Chapter 7: Faculty Development
Tufts University supports the continued professional development of faculty members throughout the course of their careers, especially in the areas of teaching and scholarship. To this end, Tufts offers a number of formal and informal programs designed to enhance professional advancement. These are in the form of leaves, professional travel and research support, awards for teaching and scholarship. The University, in its commitment to international activities, is aware of the special challenges associated with working in other countries, especially developing countries, and offers appropriate support and encouragement.
ACADEMIC LEAVES OF ABSENCE
Although leave policy differs in regard to sabbaticals and unpaid leaves, certain principles are common to both:
Leave is a privilege, which may be granted upon proper application; it is not a guaranteed right.
The applicant must demonstrate a valid reason or need for the leave.
It must be determined that the granting of a leave request is consistent with the best interests of the University.
No financial remuneration or release time will be awarded in lieu of any kind of leave granted but not taken.
Faculty awarded a sabbatical or a leave without pay may or may not remain in residence at Tufts. If in residence, however, they are not obligated to teach, hold office hours, advise students, participate in the activities of the department or of University committees, or carry out any of the duties associated with their regular academic appointments. Depending on availability, faculty may continue to have office space and access to research facilities, including libraries and laboratories.
SABBATIC LEAVES
A sabbatical is granted to members of a faculty as recognition of notable service through teaching and scholarly contributions and as an aid and inspiration to further achievements. Sabbaticals are intended to provide teachers with opportunities for scholarly development and contacts, which will contribute to their professional effectiveness and to the value of their later service to Tufts University. A sabbatical may not be used for the purpose of recreation.
Eligibility and Opportunity
Sabbaticals are granted only to tenured faculty members and on the approval of the
Dean. The candidate for leave shall normally have served with professorial rank at Tufts for at least six years, but nothing herein contained shall limit the right of the
Deans to enter into a special agreement concerning the time of the first sabbatical of a member of the faculty brought from another institution or organization. The opportunity for taking sabbatical at regular intervals is not absolutely guaranteed by Tufts University and will be granted only when the condition of the department involved and of the University in general is such that the professor's absence will not seriously impair the interests of the University. A faculty member who accepts a sabbatical is expected to return to the University. A sabbatical will not ordinarily be granted unless the applicant would, at the expiration of such a leave, be eligible for continued service on a faculty of Tufts University for at least one year before retirement.
In certain cases, the Dean may count a full year of leave without pay as part of the consecutive years of service, which are a prerequisite to a sabbatical. An applicant for leave without pay must include, on the leave application, a request that the time be so counted.
Periods of Leave and Compensation During Leave
A sabbatical may involve absence for an academic year at half-salary or for a semester at full salary. A member of the faculty on sabbatical is not to receive compensation for services in another institution or organization. This shall not be so construed, however, as to preclude either fellowships or other grants-in-aid for advanced study.
Application for Leave
A completed application for sabbatical should be sent to the Dean via the Chair of the department. The applicant must have a well-considered plan for spending the leave in a manner clearly calculated to contribute to the best interests of the
University. A detailed written statement of this plan, together with clear indications of its professional advantages, and a current
curriculum vita shall accompany the application. Application forms must be received in the Dean's Office by December 1 preceding the academic year in which the sabbatical is desired. The letter from the Dean to the applicant approving the sabbatical represents a commitment both of the
University and the faculty member. Therefore, no changes may be made in the plans for the leave without the written agreement of both parties.
Required Report
Upon returning to the University after sabbatical, the faculty member shall write a detailed report of activities during the leave and shall send the report to the Dean for transmittal to the Provost, the President, and the Trustees.
UNPAID ACADEMIC LEAVES OF ABSENCE
Unpaid academic leaves must be approved by the department chair and the appropriate Dean. Unpaid
academic leaves of absence are distinct from unpaid personal leaves of absence, which are outlined in Chapter 9. Unpaid academic leaves are usually not granted for a consecutive period of more than one academic year. In certain cases, the Dean may recommend that such a period of leave be counted as part of the consecutive years of service, which are prerequisite to a sabbatical. An applicant for leave without pay must include on the leave application a request that the time be so counted.
The letter from the Dean to the applicant approving the leave without pay represents a commitment both by the
University and the faculty member. Therefore, no changes may be made in the plans for the leave without the written consent of both parties.
JUNIOR FACULTY RESEARCH LEAVE POLICY FOR ARTS AND SCIENCES
Purpose of Junior Faculty Research Leave
Junior Faculty Research Leaves may be granted to tenure-track faculty members in order to give them an opportunity to devote themselves full-time to scholarship.
Eligibility and Opportunity for Junior Faculty Research Leave
All tenure-track faculty members who pass the second-year review are eligible to apply for a Junior Faculty Research Leave.
