FACULTY HANDBOOK
Effective September 1, 2006
1.0 Administrators
of the University
1.1 Faculty Status
of Administrators and Professional Staff Members
1.2 Tenure
Guarantees for Incoming Academic Administrators
1.4 Provost/Vice
President for Academic Affairs
1.5 Academic Deans and Associate Deans
4.3 Termination of
the Appointment as Chairperson
4.5 Compensation
of the Chairperson
4.6 Chairperson of
the Department of Faculty Librarians
5.2 Proper Use of
Faculty Status
5.4 General
Responsibilities of Full-Time Faculty Members
5.6 Reduction in
Normal Teaching Load
5.8 Summer School
and Intersession Teaching
5.11 Special
Non-Teaching Assignments
9.3 Instructional
Development Fund
10.2 Searches for
New or Replacement Faculty
10.4 Initial
Assignment of Rank
11.2 Compensation
While on Leave
11.3 Leave with
Partial Salary
11.4 Continuity of
Service (Leaves of Absence)
12.0 Sabbatical
Leave: Definition and Eligibility
12.1 Application
for Sabbatical
12.3 Required
Report and Commitment
12.4 Compensation
During Sabbaticals
12.5 Continuity of
Service (Sabbaticals)
12.6 Short-term
Sabbaticals for Faculty Librarians
13.0 Illness or
Disability Coverage
13.1 Short-Term
Illness or Disability (STD)
15.0 Faculty On
University Committees
16.0
Complaint/Grievance/Arbitration Process
16.4 Time Limits
and Extensions
16.5 FAC Rights in
the Complaint/Grievance/Arbitration Process
16.6 Limitations
Regarding Arbitration
18.0 Revision of
the Faculty Handbook
19.2 Membership
Qualifications
21.1
Qualifications for Tenure
21.2 Tenure Status
of Incoming Senior Faculty
22.0 Norms for
Faculty Evaluation
22.1 Procedures of
the Board on Rank and Tenure
22.4 Notice of
Changes in Policy
23.0 Application
for Promotion/Tenure
23.2 Applicant's
Responsibility within Department
23.3 Department’s
Responsibility
23.4 Exclusions
from Deliberations and Vote
23.5 Individual
Recommendation
23.6 Applicant’s
Responsibility to the Board
23.7 Deliberations
of the Board
23.8 Candidate's
Right to Appear Before Department and Board
23.12 Role of the
Provost/VPAA
24.0 Decisions
Concerning Rank or Tenure
25.0 Appeals Based
on New Evidence
25.3 Allegations
Concerning Violations of Due Process
26.3 Termination
By Action of the University
26.4 Financial
Exigency or Termination of a Program
26.5 National
Emergency or Major Catastrophe
26.7 Special
Separation Possibilities
27.0 Applicability
of Handbook Policies
28.0 Affirmative
Action/Equal Opportunity
30.0 President’s
Right to Use Sexual Harassment History in Rank and Tenure Decisions
Appendix I: Standard Operating Procedures for the
Board on Rank and Tenure
Appendix II: Norms
for Evaluating Faculty for Rank and Tenure
Appendix III:
Procedures Relating to Dismissal
of Faculty Members
Appendix IV: Composition
of Search Committees for President and
Other Academic Administrators
Appendix V:
Faculty Role in the Search for Tenure-Track Faculty
Appendix VI:
Annual Reappointment and Non-Reappointment of Non-Tenured Tenure Track Faculty
Appendix VII: Tenured Associates
Appendix XI:
Disciplinary Procedure
The Administrators of the University include
but are not limited to the President, the Provost/Academic Vice President
(Provost/VPAA), and the Associate Provost, the several other vice presidents,
the deans and associate deans of the several colleges and schools, the Dean of
the Library and Information Fluency, the Registrar, the Director of Human
Resources and the General Counsel/University Secretary.
Appropriate administrators and professional
staff members may, at the time of hiring, be awarded faculty status by the
President (in consultation with the appropriate department and the Board on
Rank and Tenure for the rank of full professor; with the department alone for
the lesser ranks) provided said administrator or professional staff member meets
the qualifications as set forth in this handbook for the rank awarded.
Tenure guarantees may be awarded to incoming senior academic administrators in
accordance with the following conditions, provisions, and definitions:
A.
A senior
academic administrator is one who holds the administrative position of
President, Provost/VPAA, or Academic Dean. Tenure guarantees may be awarded
only to senior academic administrators.
B.
The general term academic administrator -- as used ,
for example, in 1.2 (H), 1.2 (J), and 1.2 (K) below -- includes not only the
senior academic administrators defined above but also the Associate Academic
Deans and any other administrators holding faculty rank.
C.
A tenure guarantee is a contractual promise which,
subject to the conditions presented below, provides an incoming senior academic
administrator with full and immediate tenure should said administrator leave
administration and enter the full-time faculty.
D.
Except as otherwise provided herein, the terms and
provisions of this section of the Handbook are restricted to senior academic
administrators whose initial term of employment began on or after June 1, 2000.
E.
Tenure guarantees may be awarded only to those
incoming senior academic administrators who have held tenure, or tenure
guarantees, at their last position of employment.
F.
If a senior academic administrator holding a tenure
guarantee with the University is discharged for cause, then that administrator
will lose the right to enter the faculty. The University agrees that employment
contracts entered into with incoming senior academic administrators will
contain unambiguous language regarding the loss of their right to enter the
faculty.
G.
A senior academic administrator who has received a
tenure guarantee at the University but who fails to serve five full and
consecutive years as an administrator will lose the right to enter the faculty.
H.
A faculty position created by the appointment of any
academic administrator to the full-time faculty will be a new position and as
such will have no bearing on other tenured faculty or on non-tenured faculty
who hold tenure track appointments.
I.
Tenure guarantees for incoming senior academic
administrators will be awarded in consultation with the department and the
Board on Rank and Tenure. A candidate qualifies for a tenure guarantee solely
in terms of his or her ability to meet the tenure requirements of Section 21.2,
Appendix II, and other applicable sections of this Handbook. The past performance
of the candidate as an administrator will not be considered for the purpose of
establishing a candidate’s rank or awarding tenure guarantees. Tenure
guarantees may not be awarded for administrative purposes.
J.
Upon entry to the full-time faculty, all academic
administrators, whether hired under the provisions of this section or not- and
including those who assumed administrative positions prior to June 1, 2000 -
shall receive a base faculty salary no greater than 75% of the twelve- month
administrative salary. However, except as provided for below, this base salary
shall not exceed that of the highest paid faculty member holding equivalent
rank in the department.
As an exception to the above, academic administrators who have been hired
from within the full-time faculty will not, upon re-entering the full-time
faculty, receive a salary which is less than their last base faculty salary
plus all collectively-bargained increments and equity adjustments for their
rank as applied from the date of their entry into administration to the date of
their re-entry into the full-time faculty.
K.
Upon entering or re-entering the full-time faculty,
all former academic administrators are expected to meet the same standards and
fulfill the same responsibilities as any other tenured faculty member and are
in all respects treated as any other full-time faculty member, including
consideration for special adjustments.
The President is the chief executive of the
University.
A. Responsibilities of
The President. The President is responsible for the management of all internal
and external affairs of the University. As chief executive, the President
shall implement policy decisions of the Board of Trustees. Executive and
administrative authority may be delegated by the President to other University officials;
subject only to such restrictions as may be included in the statutes or
otherwise enacted by the Board of Trustees.
B. Appointment of The
President. The President is appointed by the Board of Trustees and serves at
the pleasure of that board. In selecting a president, the Board of
Trustees shall be assisted by a search committee. (See Appendix IV)
The Provost/VPAA is the chief academic
officer of the University and serves as senior vice president. In the
President's absence, the Provost/VPAA chairs the Administrators'
Conference. In the appointment of a person to this position, the
President is assisted by a search committee. (See Appendix IV.)
A. As chief academic
officer of the University, the Provost/VPAA is subordinate only to the
President in the management of academic matters and is aided in the discharge
of his or her duties by other academic administrators such as deans and
directors, who report as directed to the Provost/VPAA on the implementation of
the programs and policies delegated to them.
B. Some of the tasks
performed by the Provost/VPAA with respect to his or her administrative
position are to coordinate the efforts of the various academic units of the
University; to approve and supervise budgets for all academic purposes as
determined by the President; to establish with the aid of the University
Council the University calendar; to make final representation to the President
on appointments of new faculty; to appoint departmental chairpersons in
accordance with the procedures set forth below; to oversee the deans of the
several colleges and schools, the Assistant and/or Associate Provosts; to
review for final approval, in consultation with the deans, teaching schedules
and course offerings. The Provost/VPAA is the nonvoting chairperson of
the Board on Rank and Tenure and, in this position, has the final authority
properly to engage the faculty.
C. The Provost/VPAA
will have ultimate responsibility, after consulting with the Academic Policy
Council, the University Council and Faculty Senate, and other appropriate
bodies, for curriculum requirements, e.g., the allotment of credits to the
major, cognate or general education areas; and the distribution of credits in
the general education area of the curriculum.
A. Deans and Associate
Deans of Schools and Colleges
1. With respect to
students in a given college or school, the Dean of the college or school is
ultimately responsible for the academic advising process.
2. With respect to
courses offered in a given unit, the Dean of that unit must supervise, in
consultation with the appropriate chairperson, the progress of approved
courses. The Dean, moreover, has primary responsibility for the
development and improvement of the programs of study within the school or
college. In discharging this responsibility, the Dean is to consult the
appropriate department(s) and the Dean's conference. New degree programs
will also require the approval of the Academic Policy Council and the Board of
Trustees.
3. Each Dean shall
make recommendations on all matters of faculty status for faculty who have
served or are serving under his or her jurisdiction.
4. Each Dean shall
make final determinations concerning the academic status of students enrolled
in his or her college or school.
5. Each Dean shall
supervise the preparation of the annual budgets covering the program and
personnel costs of the departments and other units in his or her college, and will
prepare the aggregate budget of the school or college.
6. The associate deans
have authority and responsibilities as delegated by the Dean of the school or
college.
7. Deans shall be
appointed by the President of the University with the concurrence of the Board
of Trustees. When a vacancy in the position of Dean exists, the President
will be assisted in filling the vacancy by a Search Committee. (See Appendix
IV.)
