Faculty Resources
This page contains a list of faculty resources, including the department bylaws, and will be regularly updated as necessary.
Fixed Term Designation B
Designation B is available to instructors who have brought and are deemed likely to bring exceptional value to RCS programs through the quality of their teaching and other contributions. If approved, Designation B status would provide a three year appointment for the UNTF teaching portion of the assignment. UNTF bargaining unit members who wish to be considered for Designation B are invited to submit documentation that demonstrates that they meet the following criteria. For the 2021-22 academic year, documentation should be submitted to Ashley Housler (housler@msu.edu) by September 30, 2021, for fall applications and by February 4, 2022, for Spring applications.
- A detailed statement of teaching philosophy that exemplifies how this philosophy is applied in the classroom and why it constitutes an innovative and effective teaching strategy;
- Consistently superior SIRS teaching evaluations;
- Detailed course syllabi that demonstrate course development and highlight innovative aspects of the applicant’s teaching methodology and any original contributions made to the planning of the course
- Consistently positive classroom observations;
- Evidence of participation in teaching-related professional development activities such as MSU CeLTA workshops;
- Current CV with evidence of teaching and related professional activities that may include: undergraduate and graduate teaching, methods of assessment, participation in high-impact co-curricular activities, honors options, undergraduate and graduate committees; academic advising or coordination; study abroad and other areas identified by the department.
Eligibility criteria and timelines are found in the UNTF contract.
Additional Resources:
College of Arts & Letters Fixed Term Designation B Review Guidelines
MSU Human Resources Fixed Term Designation B Review Guidelines
Union of Nontenure-Track Faculty Page on Designation B
Department Bylaws
(Revised 12/10/10; 05/02/14; 09/15/17; 05/02/22)
Overview
The Department of Romance and Classical Studies (henceforth, RCS) is one administrative unit and shall consist of all faculty and students as defined by the constituent membership.
The Department, having various academic missions, will conduct its affairs in 1) administrative units called Sections, 2) Programs (curriculum based), or 3) as a whole. The three sections will be 1) Spanish, 2) French, and 3) Classics, Italian & Portuguese (CIP).
The Programs will be 1) Spanish, 2) French, 3) Classics, 4) Italian, and 5) Portuguese.
the Programs are responsible for determining course and teaching schedules, curriculum, standards, evaluation, policies, procedures, and position requests of the Program.
The role of Sections is for purposes of representation within the Department.
Section 1 – The Faculty
1. The Faculty
1.1.1. Composition of the Faculty
1.1.1. – The tenure-stream faculty of the Department of Romance and Classical Studies, henceforth RCS, shall consist of all persons in the Department who have been appointed under the rules of tenure and who hold the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or as further defined in the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
1.1.2. The fixed-term faculty in RCS shall consist of all persons holding the rank of full, associate, assistant professor or instructor, but not appointed under the rules of tenure, as defined in the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
1.1.3. The academic specialist faculty in RCS shall consist of persons holding the rank of academic specialist, but not appointed under the rules of tenure, or as further defined by the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
1.1.4. Honorary faculty shall be those persons designated as professor emeritus.
1.2. Voting Faculty
1.2.1. The voting faculty in the Department, College, and University shall consist of all tenurestream faculty (in 1.1.1.), and fixed-term faculty (in 1.1.2.) who hold current positions in the Department and have served under full-time basis for at least two academic years or
more. Voting rights for fixed-term faculty exclude tenure-stream personnel matters.
1.2.2. A faculty member jointly appointed in two or more units may vote only once in a given College or University election.
1.2.3. A faculty member jointly appointed in RCS and one or more other units may vote on RCS matters.
1.2.4. Only voting faculty members of RCS may be elected to an academic governance body as the Department’s representative.
1.3. Governance Responsibility of the Faculty
1.3.1. Faculty meetings
1.3.1.1. The Faculty of the Department shall meet at least once during each semester. Additional meetings of the Department may also be called by the Department Chairperson, or upon petition of 25% of the voting faculty (defined in 1.1.1. and 1.1.2)
1.3.1.2. The Chairperson shall generally attend all faculty meetings and Policy Committee meetings.
1.3.1.3. The Chairperson shall provide an agenda at least four days in advance of a faculty meeting and include on that agenda notification of any elections to be held.
1.3.1.4. A quorum is necessary for the conduct of official business at an officially constituted meeting of the Department. A quorum shall be defined as fifty percent of the voting faculty. A quorum for all officially-constituted committees of the Department shall be defined as a simple majority of the voting members of the committees.
1.3.1.5. Conduct of all Department faculty meetings shall be governed by revised Robert’s Rules of Order.
1.3.2. Expectations for Committee Work
1.3.2.1. All tenured faculty members are expected to serve on at least one standing committee per year, except when on sabbatical. These committees include: The Policy Committee, the Graduate Committee, the Undergraduate Committee, the Salary Committee, the DEI & Outreach Committee.
1.3.2.2. Fixed-term faculty may serve on standing committees on a voluntary basis, or subject to the terms of their contract.
1.3.2.3. For faculty who are jointly appointed, service on a standing committee in either department or College program shall count.
1.3.2.4. Merit considerations will also acknowledge service in other units, including the College and University.
1.3.2.5. Tenured faculty and advanced assistant professors (those who have successfully been reappointed) may be expected to serve on one or more ad-hoc committees per year.
1.3.2.6. Junior tenure-stream faculty, before reappointment, may serve on ad-hoc committees on a voluntary basis.
1.3.2.7. The Chairperson will make committee assignments every spring semester for the following academic year. Faculty will indicate the committees on which they prefer to serve for the following year. In consultation with the Policy Committee, the Chairperson will take these preferences into account, along with the service assignment history of the committees.
1.3.3. All faculty members shall have the right to submit matters for the consideration of the Chairperson, the Policy Committee or any other officially-constituted committee.
1.3.4. With the exception of personnel matters, all faculty shall have the right to advise the Chairperson and the Policy Committee on matters pertaining to the general direction and welfare of the Department.
1.3.5. With the exception of personnel matters, all faculty shall have the right to express dissent regarding the actions of the Chairperson, the Policy Committee or any other officially – constituted committee.
Section 2 – The Students
2. The Students
2.1 Student Constituency of the Department
2.1.1. The student constituency of the department will consist of graduate degree candidates in RCS as well as undergraduate students having declared an RCS major with the registrar. Students may serve as RCS representatives on Department, College, and University committees.
2.1.2. Students in RCS are encouraged to form graduate and undergraduate student organizations. These organizations will select representatives to serve on Department, College and University committees according to procedures established by the organizations.
2.2 Student Participation in Academic Governance
2.2.1. The undergraduate student constituency of the Department shall select a representative tothe Undergraduate Committee and the graduate student constituency of the Department shall select a representative to the Graduate Committee. Students shall participate in
academic governance bodies in the same mode as faculty participation with the exception of personnel matters.
2.2.2. The Department will solicit input from undergraduate and graduate students on matters of hiring and appointments. However, the student constituency will not have voting privileges in these matters.
Section 3
3. Department Organization
3.1. Chairperson of the Department
3.1.1. The chief officer of the Department is the Chairperson.
3.1.2. The Chairperson is responsible for educational, research, and service programs of the Department. This responsibility includes budgetary matters, physical facilities, and personnel matters in his/her/their jurisdiction, taking into account the advisory procedures of the Department.
3.1.3. The Chairperson shall assist, encourage, and participate in academic governance as part of his/her/their administrative responsibility. The Chairperson shall:
3.1.3.1. Provide for the dissemination of information and exchange of views regarding Department policy by faculty and students, through the academic governance system as well as other appropriate channels.
3.1.3.2. Call meetings of the faculty at least once per semester with a prepared agenda submitted to the faculty at least four days beforehand or upon petition of 25% of the voting faculty. Any faculty member may propose agenda items for department faculty meetings.
3.1.3.3. Call meetings of the Policy Committee at least once per month with a prepared agenda submitted to the Department faculty at least four days beforehand, or upon petition of three or more Policy Committee members, or upon petition of 25% of the voting faculty.
3.1.3.4. Break tie votes at meetings of the faculty and of the Policy Committee
3.1.3.5. Appoint in the spring, after consultation with the Policy Committee, standing and other committees of the faculty.
3.1.3.6. Appoint in the spring, after consultation with the Policy Committee, the administrative officers of the Department, Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies.
3.1.3.7. Confer with the Policy Committee and faculty on matters concerning departmental policies.
3.1.3.8. Meet with standing committees during the first weeks of the fall semester to determine specific committee charges and to produce a document summarizing charges for the academic year. After receiving each committee’s charge for the academic year, the Policy Committee shall assist the Chairperson in compiling and summarizing the committee charges and will make them available to faculty.
3.1.4. The selection of associate administrators shall be the responsibility of the Chairperson and the Policy Committee, who shall receive the views of the faculty and students through the academic governance system or other appropriate means. The two associate chair positions may not be filled simultaneously by the same faculty member.
