Torrence Sparkman Shares His Vision in New Role Leading the Office of Faculty Diversity and Recruitment | September 2023
Torrence Sparkman’s knowledge of Rochester Institute of Technology –and- his expertise in recruiting top candidates for employment will serve him well in his new position with RIT’s Office of Faculty Diversity and Recruitment (OFDR). Sparkman was appointed assistant provost and assistant vice president for Faculty Diversity and Recruitment on July 10, 2023. He has worked at RIT for nine years, most recently as an associate professor with Saunders College of Business. He and his team have been busy! In just a few weeks, OFDR will once again host a major event: the 20th Future Faculty Career Exploration Program.
Congratulations on your new position leading The Office of Faculty Diversity and Recruitment! This must be an exciting time for you. Can you share just a few of your goals?
It is an exciting time. My first goal is to review all of the outstanding programs we offer to both future professors, and the RIT colleges looking for them. I want to ensure that our office continues to attract exceptional participants to our Future Faculty Career Exploration and Pathway programs, and thoroughly supports our Deans, department heads, and college liaisons in their faculty searches. We intend to enhance our use of recruiting tools and emphasize relationship building inside and outside of the university.
Where does RIT stand with faculty diversity? Are there any statistics/figures you can share?
We are on pace to achieve RIT’s strategic 2025 goals for AALANA faculty. We are slightly behind our goals as they relate to hiring women faculty. During the time that remains, both targets (i.e. strategic hiring goals) will be aggressively pursued by this office.
OFDR’s long-standing Future Faculty Career Exploration Program gets underway later this month on September 27th. This 4-day program gives AALANA scholars and artists from across the country, a chance to see what life is like as a faculty member at RIT and to network with RIT administrators, faculty and students. What are a few key points you plan to share?
We are celebrating the 20th year of the program. Its’ longevity is a testament to its importance to RIT. The fact that other universities have tried to mirror its features also speaks to its national impact. As with past years, this year’s cohort features participants at the highest level of scholarship. These are individuals who have made and are making important contributions to their respective disciplines.
We anticipate that their experience on RIT’s campus will be transformational, and that RIT’s faculty and student will continue to present the charm of innovation that I’ve come to appreciate. We want this year’s cohort to experience first-hand- the stated value of “strength through diversity,” and see themselves working here as supported and accomplished colleagues.
You most recently served as an associate professor at Saunders College of Business and your professional background also includes work as an executive recruiter in a retained executive search firm. How many years were you in this position—and—in what ways will this experience as a “recruiter” be helpful in your new position with OFDR?
I started my recruiting career as a researcher. I identified peer companies to our client; considering size, culture, and organizational structure. I also developed call and candidate target lists, and made the sourcing calls. As a senior executive recruiter, I did the above and interviewed, profiled and presented the candidates to our clients. I did this for about three and half years.
I acquired these skills at a firm which specialized in the placement of diverse, mid to senior level executives, Carrington & Carrington, LTD. This experience definitely informs my approach to networking, recruiting, and promoting the value of diversity in organizations. It provided a framework for understanding the complexity of certain jobs and impact placement might have on the individual and organization.
You are joining the Division of Diversity and Inclusion “family.” So that we can all get to know you better, please share a little bit about yourself. Hometown? Family? Things you enjoy doing when you “are not working.” I know one of those activities is golf.
I am originally from Chicago, IL; but I have lived in New Orleans, LA; Champaign, IL; Houston, TX; and now Penfield, NY. I have been married for 26 great years, and I have two college age daughters. When I am not working or playing golf, I am trying to cultivate and keep the deer out of my garden. Apparently, I have/had the best lettuce, tomatoes, and kale in the neighborhood.