B. Dean of the Library
and Information Fluency
1. With respect to
information fluency courses offered through the Library, the Dean of the
Library and Information Fluency shall supervise, in consultation with the
appropriate chairperson(s), the progress of approved courses. The Dean, moreover, has primary responsibility
for the development and improvement of the information fluency program.
2. The Dean of the
Library and Information Fluency shall make recommendations on all matters of
faculty status for faculty librarians who have served or are serving under his
or her jurisdiction.
3. The Dean of the
Library and Information Fluency shall supervise the preparation of the annual
budgets covering the program and personnel costs of the departments and other
units in the library, and will prepare the aggregate budget of the library.
4. The Dean of the
Library and Information Fluency shall be appointed by the President of the
University with the concurrence of the Board of Trustees. When a vacancy in the position of the Dean
exists, the President will be assisted in filling the vacancy by a Search
Committee. (See Appendix IV.)
The University and FAC agree that
certification and recognition of the bargaining unit includes all full-time
faculty, including full-time faculty associated with the Reading Clinic and
Counseling Center, full-time faculty assigned to the Department of Exercise
Science and Sport, all full-time faculty who are department chairpersons,
librarians, and full-time faculty members given special assignments in lieu of
teaching at the University, but excluding all part-time faculty,
non-professional employees, guards, and supervisors as defined by the National
Labor Relations Act.
The Executive Committee of FAC consists of
officers elected by the rank and file membership in accordance with FAC's
constitution. These officers act as the only authorized agents of
FAC. Thus, in matters involving salary, hours of employment, and working
conditions-including matters involving an interpretation of this handbook-the
officers of FAC alone have the authority to speak on behalf of, and
subsequently bind, the members of the bargaining unit.
Departments are academic units which are
responsible for the organization and operation of the academic program in a
particular subject area. The members of a department have a collective
responsibility for the academic program and the curriculum. Hence, the
department has a major responsibility in matters of faculty appointment,
reappointment, tenure and promotion, in accordance with the relevant sections
of this Handbook. Departments with fewer than five full-time tenured
members shall have tenured associates (see Appendix VII). In any
department where the provisions of 23.4 reduce the number of eligible voters
below five for a particular case, tenured associate(s) will be added to bring
the number back up to five.
One tenured member of the full-time faculty
of a department shall serve as chairperson. As a member of the collective
bargaining unit, the chairperson will be considered the elected representative
of the department to the administration. However, as the administration's
liaison to the department, the chairperson functions as the conduit between the
administration and the faculty of the department. In this dual role the
chairperson is expected to do the following:
A. To provide
leadership in the development and maintenance of excellence in the department's
programs;
B. To provide fair
representation of departmental and individual faculty opinions to the administration;
C. To communicate
opinions and decisions of administrators to the faculty of the department.
Any department member who believes the
chairperson is not properly representing individual or departmental interests,
may appeal to the appropriate Dean for a decision in the matter. The
decision of the Dean is open to the grievance procedure in the Faculty
Handbook.
If the appropriate Dean believes the chairperson is not properly
representing or applying administrative policies as stated in the provisions of
this handbook, then the Dean, after fair written warning, can seek termination
of the appointment as chairperson as stated in section 4.3 of this document.
The following conditions and procedures shall
be followed in the appointment of a
chairperson:
A. All tenured faculty
members shall be eligible to serve as chairperson. At the appropriate
time, the Provost/VPAA will solicit nominations from the department for the
position of chairperson.
B. All full-time
tenured and tenure track members of a department shall be eligible to vote for
the departmental chairperson.
C. In March of the
appropriate year, the Provost/VPAA shall send to each member of the department
a list of those eligible and willing to serve as chairperson, and of those
eligible to vote for chairperson, and a ballot on which each eligible voter is
to mark down his or her choice for the position. These ballots are to be
filled out and returned to the Provost/VPAA within ten calendar days.
D. The Provost/VPAA
shall tally the ballots and determine the department's choice. If no
candidate receives a majority vote, the two top vote-getters (or more in the
case of ties) will compete in a runoff election until a majority candidate is
chosen. The Provost/VPAA will then appoint the department's choice.
E. If the department
is deadlocked, the Provost/VPAA and the appropriate Dean(s) will consult with
each other and then with the voting members of the department to resolve the
issue. If no agreement can be reached, then the Provost/VPAA will decide
on a one-year appointment after informing the chairpersons of FAC and FPC.
F. Should the need
arise for an acting chairperson, the Provost/VPAA will attempt to select a
candidate in accordance with the above procedure, but may act unilaterally in
the appointment of an acting chairperson for a term not to exceed one academic
year.
G. Any deviation from
the above policy and procedures needs the consensus approval of the
chairpersons of both FAC and FPC.
The term of office for the chairperson shall
be three years unless special circumstances require an appointment for a
shorter period. A chairperson is eligible for reappointment, if willing
to serve, and if reelected by the procedures cited in section 4.1 of this
document.
This may be requested through a petition to
the Provost/VPAA, signed by at least two-thirds of the full-time faculty of the
department or by the appropriate Dean. Upon receipt of the written
request of either the department or the Dean, the Provost/VPAA, in consultation
with the academic deans, shall investigate the complaint behind the petition
and attempt to reconcile the differences. If reconciliation is not
possible, the Provost/VPAA shall make the decision to remove or retain the
chairperson, after informing the chairpersons of both FAC and FPC, and this
decision shall be final.
The duties of the chairperson include the
following:
A. Organizing the
department to achieve specific objectives that relate to the general goals of
the University;
B. Planning for
curriculum development and staffing needs;
C. Approving and
recommending to the deans, after consultation with the department, course
proposals and teaching schedules for each member of the department;
D. Supervising the
instructional program and faculty development within the department;
E. Developing with the
assistance of department members, departmental policies and procedures,
notification of which should be forwarded to the academic deans and the
Provost/VPAA before being implemented;
F. Communicating with
department members (both full- and part-time) through regularly scheduled
meetings at least twice a semester, and providing minutes of these meetings to
the members, the deans, and the Provost/VPAA;
G. Representing the
department in meetings called by appropriate administrators and informing the
deans and the Provost/VPAA of the needs of the department;
H. Making
recommendations, after evaluation and proper consultation with the department,
for faculty appointments, reappointments, tenure, and promotion. (See sections
dealing with rank and tenure and Appendix VI);
I. Organizing and
supervising academic advising within the department;
J. Preparing the
departmental budget request and overseeing the approved budget;
K. Preparing and
submitting annually to the appropriate Dean and the Provost/VPAA a report of
the state of the department.
The compensation scale for the
full-time faculty who serve as chairpersons is a matter for the collective
bargaining agreement between the Faculty Affairs Council (FAC) and the Faculty
Personnel Committee (FPC). In general, the chairpersons are compensated
with reduced teaching loads and/or monetary remuneration for service over the
twelve month calendar. The current provisions for chairperson
compensation may be obtained from a FAC officer or the Provost/VPAA.
The duties of the chairperson of the
Department of Faculty Librarians are the same as those listed in 4.4 above,
except that sections E.,
Developing, with the assistance of department
members, Library Faculty governance policies and procedures, notification of
which should be forwarded to the academic deans and the Provost/VPAA before
being implemented.
The full-time faculty of the University
consists of those who hold full-time faculty contracts and who have been
appointed to one of the six academic ranks which, in ascending order, are as
follows: faculty specialist, lecturer, instructor, assistant professor,
associate professor, and professor.
A lecturer is appointed for a stipulated period of time but not to exceed one year. A lecturer has full-time teaching responsibilities but is not considered to be on the tenure track. Reappointment as a lecturer is possible but only on a one-time basis. The maximum appointment is for two years and such time spent as a lecturer will be counted as part of the probationary period for tenure if a person holding an appointment as lecturer is appointed to a tenure-track position.
During the second and fourth semesters of a lecturer’s appointment, the lecturer’s department will complete and send to the appropriate dean(s) a written evaluation of the lecturer’s teaching. This evaluation may also touch upon the lecturer’s scholarship and service, if relevant, but an evaluation of teaching alone is sufficient. The evaluation letter is due on November 1, if the evaluation occurs in the fall semester, or on April 1, if the evaluation occurs in the spring semester. The lecturer may choose, at his or her discretion, to submit a self report no later than two weeks before the deadline for the department’s evaluation, but this self-report is not required. If the lecturer chooses to submit a self report, the lecturer will be evaluated by the tenured members of the department as a group.
In the event that the lecturer chooses not to submit a self report, the tenured members of the lecturer’s department will vote annually to determine whether the lecturer will be evaluated by the tenured members as a group, or whether primary responsibility for the task will be delegated to the chair. If the tenured members of the department vote to delegate the primary responsibility to the chair, the chair may, at his or her discretion, seek input from tenured members of the lecturer’s department, but the chair must also consider any unsolicited comments submitted in writing from tenured members of the department. The evaluation of teaching must be based on at least one classroom observation, preferably by the chair, but the chair may delegate this duty to a tenured member of the department. However, the chair him- or herself must prepare and sign the actual evaluation.
If the lecturer submits a self report, or if the tenured members of the department vote to evaluate the lecturer as a group, they will also vote to designate an author for the evaluation letter. This letter will summarize the discussion of the lecturer’s teaching (and scholarship and/or service, if relevant) at a meeting held expressly for that purpose. Faculty members are encouraged to observe the lecturer’s teaching before participating in such a discussion.
According to the same deadlines, the department will provide a copy of its evaluation to the lecturer, who will have the right to submit a response to the evaluation to the appropriate dean(s) within two weeks. All materials will be sent by the dean(s) to the Provost /VPAA for review and inclusion in the lecturer’s permanent evaluation file. If the lecturer subsequently applies for another faculty position at the University, such evaluations will be made available to the members of that position’s search committee.
In the use of faculty status, the
Only the President and the Board of Trustees may speak in the name of the
University. No faculty member, therefore, may use his or her title and
position to state or imply that the University approves or endorses anything or
anyone without the approval of the President and Board of Trustees. This
would include the certification of any scientific or practical invention, any
scientific or business undertakings, or the sponsorship of organizations.