3.1.5. The Chairperson of the Department’s performance shall be reviewed in the third year and in the fifth year of service:
3.1.5.1. The Department faculty shall have shared responsibility with the Dean to determine procedures for the review of the Chairperson.
3.1.6. There is no limit, other than the limit imposed by the University rules on retirement from administrative positions, on the number of terms an individual may serve in the position of Chairperson.
3.1.7. At any time during the term of office, the appointment of a Chairperson, as Chairperson, may be terminated either by resignation or by administrative action.
3.2. Selection of a new Chairperson
3.2.1. The voting faculty of the Department shall have shared responsibility with the Dean to determine procedures on the selection of the Department Chairperson.
3.2.2. During the next-to-last year of a Chairperson’s last term in office, the elected faculty of the Policy Committee shall recommend to the Dean the structure, membership, and procedures for a Search Committee. Upon approval from the Dean, the Search Committee shall begin the search procedure.
3.2.3. An initial step in the process should be a poll of the Department faculty for the purpose of collecting nominees of suitable candidates from within and from outside the Department.
3.2.4. The list of nominees obtained from the Department faculty shall be added to any nominees collected from local and/or national advertising and from nominees submitted by other persons on campus.
3.2.5. The Search Committee shall negotiate with the Dean for a specific date beyond which no further nominees shall be accepted.
3.2.6. The Search Committee shall assume responsibility for contacting all nominees to determine their willingness to be candidates for the position of Department Chairperson.
3.2.7. Received application materials shall be available only to members of the Search Committee during the period of the search and until such time as it is appropriate for any information to be made public.
3.2.8. In accordance with agreements reached with the office of the Dean, the Search Committee shall narrow the list of candidates to a final list for interviews and invitations to campus visits. In consultation with the office of the Dean, the Search Committee shall arrange for transportation, housing, and interview meetings for each candidate to be invited.
3.2.9. When the list of candidates is determined, and after campus visits and interviews have been conducted, the Department faculty and students shall be given the opportunity to express a preference among candidates. The results of the preferential poll shall be presented along with the final list of recommended candidates to the Dean.
3.2.10. If the search process does not result in the selection of a new Chairperson, or in the event of a sudden vacancy in the Department Chair due to resignation, involuntary departure, illness, disability, or death, the Policy Committee shall meet with the Dean on the procedure for identifying a suitable nominee for Acting Chairperson. Such Acting Chairperson shall serve during the period of time necessary to develop procedures for a search for a permanent replacement. RCS faculty shall be informed throughout all steps of this process and shall have a voice in the selection both of an Acting Chairperson and in the search for a permanent replacement
3.3 Associate Chairperson for Undergraduate Studies & Associate Chairperson for Graduate
Studies
3.3.1. The Chairperson, in consultation with the Policy Committee, shall appoint two Associate Chairs: The Associate Chairperson for Undergraduate Studies and the Associate Chairperson for Graduate Studies.
3.3.2. The Associate Chairperson(s) shall be responsible to the Chairperson, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Chairperson for a two-year term.
3.3.3. Associate Chairperson for Undergraduate Studies
3.3.3.1. The Associate Chairperson for Undergraduate Studies shall
3.3.3.1.1. Serve on the College Curriculum Committee (CCC) and the College Undergraduate Committee (CUC) as departmental representative.
3.3.3.1.2. Chair the Undergraduate Committee.
3.3.3.1.3. Oversee the operations of RCS Undergraduate Programs.
3.3.3.1.4. Serve as ex-officio member of the Fixed-Term Salary Sub-Committee.
3.3.3.1.5. Coordinate the Work Copy (course scheduling) and attend to teaching assignments, course planning, curriculum changes.
3.3.3.1.6. Attend to undergraduate student affairs.
3.3.4. Associate Chairperson for Graduate Studies
3.3.4.1. The Associate Chairperson for Graduate Studies shall:
3.3.4.1.1. Serve on the Graduate College Committee (GCC) as departmental representative.
3.3.4.1.2. Chair the Graduate Committee of the department.
3.3.4.1.3. Attend to graduate student affairs.
3.3.4.1.4. Oversee the operations of RCS graduate programs.
3.3.4.1.5. Coordinate curriculum changes, handbook revisions, graduate admissions and recruitment, graduate orientation, disbursement of grants and fellowships for graduate students, exams, appointment letters, job workshops.
3.3. Associate Chairperson for Undergraduate Studies & Associate Chairperson for Graduate
Studies
3.3.1. The Chairperson, in consultation with the Policy Committee, shall appoint two Associate Chairs: The Associate Chairperson for Undergraduate Studies and the Associate Chairperson for Graduate Studies.
3.3.2. The Associate Chairperson(s) shall be responsible to the Chairperson, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Chairperson for a two-year term.
3.3.3. Associate Chairperson for Undergraduate Studies
3.3.3.1. The Associate Chairperson for Undergraduate Studies shall:
3.3.3.1.1. Serve on the College Curriculum Committee (CCC) and the College Undergraduate Committee (CUC) as departmental representative.
3.3.3.1.2. Chair the Undergraduate Committee.
3.3.3.1.3. Oversee the operations of RCS Undergraduate Programs.
3.3.3.1.4. Serve as ex-officio member of the Fixed-Term Salary Sub-Committee.
3.3.3.1.5. Coordinate the Work Copy (course scheduling) and attend to teaching assignments, course planning, curriculum changes.
3.3.3.1.6. Attend to undergraduate student affairs.
3.3.4. Associate Chairperson for Graduate Studies
3.3.4.1. The Associate Chairperson for Graduate Studies shall:
3.3.4.1.1. Serve on the Graduate College Committee (GCC) as departmental representative.
3.3.4.1.2. Chair the Graduate Committee of the department.
3.3.4.1.3. Attend to graduate student affairs.
3.3.4.1.4. Oversee the operations of RCS graduate programs.
3.3.4.1.5. Coordinate curriculum changes, handbook revisions, graduate admissions and recruitment, graduate orientation, disbursement of grants and fellowships for graduate students, exams, appointment letters, job workshops.
3.4. Department Academic Governance: Standing Committees
Departmental Academic Governance will be conducted through the following standing committees: the Policy Committee, the Graduate Committee, the Undergraduate Committee, the Salary Committee, and the DEI & Outreach Committee. Ad hoc committees will be formed as needed. See Section 1.3.2. for Faculty Expectations for Committee Work.
3.4.1. The Policy Committee
3.4.1.1. Composition of the Policy Committee
3.4.1.1.1. The Policy Committee members shall be composed of four elected faculty members with voting rights (as defined in 1.2.1 the Voting Faculty). The Committee shall include at least one elected faculty member from the pre-tenure ranks if there is one available and willing to serve.
3.4.1.1.2. The Department shall ensure that Committee composition fairly reflects the diversity of all ranks and constituencies in RCS, such as faculty of different academic specialties and demographics.
3.4.1.1.3. No elected faculty member shall be eligible to serve for two consecutive terms. The term of office for elected committee members shall be two years, except for junior untenured faculty who shall serve one year. In order to provide continuity between Policy Committees of consecutive years, the two-year terms of elected faculty members shall be staggered.
3.4.1.1.4. The Chairperson of the Department shall chair the Policy Committee with the power to break tie votes.
3.4.1.1.5. One graduate student, when duly elected by their student organization, shall sit as representative on the Policy Committee with voice, but no vote.
3.4.1.1.6. Ex officio members of the Policy Committee will include the Associate Chairpersons. In the absence of the Chairperson, the Associate Chairperson for Undergraduate Studies shall chair the Committee.
3.4.1.2. Election of the Policy Committee
3.4.1.2.1. Elections to the Policy Committee shall be held within the last two weeks of the spring semester.
3.4.1.2.2. Elections shall be electronic to ensure the participation of every member of the voting faculty.
3.4.1.2.3. Elections shall be conducted by the Chairperson and both Associate Chairs, who shall distribute, collect, and count ballots and announce results.
3.4.1.2.4. Members of the Policy Committee shall be elected in the following manner: there shall be open nominations followed by a secret online ballot. The candidates with a simple majority of votes cast are elected to the Policy Committee. If no candidate(s) receive(s) a simple majority of votes cast, those with the most votes shall enter a run-off election.
3.4.1.2.5. In the event that an elected member of the Policy Committee must vacate that position, temporarily or for the remainder of their term, a special election shall be held to elect a temporary replacement for the absent member. This election shall conform to the requirements and procedures specified above; the faculty member who replaces a vacating member for more than a year shall be
ineligible for a full term in this committee consecutive to the replacement term.
3.4.1.3. Responsibilities of the Policy Committee
The Policy Committee is the deliberative body for faculty and students to participate in
the policy-making of the Department. The Policy Committee shall:
3.4.1.3.1. Recommend and share responsibility with the Chairperson on matters of departmental policy.
3.4.1.3.2. Record and report to the faculty in writing the discussion and actions of the Policy Committee.
3.4.1.3.3. Record and report in writing the discussions, actions, and each motion of the faculty at faculty meetings.
3.4.1.3.4. Distribute and keep on file the minutes of meetings of all standing committees.
3.4.1.3.5. Advise the Chairperson on ad hoc committee formation regarding personnel matters, including hiring, tenure, reappointment, promotion and appointments and nominations to Department, College, and University committees.
