Furthering impact through people and technology

What does a Faculty Information System (FIS) do?

A true FIS enables hiring, retention and promotion; equity, diversity and inclusion plans; accreditation and other administrative audits and reviews; and time-saving efficiency for faculty and administrators alike. An FIS that meets academic leaders’ current and future needs is not only a modern, efficient, collaborative and easy-to-use platform; it brings deep experience and understanding of academia. 

Leaders from institutions across the globe have much to say about how, when, and why their partnership with Interfolio—the category creator of the FIS—has empowered tangible forward progress and addressed their most pressing needs for insights, equity, and efficiency and effectiveness. 

Clear reporting

Having an accurate picture of what’s really happening is a game-changer, as meaningful insights bring everything into greater focus. 

“It’s hard to get faculty involved in the conversation if you’re not adequately representing the scope of the work they do. With so many unfunded activities, there’s not a clear way to show that they are bringing in this revenue without a system for faculty information.”  Assistant Vice Chancellor, Public Urban Western Research University, North America 

“The institution is going through strategic change. We are moving to a much more strategic model of how we provide service and partner across campus. It’s multifaceted and starts with reporting.”  Academic Program Advisor, Nonprofit Academic Medical Center, North America 

Improving faculty satisfaction

With a faculty-first focus, supporting your institution’s greatest asset with a faculty information system generates strong reactions and outcomes. 

“We were going through strategic planning. Modernizing workplace and faculty satisfaction were key components.”  Director of Public Relations, Large Urban Public University, North America 

“From a cost-benefit perspective, our faculty are one of our institution’s biggest investments. To not have that stewarded in some sort of efficient, professional tool would be derelict on our part.”  Senior Associate Vice President, Private, Mid-Size Midwestern University, North America 

“We realize that our academic staff are our most important resource. As such, we have been proactively assessing how we can support all academics to develop and progress at our institution.”  Director, Academic Development and Workforce Transformation, Tech University, Asia Pacific 

Sustained competitive advantage

Great academic leaders are always looking for an edge—and to give their department, school and institution every opportunity to succeed. A faculty information system can support your institution’s efforts to attract and retain top teaching talent.  

“As a land grant institution, we are committed to supporting thriving agriculture, natural resources, people, and communities…through quality education, innovative research and impactful engagement. We are developing more effective, sustainable and equitable relationships with our communities to address the complex economic and social challenges facing [our state] and the world. Interfolio is part of how universities like ours tell this story.”  Vice Provost for Academic Personnel, Western R2 Public University, North America 

“As a truly international institution serving executives and aspiring business leaders, it’s imperative that we recruit and cultivate an academic workforce as global as the students we serve.”  Associate Dean, Business School, Asia Pacific 

Fairness for faculty

Having a “human touch” to your processes is usually desirable. But sometimes, it might unintentionally work against your institution’s objectives. It’s crucial to implement technology that supports, not hinders, your efforts.

“Teaching, research and service. We value all three things, but we value them in totality. It doesn’t need to be equal, but it needs to be fair. We have a drive to be more data-driven in our decision making.”  Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Small Northeastern Private University, North America 

“In a faculty promotion action, as a file travels through its decision-making journey, that paper file goes through review and documents are added as it passes from one hand to another. All sorts of stuff happens to it. By the time the President makes a decision on it, it is not the same file the faculty voted on. There are issues of justice, equity and fairness that get introduced into the process through having those paper files.” Associate Provost and Assistant Vice President, Large Urban Public University, North America 

Strategic hiring and diversity

Academia today widely recognizes the need to hire faculty that accurately reflect your institution’s cultural, racial, gender and ethnic community. That’s why many academic leaders are turning to faculty information systems to help them get where they need to be.

“Since I moved into the Provost’s role, I prioritized improving how we think about the faculty search process, especially the role of diversity, ultimately thinking about retention and how we can all do our jobs a bit better.”  Provost, Small Liberal Arts Mid-Atlantic College, North America 

“Equal Employment Opportunity information is part of the reporting that we produce. Having effective data to complete that reporting is a big piece of the puzzle.”  Associate Director of Faculty Affairs, Private Northeastern Ivy League University, North America 

Revolutionary progress

Achieving different, better outcomes requires considering different perspectives and tactics. Academic leaders need the right tools to help create the positive change they seek. 

“When you’re supporting a large faculty population, manual solutions aren’t always the best approach. You can lose a lot of opportunities for enhancement, revolution, innovation and creativity.”  Director, Provost’s Office, Urban Private University, North America 

“Adopting a digital FIS is reflective of one of our strategic goals to bolster our procedures and processes.”  Associate Vice President, Mid-Atlantic HBCU R2 University, North America 

Audit improvement

How robust your information and workflow systems are means very little if they’re not also accurate. Interfolio gives you the best of both worlds. 

“We get audited regularly, like any public institution. Making sure the process was proper, and the ease of use to review applications electronically, versus printing documents—that is very helpful.”  Manager, Faculty Affairs, Large Public Southwestern Institution, North America 

“It’s all about empowering users with the necessary tools to be successful.”  Academic Affairs Director, Large Public, Mid-Atlantic Research University, North America 

Accreditation ease

Making things harder than necessary can be frustrating for everyone involved. When you find a faster, more effective, more rewarding way to go, it changes your entire experience. 

“We, like many institutions, are in the midst of a digital transformation. Supporting faculty work is a key reason for this evolution—we must shift our manual, paper-based processes for advancement and activity reporting to be digital and automated.”  Executive Director of Information Technology, School of Business at Large Southeastern Private University, North America 

“We were preparing for four major accreditation reviews within a short span of time, and we were still using paper.”  Vice President, Office of Faculty Affairs and Development, Southern HBCU Medical School, North America 

Optimizing faculty time

Every decision you make and every action you take is an investment in your institution’s ultimate success. The right tool, such as the Interfolio Faculty Information System, can help maximize your returns. 

“With this investment in Interfolio, we are supporting our faculty’s success, giving them additional resources and freeing up their time for teaching, research and service.”  Executive Director of Institutional Analytics, Effectiveness, and Strategic Planning, Southeastern Private Liberal Arts University, North America