The faculty member may use his or her title and affiliation for purposes
of identification but should never present himself or herself as an
institutional spokesperson unless written authorization to do so has been given
by the Provost/VPAA.
The
The University subscribes to the 1940 and 1970 statements and interpretive comments on academic freedom of the Association of American University Professors, which declare that “the common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition.” Therefore, faculty members are entitled to freedom in extramural activities, research, and teaching. This is not, however, a license to introduce controversial material which has no relation to the subject being taught. Although every faculty member should respect the stated aims of the institution to which he or she accepts an appointment, academic freedom protects the right to express, clarify, and interpret positions, including those identified as personal positions of the teacher, which are divergent from those of the institution.
The general responsibilities of full-time
faculty members include the following:
A. Satisfactory
fulfillment of teaching duties and other assigned responsibilities;
B. Observance of
promulgated academic regulations concerning class attendance, cancellation of
classes, examinations, and grades;
C. Preparation,
proctoring, and grading of student examinations; direction, reading, and
evaluation of student papers, reports, theses, and dissertations where such are
part of departmental programs;
D. The regular
academic advising and guidance of students. Each faculty member is
expected to maintain scheduled office hours and be familiar with academic
regulations and the curriculum of his or her department. Office hours,
which are to be distinct from actual teaching hours, shall be subject to the
approval of the chairperson and Dean and shall be posted on the office door of
the faculty member. Three hours a week, allocated on at least two
different days, will be considered the minimum requirement for office hours;
E. Involvement in the
development and improvement of the academic program and curriculum of the
department;
F. Involvement in
scholarly research with a view to publication;
G. Participation in
learned societies and educational organizations and in community service;
H. Participation in
University and department faculty meetings and in committee work;
I. Preparation of
course syllabi, current copies of which are to be submitted to the department
and distributed to students;
J. Cooperation with
the chairperson and deans in enforcing academic regulations;
K. Maintenance of a
high standard of conduct, integrity, trust, and professionalism when dealing
with students, other faculty, staff, administrators, and the public;
L. Compliance with all
federally mandated policies, such as the Affirmative Action Plan and the
Drug-Free Workplace Policy. Such policies are available in the Human
Resources Office.
The normal
teaching for full-time faculty is described as follows:
A. The normal
teaching load for full-time faculty for the Fall and Spring semesters will be
twenty-one credit hours, with no more than twelve credit hours per
semester. In the
B.
Supervision
of labs, practicums, student teaching, and equivalent fieldwork shall be
equivalent to a determinate
number of credit hours. The precise formula and rationale shall be stated in a
written agreement between the Provost/VPAA and the appropriate department. A
copy of these written agreements shall be provided to the officers of FAC.
During the first semester following the
beginning of a new contract, departments whose teaching load includes labs,
practicums, student teaching, or equivalent fieldwork will submit:
1. written justification for continuation of
existing agreements; or
2. a request that any written agreement with the
administration pertaining to these activities be revised. Such requests must include supporting
documentation such as national benchmarks or national accreditation standards.
C. No faculty member
will be required to have more than three preparations in a semester, nor should
anyone be required to teach more than two new courses in any semester after the
first year of teaching. This limitation can be expanded by one course if
the faculty member is teaching an overload course for the semester.
D. As
a part of their normal load, full-time faculty members are expected to share
equitably in their departmental responsibility for course offerings in colleges
without their own faculty.
An exception to the
normal teaching load can be granted by the administration for the following
reasons:
A.
completing
quasi-administrative assignments,
B.
approved
leaves,
C.
grants
or contracts that reimburse the University for released teaching time,
D.
scholarship
and research projects,
E.
experimental
or graduate classes,
F.
the
number of student credit hours taught by the individual faculty member,
G.
advising
workload relief, or
H.
any
other factor pertinent to curriculum needs, faculty development, or financial
feasibility.
Ordinarily, a faculty
member who receives a reduction in normal teaching load may not carry an
overload.
An exception from the normal teaching load
can be made by the administration as follows: Where programmatic considerations
allow, a faculty member may be permitted to carry no more than four credits
(normally one course) over the normal load in any given semester. Extra
compensation, in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement, will be
paid for these credits. Appropriately qualified full-time faculty will be
given preference over part-time faculty in the assignment of uncovered courses
in the fall or spring semester. A faculty member cannot be required to
teach an overload. The appropriate chair will be consulted before
decisions are made.
Any full-time faculty member who teaches a
graduate or undergraduate course in the summer school or during the
intersession will be considered to be teaching in the special session and will
be compensated in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement. A
faculty member cannot be required to teach in the summer school or in
intersession. Those persons holding full-time faculty rank will be given
first preference in the assignment of intersession and summer courses.
Those holding faculty rank who are not full-time will be given second preference.
Refer to Article 9 in the 2006-2009 Faculty
Contract.
A full-time faculty contract obligates the
faculty member to devote the major portion of his or her energies to meeting
faculty responsibilities. Accordingly, a faculty member wishing to engage
in outside employment (for example teaching or coaching at other educational
institutions or regular or continued employment in a business or professional
enterprise) will provide the Provost/VPAA, in writing, with the non-financial
details of the employment. The Provost/VPAA, after consulting with the
appropriate chairperson and Dean, will grant or refuse approval, in
writing. If the request is refused, the reasons for the refusal must be
given. An approval, once granted, is to be renewed annually if the
employment is continuing. Upon the request of FAC, a list of all those
who have sought such approval, and the decisions rendered, will be given.
In those cases
where individuals with specialized skills can only be obtained by hiring
persons already employed, an exception to the above regulation should be
explicitly included as part of the faculty member's contract, and FAC should be
notified.
Short term
employment (e.g., a consulting assignment) that does not conflict with the
faculty member's responsibilities to the University does not need approval.
Full-time faculty members agreeing to accept
assignment to special non-teaching duties other than those explicitly governed
by this handbook will be compensated for such duties by stipend and/or
reassigned time at a rate to be agreed upon by the AVP/Provost and the faculty
members involved. A list of faculty members undertaking such special
assignments, including the nature of each assignment, its term or duration, and
its compensation, will be provided to the chairs of FAC and FPC at the start of
each academic year.
For any CAS department where the number of majors (excluding first-year students are double or triple majors) is greater than thirty-five times the number of full-time faculty teaching in that department during a given year, the university will, at the request of the department, provide staff support for the advising of all second-year students in the major.
1.
Satisfactory
fulfillment of teaching duties and other assigned responsibilities;
2.
Observance
of promulgated academic regulations concerning class attendance, cancellation
of classes, examinations, and grades;
3.
Preparation,
proctoring, and grading of student examinations; direction, reading, and
evaluation of student papers, reports, theses, and dissertations where such are
part of departmental programs;
4.
The
regular academic advising and guidance of students. Each faculty member is expected to maintain
scheduled office hours and be familiar with academic regulations and the
curriculum of his or her department.
Office hours, which are to be distinct from actual teaching hours, shall
be subject to the approval of the chairperson and Dean and shall be posted on
the office door of the faculty member.
Three hours a week, allocated on at least two different days, will be
considered the minimum requirement for office hours;
5.
Involvement
in the development and improvement of the academic program and curriculum of
the department;
6.
Participation
in University and department faculty meetings and in committee work;
7.
Preparation
of course syllabi, current copies of which are to be submitted to the
department and distributed to students;
8.
Cooperation
with the chairperson and deans in enforcing academic regulations;
9.
Administration
of course evaluations for all courses taught every semester;
10.
Maintenance
of a high standard of conduct, integrity, trust, and professionalism when
dealing with students, other faculty, staff, administrators, and the public;
11.
Compliance
with all federally mandated policies, such as the Affirmative Action Plan and
the Drug-Free Workplace Policy. Such
policies are available in the Human Resources Office.
1.
Requests
for Faculty Specialist appointments will originate within individual
departments or programs by vote of the departmental/programmatic tenure-track
faculty and will follow the same review and approval process employed when requesting tenure-track appointments. Should
the request be approved, the process for identifying and evaluating candidates
for initial appointment to a Faculty Specialist position will follow the
appropriate procedures as outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The
department’s decision will be sent to the hiring Dean. The Dean may make a
recommendation for appointment and forward the recommendation, including the
candidate’s record, to the Provost. Appointment is made by the President, with
the recommendation of the Provost.
2.
The
initial contract will be for one year. Subject to a successful review per
contract period by vote of the departmental/programmatic tenure-track faculty
and to continued departmental or programmatic need, subsequent contracts may be
offered, normally for one year. At the Dean’s discretion, these subsequent
contracts may be up to three years in length.
By the last day of a faculty specialist’s contracted employment,
usually May 31 of the terminal year of the contract, the Provost/VPAA will
inform the faculty specialist in writing whether his or her contract will be
renewed, and if so, the length of the renewal period.
3.
Annual
written performance evaluations, and the standards upon which they are based,
are prepared by the department chair or program director, and forwarded to the
home Dean. The report will summarize the candidate’s strengths and
accomplishments in the current position and identify areas for performance
improvement. Faculty Specialists will
receive salary increases in accordance with FAC contract guidelines for persons
classified as faculty.
4.
Faculty
Specialists will not occupy tenure track positions. Faculty Specialists will follow the same
policies and procedures related to outside employment as is required for
full-time faculty.
5.
Faculty
Specialists may apply for available tenure track positions if they are
qualified. If hired to a tenure track line, the time as a Faculty Specialist
cannot be counted towards tenure.
In the unlikely event that reductions in current, full-time faculty employees
are required in a department or program, reductions will first occur among
those holding Faculty Specialist positions.
Each subdivision in this category applies to
persons who may teach at the University under specified conditions, but whose
teaching time does not accrue to tenure. Such persons will, moreover, be
invited to participate in a non-voting capacity in departmental meetings.
A. Visiting Professor. A visiting
appointment is made ordinarily for no more than one year. The visitor's
rank will be either that held at the home institution or, if the person comes
from a non-academic position, rank will be assigned by the Provost/VPAA after
consultation with the appropriate Dean(s) and with the chairperson and a
committee of the department involved.
