Faculty Responsibility: Policy and Process

A great public university must teach and train students, both undergraduate and graduate; add to the body of knowledge and art through research, scholarship, and creative activity; and provide public service through a variety of programs and activities that extend and apply its teaching and scholarly missions in aid of public needs and interests.

Collectively, the faculty are primarily responsible for discharging these several missions of a great public university.

Individual faculty are expected to be publishing scholars or to be otherwise actively engaged in creative activity, to make significant attempts to obtain external support for their work, to contribute effectively to the instructional programs of the university, and to participate actively in university, professional, and public service. The precise balance among these aspects of each faculty member's responsibilities will vary from one program to another, among individuals within a program, and even from time to time in a particular individual's career.

In accordance with Article IX, Title C, Section 4 of The Policies of the Board of Trustees (1990), it is the chairs and unit heads who are responsible for allocating duties among the faculty in their programs. Each academic unit must develop and adhere to written guidelines which define faculty responsibilities within that unit. These guidelines should be consistent with the norms in the relevant discipline at leading institutions, and especially at leading public universities.

Faculty members are required annually to submit a report describing in detail their professional activities and accomplishments, for review by the chair and the dean. Based on this report and in consultation with the faculty member, the chair should ascertain that the performance of the faculty member is consistent with departmental guidelines and with the current needs of the unit. As needed, the chair should make efforts to assist the faculty member toward suitable professional development. The dean, in evaluating chair's performance, should emphasize the extent to which the unit is playing its proper role in the university and the extent to which all members of the unit are contributing appropriately to that role.

Promulgated by President William R. Greiner in consultation with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee.

March 17, 1993