3.4.1.3.6. Act as a body through which faculty members and/or students may initiate action in the academic governance of the Department; the Policy Committee may refer such matters to an appropriate standing committee.
3.4.1.3.7. Oversee elections or voting processes in the Department. These may include: electing a new Chairperson or approving policy changes.
3.4.1.3.8. Organize the nomination process, oversee voting and publish election results.
3.4.1.4. Procedures
3.4.1.4.1. The Policy Committee shall meet at least once per month or upon petition of three or more Policy Committee members, or upon petition of 25% of thevoting faculty.
3.4.1.4.2. Additional meetings can be held at the request of the Chairperson or any other member.
3.4.1.4.3. The Policy Committee shall distribute meeting agendas to the faculty at least four days beforehand.
3.4.1.4.4. The Policy Committee shall report discussions and decisions to the Department by means of regular published minutes.
3.4.1.4.5. The Chairperson shall break tie votes at meetings of the Policy Committee.
3.4.2. The Graduate Committee
3.4.2.1. Composition
3.4.2.1.1. To ensure that all graduate programs of the Department are represented, the Graduate Committee shall be composed of:
3.4.2.1.2. The Associate Chairperson for Graduate Studies, three appointed voting faculty members representing each graduate program and who will serve as Graduate Advisors, and two graduate student representatives.
3.4.2.1.3. Graduate student representatives will have a voice, but no vote.
3.4.2.1.4. The Associate Chairperson for Graduate Studies will chair the Graduate Committee. Unless the Chairperson of the Department is invited, he/she/they are not expected to attend the Graduate Committee meetings.
3.4.2.1.5. Faculty members of the Graduate Committee shall serve a two-year term, with the possibility of renewal.
3.4.2.1.6. Student members shall serve one-year terms.
3.4.2.2. Responsibilities of the Graduate Committee
3.4.2.2.1. The Graduate Committee shall serve as a deliberative body for all areas concerning graduate education in RCS.
3.4.2.2.2. Graduate Advisors shall convene meetings of their respective graduate programs to discuss matters such as recruitment, admissions, retention, advising, curriculum, degree requirements, admission criteria, course offerings, assessment, and any matter involving graduate studies.
3.4.2.2.3. Members shall review and rank fellowships and awards; plan recruitment activities, organize and lead proseminars and/or job search or development workshops.
3.4.2.3. Procedures
3.4.2.3.1. The Graduate Committee shall meet as often as required to perform its duties, but no less than four times in each academic semester, except summer session.
3.4.2.3.2. Meetings may be called by the RCS Chairperson, the Graduate Committee chairperson or by petition of any member of the Graduate Committee, including graduate student representatives.
3.4.2.3.3. The Graduate Committee shall distribute meeting agendas to the faculty.
3.4.2.3.4. The Graduate Committee shall report procedural decisions to the Policy Committee and the Department by means of regular published minutes.
3.4.2.3.5. The Graduate Committee must submit any changes in graduate policy to the Policy Committee for review and approval.
3.4.3. The Undergraduate Committee
3.4.3.1. Composition
3.4.3.1.1. The Undergraduate Committee shall be composed of the following members: The Associate Chairperson for Undergraduate Studies, three appointed voting faculty members, with at least two faculty must represent each of the larger undergraduate programs, the Undergraduate Advisor (ex-officio), one undergraduate student representative and one graduate student representative (student representatives shall have voice but no vote).
3.4.3.1.2. The Associate Chairperson for Undergraduate Studies chairs the committee. Unless the Chairperson of the Department is invited, he/she/they are not expected to attend the Undergraduate Committee meetings
3.4.3.2. Responsibilities of the Undergraduate Committee
3.4.3.2.1. The Undergraduate Committee shall serve as a deliberative body for all areas concerning undergraduate education in RCS, including but not limited to: curriculum, degree requirements, course offerings, assessment, fellowship/scholarship awards and prizes, experiential learning initiatives, study abroad programs, writing centers and other student success resources.
3.4.3.2.2. Representatives shall convene meetings of their respective undergraduate programs to discuss matters such as curriculum, degree requirements, course offerings, assessment, and any matter involving undergraduate studies.
3.4.3.3. Procedures
3.4.3.3.1. The Undergraduate Committee shall meet as often as required to perform its duties, but no less than four times in each academic semester, except summer session.
3.4.3.3.2. Meetings may be called by the RCS Chairperson, the Undergraduate Committee chairperson or by petition of any member of the Undergraduate Committee, including student representatives.
3.4.3.3.3. The Undergraduate Committee shall distribute meeting agendas to the faculty.
3.4.3.3.4. The Undergraduate Committee shall report procedural decisions to the Policy Committee and the Department by means of regularly published minutes.
3.4.3.3.5. The Undergraduate Committee must submit any changes in undergraduate policy to the Policy Committee for review and approval.
3.4.4. The Salary Committee: Tenure Stream & Fixed-Term Faculty
The Salary Committee shall consist of two subcommittees: The Salary Sub-Committee for Tenure
Stream Faculty and the Salary Sub-Committee for Fixed-Term Faculty.
3.4.4.1. Tenure Stream (TS) Salary Sub-Committee
3.4.4.1.1. Selection and Composition
3.4.4.1.1.1. The TS Salary Sub-Committee shall be composed of three RCS tenure-system faculty members.
3.4.4.1.1.2. The members of the TS Salary Sub-Committee shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Department, in consultation with the Policy Committee, to ensure that the appointments represent the diversity of ranks and constituencies of the Department and in conformity with University guidelines regarding the composition of committees.
3.4.4.1.1.3. Appointments shall conform with College and University guidelines regarding the composition of committees.
3.4.4.1.1.4. Members of the TS Salary Sub-Committee shall each serve staggered two-year terms. No member shall serve two consecutive terms.
.4.4.1.1.5. No member shall participate in his/her/their own merit salary adjustment evaluation or that of a significant other.
3.4.4.1.1.6. No member shall serve simultaneously on the TS Salary SubCommittee and the Policy Committee.
3.4.4.1.1.7. Committee members shall elect a chairperson of the TS Salary Sub-Committee at their first meeting.
3.4.4.1.2. Responsibilities
3.4.4.1.2.1. To solicit, receive, and evaluate materials for merit salary adjustments, and to make recommendations to the Chairperson of the Department regarding merit salary adjustments.
3.4.4.1.2.2. To identify progress of faculty members on the path to reappointment, promotion and tenure.
3.4.4.1.2.3. To act as the peer review body with which the Chairperson of the Department consults regarding other kinds of salary adjustments, including equity adjustments and market adjustments.
3.4.4.1.3. Procedures
3.4.4.1.3.1. The TS Salary Sub-Committee’s deliberations shall take place in the spring semester of every academic year.
3.4.4.1.3.2. All deliberations concerning annual evaluations shall be kept confidential at all stages of the process.
3.4.4.1.3.3. Early in its deliberations, the TS Salary Sub-Committee shall meet with the Chairperson of the Department to review the previous year’s salary adjustments.
3.4.4.1.3.4. Each member of the TS Salary Sub-Committee shall evaluate the materials, from the previous calendar year, submitted by faculty members of the Department for whom salary recommendations need to be made.
3.4.4.1.3.5. In order to be considered for merit salary adjustments, faculty must submit the following required materials: 1) a current curriculum vitae, 2) a departmental reporting fact sheet, 3) evidence to document teaching, service, and outreach activities. Faculty may also include an optional self-assessment narrative with the required dossier materials. Faculty shall provide full documentation of all professional activities. The TS Salary Sub-Committee shall not consider any incomplete dossiers for a merit salary adjustment.
3.4.4.1.3.6. Based on submitted materials, members of the TS Salary SubCommittee shall assign a qualitative rating of each faculty member’s performance as Outstanding, Very Good, Average or Unsatisfactory, in each of the following categories of professional activity: research and creative endeavors, teaching, and service (see Sections 4.2.1 and 4.2.2. for descriptions of these terms). In evaluating each faculty member’s record, members of the TS Salary Sub-Committee shall take into account the outreach component of the reported research, teaching or service activities. Outreach is a professional activity valued by the University that cuts across the categories of research, teaching, and service (Outreach involves generating, transmitting, applying, and preserving knowledge for the direct benefit of external audiences in ways that are consistent with the University and unit missions).
3.4.4.1.3.7. In the case of sabbatical or research leave, the TS Salary SubCommittee shall apply variable workload percentages during the review period.
3.4.4.1.3.8. Each member of the TS Salary Sub-Committee shall submit to the Chairperson of the sub-committee his/her/their ratings (signed) of each faculty member in the categories of research and creative endeavors, teaching, and service. Ratings shall include brief qualitative comments in each of the three merit areas. After discussion within the sub-committee, members shall decide upon a final rating in each merit category for each faculty member. Final ratings and qualitative comments (with the committee members’ names removed) shall be submitted to the Chairperson of the Department.