B. Adjunct Professor. Adjunct
faculty members are those part-time teachers whose credentials match the
qualification for one of the five ordinary ranks. They may be designated
as adjunct at the appropriate rank and appointed and reappointed on a semester
or annual basis.
C. Professor Emeritus. A professor emeritus is one who has
retired and either no longer teaches or teaches part-time. Those who have
completed a minimum of ten years of full-time service to the University shall
be so designated by the President. Professors emeriti shall be listed in
University bulletins, invited to faculty convocations, and accorded library
privileges.
An academic program is defined as a developed
body of courses that receives transcript recognition. Interdepartmental programs are those academic
programs whose requirements (excluding cognate and general education
requirements for majors) include courses offered by faculty from two or more
academic departments. Each program will be run by the chair of the department
which houses the program, or by a director appointed by the appropriate
dean(s). The director of a program will be appointed by the appropriate dean(s)
in accordance with the nature and purpose of the individual program.
Academic departments, program directors, and
individual faculty members have the initial responsibility for the development
of programs and courses although the University reserves as its administrative
prerogative the final choices of courses to be offered. It is essential, however, that collegiality
pervade the whole process from the proposal of courses and programs to their
actual delivery.
A. Accordingly,
the University assignment of course offerings will be based upon the Master
Scheduling Process described below:
1. The Registrar
guides the Master Scheduling Process (MSP).
He/she will develop a calendar of MSP events and deadlines, and
distribute the calendar, as well as the MSP tool, course data and reports and
student data and reports to the deans, department chairpersons, and directors
of interdepartmental programs by August 1st.
The Registrar will make available to
deans, department chairpersons, and directors of interdepartmental programs the
data they request (e.g., copies of previous years' course schedules, reports of
the number of majors by class, admissions reports, etc.) and other appropriate
data they need to accommodate program needs for general education requirements
as well as cognate and major requirements of other departments.
2.
Each chairperson, in consultation with his or her faculty and the directors of
all relevant interdepartmental programs, will prepare and submit a preliminary
draft of the master schedule to the Registrar's Office by the deadline in the
published MSP calendar.
Courses should be offered in accordance with the standard
block schedule established by the University.
Exceptions to the block schedule must be approved by the Provost's
Academic Policy Council (APC).
Exceptions to block scheduling are normally made annually; however,
continuing exceptions can be made with the approval of APC at the explicit
request of an academic department.
Classes within each department should be distributed evenly between the
MWF and TR sequences and between the morning and afternoon periods. The Registrar in consultation with the deans
and the chairpersons (who will consult with the faculty involved and the
directors of all relevant interdepartmental programs) will re‑assign
classrooms and times when, for example, the number of courses proposed for a
given time period exceeds classroom availability.
3.
The respective deans will review the preliminary draft of the master schedule
and will suggest recommendations and revisions to the chairpersons by the
deadline in the published MSP calendar (within two weeks of receiving the draft
from the Registrar). The chairpersons,
consulting with their faculty and the directors of all relevant
interdepartmental programs, will make proposed adjustments to the master
schedule in light of the deans' recommendations and departmental and individual
faculty concerns and constraints. The
chairpersons will submit the revised draft of the master schedule to the deans
for approval.
4.
By the date in the published MSP calendar, always before the end of the fall
semester, the Registrar, through the department chairpersons, will provide each
faculty member with a copy of his or her tentative course assignments for the
coming academic year (summer, fall, intersession, and spring). Additionally, at this time the Registrar will
forward a copy of departmental and program master schedules to the relevant
department chairs and directors of interdepartmental programs. Within four weeks, faculty members should
submit requests for course changes to the chairperson. The chairperson, after consulting with the
directors of any relevant interdepartmental programs, will forward the
department's requests to the appropriate dean for approval or disapproval. The draft at the end of this stage is the
final draft of the master schedule.
5.
Additional corrections may, with sufficient reason, be made up to (but no later
than) the deadline for the promulgation of the class schedule. Such proposed corrections should be
submitted, with a rationale and after consultation with the appropriate faculty
and the directors of any relevant interdepartmental programs, by the
chairperson to the dean for approval.
6.
Changes to the master schedule after promulgation will be made by the appropriate dean's
office in consultation with department chairpersons, directors of all relevant
interdepartmental programs, and affected faculty.
B. The formulation of course
offerings and schedules according to the procedures outlined above should be guided by
considerations including, but not necessarily limited to, the following:
1.
Student needs and interests;
2.
Curricular and Programmatic requirements, including
those mandated by external accrediting agencies;
3.
The appropriate allocation of faculty resources in
terms of teaching expertise, professional responsibilities, staffing needs of
the various colleges, and equity. When an allocation cannot be made on
the basis of these criteria the senior faculty member (in years of service at
the University) will be given preference.
4.
Past and projected enrollments.
5.
Principles of rational scheduling and institutional
resources such as instructional time and classroom space.
C. Intersession and Summer Sessions.
Once a course has been listed as a final offering in
any of these sessions, registration has taken place, and the enrollment
for the course has reached the minimum number specified in the collective
bargaining agreement, it is the responsibility of the offering department to
staff the course or to arrange for a suitable replacement. If the enrollment
for the course is less than the minimum specified in the collective bargaining
agreement, then the administration may cancel the course no later than 14 days
prior to the start of the special session. The cancellation can be postponed to
a later date, but only if the faculty member waives his or her assignment right
and places it on a contingent basis.
D. Changes before the semesters. If,
within two weeks of the start of a semester, there is an emergency due to the
unforeseen inability of a full-time or part-time faculty member to meet a
course commitment, any full-time faculty member who agrees to assume an
additional preparation will receive a bonus of one-half overload salary above
regular salary for that course and will have the option to exclude a mandatory
course evaluation from his/her evaluation file.
University funds will be budgeted each year
to support faculty travel to professional meetings for the following purposes:
A. To enable faculty
to present papers, chair sessions, or serve as discussants;
B. To provide for
professional development of faculty.
Priority is given to those presenting
papers. Detailed guidelines and deadlines for applications will be
announced by the Provost/VPAA within the first month of each academic
year. Applications are reviewed by the Faculty Travel Committee.
Travel policies, including such matters as rates for mileage, meals, etc., are
administered within the University's travel policy.
Travel for programmatic purposes, e.g. for
training sessions, continuing education, licensure, or programs for credit is
not funded through the Faculty Travel Committee. Faculty should process
requests for such travel through their Dean, who shall have the discretion to
allocate or not allocate funding. The Dean may not, however, allocate
funds for any travel that falls under the purview of the Faculty Travel
Committee.
Section 9.0 shall not be read to limit the
capacity of the Provost/VPAA to pursue special faculty enhancement initiatives
requiring the allocation and disbursement of funds. Nothing in this section shall be construed to
limit the right of the Provost/VPAA to pursue special faculty development
initiatives by allocating specifically budgeted funds to faculty enhancement.
Funds will be budgeted each year for support
of faculty members conducting research or curriculum development work in the summer
and intersession terms. Proposals shall be reviewed by the Faculty
Development Board, which will also specify criteria for preparation of
proposals. The number of awards and deadlines for submission of proposals
shall be determined by the Provost/VPAA and announced within the first month of
each academic year.
Funds will be budgeted each year to support
faculty research projects. Proposals shall be reviewed by the Faculty
Research Committee, which will also specify criteria for preparation of
proposals. Deadlines for submission of proposals shall be determined by
the Director of Research and announced within the first month of each academic
year.
Funds will be budgeted each year to support
faculty instructional development projects.
Proposals shall be reviewed by a subcommittee of the Center for Teaching
and Learning Excellence Advisory Board, which subcommittee will also specify
criteria for preparation of proposals. This
subcommittee shall include no fewer than one faculty representative from each of
the three colleges with faculty. Deadlines
for submission of proposals shall be determined by the Dean of the Library and
Information Fluency and announced within the first month of each academic year.
All appointments to the full-time faculty are
made by the President of the University. Such appointments are made upon
recommendation of the Provost/VPAA who, in every case, will consult with the
appropriate Dean(s) and members of the appropriate academic department.
The terms and conditions of all full-time appointments include but are not
limited to the provisions of the Faculty Handbook, the collective
bargaining agreements, and the individual faculty contract.
Reductions in teaching loads and special
faculty assignments as specified in sections 5.6 and 5.11 of this handbook will
be stated in writing by the Provost/VPAA or designee and communicated in
writing to the faculty member and appropriate chairperson.
The procedures to be followed by faculty
involved in the search process for new tenure-track faculty, including
obtaining authorization for new positions or replacements for departing
faculty, the advertising of these positions, the initial review of
applications, and the on-campus interviews of finalists are specified in
Appendix V. The implementation of these procedures must adhere to the standards
and norms of the University's Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Plan.
The initial contract, negotiated between the
appointee and Provost/VPAA, will include any special terms, responsibilities,
or understandings, including those regarding a reduction in probationary time
as provided for in section 21.3 (b) but excluding those covered in section 10.1
of this handbook. A copy of the contract will be sent to the
appointee. Any subsequent modifications or extensions affecting these
special terms, responsibilities, or understandings will also be stated and
confirmed in writing by the Provost/VPAA and communicated in writing to the
faculty member.
Appointments to the ranks of instructor,
assistant professor, or associate professor will be made by the Provost/VPAA
upon the recommendation of the appropriate department and the relevant
Dean. Appointments to the rank of full professor will be made by the
Provost/VPAA upon the recommendation of the appropriate department, the
relevant Dean, and the Board on Rank and Tenure. In all cases the
appointee's credentials must meet the criteria listed in 20.1-20.4 and all
other applicable sections of this handbook.
In cases of appointment to the rank of
instructor where the department, relevant Dean, and Provost/VPAA concur at the
time of appointment that a faculty member meets all requirements for the rank
of assistant professor, except for the completion of the degree or additional
graduate hours as specified in 20.2 A, the Provost/VPAA will make the
appointment to the rank of assistant professor as soon as the agreed-upon work
is completed. This appointment becomes effective immediately. In
such cases there is no need for a recommendation from the Board on Rank and Tenure.
If the promotion takes place before the start of the spring semester, the time
in rank will count as a full year for purposes of promotion.
A leave of absence is a release for a
specific period of time (normally for one year) from faculty responsibilities.
