Frequently Asked Questions

Philomathia Prize

Who is eligible to apply?

  • Non-tenured, tenure-track Assistant Professors are eligible.
  • Associate Professors that have received tenure within the last four years are eligible.
  • Associate Professors that are undergoing review in FY25 to become a Full Professor are not eligible.
  • Adjunct faculty are not eligible.

How many Prizes are awarded each year?

There will be only one Prize winner each year. The Prize will be awarded annually and will alternate between science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and non-STEM disciplines each year. Only non-STEM disciplines are eligible this cycle (2024-25)

What must be included in the application?

Complete applications should include the application form, CV, tentative budget, and up to 2-page (single-spaced) project proposal. The deadline to submit your application is 11:59 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.

What is the timeline for applications for Colleges?

L&S: Arts & Humanities, L&S: Social Sciences, Rausser College of Natural Resources, and College of Environmental Design

October 1, 2024: Call for applications announcement emailed to eligible faculty.

October 16, 2024: Deadline for eligible faculty to submit their application.

October 22, 2024: Applications will be batched and distributed by the Office of the Vice Provost for the Faculty to relevant Department Chairs or appointed in-lieu Chairs.

November 12, 2024: Deadline for each Department Chair to submit their nominations to the Office of the Vice Provost for the Faculty for the next stage of the selection process. The maximum number of nominations allotted for each department will be based on the number of applications received for that department. Selection criteria should be based primarily on the candidate’s research record and strength of their proposal, but service to campus and teaching should also be considered.

November 18, 2024: Nominations from the Chairs will be organized and distributed to the relevant College Deans for the next stage of the review process.

December 15, 2024: Deadline for Deans to forward their review and ranking of the nominations to the Office of the Vice Provost for the Faculty for committee review.

Not eligible this cycle:  L&S Biological Sciences, L&S Math & Physical Sciences, College of Chemistry, College of Engineering, College of Computing, Data Science, and Society

What is the timeline for applications for Professional Schools?

Haas School of Business, Goldman School of Public Policy, Graduate School of Education, Graduate School of Journalism, School of Information, School of Law, School of Social Welfare, and School of Public Health

October 1, 2024: Call for applications announcement emailed to eligible faculty.

October 16, 2024: Deadline for eligible faculty to submit their application.

October 22, 2024: Applications will be batched and distributed by the Office of the Vice Provost for the Faculty to Professional School Deans.

December 15, 2024: Deadline for Deans to forward their review and ranking of the nominations to the Office of the Vice Provost for the Faculty for committee review. The maximum number of nominations allotted for each School will be based on the number of applications received. Selection criteria should be based primarily on the candidate’s research record and strength of their proposal, but service to campus and teaching should also be considered.

Not eligible this cycle: School of Optometry

How many nominations can each Department Chair submit for decanal review?

The maximum number of nominations a Department Chair may submit for decanal review is based on the number of applications received in each department.

How many nominations can each dean submit for committee review?

The maximum number of nominations a dean may submit for committee review is based on the number of applications received in each decanal unit.

What if I am eligible to apply, but am currently serving as Department Chair?

If a Department Chair is eligible, the Dean of that Department will appoint an in-lieu Chair, preferably from that Department, who is not eligible, to review applications from that Department.

What are the responsibilities of the Prize winner?

The Prize winner will deliver the keynote lecture at the Philomathia Day Forum, an event which will highlight the winner's field of study to be held in late 2025, and will assist with the planning of the event, including identifying topics and speakers. A reception will be held to honor the Prize winner, and invitees will include Philomathia Foundation Board members and awardee’s faculty colleagues, students, and family.

How should the award funds be used?

The Prize amount is to be used at the sole discretion of the awardee, pursuant to campus policy. Suggested usage may include summer salary, dependent care, or the hiring of a post-doc fellow to assist the awardee in the research program.

What is the duration of the award?

Recipients are expected to use the funds within 3 years, after which any unused amount of the prize funds will be reverted back to the endowment.

Can the award include salary for a post-doc?