3.4.4.1.3.9. A final committee recommendation regarding each faculty member’s overall merit level shall be weighted in the following way: research and creative endeavor = 40%; teaching = 40%; service = 20%, excluding those cases to which variable workloads apply.
3.4.4.1.3.10. The final recommendations of the TS Salary Sub-Committee shall assist the Chairperson of the Department in determining the annual salary adjustments.
3.4.4.1.3.11. After reviewing the sub-committee’s final recommendations, the Chairperson of the Department shall meet with the TS Salary Sub Committee to discuss his/her/their proposed annual salary adjustments.
3.4.4.1.3.12. The Chairperson of the Department shall inform the TS Salary Sub-Committee of additional adjustments to address salary inequities, structural anomalies, and/or exceptional performance.
3.4.4.1.3.13. The Chairperson of the Department shall provide each faculty member with an annual evaluation letter documenting the faculty member’s ratings, no later than July 31. Faculty members have the right to meet individually with the Chairperson of the Department to discuss these recommendations.
3.4.4.1.3.14. Faculty members have the right to appeal the outcome of annual evaluations to the Chairperson of the Department.
3.4.4.1.3.15. According to University by-laws, the Chairperson of the Department is responsible for merit salary adjustments and for assuring that all merit salary adjustments conform to the Academic Salary Adjustment Guidelines provided annually by the Office of the Provost.
3.4.4.2. Fixed-Term (FT) Salary Sub-Committee
3.4.4.2.1. Selection and Composition
3.4.4.2.1.1. The Fixed-Term (FT) Salary Sub-Committee shall be composed of three fixed-term faculty members, each of whom has taught for the Department for at least four consecutive semesters and the Associate Chairperson for Undergraduate Studies (ex-officio).
3.4.4.2.1.2. The members of the FT Salary Sub-Committee shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Department, in consultation with the Policy Committee, to ensure that the appointments represent the diversity of constituencies of the Department and in conformity with University guidelines regarding the composition of committees
3.4.4.2.1.3. FT faculty members of the FT Salary Sub-Committee shall each serve staggered two-year terms. No member shall serve two consecutive terms, and no member shall participate in his/her/their own merit salary adjustment evaluation (or that of a significant other or family member).
3.4.4.2.1.4. No FT faculty member shall serve simultaneously on the FT Salary Sub-Committee and the Policy Committee.
3.4.4.2.1.5. Committee members shall elect a chairperson of the FT Salary Sub-Committee at their first meeting.
3.4.4.2.2. Responsibilities
3.4.4.2.2.1. To solicit, receive, and evaluate materials for annual performance reviews and merit salary adjustments, and to make recommendations to the Chairperson of the Department regarding the award of merit salary adjustments.
3.4.4.2.2.2. To identify progress of faculty members on the path to reappointment and promotion.
3.4.4.2.2.3. To act as the peer review body with which the Chairperson of the Department consults regarding other kinds of salary adjustments, including equity adjustments and market adjustments.
3.4.4.2.3. Procedures
3.4.4.2.3.1. The FT Salary Sub-Committee’s deliberations shall take place in the Spring Semester of every academic year.
3.4.4.2.3.2. Early in its deliberations, the sub-committee shall meet with the Chairperson of the Department to review the previous year’s salary adjustments.
3.4.4.2.3.3. Each member of the FT Salary Sub-Committee shall evaluate the materials, from the previous calendar year, submitted by faculty members of the Department for whom salary recommendations need to be made.
3.4.4.2.3.4. In order to be considered for merit salary adjustments, faculty must submit the following required materials: 1) a current curriculum vitae, 2) a departmental reporting fact sheet, 3) evidence to document teaching, service, and outreach activities in accordance with the terms of individual contracts. Faculty may also include an optional self-assessment narrative with the required dossier materials. Faculty shall provide full documentation of all professional activities. The FT Salary Sub-Committee shall not consider any incomplete dossiers for a merit salary adjustment.
3.4.4.2.3.5. Based on submitted materials, members of the FT Salary SubCommittee shall assign a qualitative rating of each faculty member’s performance as Outstanding, Very Good, Average or Unsatisfactory, in each of the categories of professional activity established by the terms of their contract. These include teaching and professional development and may also include research and/or service, curriculum development and administration (see Sections 4.2.1. and 4.2.2. for a description of these terms). In evaluating each faculty member’s record, members of the FT Salary Sub-Committee shall take into account the outreach component of the reported research, teaching or service activities. Outreach is a professional activity valued by the University that cuts across the categories
of research, teaching, and service (Outreach involves generating, transmitting, applying, and preserving knowledge for the direct benefit of external audiences in ways that are consistent with the University and unit missions).
3.4.4.2.3.6. The Chairperson of the Department shall provide faculty members with a written explanation of the evaluation criteria.
3.4.4.2.3.7. Each member of the FT Salary Sub-Committee shall submit to the Chairperson of the sub-committee his/her/their ratings (signed) of each faculty member. These ratings shall include brief qualitative comments in each of the contractual merit areas, along with the qualitative rating; they shall aid in discussion within the sub-committee, whose members shall decide upon a final rating in each merit category for each faculty member. Those ratings and the qualitative comments (with the subcommittee members’ names removed) shall be submitted to the Associate Chairperson for Undergraduate Studies to inform his/her/their recommendations to the Chairperson of the Department.
3.4.4.2.3.8. A final sub-committee recommendation regarding each faculty member’s overall merit level shall be weighted in accordance with the categories of professional activity established in each faculty member’s contract.
3.4.4.2.3.9. After reviewing the sub-committee’s final recommendations, the Chairperson of the Department shall meet with the FT Salary Sub-Committee to discuss his/her/their proposed annual salary adjustments.
3.4.4.2.3.10. The Chairperson of the Department shall provide each faculty member with an annual evaluation letter documenting the faculty member’s ratings, no later than July 31. Faculty members have the right to meet individually with the Chairperson of the Department to discuss these recommendations.
3.4.4.2.3.11. Faculty members have the right to appeal the outcome of annual evaluations to the Chairperson of the Department.
3.4.4.2.3.12. The Chairperson of the Department shall inform the FT Salary Sub-Committee of additional adjustments to address salary inequities, structural anomalies, and/or exceptional performance.
3.4.4.2.3.13. According to University by-laws, the Chairperson of the Department is responsible for merit salary adjustments and for assuring that all merit salary adjustments conform to the Academic Salary Adjustment Guidelines provided annually by the Office of the Provost.
3.4.5. The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) and Outreach Committee
3.4.5.1. Selection and Composition
3.4.5.1.1. The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) and Outreach Committee shall be composed of three appointed voting faculty members, one graduate student representative, and one undergraduate student representative (student representatives shall have voice but no vote).
3.4.5.1.2. The members of the DEI and Outreach Committee shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Department, in consultation with the Policy Committee, to ensure that the appointments represent the diversity of constituencies of the Department and in conformity with University guidelines regarding the composition of committees.
3.4.5.1.3. The term of service for voting faculty members shall be two years, with the exception of TS junior faculty for untenured faculty, which shall be one year.
3.4.5.1.4. Student representatives shall serve a one-year term.
3.4.5.1.5. The Committee members shall elect a chairperson of the DEI and Outreach Committee at their first meeting.
3.4.5.2. Responsibilities
3.4.5.2.1. To promote and foster a collaborative and inclusive intellectual environment within the Department, MSU and the broader community by organizing events including, but not limited to: round tables, film series, discussion series, invited speakers.
3.4.5.2.2. To increase awareness of and implement values of diversity, inclusion, and equity as defined by the RCS mission https://rcs.msu.edu/about/diversityequity-and-inclusion/
3.4.5.2.3. To publicize, both within and outside the university, the intellectual, pedagogical, and DEI-related advancements and innovations of faculty members and students in the Department.
3.4.5.2.4. To provide a platform from which to initiate, promote and support cultural and DEI-related events as well as to encourage community outreach in consort with the College Inclusive Practices Committee (CIPC).
3.4.5.3. Procedures
3.4.5.3.1. The DEI and Outreach Committee shall meet as often as required to perform its duties, but at least twice in each academic semester, except summer session.
3.4.5.3.2. Meetings may be called by the Chairperson of the Department, the chairperson of the DEI and Outreach Committee or by petition of any member of the Department.
3.4.5.3.3. The DEI and Outreach Committee shall distribute meeting agendas to the faculty.
3.4.5.3.4. The DEI and Outreach Committee shall report initiatives and actions to the Policy Committee and the Department by means of regularly published minutes.
Section 4 – Terms of Employment & Evaluation Procedures for Faculty
4. Terms of Employment and Evaluation Procedures for Tenure-Stream and Fixed-Term Faculty
4.1 Terms of Employment for Tenure-Stream (TS) and Fixed-Term (FT) Faculty
4.1.1. Tenure-Stream (TS) appointments to the rank of professor, associate professor, and assistant professor shall be consistent with the current provisions of the Michigan State University Tenure System as specified in the Faculty Handbook.
4.1.2. Fixed-Term (FT) appointments to the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, or academic specialist shall be consistent with the current designations and provisions of appointment as specified in the current Union of Non-Tenured Faculty contract.