Upon recommendation of the Provost/VPAA, who
will have consulted with both chairperson and deans, the President may grant a
leave of absence at any time.
A leave of absence is uncompensated time,
although benefits in which the University and the faculty member participate
may continue, with total contribution coming from the faculty member.
When the leave is over, the returning faculty member's base salary will include
the percentage increment contained in the collective bargaining agreement(s)
negotiated during the absence applicable to all faculty members without
consideration of special adjustment.
Faculty who have opportunities to
engage in professional projects which are directly applicable to their faculty
responsibilities, and which result in direct benefit to the University, may
petition the Provost/VPAA for a leave with partial salary. These projects may be related to their
research or to other scholarly, creative or applied professional
endeavors.
The leave with partial salary may be
approved for no less than 1 semester.
The level of partial salary will be based on the circumstances presented
in each case, but will be established with the goal of maintaining the level of
the faculty member’s salary and keeping neutral the cost to the
University.
Faculty who wish to apply for leave
with partial salary will present a written proposal to the Provost/VPAA. The proposal will include, at minimum, a
description of the project and the relationship with the host institution or
organization, a timeline for the work and return to the University, a request
for the amount of partial salary required, and justification for the request. Documentation from the host institution
should be included.
The Provost/VPAA will consult with
the faculty member’s dean before deciding to grant or refuse the request for
leave with partial salary.
Faculty members will have the option as to whether time on leave of absence is to contribute to the accrual of time in rank for purposes of promotion or advancement to tenure. At the time the leave is requested in writing from the Provost/VPAA, faculty members shall indicate whether they wish the leave to be counted toward tenure or promotion. Time on leave is included in computation of length of continued service to the University.
For additional rules governing
sabbatical eligibility for those who receive a leave of absence, see Section
12.0.
A sabbatical leave alters a faculty member’s normal responsibilities for a specified period of time and for a specific academic purpose that benefits both the faculty member and the University. During a sabbatical leave, a faculty member may not teach regular courses at the University (however, under special circumstances, such as a fellowship, a faculty member may teach regular courses at another institution). Unless faculty members on sabbatical seek and receive approval from the Provost/VPAA, they may not teach readers, tutorials, or independent study courses; mentor a Master’s thesis or an Honors project; or serve as a department chairperson, program director, academic advisor, faculty senator, Faculty Development Board member, or University Council member. Faculty members on sabbatical will maintain the option to participate in regular department meetings; departmental reappointment, rank, tenure, and hiring deliberations; committee work; and the faculty/student research program. Moreover, such faculty members may continue, at their own discretion, to moderate student organizations or to hold elected faculty offices for which there are no alternates, such as a position on the FAC Executive Committee. Faculty members are strongly advised to recuse themselves from service on the Board on Rank and Tenure during any academic year in which they will be taking a sabbatical. A sabbatical may be taken for one full academic year or for one regular semester. Faculty members are not ordinarily eligible to take a sabbatical until they receive tenure. A faculty member is eligible for sabbatical leave during or after the seventh year of service dating back to initial appointment or a previous sabbatical. (For example, newer faculty are eligible for sabbatical in the seventh year, hence would ordinarily apply in the sixth year of service.) In the case of faculty members who receive a postponement of the tenure review due to childbirth or adoption (see Section 21.3.C) or a leave of absence (see Section 11.4), the first sabbatical may not be taken until the faculty member has received tenure. However, such a faculty member will become eligible for a second sabbatical early, by the same number of years that the tenure review was postponed.
By September 15 of the year prior to
the contract year in which the faculty member wishes to be on sabbatical leave,
he/she must submit to the department chair and Dean an application for
sabbatical leave. The application will outline the sabbatical project.
(Application forms are available from the Office of Research Services.)
The Faculty Research Committee
will begin review of applications for sabbaticals at their September
meeting. The faculty member will be
informed of the decision by the end of that fall semester.
The
application is submitted to the faculty member’s department chair, who will
make a recommendation on the proposal and the department’s ability to cover
courses during the sabbatical, then forward it to the appropriate Dean. The
Dean will make a recommendation regarding the proposal, then forward it to the
Faculty Research Committee.
Recommendations of the chair, Dean and committee will be submitted to
the Provost/VPAA, who will decide to grant or refuse the request for sabbatical
leave. The Provost/VPAA may defer a
sabbatical leave for programmatic and/or financial reasons. In such an instance, the faculty member will
become eligible for a subsequent sabbatical early, by the same number of years
that the previous sabbatical was deferred.
It is understood that a sabbatical concludes
at the end of the contracted sabbatical period (either at the end of the fall
semester or end of the spring semester).
Reports from fall semester sabbaticals are due no later than March 1;
reports from spring semester or full-year sabbaticals are due no later than
August 1. This report will be considered
in the approval process of the faculty member’s next application for
sabbatical.
A faculty member on sabbatical for
one semester will receive full salary. Normally a faculty member on
sabbatical for an academic year (two semesters) will receive one-half of
his/her salary. A request for a greater
salary supplement (up to 70%) for a one-year sabbatical leave, and a
justification for the request, may be made to the Provost/VPAA through the
Faculty Research Committee at the time the sabbatical application is
filed. The Faculty Research Committee
will review and provide advice to the Provost/VPAA on the salary request and
its relevance to the nature of the proposed project. The Provost/VPAA will decide to grant, refuse
or modify the request.
All
benefit plans which are operative during full-time employment will continue
during a sabbatical with the same contribution schedule from the University and
individual participant; benefits related to salary level are determined in
accord with the salary actually paid.
When
a faculty member elects a one-semester sabbatical during the academic year, the
normal teaching load for the non-sabbatical semester will be 12 teaching
credits.
In the unusual circumstance where a
non-tenured faculty member would be granted a sabbatical, the time on
sabbatical would not accrue toward tenure. With respect to accumulation of time
for promotion and for all other measures of continuity of service at the
University, time on sabbatical will be included.
Instead of applying for a standard sabbatical, faculty librarians may choose to apply for a short-term sabbatical at full pay for either the summer (up to three months, starting with the first day of class for summer school and ending with the day before the first day of class for the fall semester) or intersession (starting with the first day of class for intersession and ending with the day before the first day of class for the spring semester). An application for a short-term sabbatical is submitted to the chair of the Department of Faculty Librarians, who will write a recommendation on the proposal and the department’s ability to cover the library faculty member’s responsibilities to his/her department during the short-term sabbatical. The chair will then forward this recommendation to the Dean of the Library and Information Fluency. Reports from intersession sabbaticals are due no later than April 1, and reports from summer sabbaticals are due no later than November 1. All other procedures related to short-term sabbaticals will be identical to those for regular semester sabbaticals outlined in sections 12.0-12.5 . Beginning with the seventh year of service dating back to initial appointment, a faculty librarian would be eligible to take up to four months of sabbatical during a seven-year period.
Short-term illness or disability (STD)
provides coverage during the period prior to the date one qualifies for
Long-term disability benefits (LTD). Long-term disability benefits begin
on the first day following 180 days of continuous illness, or disability.
For details regarding Long-term disability provisions, consult the Group
Disability Benefits Certificate. Copies of the Certificate are available
from the Human Resources Office.
STD benefits provide 100% of base salary and
continuation of all usual fringe benefits to members of the bargaining unit
where illness or disability prevents fulfillment of usually required faculty
responsibilities. It is to be understood that employees have continued
responsibility for usual deductions, including deductions for health insurance
and mandatory pension contributions.
An employee unable to meet usual and normal
faculty responsibilities must notify the chair of the department, or the
appropriate authority. The chair will consult with the employee, when
possible, and recommend to the Dean a plan for covering vacated
responsibilities. Ordinarily, during the first two weeks of STD,
department members are called upon to cover the classes with no additional
compensation. Beginning the third week of coverage, faculty covering
classes will be compensated on the basis of a pro-rated overload.
When more than two weeks of continuous STD is
required, an application for continued wages and benefits must be made by
completing the STD form available from Human Resources. Before an
application for continuation of wages and benefits will be considered, medical
documentation from the employee's physician must be received. This document is
to be forwarded by the employee's physician directly to Human Resources. it is
understood that STD payments may be delayed until proper medical documentation
has been received. Once an application for Short-term benefits beyond the
two-week period has been received, a release from a physician is required
before an employee can return to work.
Employees on STD, who in the opinion of their
physician can work part-time, and who voluntarily choose to make application
for and/or accept part-time employment, may be granted an opportunity to work
on a part-time basis. It is understood that part-time employment means
performing limited work activities on a voluntary and medically approved basis
with no increase nor decrease in STD wages and benefits. Employees
continue to receive 100% of base salary and all usual fringe benefits.
It is understood
that the University will deny an application for part-time employment if
part-time work modifies or alters, in any way, the Long-term Disability
Elimination Period of 180 days of continuous disability. An application
for part-time employment is made through Human Resources (who will channel that
request to the appropriate chair and Dean). The University will inform
FAC of all requests for part-time employment made by employees on STD.
If an employee on
STD is reimbursed for lost wages and benefits by a source other than the
University, except for an employee's privately financed insurance, (legal
suits, worker's compensation, social security, ...) the University will be
reimbursed an amount not to exceed actual salary payments and the actual cost
of benefits over the appropriate reimbursement period. Should the
external reimbursement for lost wages and benefits be less than the
University's actual expenditures, the University will receive the entire amount
of the external reimbursement for wages and benefits. It is understood
that the appropriate reimbursement period is defined as the period of
short-term disability during which external reimbursement begins and
ends. It is further understood that the reimbursement period can begin no
earlier than the beginning date of short-term disability nor extend beyond the
180-day period of short-term disability.
The usual pregnancy and childbirth leave
allows for four paid weeks before the expected due date and six paid weeks
after delivery. When necessary, medical documentation will allow for an
expanded pregnancy and childbirth leave. See 2l.3 C about the extension of the
probationary period for tenure because of childbirth or adoption.
The nature of teaching and the structure of
the semester do not always present convenient transitions between classroom
work and STD. (Examples of possible inconvenient transitions: an employee is
ready to return to work mid-semester; an employee will have to leave work at mid-semester.)
