ECSU Invests in technology for faculty reviews and advancement

Elizabeth City State University is adopting new technology to manage its academic appointments, reviews, and promotions, according to the Division of Academic Affairs. 

By partnering with Interfolio, creator of the Faculty Information System, ECSU will digitize its current paper-based processes for faculty promotions, annual reviews of full-time and adjunct faculty, and post-tenure reviews. Faculty will be able to compile and submit materials online, and committee members will be able to review all of the appropriate materials online, enabling business continuity during remote work. 

Centralized tracking and reporting of these processes also supports ECSU’s accreditation requirements. 

Additionally, Interfolio Lifecycle Management will enable ECSU to manage faculty career journeys, including academic appointments and exceptions that might impact timing of various milestones. The management of faculty careers becomes more transparent and easier to track with this digital platform.   

“The timing is right for these types of changes. The global pandemic, in a way, projected us into the future and identified where we want the institution and faculty work to go. I see very little paper looking five years down the road,” said ECSU’s provost, Dr. Farrah Ward. “ECSU is excited about the long-term impact of our investment in faculty career management.” 

The modernization of these processes increases efficiency and ease for faculty, which was a key goal for ECSU. Access to data alsois improved, facilitating various types of reporting. 

Conceived by academics for academics, Interfolio is an education technology company headquartered in Washington, DC, and in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1999, Interfolio operates the Faculty Information System for colleges and universities, the Researchfish impact assessment platform for funders.