4.1.3. The Chairperson of the Department shall provide the terms and conditions of employment in writing to the faculty member at the time of appointment. Appointment letters shall be consistent with the Michigan State University Faculty and Academic Staff Handbooks.
4.2. Evaluation of Faculty
4.2.1. Evaluation of Tenure-Stream Appointments
4.2.1.1. Annual Evaluation
4.2.1.1.1. Annual evaluation of TS faculty will be conducted by the TS Salary Subcommittee and the Chairperson of the Department as outlined in Section 3.4.4.1. Evaluation of jointly-appointed or assigned faculty will abide by commitments
and procedures established in individual Memoranda of Understanding (MOU).
4.2.1.1.2. In extenuating circumstances, whenever necessary, deemed appropriate, or requested by one-third of the voting faculty of the Department, the Policy Committee shall prepare and submit for approval by the voting faculty of the Department recommendations for or against changes in the criteria and procedure for faculty evaluation.
4.2.1.2. Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure
4.2.1.2.1. In making recommendations for appointment, reappointment, promotion, and tenure, the Chairperson of the Department in consultation with the Policy Committee, is responsible for ensuring the quality of the Department with respect to its teaching function, its inner vitality, and its stature in the profession. The criteria and procedures outlined below are intended to ensure quality, to promote
fair and flexible judgments, and to provide recognition for the diversity of talents that are essential to a strong department. Recommendations of jointly appointed or assigned faculty are also subject to these criteria and procedures outlined in individual MOUs.
4.2.1.2.2. Requirements for Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure
4.2.1.2.2.1. The requirements for reappointment, promotion, and tenure are significant publication (in print or other recognized media), effective teaching, and public and/or professional service. Candidates must meet satisfactory standards of performance in all three areas and demonstrate a commitment to the Department DEI mission and to intellectual leadership, as defined in the College of Arts and Letters’ guidelines on Faculty Development Approach to Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure.
4.2.1.2.2.1.1. Reappointment. The candidate for reappointment must demonstrate potential to meet the requirements for promotion.
Reappointment does not, however, constitute a commitment by the Department to eventual promotion and tenure.
4.2.1.2.2.1.2. Promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor. The candidate must clearly demonstrate effective teaching, a record of participation in the activities of the Department, of the College, of the University and of the profession at large and, most importantly, excellence in professional publication (in print or other recognized media).
4.2.1.2.2.1.3. Promotion from Associate Professor to Professor. The candidate must have produced a record of new publication, since promotion to Associate Professor. At minimum these publications should include a book and/or significant number of scholarly or creative works. Moreover, the candidate must be an accomplished teacher, with a record of participation and leadership in the activities of the Department, of the College, of the University and of the profession at large.
4.2.1.2.2.2. Procedures for Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure
4.2.1.2.2.2.1. Reappointment. In the fall of each year, candidates eligible for reappointment consideration (typically, the third year of an assistant professor’s appointment) should submit a complete file to the Chairperson of the Department (see Section 4.2.1.2.2.2.9.).
4.2.1.2.2.2.2. Assistant Professors undergo Promotion and Tenure review in their sixth year. Faculty should consult the University Faculty Handbook for possible alterations in this customary timeline.
4.2.1.2.2.2.3. Associate Professors interested in undergoing review for promotion to Professor should alert the Chairperson of the Department to their interest early in the spring semester prior to this review.
4.2.1.2.2.2.4. The Chairperson in consultation with the Policy Committee will appoint an RPT Committee for each RPT case.
4.2.1.2.2.2.5. All RPT Committees shall consist of at least five members, four of whom shall be RCS faculty members, with membership as
follows:
4.2.1.2.2.2.5.1. To recommend reappointment of non-tenured faculty in the tenure stream, all members of the committee must be tenured faculty.
4.2.1.2.2.2.5.2. To recommend promotion to Associate Professor with tenure, all members of the committee must be tenured faculty.
4.2.1.2.2.2.5.3. To recommend promotion to the rank of Professor, all members of the committee must be at that rank.
4.2.1.2.2.2.5.4. At least one member shall be familiar with the candidate’s research area.
4.2.1.2.2.2.5.5. At least one member shall be selected from a candidate’s submitted list of three eligible faculty members, as described in
4.2.1.2.2.2.9.1.
4.2.1.2.2.2.6. The RPT Committee is responsible for the evaluation of the candidate’s external letters, as well as for the evaluation of the
candidate’s teaching, service and outreach, publication of scholarly and/or creative work.
4.2.1.2.2.2.7. RPT Committee written recommendations shall be submitted to the Chairperson of the Department in November.
4.2.1.2.2.2.8. The Chairperson of the Department shall provide the candidate with a summary of the written report of the RPT Committee, as well as inform the candidate of his/her/their recommendation to the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters, by mid-November.
4.2.1.2.2.2.9. Candidate’s Responsibilities:
4.2.1.2.2.2.9.1. In the spring, the candidate shall submit to the Chairperson of the Department the names of three faculty members (all above their rank) from which the Chairperson in consultation with the Policy Committee will select at least one to serve on the
candidate’s RPT Committee.
4.2.1.2.2.2.9.2. The candidate shall submit a list of five to six potential external evaluators to the RPT Committee. The committee shall
create a list of five to six additional potential external evaluators and provide both lists to the Chairperson of the Department, who
will determine the final list of external evaluators to be contacted.
4.2.1.2.2.2.9.3. The candidate may submit a no-contact list of no more than five potential external evaluators.
4.2.1.2.2.2.9.4. The letters of evaluation should be received no later than mid-October. At least four (preferably five) external evaluators
are required. Each evaluator will receive and review the candidate’s scholarly dossier that only includes research and creative activity published or released during the review period.
4.2.1.2.2.2.9.5. The candidate is to prepare a complete file that minimally includes: 1) Form D (section IV to be filled out by the
candidates); 2) an up-to-date curriculum vitae with complete bibliographical information (title, place of publication, date, page
numbers); 3) copies of all annual evaluations for the period under review; 4) a reflective essay about accomplishments over the
reporting period (5 pages maximum); 5) copies (digital or physical) of all published research and creative work and work
accepted for publication, and, at the candidate’s discretion, work in progress; 6) teaching evaluations (SIRS forms or the
departmentally approved equivalents) and a teaching portfolio (see the document entitled “The Teaching Portfolio Required of
Candidates for Promotion”); 7) other evidence of professional achievement (e.g. citations, reviews of published work, etc.); 8)
evidence of professional service (Department or University committee assignments, consultantships, liaison work, editorial
service, office in professional organizations, administrative service to the Department, College, or University).
4.2.1.2.2.3. Criteria for Annual Evaluation and Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure (RPT):
4.2.1.2.2.3.1. Research and Creative Activity
Standards for evaluating the quality of research and creative activities are as follows:
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.1. Although evaluating the significance and quality of research and creative activities is often difficult and subjective, a
process of peer review is essential for fostering academic excellence. Peer review is defined as the evaluation of research or
creative work by experts in the same field or related fields. For scholarly journal and book publications, this typically means
anonymous peer review. For creative activities, it may mean the acceptance and publication of work by editors, juries, producers,
curators, or other experts. For digital scholarly production, peer review may take the form of pre-development evaluation of grant
proposals or post-development review of work by experts in the field. In order to demonstrate the impact of their research or
creative activities, faculty may include evidence that the work has been cited, taught, or otherwise used in external institutions.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.2. The term “publication” refers to the formal presentation of a completed research or creative work to the intended audience(s) for its circulation after peer review or a comparable process.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.3. The following subsections include examples of materials or activities by which research and creative activity shall be
evaluated, in descending order of importance. Faculty members can make an argument for the relative importance of other
activities particular to his/her/their case:
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.3.1. Authoring a scholarly or creative book, a full-length film, a collection of video shorts, a set of peer-reviewed
articles, book chapters, essays or some combination of video-based, multimedia, and/or other media that make sustained and/or substantial contributions to scholarship, creative expression and practice, where relevant.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.3.2. Editing peer-reviewed journals or other major publications, a scholarly book of essays, or a critical
edition; publishing peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, short stories, poetry, short films, or works in other media that make a significant contribution to the field; publishing in a trade or literary periodical that is peer-reviewed according to the standards of the genre or field; editing an anthology or reader, or publishing a textbook.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.3.3. Receiving a major external fellowship, such as a summer-, semester-, or year-long fellowship, grant,
scholarship, an award for study or research, or a writing residency. Examples of such awards include (but are not
limited to) Fulbright, Andrew Mellon, Woodrow Wilson, Ford Foundation, NEH fellowships, and research grants
from museums, libraries, archives, etc.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.3.4. Delivering invited public papers, talks, readings, performances, screenings, or showings. Receiving an
internal grant from Michigan State University to conduct research or produce creative work.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.3.5. Delivering peer-reviewed conference papers at the international, national, or regional level. Submitting grant
proposals.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.3.6. Consulting with government, non-profit, corporate, private, or other outside agencies on projects and activities
related to one’s research expertise and scholarship. Examples include, but are not limited to, curating a museum exhibit, and serving on the selection committee for major grants and awards.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.3.7. Publishing scholarly reviews.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.3.8. Disseminating public scholarship.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.3.9. Collaborative work is to be valued as a legitimate form of inquiry and production.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.4. The selectivity, significance and/or reputation of the entity evaluating a creative activity shall be taken as an indicator of the overall quality of the work. For example, selection for a national film festival or event shall be considered more significant than
for a regional event, and a juried showing or competition shall carry greater weight than a non-juried event. Evaluation of
research, creative and multimedia works may include:
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.4.1. Invited showings and peer-reviewed conference readings, performances, etc.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.4.2. Invited curated gallery or peer-reviewed film festival exhibits and/or screenings.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.4.3. Positive reviews (outside of a formal peer-review context) by academic and professional external judges.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.4.4. Academic and professional commissions, honors, prizes, reviews, and awards received for the activity
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.5. The selectivity, significance and/or reputation of the venue in which the research work is disseminated shall be taken as an indicator of the overall quality of the work.