In the case of an inconvenient STD transition faculty members will be expected
to accept reasonable work assignments specified by the appropriate Dean in
consultation with the faculty member and the department chair. Such
assignments must be consistent with the normal faculty responsibilities set
forth in section 5 of this Handbook. Faculty working under these
conditions will receive full pay and benefits. Faculty not offered the
opportunity to work under these conditions will also receive full pay and
benefits.
Faculty who anticipate an inconvenient STD
transition or who are in the process of returning from an STD are expected to
discuss the transition with their Dean and inform the Chairperson of FAC, in
writing, that consultation with the Dean has occurred.
The University will inform the Chairperson of
FAC of all cases processed under this provision of the Handbook. The
notification will include the individual's name and work assignment.
For consideration of promotion in rank or
advancement to tenure, time spent on disability is not to be included in a
calculation of continuous service.
Once the Dean has determined the need for a
new part-time faculty member, the department chairperson or the chairperson's
designee shall formally announce the opening to the department. Each
full-time department member will be given an opportunity to participate in the
hiring process. The department will recommend candidates to the Dean who
then makes the hiring decision. In circumstances where time is short, the
chair or the chairs designee may deal directly with the Dean, but the
department should be given an opportunity to review the part-timer's
credentials as soon thereafter as possible.
The faculty elect representatives to the
Board on Rank and Tenure, the Faculty Development Board, the Faculty Senate,
and the University Council. Members of the faculty also serve on the
Dean's Conference of each college as well as other committees.
The administration will formally notify the
Chair of FAC when it creates a committee on which faculty will serve.
Notification must include the charge of the committee, the selection process
for faculty who are to serve on the committee, and to whom the committee will
report. Each year, the Provost/VPAA will publish a statement of purpose
and a list of members for all University committees.
The product of any committee, subcommittee,
board, conference, senate, or any other group composed wholly or partially of
University faculty shall be considered by FAC and the Administration to be a
recommendation subject to modification, rejection, or adoption by the
University Administration. In accordance with the law, recommendations
that impact wages, hours, and working conditions must go through the collective
bargaining process.
A faculty member, a group of faculty members,
or the Faculty Affairs Council may file an allegation that there has been a
violation of the collective bargaining agreement or the terms of employment, or
incorrect or improper interpretation, enforcement or application of the
collective bargaining agreement or the terms of employment. This
includes, but is not limited to the following:
A. Dismissal,
suspension, non-reappointment, denial of advancement in rank, or denial of
tenure when the faculty member alleges a violation of academic freedom;
B. Dismissal,
suspension, non-reappointment, denial of advancement in rank, or denial of
tenure when no violation of academic freedom is alleged;
C. Other matters
covered by the Faculty Handbook, the Master Agreement, or applicable
collective bargaining agreements.
All such allegations will be addressed
through the three stage process described in sections 16.1 through 16.5 below.
The initial allegation of a violation of the
collective bargaining agreement or the terms of employment, or an incorrect or
improper interpretation, enforcement or application of the collective
bargaining agreement or the terms of employment is referred to as a complaint.
A. Notification of
Complaint: A faculty member must register a complaint within fourteen (14)
calendar days of the incident. The registration of a complaint must be in
writing and addressed to the Chairperson of FAC and the Chairperson of
FPC. Such complaint should include, but is not limited to, a short
description of the situation (including the date of the incident) and the names
of the parties involved.
B. Complaint
Investigation: The Chairperson of FAC and the Chairperson of FPC, or their designates,
have 14 calendar days from the date of written notification to investigate the
complaint and to attempt to resolve it.
C. Complaint
Resolution: If the Chairperson of FAC, the Chairperson of FPC, and the
complainant agree on a resolution, it is binding on all parties. If all
three parties do not unanimously agree on a resolution within the 14 calendar
days, the complainant or the officers of FAC may move the complaint to the next
stage of the process.
An unresolved complaint that is moved to the
next stage of the process is a grievance.
A. Notification of
Grievance: Written notification of a grievance must be registered with the
Chairperson of FAC and the Chairperson of FPC within fourteen (14) calendar
days of written notification of the lack of resolution of a complaint.
The written notification of a grievance should include, but is not limited to,
a description of the situation (date of incident and an indication of what
terms and conditions of employment were violated), the names of the parties
involved, and the remedy sought.
B. Grievance
Investigation: The Chairperson of FAC and the Chairperson of FPC, or their
designates, have 14 calendar days from the date of written notification of a
grievance to investigate and attempt to resolve it.
C. Grievance
Resolution: If the Chairperson of FAC and the Chairperson of FPC agree on a
resolution, it is binding on all parties. If the Chairperson of FAC and
the Chairperson of FPC are unable to agree on a resolution within 14 calendar
days, the grievance must be submitted to binding arbitration.
If the Chairperson of FAC and the Chairperson
of FPC are unable to agree on a resolution, the grievance will be submitted to
binding arbitration within 70 days of the date of the written notice of the
grievance.
Arbitration shall be held under the voluntary
arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA). The
Arbitration hearings shall be held in
The arbitrator’s decision is final and
binding upon all parties involved in the grievance. The arbitrator has no
power to add to, subtract from, or modify the clauses or terms of the Faculty
Handbook, Master Agreement or other collective bargaining agreements.
The arbitrator can decide only the issues contained in the written grievance.
The arbitrator’s fees and any other fees
relating to the arbitration proceedings shall be shared equally by the Faculty
Affairs Council and the University. Each party is responsible for its own
costs in the preparation and presentation of its case to the arbitrator.
Both parties agree, however, that the Chairpersons of FAC and FPC, or their
designates, may present any case to an arbitrator.
In the event that any step of this procedure
is not accomplished within the specified calendar days, or in the event of
failure to communicate a decision at any step of this procedure within the
specified time limits, the complaint/grievance shall be advanced to the next
step unless the time limits have been extended by mutual consent of the
Chairperson of FAC and the Chairperson of FPC. The complainant/grievant,
the Chairperson of FAC, or the Chairperson of FPC may request, in writing, an
extension of the time limits. Such requests will be considered by the
Chairperson of FAC and the Chairperson of FPC. The Chairperson of FAC and
the Chairperson of FPC will provide written notification of agreement to extend
or not to extend time limits.
The responsibility of notifying the
Chairperson of FAC and the Chairperson of FPC rests with the faculty member(s)
alleging a complaint or grievance.
The Chairperson of
FAC must be notified by the administration of any meeting between the
University Administration and the faculty member filing a complaint or
grievance, so that the Chairperson of FAC, or her/his designated representative,
may be present at any such meetings.
The officers of FAC
will have access to copies of all transcripts, documents, and
correspondence filed with respect to the complaint or grievance.
Only the officers of FAC or the FPC shall
have the right to take a grievance to arbitration.
For all full-time faculty, the University
provides health insurance, disability insurance, life insurance, pension plans,
medical and dependent care spending accounts, and other benefits as specified
by the collective bargaining agreement, this Faculty Handbook, or the
law. Details of the current benefit package will be provided to all
full-time faculty by the Human Resources office. This same office will also
promulgate in a timely manner any modifications of or amendments to the benefit
package.
All changes to this Faculty Handbook
must be approved by the Faculty Affairs Council and the Faculty Personnel
Committee before being submitted to the University Board of Trustees for final
approval.
The function of the Board on Rank and Tenure
is to recommend to the President that tenure and/or promotion in rank be given
or denied to a particular member of the faculty.
The Board on Rank and Tenure is composed of
the Provost/VPAA as an ex-officio non-voting chair, five faculty members
elected by the faculty at large, and two faculty members selected from and elected
by the faculty of each of the schools with departments. Initially the
schools with departments will be the
In the election of at-large members,
provision shall be made to insure that at least two of the at-large seats are
held by faculty members with the rank of Full Professor and at least one with
the rank of Associate Professor.
Senior faculty have a professional
responsibility to serve on the Board of Rank and Tenure and should be willing
to accept election to the Board. The names of all tenured full-time
faculty members holding the rank of Associate or Full Professor, excluding
those covered under the provisions of the next paragraph, shall appear on the
annual election ballot except for those who explicitly request deletion of
their names prior to the election.
The following are ineligible for election to
the Board on Rank and Tenure: faculty members who participated in any of the
Board's deliberations during the previous year, including those alternates who
were actually called upon to serve during that year; FAC officers and others
designated by them, and any faculty members in a year when either their own
case or that of a member of their immediate family is to come before the Board.
The term of membership on the Board will be
two years. Two at-large members will be elected in even calendar years, and
three at-large members will be elected in odd calendar years; one member will
be elected for each school with departments each year.
Each fall, faculty members will elect members
to the Board on Rank and Tenure. All full-time faculty members are eligible to
vote in these elections.
The President of the University, the chief
administrative officer, promotes in rank and awards tenure to full-time
faculty. The President makes these decisions in accordance with the
academic criteria and procedures detailed in the following policy. In the
manner described below, the full-time faculty, including chairs, offer their
advice as a service and as scholars. This advice and service should not
be construed as being managerial in nature. Although it is contemplated
that the University's faculty members will participate in the evaluation of
their peers as set forth herein, it nevertheless is the right of each
individual faculty member to decline to participate in the evaluation process,
and such action will be considered neither a violation of contract nor a
dereliction of duties as a faculty member.
This rank is a period of probation. It
presupposes the following qualifications:
A. Possession of at
least the Master's degree;
B. Initiation of advanced
professional preparation or training, and promise of ultimate success;
C. Proved or potential
teaching ability.
An instructor who is not promoted within five
years may not continue as a member of the faculty, except as noted below:
Upon the birth of a child or the
adoption of a child under the age of six by a faculty member in the rank of
instructor, or the spouse of a faculty member in the rank of instructor, the
number of years the faculty member may remain in the rank of instructor will be
advanced one year. Any extension of the time at instructor will
automatically extend the time before tenure by an equivalent number of years.
Within six months of the birth or adoption, but no later than April 1 of the
faculty member’s fifth year, the faculty member will inform the Provost/VPAA of
the birth or adoption. No more than two
extensions of the time in the rank of instructor may occur for any faculty
member.