The opportunity for taking a Junior Faculty Research Leave is not guaranteed by Tufts University. Leave may be granted only when the condition of the department involved and of the University in general is such that the professors absence, in the opinion of the Dean, will not seriously impair the interests of the University. A Junior Faculty Research Leave may be taken in the faculty members third or fourth year. In some cases, with the approval of the Department Chair and the Dean, the leave may extend into the fifth year. In no instance may the leave be taken in the academic year in which a tenure application has been submitted. The faculty member will discuss the timing of the leave with his or her Department Chair. A faculty member does not stop the tenure clock by taking a Junior Faculty Research Leave. Faculty members who take a Junior Faculty Research Leave are expected to remain at Tufts in a full-time teaching capacity for at least one year following the leave.
Periods of Leave; Compensation During Leave
The faculty member on Junior Faculty Research Leave may be absent from the University for a total of two semesters. Although it is generally advantageous to take this leave in consecutive semesters, exceptions can be made to accommodate departmental needs or the special nature of the faculty members research. While on a Junior Faculty Research Leave, the faculty member will receive full salary for the duration of the leave, up to two semesters. A member of the faculty on paid leave is not permitted to receive compensation for services from another institution or organization.
The Dean will consider requests for leaves without pay funded from extramural sources over and above the two-semester leave that is internally funded.
Application for Junior Faculty Research Leave
A completed Application for Junior Faculty Research Leave should be sent to the supervising Dean via the Chair of the department concerned. The applicant must have a well-considered plan for spending the leave in a manner clearly designed to contribute to the best interests of the faculty member and of the University. A detailed written statement of this plan, with a clear indication of its professional advantages, as well as a current curriculum vitae, must accompany the application. Department chairs are expected to review a draft of the application with the faculty member and, if necessary, to make suggestions that will result in a focused proposal with realistic and specific aims. Department chairs will also attach to the final proposal an evaluation of the feasibility of the leave plan and of the proposed timetable. Applications must be received in the Deans Office by December 1 of the year preceding the academic year in which the first semester of the proposed leave occurs regardless of whether the second year review has been formally completed. The letter from the Dean to the applicant approving the Junior Faculty Research Leave represents a commitment by both the University and the faculty member. Therefore, no changes may be made in the plans for the leave without the written agreement of both parties.
Required Report
Within three months of returning to the University after completion of a Junior Faculty Research Leave, the faculty member must write a report of activities during the leave and must send the report to the Department Chair and to the Dean. This report should provide sufficient detail to give a clear picture of how well the proposed goals were met. For faculty members whose leave is not in consecutive semesters, two different reports must be filed.
Benefits
Questions regarding benefits while on leave should be addressed to the Benefits Office, ext. 7-3270.
JUNIOR FACULTY RESEARCH SEMESTER POLICY FOR THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING*
All tenure-track faculty members in the School of Engineering are eligible for one semester
without teaching or service responsibilities during their probationary period. This semester should
be scheduled after a successful second year review but before the academic year of the tenure review.
The purpose of this research semester is to afford junior faculty time to focus on their scholarship
and advance their research agendas. Full salary and other benefits continue during this semester.
The faculty member may not receive additional compensation during this period that is not allowed
during regular semesters. The timing of the research semester is to be set in consultation with the
Department Chair and must be approved by the Dean of Engineering. The faculty member need not be
resident at the University during the research semester. Faculty members who are granted a research
semester are expected to submit a brief report on their activities during that period at their next
annual review.
* This policy applies only to the School of Engineering. Faculty in the School of
Engineering are not eligible for the Junior Faculty Research Leave Policy in place for the School of
Arts and Sciences.
Life Event Information
As of June 1, 2004, benefits-eligible faculty and staff who are primary
caregivers will be allowed to apply for up to four weeks of available sick time
for adoption or paternity leaves. This paid time off must be taken at the time of the adoption or birth and must be taken consecutively.
For more detailed information, go to http://www.tufts.edu/hr/bene/lifeeventintro.shtml
Leave During Probationary Period
A full year of unpaid leave will count as part of the probationary period leading to review for tenure, unless otherwise negotiated at the time that the leave is requested. (See below section on Mellon Research Semester Awards.)
If leave without pay is requested for the year in which the individual would be scheduled to be reviewed for the award of tenure, normally that year must count as part of the probationary period, and the individual will be reviewed during the leave of absence.
Benefits
For faculty on unpaid academic leave, health, dental, and long-term disability coverage remains unchanged; life insurance and retirement, however, are proportional to one's actual salary during the period of leave. (For faculty on unpaid
personal leave, life insurance and long-term disability coverage cease for the period of the leave. Health and dental coverage continue, but the faculty member pays the full cost of these benefits. If personal leave continues beyond two years, all benefits cease.) Specific questions should be addressed to the Benefits Office.
PROFESSIONAL TRAVEL
The University encourages faculty to participate in the professional activities of their discipline by attending conferences and meetings. Limited travel funds are available at the department level. Overseas travel and trips beyond department resources may be funded in part by the
Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Education. Requests for such funding must have the support of the department chair. Support for travel related to research is awarded on a competitive basis by the Faculty Research Awards Committee (FRAC). For further information on FRAC, see below.