4.2.1.2.2.3.1.6. For the purpose of annual evaluations, research work shall be evaluated after publication. For the purpose of RPT
evaluations, the reported research work may also include the following statuses: under review, accepted/under contract, and
forthcoming.
4.2.1.2.2.3.2. Teaching
Standards for evaluating the quality of teaching activities are as follows:
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.1. Evidence of effective teaching and pedagogy may include:
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.1.1. Course syllabi and sample assignments.
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.1.2. SIRS forms or equivalent
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.1.3. Advising and/or mentoring student research during the evaluation period: service on M.A. or Ph.D.
committees; directing an M.A. thesis or Ph.D. dissertation to completion; directing independent studies; directing
senior or Honors theses; supervising undergraduate or graduate research projects; supervising student internships
or experiential learning.
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.1.4. Recognition of teaching excellence: nominations for any teaching awards; any teaching awards received.
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.1.5. Classroom observations. Assistant professors and
associate professors are encouraged to provide classroom
observations during the period under RPT review.
Observations should be conducted by a faculty member at a
higher rank.
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.1.6. Documentation contextualizing teaching in other units such as catalog course descriptions, or letters of
evaluation from the supervising unit.
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.2. Other evidence of effective teaching and pedagogy may include: statement of teaching philosophy; courses taught in other units, IAH courses; participation in teaching/ professional development workshops; innovation in teaching and/or
pedagogy; redesigning or developing new courses; awards or prizes won by students demonstrating significant effects of
instruction.
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.3. Contributions to teaching and pedagogy beyond the classroom. Evidence may include:
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.3.1. Non-credit instruction: instructional activities including non-credit courses/certificate programs, licensure
programs, conferences, seminars, workshops, etc.
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.3.2. Mentoring Graduate Assistants in pedagogical practices.
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.3.3. Conducting peer teaching evaluations.
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.3.4. Engaging in curricular or co-curricular development beyond service on standing curriculum committees (such as
UPC, CCC, UCC).
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.3.5. Writing grants to enhance teaching either within MSU or extramurally.
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.3.6. Participating in faculty teaching mentorship.
4.2.1.2.2.3.2.3.7. Collaborative teaching efforts; participation in or direction of workshops to improve teaching skills.
4.2.1.2.2.3.3. Service and Outreach
Standards for evaluating the quality of service are as follows:
4.2.1.2.2.3.3.1. Evidence of effective service may include:
4.2.1.2.2.3.3.1.1. Time devoted to service activities.
4.2.1.2.2.3.3.1.2. The value and impact of the faculty member’s service activities to the department, college, university, and
profession.
4.2.1.2.2.3.3.1.3. Nominations and/or awards for service from the College, the University, or an external agency.
4.2.1.2.2.3.3.2. Mentorship or other types of meaningful professional support to colleagues especially those at a lower rank.
4.2.1.2.2.3.4. The committee shall take into account that junior TS faculty members’ service may be limited to participation in regular faculty meetings and voluntary service on standing and ad hoc committees.
Standards for evaluating outreach may include:
4.2.1.2.2.3.4.1. Evidence of generating, transmitting, applying, and preserving knowledge for the direct benefit of external audiences.
4.2.1.2.2.3.4.2. Evidence of the impact of outreach activities across research, teaching, and service.
4.2.1.2.2.3.4.3. Outreach activities shall be considered as part of the faculty member’s overall record.
4.2.2. Evaluation of Fixed-Term (FT) Appointments
4.2.2.1. Annual Evaluation and Reappointment
4.2.2.1.1. Annual evaluation and reappointment of FT faculty members shall be carried out in accordance with the terms of their contracts; i.e. the Union of Non-Tenure Faculty (UNTF) contract, their (re)appointment letters and/or appointment/reappointment memoranda.
4.2.2.1.2. Annual evaluation of FT faculty will be conducted by the FT Salary Sub-Committee and the Chairperson of the Department, as outlined in Section 3.4.4.2.
4.2.2.1.3. Reappointment decisions shall be made by the Chairperson of the Department based on the faculty member’s performance.
4.2.2.1.4. The Chairperson of the Department shall provide faculty members with timely written notice and explanation of annual evaluation and reappointment decisions, as set out in the UNTF collective bargaining agreement.
4.2.2.1.5. In extenuating circumstances, whenever necessary, deemed appropriate, or requested by one-third of the voting faculty of the Department, the Policy Committee shall prepare and submit for approval by the voting faculty of the Department recommendations for or against changes in the criteria and procedure for faculty evaluation.
4.2.2.2. Requirements for Designation B Status and Promotion
4.2.2.2.1. The primary requirement for reclassification to Designation B status is a record of exemplary performance in the areas of teaching and professional development.
4.2.2.2.2. Faculty members ineligible for UNTF membership or whose appointments are less than full-time may be considered for promotion after teaching at the University for at least six consecutive years.
4.2.2.2.3. In addition to teaching, categories of professional activity, such as serviceto the Department, College and/or University, outreach and/or research and creative endeavors, as set out in FT faculty appointments, shall be considered in reviews for promotion to FT associate professor or FT professor.
4.2.2.2.4. Promotion of FT faculty members from FT assistant professor to FT associate professor shall be based on the candidate’s continued demonstration of excellence in teaching and in other professional activities, as specified in the candidate’s appointment and position description.
4.2.2.2.5. Promotion from FT associate professor to FT professor requires continued excellence in teaching and all other professional activities as well as demonstrated leadership in the activities of the Department, College, University and/or the profession at large.
4.2.2.3. Composition of Reclassification and Promotion (RP) Committees
4.2.2.3.1. The Chairperson of the Department, in consultation with the Policy Committee, shall appoint an RP Committee for each candidate for Designation B or promotion.
4.2.2.3.2. RP committees shall consist of at least three members, with membership as follows:
4.2.2.3.2.1. At least two members of each FT RP committee shall be FT faculty members of appropriate rank, if possible.
4.2.2.3.2.2. At least one member shall be a TS faculty member of appropriate rank.
4.2.2.3.2.3. If the committee’s purpose is to evaluate for Designation B reappointment, FT members of the committee shall have Designation B status.
4.2.2.3.2.4. Every effort shall be made to appoint committee members within RCS; however, whenever necessary or desirable, faculty members from other units of the College may also serve.
4.2.2.3.2.5. To recommend promotion to FT associate professor, all members of the Committee must have attained the higher rank.
4.2.2.3.2.6. To recommend promotion to FT professor, all members of the committee must have attained that rank.
4.2.2.3.2.6. To recommend promotion to FT professor, all members of the committee must have attained that rank.
4.2.2.3.2.7. At least one member shall be familiar with the candidate’s specific duties, modalities of instruction and/or areas of expertise.
4.2.2.4. Responsibilities
4.2.2.4.1. For the purposes of reclassification and promotion actions, the RP Committee shall be responsible for the evaluation of the candidate’s teaching dossier, as well as service, outreach and / or research and creative endeavors.
4.2.2.5. Procedures
4.2.2.5.1. Initiating the Reclassification or Promotion Process
4.2.2.5.1.1. At the beginning of each semester, the Chairperson of the Department shall advise faculty members of their eligibility for
reclassification to Designation B and/or promotion and set appropriate deadlines for submissions.
4.2.2.5.1.2. The Chairperson of the Department shall provide candidates and RP committees with written descriptions of each candidate’s job responsibilities.
4.2.2.5.1.3. In accordance with the UNTF contract, at the beginning of the semester selected by the candidate, but during the eligibility period, FT faculty members may initiate the Designation B reclassification process by responding to the Chairperson of the Department with a written request and providing a dossier of materials documenting teaching excellence.
4.2.2.5.1.4. FT assistant professors seeking promotion to FT associate professor shall undergo review after assembling a record of exemplary fulfillment of their teaching and other contractual duties, if any. Candidates shall notify the Chairperson of the Department of their interest by the fall semester prior to review.
4.2.2.5.1.5. After six years at the rank of FT associate professor, FT faculty members may alert the Chairperson of the Department to their interest in promotion to FT professor. This notification shall be made by the fall semester prior to review.