Promotion to or appointment to this rank
presumes positive evidence of these qualifications:
A. Possession of the
earned doctorate or of the M.F.A. as an equivalent terminal degree where
appropriate; of 30 credits beyond the Master's degree toward the doctorate; or
of a second Master's degree as recommended by the applicant's department with
the concurrence of the relevant deans and the Provost/VPAA. The
department can recommend a waiver of this requirement in situations in which,
because of enrollment and/or program pressures, the University is unable to
obtain faculty with the usual qualifications. The relevant deans and the
Provost/VPAA must concur in the need for a waiver;
B. Mastery of the
content, both theoretical and applied, of the subjects being taught by the
applicant;
C. The capacity for or
the attainment of teaching competence;
D. Competence in
research or other creative work, manifested by progress toward or attainment of
the appropriate degree and/or by publication or other professional product;
E. Active service
which contributes to the welfare of the University and the community.
The minimum time in the rank of assistant
professor is five years. Faculty members not qualifying for promotion may
be retained in this rank indefinitely provided that they meet the requirements
for tenure.
Promotion to or appointment to this rank
presumes positive evidence of these qualifications:
A. Possession of the
earned doctorate or of the M.F.A. as an equivalent terminal degree where
appropriate;
B. Mastery of the
methodology and content of one's field;
C. Attainment of
teaching competence and progress toward mastery;
D. Scholarly or other
appropriate professional activity since the advancement or assignment to the
rank of Assistant Professor, ordinarily demonstrated by refereed publication or
other professional product but excluding work previously considered
for advancement or assignment to Assistant Professor whose publication status
has not changed;
E. Substantial service
which contributes to the welfare of the University and the community.
The minimum time in the rank of associate
professor is six years. Faculty members may be retained in this rank
indefinitely provided that they meet the requirements for tenure.
Promotion to or appointment to this rank
presumes positive evidence of these qualifications:
A. Possession of the
earned doctorate or of the M.F.A. as an equivalent terminal degree where
appropriate;
B. Continued growth in
the mastery of the methodology and content of one's field;
C. Outstanding
teaching;
D. Substantial
scholarly or other appropriate professional activity since the advancement or
assignment to the rank of Associate Professor, ordinarily demonstrated by
refereed publication or other juried professional product but excluding work
previously considered for advancement or assignment to Associate Professor
whose publication status has not changed;
E. Outstanding service
which contributes to the welfare of the University and the community.
Tenure is a means to freedom of teaching and
research and of extramural activities. After the successful completion of
a probationary period, teachers have permanent tenure, and their service will
be terminated only for adequate cause or under extraordinary circumstances
because of demonstrable financial exigency or change of institutional program.
Qualification for tenure presumes evidence of
fulfillment of the following requirements:
A. A six-year period
of service as a full-time faculty member in an accredited institution(s) of
higher learning.
B. A four-year minimum
period of service as a full-time faculty member at the University, except in the case of those senior
faculty members hired under the provisions of section 21.2 of this handbook and
except in the case of senior academic
administrators who have been awarded tenure guarantees under Section 1.2 of
this handbook.
C. Possession of the
earned doctorate or of the M. F.A. as an equivalent terminal degree where
appropriate. The department can recommend a waiver of this requirement in
situations in which, because of enrollment and/or program pressures, the
University is unable to obtain faculty with the usual qualifications. The
relevant deans and the Provost/VPAA must concur in the need for a waiver;
D. Competence in the
methodology and content of one's field;
E. Attainment of
teaching competence and progress toward mastery;
F. Significant
scholarly or other appropriate professional activity as presented by the
candidate and as evaluated by the candidate's department;
G. Substantial service
which contributes to the welfare of the University and the community.
An incoming faculty member who is hired at a
senior rank (Professor or Associate Professor), and who holds tenure at an
accredited institution of higher learning, may be awarded tenure upon initial
appointment to the faculty provided that the faculty member meets the
requirements of Section 21.1 and all other applicable sections of this
handbook, and provided that the faculty member's credentials are reviewed by
both the appropriate department and the Board on Rank and Tenure which shall
each make a recommendation on the matter.
The following items delineate the
probationary period:
A. The maximum probationary period before the
granting of tenure is seven (7) years, unless extended as provided in
21.3 C and/or 21.3 D below. The minimum probationary period is four (4) years, except in the case of senior faculty
hired under the provisions of Section 21.2 of this Handbook and except in the case of senior academic
administrators holding tenure guarantees awarded under the provisions of
Section 1.2 of this Handbook.
B. Full-time teaching
experience at other accredited institutions of higher education will ordinarily
reduce the probationary time by one year for each year of experience up to a
maximum of three (3) years for a minimum probationary period of four (4)
years. At the time of hiring a faculty member can request an extension of
this probationary period to a maximum of seven (7) years. The length
of the faculty member's probationary period and the scheduled tenure review
date must be
agreed upon in writing at the time of hiring.
C. Upon the birth of a child or the adoption of a child under the age of six by a faculty member or the spouse of a faculty member, the date of the faculty member’s tenure review will be postponed by one year. Within one year of the birth or adoption, but in no case later than November 1 of the year of the scheduled tenure review, the faculty member will write to the Provost/VPAA to confirm or decline the one-year postponement. Failing to submit such timely notification will constitute a de facto rejection of the extension.
No more than two such postponements may occur for any faculty member. Reappointment/non-reappointment reviews will take place annually, as specified in Appendix VI. The criteria for the tenure evaluation of the faculty member will be the same as if no postponement had occurred.
For the rules governing sabbatical eligibility for those who receive a postponement of the tenure review for childbirth or adoption, see Section 12.0.
D. Pursuant to section
11.4 of this handbook, faculty will have the option as to whether a leave of
absence is to count as part of the probationary period. At the time the
leave is requested in writing from the Provost/VPAA, faculty members shall
indicate whether they wish the leave to be counted toward tenure and/or
promotion.
E. The years of the
probationary period need not be consecutive. Any interruptions of
sequence, however, must be officially approved by the University and may not
involve termination of service here.
All faculty members must be evaluated by the
Board on Rank and Tenure during the next-to-last year of the probationary
period (e.g. during the sixth year of a seven-year probationary period, during
the third year of a four-year probationary period) except for those senior academic administrators hired under Section
1.2 of this handbook. Application for the conferral of tenure will
be made by the faculty member during this year in accordance with procedures
found in sections 23.0-23.11 of this handbook. In the absence of such an
application in the next-to-last year of the probationary period, the Board on
Rank and Tenure will itself initiate the evaluation.
Tenure is conferred by action of the
President of the University after receiving recommendations from the Board on
Rank and Tenure, the candidate's department, the deans, and the Provost/VPAA.
If tenure is granted, it will be conferred
with the following contract. If tenure is denied, the faculty member will be
informed by the Provost/VPAA of the areas of deficiency which led to the
negative decision, and a terminal, non-tenure contract will be offered to the
faculty member for the final year of the probationary period.
In general terms an applicant for promotion
or tenure will be measured against the norm of support for the mission and
goals of this University.
The Board on Rank and Tenure, in making its
recommendations, shall be guided by specific norms and procedures for
evaluating the faculty member's competence and professional activities.
This evaluation will cover teaching, scholarship, and community service.
Additional criteria and procedural details are contained in Appendices I and II
of this Handbook.
The degrees referred to in this policy are
earned degrees from institutions of higher education in the
In the evaluation of professional librarians
and members of the Exercise Science and Sport department, special criteria are
used; they are contained in Appendix II of this Handbook.
Whenever other instruments for the evaluation
of faculty performance are to be used and whenever specific criteria for
faculty evaluation and promotion are established, they will, in all cases, be
promulgated and distributed to all members of the faculty by the Provost/VPAA.
There is always the possibility that the
ordinary norms could preclude promotion in rank or advancement to tenure of a
particularly valuable faculty member. A special exception of such a
person may be made upon recommendation to the President by the Board on Rank
and Tenure. The Board can make such a recommendation provided first the
applicant has the approval of a two-thirds majority of the tenured members of
the department.
It is the responsibility of the individual
faculty member to apply for promotion in rank or advancement to tenure; such
application is made in writing to the chair of the Board on Rank and
Tenure. The candidate for promotion and/or tenure must submit a dossier
to both the department and the Board on Rank and Tenure offering evidence of
achievement in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and community service.
Failure of a faculty member to make timely application in these instances will
not make the University liable for any consequences caused thereby.
Recognizing the diversity of what constitutes
excellence in publication and research in the various departments and
disciplines of the university, and recognizing that the department is the
actual location of the university's expertise in its discipline, each
department should bear the primary responsibility for evaluating the quality of
a candidate's professional work, be it scholarly publication, artistic
composition, or other appropriate professional product.
The applicant will submit to each member of
the department a dossier of no more than twenty pages and whatever supplementary
materials the applicant desires. This dossier will provide a record of
the candidate's professional work, along with the information necessary to make
a responsible evaluation.
A. Meeting to discuss
candidate’s credentials.
The tenured members of the department will
hold a meeting expressly for the purpose of a frank and confidential discussion
of the applicant’s credentials. Using a
standard rank and tenure ballot, a secret vote on the application for the
conferral of tenure and/or advancement in rank will be taken at the meeting.
The person chairing the meeting will designate someone to take minutes of the
frank and confidential discussion of the candidate’s credentials. All faculty
who participated in the meeting must approve the minutes. By the date
announced, the chair will forward to the University Board on Rank and Tenure
the results of its vote, together with a summary of the rationale for it drawn
from the minutes of the meeting and approved by the members present at the
meeting. A copy of this report will be given to the faculty member
simultaneously with the transmission of the report to the Chair of the Board on
Rank and Tenure. Individual members of the department may supplement the
departmental summary through written evaluations addressed to the Board
B. Absentee Votes for Rank
& Tenure.
Only tenured faculty members and, if applicable, tenured associates who
attended the meeting will participate in the official vote.
No faculty member may take part in the
deliberations or may vote on his/her own behalf or on behalf of a member of
his/her immediate family. This is not meant to preclude testifying for
oneself.
Whatever the circumstances of departmental
voting, all members of the department will have the opportunity to make a
recommendation on an individual basis.
The applicant will submit an application and
a copy of the dossier and any supplementary materials to the Chair of the Board
on Rank and Tenure by the date announced.
The Board on Rank and Tenure will review and
consider both the dossier of the candidate and the report of the department.