The award may be used to hire a post-doc fellow to assist the awardee in the research program. The post doc fellow is chosen by the awardee and shall be known as a Philomathia Fellow.

What if my discipline could be considered as both STEM and non-STEM?

Applicants are allowed to choose whether to apply during the STEM or non-STEM year but may not apply to both.

Dean Searches

Deans play a critically important role at the University of California, Berkeley and we invest considerable thought and energy in their selection. The practices and norms governing these searches are under continuous review and improvement. This document summarizes current practices and notes some recent changes to them.

Who is responsible for the search process for selecting a new dean?

The Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost (EVCP) is responsible for overseeing the search for a new dean to lead a Berkeley college, school, or division. The Office of the Vice Provost for the Faculty (VPF) coordinates the dean searches on behalf of the EVCP. A search advisory committee makes recommendations to the Chancellor and the EVCP. See below for details on how that committee is constituted.

What is the typical timeline for a dean search?

The dean selection process is a careful and deliberate one; consequently, it typically takes several months and spans more than one academic semester.

If the goal is for the new dean to take office July 1, the search will most likely begin early in the spring of the previous academic year (e.g., a search with a planned appointment date of July 1, 2023 will have begun early in spring 2022 with a goal of concluding with sufficient time to negotiate the appointment of the finalist to make possible a July 1, 2023 start). While time is a factor, the most important goal is to find the right individual.

How is it decided whether to conduct a closed search, restricted internally to campus candidates, or an open search that considers both internal and external candidates?

A number of years ago, the campus decided that, to ensure the broadest and most diverse candidate pools, all dean searches should be open to both internal and external candidates.. Open searches, it should be noted, were long the norm on the campus when searching for deans of professional schools and certain colleges. Note that being open to external candidates does not mean that external candidates are in any way favored—Berkeley is blessed with good internal candidates who, among their other skills and strengths, bring a deep and valuable knowledge of the campus and its processes. At the same time, external candidates can bring fresh new ideas that can protect us from becoming parochial in our thinking and strategies.

Will a search firm be employed?

The EVCP decides whether the services of a search firm would significantly enhance the pool of candidates for external searches. In such cases, a firm is normally selected from a pool of UCOP pre-negotiated vendors.

The search firm serves as support to the search advisory committee and plays ​no​ role in deciding which candidates should move forward in the search process. Its role is to help identify potential candidates; to reach out to potential candidates to determine interest; to conduct research and due diligence on candidates; and to facilitate the work of the search advisory committee, including gathering input from key stakeholders on the selection criteria, posting advertisements, preparing materials, and assisting with meeting and candidate travel logistics.

What is the role of a search advisory committee?

The search advisory committee is charged with advising the Chancellor and the EVCP during the dean selection process.

The search advisory committee assists in defining the selection criteria and methods of advertising and outreach, writing an advertisement for the position, consulting widely across stakeholder groups, and encouraging applications to obtain a diverse and inclusive applicant pool of highly qualified candidates. The committee reviews the biographies and academic and leadership backgrounds of potential candidates, conducts semifinalist interviews with top candidates, and assesses top candidates’ strengths and weaknesses.wor

Following discussions and deliberations, the search advisory committee presents its findings, including a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate, and recommends a set of proposed finalists who should move forward in the process via a report to the Chancellor, EVCP and VPF. The search committee’s formal role ends once they have submitted this report. The final selection of the new dean is the responsibility of the Chancellor and EVCP.

How is the search advisory committee formed?

The EVCP and VPF form the search advisory committee, taking into account demographic and disciplinary diversity, among other factors. Typically, the committee consists of university faculty, staff, students, alumni and advisors to the college or school in question. The membership of the committee is informed by nominations solicited from the dean’s unit, the Academic Senate’s Committee on Committees, its Committee on Budget and Interdepartmental Relations, and other campus and external stakeholders.

Is there broad representation on the search advisory committee?

