UB Faculty Senate

FACULTY SENATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Faculty Promotions, Appointments, Reappointments and Development

Annual Meetings for PRB Chair and Department Chairs
Wider Dissemination of Information about the PRB
Evaluation Letters in Promotion and Tenure Cases
Faculty Development
Extension of the Tenure Clock
Junior Faculty Retention and Mentoring Initiative
Resolution from the Faculty Senate Standing Committee on Tenure and Privileges Regarding Participation of ORU's, Centers and Institutes in the Promotion Process

Annual Meetings for the PRB Chair and Department Chairs
Be it resolved that the chair of the President's Review Board meet annually with department chairs for the purpose of explaining in as exact terms as possible the requirements for promotion and appointment and of responding to specific questions on the process.
[passed unanimously by the Faculty Senate on 11/5/91]

Wider Dissemination of Information About the PRB
Be it resolved that the chairperson of the President's Review Board meet annually with interested faculty to describe to them the criteria and procedures used by the PRB in recommending promotion.
[passed unanimously by the Faculty Senate on 10/27/93]

Evaluation Letters in Promotion and Tenure Cases
In promotion and tenure cases, the letter soliciting opinions from outside evaluators should include the following paragraph, omitting questions enclosed in parentheses when they do not apply:

"It would be useful if you could address the following specific points:
1. Has [name]'s scholarly and/or creative work gained national or international recognition for excellence? What is the importance of this work within [name]'s area(s) of specialization? (Can you comment on [name]'s role in any collaborative work?)
2. Does [name]'s scholarly and/or creative work compare favorably with that of others at leading institutions when they were at the same stage in their careers? What do you estimate to be [name]'s potential for future growth and continued scholarly and/or creative contributions?
3. How would you assess [name]'s professional accomplishments of the same caliber as those of others who have recently been promoted to the rank of [proposed rank] at distinguished research departments, institutions?
4. In your opinion, are [name's] professional accomplishments of the same caliber as those of others who have recently been promoted to the rank of [proposed rank] at distinguished research departments, institutions, and/or universities, such as your own?
5. [passed by the Faculty Senate on 1/28/92 with 1 opposed and 1 abstention]

Faculty Development
WHEREAS there is an apparent disparity in advice and guidance junior faculty receive from department to department and/or within their respective departments; and

WHEREAS there is a desire by junior faculty to become more knowledgeable with regard to the requirements and criteria for promotion within their departments; and

WHEREAS departmental chairs play an integral role in faculty development; and

WHEREAS the future of the University is related to the success of our faculty in fulfilling their responsibilities and achieving their professional goals
- THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT department chairs provide the framework and opportunities for the development of the career of each junior faculty member in that department, including choosing an appropriate mentor in consultation with the faculty member.
- BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the evaluation of chairs for reappointment contains strong consideration of the chair's activities in faculty development.
  [passed by the Faculty Senate on 3/22/94 by voice vote]
Extension of the Tenure Clock
WHEREAS the achievement of tenure commonly requires significant periods of uninterrupted time to accomplish the level of research and creative activity that meet the criteria for promotion; and

WHEREAS such uninterrupted periods are often precluded or greatly diminished during child bearing and other major personal events; and

WHEREAS it is in the best interest of the University to develop the careers of academicians;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Faculty Senate urges the President and Provost to adopt the following policy: Every tenure-track faculty member is entitled, within one year of bearing a child, to request a one-year, nonreversible extension of the tenure clock, such request to be made of the Provost in a letter sent through the Chair and Dean or Vice President for their recommendations. Absent compelling contrary reasons, these extensions will be granted. With the possible exception of the period of the extension, each faculty member making such a request will continue to hold her unqualified tenure-track line for the duration of her contract. Non-tenured faculty members who have given birth or who have an applicable critical life event prior to the promulgation of this policy, while holding a tenure-track position at this university, are also entitled to request such extensions.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the following statement also be inserted into the Faculty Staff Handbook:

The Provost's office will consider on their merits timely requests from any faculty member for extensions of the tenure clock in response to critical life events such as adoption, infant/elder care, divorce, and death or critical illness within the immediate family. Non-tenured faculty members who have given birth or who have an applicable critical life event prior to the promulgation of this policy, while holding a tenure-track position at this university, are also entitled to request such extensions. [passed by Faculty Senate on 5/2/95 by voice vote]

