淎t the same time, every year there are 艾可直播members who have retired or decided to retire,鈥� he added, 鈥渟o we need to address how those slots will be filled.鈥�
BC 艾可直播turnover is generally low, even when compared to many peer schools, noted Soo, which is by no means a drawback.
鈥淵ou need experienced faculty. You want the historical overview and insight. Inevitably, of course, a college or university must work to renew the 艾可直播across schools and colleges.鈥� 听
When schools and departments begin recruiting new faculty, they scrutinize candidates鈥� academic and professional credentials according to the specific characteristics of the field or discipline. While BC greatly values these qualifications, say senior administrators, the University also seeks to build a 艾可直播who draw on varying experiences and perspectives.
鈥淎bove all, we look for 艾可直播with innovative, creative ideas and views related to their field of interest and expertise,鈥� said Soo. 鈥淥ur departments and schools like to be out looking in the job market as often as possible: They say, 鈥榃e need to see what the new frontiers are. What new data are these new 艾可直播using? What angles are they looking at?鈥�
鈥淭hat said, however, it鈥檚 vital for us to see how well a candidate understands our charge as a Jesuit, Catholic university, and what that entails in terms of a commitment to formative education.鈥�
Soo adds that the cura personalis aspect of BC鈥檚 mission extends to its employees, 艾可直播included. He points to the Center for Teaching Excellence and the Office of the Vice Provost for Research as vital resources for new faculty, along with the University Mission and Ministry division and its various programs and activities, from writing retreats to discussions on interdisciplinary work, and more informal events that encourage fellowship as well as collaboration.
鈥淏C wants all new 艾可直播members to flourish. We present ourselves to junior 艾可直播as a community that will provide support and mentoring that will help them realize their potential as teachers and researchers. The University鈥檚 long-term success depends upon this work of ongoing 艾可直播renewal.鈥澨�
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