Senate Document No. I-03-02

PROPOSAL TO THE ACADEMIC SENATE

TITLE: Proposal to Create Non Tenure Track Research Professorships

SUBMITTED BY: Faculty Affairs Committee

DATE: February 14 , 2003

ACTION IS: Consultative

REFERENCE IS: None

DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSAL

Approximately a year and one half ago, the Academic Senate was asked to lend its support to a proposal to allow for the creation of non-tenure track research professorships. These positions were to be open to full time employees of the university who engaged in research and mentoring of students, but did not hold a tenured or tenure track appointment at the University.

The purpose of the proposal was to allow such persons to compete for outside grants which required applicants to hold an “academic title.” The proposal was submitted to the Faculty Affairs Committee for review. The Faculty Affairs Committee reviewed the proposal and submitted some suggested changes to Drs. Pestello and McCabe. (A copy of the letter from the Committee to Drs. Pestello and McCabe is included with this document.)

A revised proposal was sent back to the Faculty Affairs Committee. The Committee, without dissent, believed that the revision successfully incorporated all the changes it suggested. (“Clean” and “redlined” copies of the proposal are included with this document).

In addition, the Committee the received two comments on the proposal via e-mail. Both comments opposed the proposal. Two grounds were given. First, the objection was raised that only persons who engaged mainly in teaching should be given any sort of professorial designation. The Committee, understands the objection, but simply does not agree with the underlying assumption.

The second objection was that if the proposal was implemented, it would increase the amount of competition tenured and tenure track faculty face for grants. The Committee believes that even if this is true, it is a positive rather than negative development. Open and fair competition for grants will enhance the quality of proposals and the research that underlies those proposals. We believe that both effects will redound to the benefit of tenured and tenure track faculty, research professors, and ultimately, the University itself.

The Committee believes that the proposal to create non tenure track research professorships will greatly benefit the University for the reasons stated in the proposal. Therefore the Committee recommends that the Academic Senate adopt the following resolution:

RESOLVED THAT the Academic Senate supports the creation of research professorships as set forth in the Proposal for the Creation of Research Professorship as revised on December 16, 2002.