On December 14, 1995, Provost Headrick defined the following policy:
In those cases where faculty might experience critical life events that interrupt progress toward tenure, appropriate arrangements will be negotiated between the faculty member and the Dean for temporary reassignment to a non-tenure track appointment. Prior to final decanal action, the Provost will review each request and note it for the record so as to avoid later misunderstandings. If the Dean should turn down a request, the faculty member may appeal to the Provost for mediation or arbitration if necessary.
In the specific instance of pregnancy and child-bearing, the following University policy applies: that the faculty member's tenure clock will be stopped for at least one semester; or longer, as agreed between herself and her Dean, if special circumstances or complications arise in relation to the childbirth.
Junior Faculty Retention and Mentoring Initiative
Rationale:

Last year, the Task Force on Women reported that retention rates of women faculty members at the University are disproportionately low. The Faculty Senate Committee on Affirmative Action has reason to believe that racial minority Faculty are also retained at disproportionately low rates. It is recognized that the issue of retention and mentoring of junior faculty extends to all UB Faculty regardless of gender and race. It is the intent of this resolution to provide an opportunity, where one does not already exist, for all junior UB Faculty members to receive mentoring.

Resolution:

The Faculty Senate recommends to the Provost that a Junior Faculty Retention and mentoring initiative be instituted by the University in those Faculties and Departments in which one does not exist at present. Under this initiative, each junior faculty member would have the opportunity to request and be assigned an advocate/advisor or a committee as soon as she or he is appointed to the University, or at any point within the first few years of service.

The committee should be selected by the junior faculty member, the chair of his or her department, and a tenured faculty member. The mentoring committee should function as a mentoring body the specifics to be worked out by the Provost’s Office in conjunction with Deans, the Faculty Senate and the group of non-tenured faculty with whom the Provost meets regularly.
[passed by the Faculty Senate on 9/22/98]
Resolution from the Faculty Senate Standing Committee on Tenure and Privileges Regarding Participation of ORU's, Centers and Institutes in the Promotion Process
Be it resolved that the Faculty Senate recommends to the President that the following document be included in the Faculty/Staff Handbook.

Participation of Organized Research Units, Centers, and Institutes in the promotion process for faculty who have activities and responsibilities in these units.

UB has more than thirty interdisciplinary structures, which bring together faculty and staff from different departments and hiring units into areas of interest common to the members. The interaction across disciplines expands the avenues for faculty scholarship and creates collaborative studies and projects that enhance the scholarly life of the University. These interdisciplinary structures do not replace and are not intended to substitute for disciplinary focus within the departments, but they have provided many opportunities for exciting scholarly work at UB. While departments should continue to be the core organizational units at UB and the sole venue for faculty hiring and promotion, interdisciplinary units are critical for the missions of the University. To promote the growth of interdisciplinary units and encourage faculty participation in their activities, it is essential that such participation be fairly considered and evaluated in promotion decisions. To this end we propose the following rules to govern the "Participation of Organized Research Units, Centers, and Institutes in the promotion process for faculty who have activities and responsibilities in these units:

When faculty wish to explore interdisciplinary activities, they should be encouraged to interact with Organized Research Units, Centers, and Institutes.
All faculty appointments will continue to be made in departments. Whenever applicable, the letter of appointment of a faculty member must contain a description of the faculty member's level of commitment to any unit other than the hiring department(s).
Whenever a current faculty member wishes to participate in or to adjust the level of her/his commitment to the activities of another unit, her/his participation must be discussed with, and agreed upon by, the faculty member, the department chair, and the head of the respective unit. If there is a disagreement with regard to the amount or kind of participation, a further discussion must be conducted with all interested parties, including Deans. The Final agreement for such participation must be signed by all interested parties and documented in the offices of alt involved Deans, Chairs and Unit Heads.
Teaching, research and service associated with other units must be credited by the faculty member's department in the promotion process. This evaluation must include at least the following:
- In preparing the dossier for promotion of a candidate who has formally participated in the activities of another unit, the head of that unit must be consulted by the chair of the candidate's department;
- A letter from the head of the other unit must be included in the candidate's dossier prior to its submission at the school level and included on the checklist for the dossier;
- In soliciting letters of reference from outside and inside evaluators, the chair of the department must consult with the head of the unit for appropriate names. A record of this consultation must be included in the dossier;
- The head of the unit must be invited to participate in all discussions of the promotion by the department's voting body of record and is entitled to participate in other formal deliberations at which the chair would normally be present.
[passed by the Faculty Senate on 12/7/99]

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Fax: 716-645-2717
Email: faculty-senate@buffalo.edu
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