Yes. A standard dean search advisory committee consists of:

  • A committee search chair, who is a senior faculty member from outside the college/school/division, and preferably one with experience as a dean, vice provost, or academic vice chancellor.
  • Faculty members within the college/school/division who will reflect a variety of views and perspectives, including disciplinary.
  • One or more faculty members outside of the college/school/division.
  • One or more staff representatives.
  • One or more students. As the time commitment is significant, the campus prefers senior graduate students for this role.
  • One or more alumni or “friend of the school” representatives, usually selected after consultation with the college/school/division’s chief development officer.

All members of the search advisory committee are expected to attend all of the committee’s meetings (allowing for the occasional absences that can arise). All members are encouraged to participate fully in discussion and debate.

How is the committee trained for its role?

The VPF provides clear expectations to the search advisory committee members about their role. The Associate Vice Provost for the Faculty (AVPF) meets with the search advisory committee prior to the beginning of the search process to discuss best practices for selection criteria, candidate evaluation and reducing the role of unconscious bias. ​Committee members are required to complete training on implicit bias.

Will the position profile be posted on a website so that the Berkeley community knows what type of candidates the search advisory committee is seeking?

Yes, the position profile is finalized by the search advisory committee and is posted on the ​EVCP and ​VPF​ websites.

How are prospective candidates identified?

The candidates are identified  in the following ways:

Nominations The search advisory committee widely solicits nominations of potential candidates and applications from candidates for the position. See below for details on how to nominate a candidate.

Advertisements An advertisement announcing the role is sent to the whole campus via CalMessages, and posted on the EVCP and VPF websites and AP Recruit. The position is also posted on several high-visibility higher education recruitment websites, including those that focus on recruiting diverse candidates, and on  discipline-specific sites recommended by the search advisory committee. If the EVCP has decided to use the services of an outside recruitment firm, the advertisement will also be posted on the firm’s website.

Search strategy The search firm (if applicable) and search advisory committee develop a robust search strategy to identify qualified individuals. The strategy includes reviewing deans and associate deans at UC campuses, AAU institutions, and top-ranked national and public universities. Senior faculty who direct large programs and/or have served as department chairs are a rich source of prospective candidates. External candidates will need to meet the academic standards for appointment as a tenured Berkeley faculty member

Can I nominate a candidate?

Yes. The Chancellor, the EVCP and the search advisory committee welcome and strongly encourage all members of the UC Berkeley community to nominate potential candidates (including themselves, if they wish). If you are interested in nominating a potential candidate, please submit the individual’s name to the email address listed in the call for nominations. All nominations will be thoroughly considered by the search advisory committee.

Is the campus doing anything to help ensure a strong pool of i​nternal ​dean candidates?

Yes, Berkeley has made leadership training a priority. The ​Faculty Leadership Academy is a regularly offered program for tenured faculty who are interested in developing the skills and knowledge required to be a successful leader. We also offer an annual year-long training program for new department chairs and associate deans.

When will we know who the potential candidates are?

It is a common national practice to preserve the confidentiality of candidates during dean searches. For many prospective candidates, participating in a process that is not confidential would put their professional careers at risk. As a result, many candidates will simply not participate in a process that does not preserve the confidentiality of their candidacy. Evidence suggests that those who elect not to participate when searches aren’t confidential are disproportionately women and members of underrepresented groups. By maintaining a confidential search process, we ensure that we can successfully engage the largest, most talented, and most diverse set of candidates and maximize our competitive position among other similar searches that may be occurring nationally.

Given our interest in ensuring a broad and diverse pool, the practice going forward will be to maintain confidentiality throughout the process. However, the search firm or a staff member will confidentially (and without pressure) ask all finalists whether they would like to have a more public interview process and make a formal presentation to the dean’s community. If all finalists agree to it, we will proceed with a public component to the finalist interviews. If at least one candidate is not comfortable, the search process will remain confidential to the end.

Are there opportunities for input from the college or school constituents?

Yes. Immediately after the search advisory committee convenes for the first time, typically in early fall, the committee and/or search firm conducts meetings with the college or school’s stakeholders and collects input from undergraduate students, graduate and professional students, faculty, staff and selected alumni. The committee also solicits input via an online survey to all constituents, as the feedback informs their selection criteria.