FACULTY TUITION REMISSION
Some of the academic resources of the University are available to faculty who wish to continue their professional development. With the approval of their department chair, full-time faculty may receive a scholarship for courses offered at Tufts. Application for such tuition remission must be filed in May of the prior academic year in which it is requested. Applications are available in the Financial Aid Office.
No member of the faculty above the rank of Instructor may receive a degree from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Tufts University.
TEACHING AND RESEARCH AWARDS
Teaching
Excellence in teaching is a major goal at Tufts University. From its inception, the University has prided itself on providing students with the highest quality education. In acknowledgment of this commitment and to encourage its continuance, the Lillian and Joseph Leibner Award for Excellence in Teaching and Advising was established in 1973. The award is given each year to one faculty member, who is recommended by faculty colleagues and students in acknowledgment of outstanding teaching and advising of students. It rotates annually among four different areas: arts and humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. The selection is made by a committee composed of faculty and student representatives. The recipient is announced at the University Awards Ceremony each spring but the formal award ceremony takes place at the last AS&E Faculty Meeting in May each year.
Established in 1989, the Seymour O. Simches Award for Distinguished Teaching and Advising is presented to a senior member of the Arts, Sciences and Engineering faculty in acknowledgement of a lifetime of outstanding teaching and advising and for representing the highest standards of the profession. The award is not necessarily given every year, however, when chosen, the recipient will be announced at the University Awards Ceremony in the spring but the formal award ceremony takes place at the last AS&E Faculty Meeting in May each year.
The Arts and Sciences Faculty/Staff Multicultural Service Award is given to members of the Arts and Sciences faculty or staff who have made significant efforts to define Tufts as a multicultural environment in which race, ethnicity, religion, class, gender, and sexual orientation are not barriers to the full enjoyment of community membership.
The Undergraduate Initiative in Teaching Award is presented to junior full-time faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in teaching and advising, concern for students' academic and personal growth, and the ability to convey a passion and enthusiasm for their field of study.
The Faculty Research Awards Committee Distinguished Scholar Award recognizes Tufts faculty members for distinguished research and scholarship in their discipline over the last five years.
The Lerman-Neubauer Prize is awarded annually to a faculty member judged by graduating seniors as an individual who has had a profound impact on them intellectually, both in and out of the classroom. Seniors who have experienced four years at Tufts have demonstrated mature judgment in evaluating those faculty members they have found most influential in shaping minds on this campus.
The Henry and Madeline Fischer Award is presented annually to a member of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences judged by graduating seniors of the School of Engineering by vote in the Senior Survey as
"Engineer's Teacher of the Year". The recipient will be recognized as the one teacher, in four undergraduate years, who has demonstrated teaching excellence, inspired and motivated students to rise to their best, and left with them a lasting and gratifying memory of a very special teacher and a profound intellectual experience.
The Africana Center Gerald T. Gill Distinguished Service Award is named after Professor Gerald Gill, Department of History. The award is presented every other year. It honors faculty
or staff whose achievements in the classroom, community and programming in their departments, organizations, and or offices exemplify a commitment to enriching the lives of all students, faculty and staff. The award recognizes an effort to create a collegiate environment where the contributions of people of African descent are not only recognized, but also celebrated in a diverse approach to learning.
Faculty Research Awards Committee
Although the University encourages faculty to seek external funding, small grants
-- for equipment, research, travel, and assistance, and other related activities
-- are available from the Faculty Research Awards Committee (FRAC). These are awarded on a competitive basis to full-time faculty, either tenured or holding tenure-track appointments. Part-time and non tenure-track faculty are not eligible for these awards. Applications and further information can be obtained from the school dean's office.
Mellon Research Semester Awards
Through endowment provided by the Mellon Foundation, a small number of research grants are available each year for non tenured tenure-track faculty. The Mellon
Awards provide for a research semester that may be taken at any time during a faculty member's probationary period, except during the tenure review year. It is recommended, however, that the award be used during the third, fourth, or fifth year of the probationary period. These grants are awarded on a competitive basis by the Faculty Research Awards Committee. Additional information and applications are available from the committee chair or from the
School Dean's Office.
A faculty member who has been awarded a Mellon grant may apply for a semester of academic leave without pay, to be taken contiguous to the research semester and may request, at the time the application is submitted, that the probationary period for tenure be extended by one year (that is, that the
"tenure clock be stopped").
ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF RESEARCH SUPPORT
The University assumes that its most important contribution in support of the research interests of the faculty lies in providing a pattern of teaching duties that enables individuals to devote a significant portion of their time to scholarly research. In addition to the faculty research awards noted above, limited funds to support research are available through departmental budgets, the
Office of the Dean of the Graduate School or the Office of the Dean for Undergraduate Education. In seeking external sources of funding, faculty are encouraged to utilize the services of the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations.
Chapter 8 details those University services and policies with respect to research administration.
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