4.2.2.5.2. FT RP Committee Procedures
4.2.2.5.2.1. The RP Committee shall meet with each candidate at least once before making its recommendations to the Chairperson of the Department.
4.2.2.5.2.2. RP Committees considering FT faculty members for promotion to FT associate professor or FT professor shall arrange the following:
4.2.2.5.2.2.1. At least one additional meeting with candidates to discuss their dossiers.
4.2.2.5.2.2.2. At least two classroom observations when at least two Committee members can be present. Candidates may request additional observations, if desired.
4.2.2.5.2.2.3. A meeting with candidates to discuss classroom observations. This meeting may coincide with either of the meetings described above (see Section 4.2.2.5.2.1 and 4.2.2.5.2.2.1.); however, the committee shall meet with each candidate at least twice, altogether.
4.2.2.5.2.2.4. Composition of a report on the classroom observations, to be included in the candidates’ dossiers after consulting with the FT faculty members under consideration.
4.2.2.5.2.3. The RP Committee shall submit its written recommendations to the Chairperson of the Department in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements and College and University deadlines.
4.2.2.5.2.4. The Chairperson of the Department shall provide candidates with summaries of the written reports of RP Committees and shall inform candidates of his/her/their recommendations to the Dean of the College.
4.2.2.5.3. Candidates’ Responsibilities
4.2.2.5.3.1. Candidates for reappointment as Designation B faculty are responsible for compiling a teaching dossier.
4.2.2.5.3.1. Candidates for reappointment as Designation B faculty are responsible for compiling a teaching dossier.
4.2.2.5.3.1.2. Candidates may also include documentation pertaining to: 1) participation in high-impact co-curricular activities and programs; 2) self-designed student evaluation instruments; 3) Honors Options, independent studies and/or other extensions of teaching
responsibilities; 4) relevant committee service; 5) research or scholarship on teaching and pedagogy; 6) nominations for teaching
awards; and 7) teaching awards.
4.2.2.5.3.1.3. The candidate’s teaching statement/self-evaluation is meant to inform the committee about the candidate’s pedagogical practices and goals; to contextualize or frame the materials in the dossier; and highlight any professional values, practices and development not evident in other documents.
.2.2.5.3.2. Responsibilities of FT candidates for promotion to FT associate professor or FT professor:
4.2.2.5.3.2.1. In the spring, the candidate shall submit to the Chairperson of the Department the names of three faculty members (all above their rank) from which the Chairperson of the Department, in consultation with the Policy Committee, will select at least one to serve on the candidate’s RP Committee.
4.2.2.5.3.2.2. The candidate shall provide the names of five faculty members from outside the department who can evaluate the candidate’s performance. The Chairperson, in consultation with the RP Committee, shall then request and obtain four letters of evaluation by mid-October.
4.2.2.5.3.2.3. If research/creative activity is an assigned duty, at least one letter should be from a source external to MSU. If a candidate has been especially active in a scholarly or a pedagogical organization, a letter should come from that source. If the FT faculty member has worked with external partners, a letter should come from them. Each evaluator will receive and review the candidate’s dossier.
4.2.2.5.3.2.4. The candidate is to prepare a complete file that at a minimum includes: 1) Form D (section IV to be filled out by the candidate); 2) an up-to-date curriculum vitae with complete bibliographical information (title, place of publication, date, page numbers); 3) copies of all salary annual evaluations for the period under review; 4) a reflective essay about accomplishments over the reporting period (5 page maximum); 5) copies of all published work and work accepted for publication, and, at the candidate’s discretion, work in progress; 6) teaching evaluations (SIRS forms or the departmentally approved equivalents) and a teaching portfolio (see the document entitled “The Teaching Portfolio Required of Candidates for Promotion”); 7) other evidence of professional achievement (e.g. citations, reviews of published work, etc.); 8) evidence of professional service (Department or University committee assignments, consultantships, liaison work, editorial service, office in professional organizations, administrative service to the Department, College, or University).
4.2.2.6. Criteria for Annual Evaluation, Reappointment and Promotion
4.2.2.6.1. Teaching
Standards for evaluating the quality of teaching activities are as follows:
4.2.2.6.1.1. Evidence of effective teaching and pedagogy may include:
4.2.2.6.1.1.1. Course syllabi and sample assignments
4.2.2.6.1.1.2. SIRS forms or equivalent.
4.2.2.6.1.1.3. Advising and/or mentoring student research during the evaluation period: service on M.A. or Ph.D. committees; directing independent studies; directing senior or Honors theses; supervising undergraduate or graduate research projects; supervising student internships or experiential learning.
4.2.2.6.1.1.4. Recognition of teaching excellence: nominations and/or teaching awards received from the Department, College, University or external institutions or agencies.
4.2.2.6.1.1.5. Classroom observations. FT assistant professors and FT associate professors are required to provide classroom observations during the period under review. Observations should be conducted by a faculty member at a higher rank.
4.2.2.6.1.1.6. Documentation contextualizing teaching in other units such as catalog course descriptions, or letters of evaluation from the
supervising unit.
4.2.2.6.1.2. Other evidence of effective teaching and pedagogy may include: statement of teaching philosophy; courses taught in other units, IAH courses; participation in teaching/ professional development workshops; innovation in teaching and/or pedagogy; redesigning or developing new courses; awards or prizes won by students demonstrating significant effects
of instruction.
4.2.2.6.1.3. Contributions to teaching and pedagogy beyond the classroom. Evidence may include:
4.2.2.6.1.3.1. Non-credit instruction: instructional activities including non-credit courses/certificate programs, licensure programs, conferences, seminars, workshops, etc.
4.2.2.6.1.3.2. Mentoring Graduate Assistants in pedagogical practices.
4.2.2.6.1.3.3. Conducting peer teaching evaluations.
4.2.2.6.1.3.4. Engaging in curricular or co-curricular development beyond service on standing curriculum committees (such as UPC, CCC,
UCC).
4.2.2.6.1.3.5. Writing grants to enhance teaching either within MSU or extramurally.
4.2.2.6.1.3.6. Participating in faculty teaching mentorship.
4.2.2.6.1.3.7. Collaborative teaching efforts; participation in or direction of workshops to improve teaching skills
4.2.2.6.2. Service and Outreach
Standards for evaluating the quality of service are as follows:
4.2.2.6.2.1. Evidence of effective service may include:
4.2.2.6.2.1.1. Time devoted to service activities.
4.2.2.6.2.1.2. The value and impact of the faculty member’s service activities to the Department, College, University, and the profession.
4.2.2.6.2.1.3. Nominations and/or awards for service from the College, the University, or an external agency
Standards for evaluating outreach may include:
4.2.2.6.2.1.4. Mentorship or other types of professional support and guidance to colleagues, especially those at a lower rank.
4.2.2.6.2.1.5. Evidence of generating, transmitting, applying, and preserving knowledge for the direct benefit of external audiences.
4.2.2.6.2.1.6. Evidence of the impact of outreach activities across research, teaching, and service.
4.2.2.6.2.1.7. Outreach activities shall be considered as part of the faculty member’s overall record.
4.2.2.6.3. Research and Creative Activity
Standards for evaluating the quality of research and creative activities are as follows:
4.2.2.6.3.1. Although evaluating the significance and quality of research and creative activities is often difficult and subjective, a process of peer review is essential for fostering academic excellence. Peer review is defined as the evaluation of research or creative work by experts in the same field or related fields. For scholarly journal and book publications, this typically means anonymous peer review. For creative activities, it may mean the acceptance and publication of work by editors, juries, producers, curators, or other experts. For digital scholarly production, peer review may take the form of pre-development evaluation of grant proposals or post-development
review of work by experts in the field. In order to demonstrate the impact of their research or creative activities, faculty may include evidence that the work has been cited, taught, or otherwise used in external institutions.
4.2.2.6.3.2. The term “publication” refers to the formal presentation of a completed research or creative work to the intended audience(s) for its circulation after peer review or a comparable process.
4.2.2.6.3.3. The following subsections include examples of materials or activities by which research and creative activity shall be evaluated, in descending order of importance. Faculty members can make an argument for the relative importance of other activities particular to his/her/their case:
4.2.2.6.3.3.1. Authoring a scholarly or creative book, a full-length film, a collection of video shorts, a set of peer-reviewed articles, book
chapters, essays or some combination of video-based, multimedia, and/or other media that make sustained and/or substantial
contributions to scholarship, creative expression and practice, where relevant.
4.2.2.6.3.3.2. Editing peer-reviewed journals or other major publications, a scholarly book of essays, or a critical edition; publishing peerreviewed articles, book chapters, short stories, poetry, short films, or works in other media that make a significant contribution to the field; publishing in a trade or literary periodical that is peer-reviewed according to the standards of the genre or field; editing an anthology or reader, or publishing a textbook.
4.2.2.6.3.3.3. Receiving a major external fellowship, such as a summer-, semester-, or year-long fellowship, grant, scholarship, an award for study or research, or a writing residency. Examples of such awards include (but are not limited to) Fulbright, Andrew Mellon, Woodrow Wilson, Ford Foundation, NEH fellowships, and research grants from museums, libraries, archives, etc.
