Bridge Funding Programs
The University of Minnesota recognizes that a faculty reflecting the diversity of our society is important in facilitating the development of world-class scholars and artists. To enhance the University's opportunities to recruit and retain highly qualified faculty, the University has established a two bridge funds designed to increase diverse faculty hires: the Bridge Fund for Faculty of Color Hires; and the Bridge Fund for Spousal/Partner Hires. Both Bridge Funds are administered by the Office for Equity and Diversity.
An overview of the two Bridge Funds is below. For the full policy statement and application instructions, please download the Policy Guidelines for Faculty of Color and Spousal/Domestic Partners Bridge Funding (PDF).
The primary purpose of the Bridge Fund for Faculty of Color Hires is to provide financial support to academic departments that have identified (either through a national serach or a target of opportunity procedure) highly desirable candidates of color to fill full-time tenured or tenure-track positions, but do not immediately have adequate funding available to extend an offer of employment. The fund may also be accessed to support non-regular faculty or professional/academic staff on continuous appointment. This fund is an auxiliary resource designed to complement, not replace, money regularly available to a unit.
The fund can be used to supplement the unit's exisiting resources for a maximum of three years. The maximum bridge funding allowable is 100 percent of salary the first year, 75 percent of salary the second year, and 50 percent of salary the third year. All salary and fringe increases are the responsibility of the hiring unit, and the hiring unit will assume full financial responsibility for the hire no later than the fourth year.
Because funding for this account is limited, requests are carefully reviewed for their relevance to the unit's specific academic and budgetary situation as well as applicable collegiate and University policies.
The primary purpose of the Bridge Fund for Spousal/Partner Hires is to provide financial support to academic departments that have identified a finalist in a search process for whom a major condition of acceptance of an offer is the employment of their spouse or partner. The fund may also be accessed in retention situations, where a spouse or partner's employment situation is a major factor in a valued faculty or staff member's decision to stay or leave. The fund is also available for support of non-regular faculty or professional/academic staff on continuous appointment. This fund is an auxiliary resource designed to complement, not replace, money regularly available to a unit.
The fund can be used to supplement the unit's existing resources for a maximum of two years. The maximum bridge funding allowable is 100 percent of salary the first year and 50 percent of salary the second year. All salary and fringe increases are the responsibility of the hiring unit, and the hiring unit will assume full financial responsibility for the hire no later than the fourth year.
Because funding for this account is limited, requests are carefully reviewed for their relevance to the unit's specific academic and budgetary situation as well as applicable collegiate and University policies.
For more information on the Bridge Funds administered by the Office for Equity and Diversity, e-mail Barbara Chapin or call 612-626-7386.