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Dear Faculty Relations: I was beyond excited when I received a job offer for a tenure-track faculty position here at Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØlast winter. It was my top choice, the culmination of years of work, the entry point to my dream career, and the perfect motivator for completing my dissertation on time! Well, I've moved my family across the country; I'm trying to manage all the logistics of the move, settling in, and starting 1) a new job and 2) my first (and hopefully for the foreseeable future) tenure-track position. I'm so overwhelmed; honestly, I'm not even sure what my questions are! —I'm Here, Now What?

Dear Faculty Relations: We spent months recruiting and hiring a new faculty member. Now that they have arrived, I’m not sure what is important to do next to make sure we can retain them. —The Chair Who Values New Hires

Dear Faculty Relations: I just completed my employee's year-end review. Is it already the start of the new performance cycle? What should I do? How do I plan? —Planner

Dear Faculty Relations: I currently chair a department with an outstanding reputation. We built our program by attracting faculty from the strongest departments in our field, including the department where I received my Ph.D. degree. This esteemed department has hired some of our PhDs, including one of my students.

Our department is currently engaged in a contentious search for a new colleague. Although we have an excellent applicant from this esteemed department, some of my colleagues are concerned that I, as Chair, may have a conflict of interest. As it turns out, the applicant's advisor is a former student of mine, perhaps the most brilliant student I have ever had the pleasure to teach. I trust my former student who says we should hire this applicant!

What should I do? —Chair Who Knows Brilliance

Dear Faculty Relations: Why does it matter that the faculty in my unit complete the DEPA form? What can I say to sway them of its importance? —Compliance Weary

Dear Faculty Relations: I’m both excited and nervous about my new position as the Department Chair. What can I do to help myself and my department thrive? —New Academic Leader

Dear Faculty Relations: I have noticed a change in behavior from one of the faculty in my department. Lately, they just don’t seem like themselves and most recently, they had an outburst in our department-wide meeting and started yelling at their colleagues unprovoked. What resources are available to me to address this situation? —Concerned About Behavior

Dear Faculty Relations: I know the PRR is an Academic Affairs Policy; does it have legal implications too? —Worried about the Law

Dear Faculty Relations: I am a junior faculty member on the tenure track. I will be coming up for tenure in three years. My department is attentive to spreading service assignments equitably among all faculty members; however, this year's service assignments are especially time-intensive. I have also agreed to serve on college-level committees and on committees for professional associations, which also require significant investments of my time. While I am committed to the goals of these service assignments and want to continue to do well as a teacher, I am concerned that this heavy service load, in conjunction with my teaching, will take time away from my research activities as I move closer to tenure. What should I do? —Service Scholar

Dear Faculty Relations: Several faculty members came to my office wringing their hands about the behavior of a colleague who frequently interrupts others, raises their voice, and bangs on the table during meetings. The faculty member is also known to be spiteful, having tanked a person’s tenure years ago; others are afraid to speak up. They aren’t alone, I’ve witnessed this and have felt the same way, and I don’t want to deal with it. For our new faculty coming to their first meetings, this behavior feels particularly threatening and intimidating. I know this colleague well and understand the newish faculty fright, but I am used to it and would rather not engage. I checked the personnel files, and there are no notes that any supervisor has ever reported or dealt with this behavior before, even though it has gone on for a long time. I want to let it go. —Uncomfortable Chair