Members of the dean’s unit are also selected to represent their community on the search advisory committee. To help ensure that the perspective of the dean’s community is well-represented to the end of the confidential search process, we will also invite a group of individuals from the school or college (typically leaders and/or members of the unit’s executive committee) to participate in finalist interviews. 

Will the college or school community be informed about the progress of the selection process?

The dean search advisory committee will send periodic updates to the college or school constituencies, including faculty, staff, students and alumni. Because of the need to respect confidentiality and similar concerns, there may be times during which such updates are less frequent than others.

Who makes decisions about which candidates to move forward?

The search advisory committee works to identify and interview a pool of semifinalist candidates. Following the interviews, and campus visits (if applicable), the search advisory committee submits a report to the Chancellor, EVCP, and VPF that summarizes the search process up to that point and provides an evaluation of each of the committee’s proposed finalists. The EVCP and VPF hold finalist interviews, review background checks, conduct reference calls, and initiate and review on-list and off-list references before the EVCP and Chancellor decide on a top candidate.

Who will select the next dean? Who makes the final decision?

After the search advisory committee has provided an evaluation of all interviewed candidates and recommended finalists to the Chancellor and EVCP, the Chancellor and EVCP will decide who to select, often after consulting with the VPF. The EVCP and Chancellor will conduct additional interviews and reference checks. Candidate negotiations can take several weeks or months; it is not uncommon for communication about the search process to cease during this period.

Who handles the appointment and announcement?

The EVCP oversees the appointment process in coordination with the VPF. The announcement process is coordinated with the school/college/division and the Office of Public Affairs.

What if I have questions about the dean search process?

Anyone who has questions is encouraged to contact the search advisory committee at the email address listed in the call for nominations. If you have general questions about the process, please send an email to ​vpf@berkeley.edu and your question will be routed accordingly.

Hellman Fellows Fund

Applicants

Can childcare expenses be included in the budget?

Up to 5% of the proposed budget may be dedicated toward dependent care (child and/or elder care) expenses.

Is there a limit to the number of times an assistant professor can apply for the award?

Due to the limited funding available and the very high quality of proposals received, faculty are encouraged to apply again, if they are eligible. An individual may receive only 1 Hellman Award during their lifetime.

Can the award include salary for the PI?

Beginning FY 2019-20, the PI can receive 1 month summer salary (up to 19 days).

What is the duration of the award? Should the project/proposal budget be for one year or longer?

You should plan to expend your funds within a year. If an award recipient is unable to use the funds in one year, an extension for the continued use of the funds must be requested. Award recipients are required to spend all funds before their tenure case is approved, and to submit an updated timeline plan. The award cannot cover expenses retroactively.

How long should the proposal be? Should it include a budget?

Three pages maximum for the research proposal, plus one additional page that contains a brief budget. Any research-related expense, such as student assistants, equipment, or travel would be a legitimate expenditure. Travel expenditures should conform to systemwide and University policies (Travel Policy in a Nutshell).

What are the criteria for making the awards? Is the amount of current research support I already have taken into consideration when making award decisions?

Lack of current funding will be one of the criteria considered for awards, but the value of the research proposal itself is the more important criterion. Creativity and likely impact on the field is also considered.

Awardees

What is the process for requesting an extension and/or budget change for the use of funds?

Requests for extensions and/or budget changes are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Requests should be sent to HellmanFund@berkeley.edu, and should include a brief justification for the request, and the following details:

  • how much funding has already been spent, and how it was used
  • how much funding remains
  • the plan and timeline for expending the remaining funds

How do I request reimbursement for dependent care expenses?

Please follow your department-specific process for general reimbursement requests, and include a note asking Accounts Payable to contact Central Payroll for imputed income processing. Be sure to include a receipt for the expense, plus your (redacted) award letters that indicate this is an allowable expense.

What are the reporting requirements?

A final report, including a financial report, will be do by September 30. In addition to reporting on your research progress, you should feel free to describe other ways in which your award has helped your academic career. Additional instructions will be provided to award recipients.