In its deliberations, the Board will act in accordance with Appendix I.
The candidate shall have the option of making
a personal appearance before the departmental group (described in section 23.3
of this handbook) and the Board (described in Appendix I, A, 9 of this
handbook). The decision not to appear
will not be construed as prejudicial to the candidate's case in either
instance.
Before casting its overall vote on tenure or
promotion, the Board will compare its vote in the area of scholarship to that
of the department. If the plurality of the Board's vote rests in one
category (qualified, unqualified, or undecided), and the department’s plurality
rests in a different category, then the Board shall meet with the department
chair or designate before making its recommendation.
When the Board's vote or the department's
vote results in a plurality tie between two categories (e.g., 5 qualified, 5
unqualified, 1 undecided), the Board will consult with the department chair or
designate. After consulting with the department chair or designee, the Board
will re-cast its vote on scholarship.
In all questions which come before the Board
on Rank and Tenure, the faculty member’s home Dean shall make an independent
judgment and forward a recommendation through the Provost/VPAA to the
President. The other academic Deans may, at their own discretion, submit
a recommendation through the same channels. Faculty members may also request that a
recommendation from an academic Dean other than their home Dean be forwarded by
the Provost/VPAA to the President. These
recommendations, along with any accompanying rationale, will be made available
to the members of the Board on Rank and Tenure to assist them in their
deliberations.
A recommendation to confer tenure or the
advancement in rank requires a vote of the Board on Rank and Tenure of 7
positive votes of 11. The department recommendation and the Board vote will be
forwarded to the President.
The Provost/VPAA, as a non-voting member of
the Board on Rank and Tenure, is free to offer a personal recommendation to the
President.
In all cases of rank and tenure, the decision
of the President is final.
The President's decision concerning rank or
tenure will be communicated to the applicant by the President or the
President's designate.
Upon request, the Chair of the Board on Rank
and Tenure will review the reasons for the President's decision with the
applicant.
Ordinarily, the President will announce the
names of all those who have been granted tenure or promotion only after all
appeals have been decided.
The faculty member has the right to appeal
adverse decisions within thirty (30) days of notification. Such an appeal
to the Provost/VPAA must be accompanied by the presentation of new evidence,
i.e. dating from after the Board's original recommendation.
Such an appeal will be presented by the
Provost/VPAA to the Board on Rank and Tenure. If the Board agrees that
the presented evidence warrants an appeal it will reconsider the case.
After reconsidering the case, the Board will again forward a recommendation to
the President.
In terminal cases concerning tenure, the
faculty member will have the right of a personal appeal to the President of the
University.
Within the time frame specified for new
applications, faculty members may appeal denial of tenure in their terminal
year providing, 1) two thirds of the tenured members of the department
recommend the reconsideration and 2) the faculty member can present evidence that
was not available the previous year. The appeal goes to the Provost/VPAA
who will take it to the Board. The Board will decide if the new evidence
submitted warrants a reevaluation of the tenure application.
Every faculty member is entitled to the
expectation that the procedures stipulated in this handbook will be duly
followed in the faculty member's rank and tenure considerations. Faculty
members who believe that some violation of the stipulated procedures at any
level may have resulted in a violation of their rights or may have had a
negative consequence with respect to their opportunities for advancement may
allege a violation of due process. Allegations of violations of due
process must be initiated in five or fewer days of the applicant's becoming
aware of the alleged violation but no later than the notification of the
President's decision.
Allegations of violations of due process
should be transmitted in writing to the Provost/VPAA who will refer the matter
to a standing committee and inform the Faculty Affairs Council of the
allegation. The committee will consist of one administrator and two
faculty members appointed by the Provost/VPAA by September 30th of each
academic year. The Provost/VPAA will also appoint a faculty alternate and
an alternate for the administrator. The faculty members and alternate
must be selected from the general membership of the Faculty Affairs Council,
excluding the officers.
This standing committee will concern itself
only with rank and tenure policy and will limit its investigation to matters of
procedure. In cases where the committee finds a procedural violation, it
will suggest some appropriate remedy.
Normally, the committee will submit its
written recommendation to the Provost/VPAA who will either accept or reject the
recommendation. In cases where the Provost/VPAA is concerned in the
allegation, the committee will submit its written recommendation to the
President who will similarly either accept or reject the recommendation.
In either case, a copy of the written recommendation, along with a record of
any actions taken, will be filed with both FAC and FPC.
A contract may be terminated by resignation,
by expiration of term, or by action of the University.
Resignation is the termination of service by
action of the faculty member.
Tenured faculty members should offer written
notice of their intention to resign to the Provost/VPAA not later than January
15th of any contract period. The effective date of departure shall not
fall within the regular academic year.
A non-tenured faculty member planning to
resign should submit written notice at least 120 days before the date of
contract expiration. No resignation will be permitted to become effective
between the starting or renewal date of a contract and September 30 of the same
year, except by mutual consent.
The termination of contracts of non-tenured
faculty members is governed by the provisions of Appendix VI. A tenured
contract, however, if not replaced by a new contract, signed by the faculty
member, is automatically renewed for one year at the terms specified in the
previously signed contract.
Termination of a tenured appointment, or of a
special or probationary appointment before the end of the specified term, may
be effected by the institution only for financial exigency, discontinuance of a
program, national emergency or major catastrophe, or dismissal for adequate
cause.
Where termination of appointment is based
upon financial exigency, or bona fide discontinuance of a program or department
of instruction, the affected faculty member(s) shall be able to have the issue
reviewed by a Faculty Hearing Committee, with ultimate review by the Board of
Trustees. In every case of termination for financial exigency or
discontinuation of a program or department of instruction, the faculty members
concerned will be given notice, never less than twelve months in advance, or
will be given, in lieu thereof, a severance pay equal to one year's
salary. When termination is due to the discontinuation of a program or
department of instruction, the University will try to place affected faculty
members in other suitable positions within the University. If an
appointment is terminated before the end of the period of appointment, either
because of financial exigency or because of discontinuation of a program of
instruction, the released faculty member's place will not be filled by a
replacement within a period of two years, unless the released faculty member
has been offered reappointment and a reasonable time within which to accept or
decline it.
Where termination of the appointment of any
faculty member is required by war or national emergency, or by other major
catastrophe which affects the University during the time of the contract, and
which directly affects the services of the faculty member involved, the
University reserves the right to suspend the tenured contract and to terminate
the non-tenured contract by reasonable (30 days) written notice to the faculty
member at his or her last known address. Reinstatement of the tenured
contract at the cessation of the emergency will be guaranteed, while the
non-tenured contract will be negotiated in accordance with the law then
prevailing.
Dismissal, which is not to be confused with non-reappointment
or non-renewal, is an action taken against either a tenured or non-tenured
faculty member whose services are terminated for adequate cause.
Adequate cause for a dismissal will be
related, directly and substantially, to the fitness of the faculty member in
his or her professional capacity as a teacher and researcher. Dismissal
will not be used to restrain faculty members in their exercise of academic
freedom or other rights as American citizens.
Procedures governing the dismissal of a faculty
member are outlined in Appendix III.
A faculty member may petition the Provost/VPAA for a special separation agreement. This agreement may be granted in circumstances where the faculty member’s separation serves the University’s interests. The determination of the University’s interest is at the sole discretion of the Provost/VPAA and not eligible for appeal. Faculty who are eligible for the Window Plan during the term of the 2006-2009 Faculty Contract are not eligible to apply under this provision during the term of the 2006-2009 Faculty Contract.
This Handbook's policies concerning rank and
tenure, as well as those relating to termination, dismissal, faculty responsibilities
and use of faculty status apply to all members of the faculty regardless of the
date of their initial appointment.
The University of Scranton, an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer-Educator, is committed to equal opportunity in employment and education without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, or nondisqualifying handicap or disability. Faculty members who believe they have been discriminated against on the basis of any of the above are encouraged to contact the Director of Equity and Diversity.
All full-time faculty and administrators
eligible to participate in the search, appointment, reappointment,
non-reappointment, and/or rank and tenure processes set forth in this handbook
are prohibited from participating in any aspect of such processes when the
applicant or the candidate in question is an immediate family member.
The President of the University, when making
rank and tenure decisions, decides in accordance with the criteria set forth in
this Agreement but may also consider a faculty member’s record of sexual
harassment culpability as contained in the faculty member’s equity and
diversity file. However, all other parties
concerned in the rank and tenure process, including the members of the
applicant’s department, the deans, and the members of the Board on Rank and
Tenure, will consider only that information which is either provided by the
candidate or gathered through authorized access to the candidate’s evaluation
file. Such parties will not review records of sexual harassment culpability,
nor will they be granted access to the equity and diversity file. Neither will
such parties be given a written or oral summary of any part of the equity and
diversity file’s contents.
A. Procedures
1.
In order to protect the individual faculty member's
good name in the academic community and to safeguard free discussion by the
members of the Board on Rank and Tenure, the review of each candidate by the
Board must be regarded as confidential.
2.
The Board on Rank and Tenure will not assume the
task of updating the evaluation file of a faculty member. It is the
faculty member's responsibility to ensure that his or her file in the office of
the Provost/VPAA is current at all times, by submitting information or
documents to be included in it, or by having others submit such material when
necessary. In a year when a candidate is applying for promotion or
tenure, the candidate's evaluation file will close ten calendar days prior to
the first deliberative meeting of the Board on Rank and Tenure. After
this date, nothing shall be added to the candidate's file until all
evaluations, recommendations, decisions, and subsequent appeals are
complete. This restriction does not apply to items added by the candidate
or to items added at the candidate's request.
3.
In submitting information or evidence in connection
with an application for advance in rank or for tenure, the faculty member
should point out how that information indicates continuing professional
development in teaching, scholarship and community service, and should document
each matter to the best of his or her ability by attaching publications,
examples of projects, evidence of teaching excellence, etc.
4.
Achievements, degrees, honors, services, etc., which
were previously considered in recommending promotion to the present rank may be
represented in requesting subsequent promotion, but primary emphasis will be
placed upon activity since the last promotion.
5. In addition to the formal departmental consideration spelled out in section 23.1 to 23.4, the Provost/VPAA will invite all full-time members of the applicant's department to submit their