4.2.2.6.3.3.4. Delivering invited public papers, talks, readings, performances, screenings, or showings. Receiving an internal grant from Michigan State University to conduct research or produce creative work.
4.2.2.6.3.3.5. Delivering peer-reviewed conference papers at the international, national, or regional level.
4.2.2.6.3.3.6. Submitting grant proposals to internal and/or external grant programs.
4.2.2.6.3.3.7. Consulting with government, non-profit, corporate, private, or other outside agencies on projects and activities related to one’s research expertise and scholarship. Examples include, but are not limited to, curating a museum exhibit, and serving on the selection committee for major grants and awards.
4.2.2.6.3.3.8. Publishing scholarly reviews or public/community documents.
4.2.2.6.3.3.9. Collaborative work is to be valued as a legitimate form of inquiry and production of knowledge.
4.2.2.6.3.4. The selectivity, significance and/or reputation of the entity evaluating a creative activity shall be taken as an indicator of the overall quality of the work. For example, selection for a national film festival or event shall be considered more significant than for a regional event, and a juried showing or competition shall carry greater weight than a non-juried event. Evaluation of research, creative and multimedia works may include:
4.2.2.6.3.4.1. Invited showings and peer-reviewed conference readings, performances, etc.
4.2.2.6.3.4.2. Invited curated gallery or peer-reviewed film festival exhibits and/or screenings.
4.2.2.6.3.4.3. Positive reviews (outside of a formal peer-review context) by qualified academic and professional external judges.
4.2.2.6.3.4.4. Academic and professional commissions, honors, prizes, reviews, and awards received for the activity.
4.2.2.6.3.5. The selectivity, significance and/or reputation of the venue in which the research work is disseminated shall be taken as an indicator of the overall quality of the work.
4.2.2.6.3.6. For the purpose of annual evaluations, research work shall be evaluated after publication. For the purpose of RP evaluations, the reported research work may also include one of the following statuses: under review, accepted/under contract, and forthcoming.
4.2.2.6.4. Outreach
Standards for evaluating outreach may include:
4.2.2.6.4.1. Evidence of generating, transmitting, applying, and preserving knowledge for the direct benefit of external audiences.
4.2.2.6.4.2. Evidence of the impact of outreach activities across research, teaching, and service.
4.2.2.6.4.3. Outreach activities shall be considered as part of the faculty member’s overall record.
Section 5 – Grievance and Hiring Procedures
5. Grievance and Hiring Procedures
5.1 Grievance
5.1.1. The faculty grievance procedure shall accord with the “Faculty Grievance Policy” in the MSU Faculty Handbook approved by the Board of Trustees on June 18, 2021 or in the most recently updated version of the MSU Faculty Handbook.
5.1.2. The undergraduate student grievance procedure shall accord with the procedures detailed in the document titled “Students Rights and Responsibilities” in the Spartan Student Life Handbook.
5.1.3. The graduate student grievance procedure shall accord with the procedures detailed in the document entitled “Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities” in the Spartan Student Life Handbook.
5.2. Hiring Procedures
5.2.1. Search procedures shall follow guidelines provided by Academic Human Resources in the Academic Hiring Manual as well as in the MSU Faculty Search Toolkit devised by the ADAPP-ADVANCE grant.
5.2.2. Requesting Positions
5.2.2.1. The Department shall follow University and College procedures for requesting academic positions. In consultation with the Policy Committee, the Chairperson of the Department, shall submit a proposal for faculty searches as part of the Fall Planning/Spring Budget Request processes in the College of Arts and Letters.
5.2.2.2. The Dean of the College of Arts and Letters shall notify the Chairperson of the Department of approved faculty searches in the summer or early fall following the Spring Budget Request.
5.2.3. Search Committee Composition and Procedures
5.2.3.1. After receiving approval for a search, the Chairperson of the Department, in consultation with the Policy Committee, shall appoint an ad hoc search committee
5.2.3.3. A search committee for an FT faculty member may be composed of fewer members than a TS committee. Search committees shall be composed of members with broad expertise in the areas of the search as well as be representative of the diversity of the department.
5.2.3.4. The Chairperson of the Department, with the assistance of the College Faculty Excellence Advocate, will call the first search committee meeting to present the charge to the committee, to conduct an affirmative action session and to select the chairperson of the hoc committee and its affirmative action representative.
5.2.3.5. The search committee will draft the position description and submit it for approval to the Chairperson of the department, and the Policy Committee. Once approved, the search committee will post and advertise the position
5.2.3.6. Following College and University guidelines, the search committee will screen applicants based on agreed upon selection criteria, including: 1) programmatic need; 2) excellence of qualifications and credentials; 3) placement goals; and 4) diversity and inclusion considerations.
5.2.3.7. The search committee will prepare a ranked list of candidates for preliminary interview and/or final interview for approval by the Chairperson of the Department and the Policy Committee, Once approved at the departmental level, the list will be forwarded to the Dean’s office for review,
5.2.3.8. Once external approvals have been secured, the search committee will schedule preliminary and campus interviews with selected candidates.
5.2.3.9. For campus visits, formal meetings will be arranged with the Policy and Search committees, faculty, graduate students, the Chairperson of the Department, and the Dean/Associate Dean.
5.2.3.10. The search committee will collect departmental feedback on finalists and, upon review, will prepare a search committee report with ranked finalists, to submit for approval to the Chairperson of the Department and subsequently to the Dean.
5.2.3.11. Once approved, the Chairperson of the Department shall be the liaison with the successful candidate regarding terms of offer and negotiations.
Section 6 – Bylaws
6. Bylaws
6.1. Initial Approval
6.1.1. A majority vote of the voting faculty is required for initial approval of these Bylaws
6.2. Interpretation
6.2.1. The Policy Committee of the Department shall be the final authority with regard to the interpretation of these Bylaws.
6.3. Amendments
6.3.1. The Bylaws may be amended by a simple majority vote of the voting faculty as defined in Section 1.2.
6.3.2. Any amendment to the Bylaws requires an official ballot after the proposed change has been discussed in a Department meeting, if possible or necessary.
6.3.3. Balloting must be completed within thirty days after the ballot is distributed.
6.3.4. A proposed amendment shall be publicized at least one week in advance of any discussions or distributions of the ballot.
6.3.5. Student representatives on Department committees shall be given the opportunity to review amendments that may pertain to them.
6.4. Review
6.4.1. The Policy Committee shall review these Bylaws at intervals not to exceed five years.
Section 7 – Appendices
7. Appendices
7.1 Variable Workload
This policy addresses the fact that concentrated effort in one of the three areas may require
redistribution of the standard percentages of faculty effort.
- Standard Distribution:
The standard distribution of effort for TS faculty in an academic year is as follows: 40% research and publication; 40% teaching; 20% service/outreach.
2. Guiding Principles:
The Variable Work Assignment Policy is guided by the following principles and values:
● All three areas —research, teaching, and service/outreach—are part of the regular responsibility of tenure-system faculty.
● At different times or in response to different opportunities, work assignment percentages can temporarily shift.
● Tenure carries with it both the right and the responsibility of the faculty member to determine, in concert with the Department Chairperson, priorities for carrying out one’s work in light of the missions of the Department, College, and University.
- Redistribution agreement:
Each case of redistribution of effort must be accompanied by a Redistribution Agreement, which must be prepared and agreed to by both the Chairperson of the Department and the faculty member before the redistribution may take effect:
● The agreement should detail the length of time for which the redistribution is to be in effect.
● The agreement must detail how the reassignment will affect the annual evaluation of the faculty member ’s work.
● Faculty must negotiate these arrangements in a timely manner, in order to facilitate programmatic scheduling.
● Whenever possible, the agreement should be made at least one semester before the semester in which the redistribution would take effect.
- Redistribution of effort:
Requests for redistribution of effort may be initiated by either the faculty member or the Chairperson. Redistribution of effort may be triggered by one of the following:
A. A contractual administrative responsibility
B. A sabbatical agreement
C. Receipt of a grant, fellowship, or award that buys out some portion of a teaching assignment
D. Leaves of absence (paid or unpaid)
E. In addition to the above four conditions, an agreement for the redistribution of effort may be reached between the Chairperson and the faculty member as a long-term plan to respond to changing circumstances in the faculty member ’s professional work. Typical arrangements would be the following:- 1. 10% redistribution from research to teaching for a 30-50-20 arrangement. This arrangement requires that the faculty member teach 2 courses one semester and 3 courses the other.
- 2. 20% redistribution from research to teaching for a 20-60-20 arrangement. This arrangement requires that the faculty member teach 3 courses per semester.
- 3. 10% from research to service for a 30-40-30 arrangement. This arrangement increases the expected service work and reduces the expected research output.
- 4. 20% redistribution is the maximum allowed.
Faculty members who have arranged for retirement and/or consultantships leading to retirements are excluded from this policy.
7.2. Modified Duties Policy for Tenure System and Health Programs Faculty with New
Dependent Children
The Department shall observe the University “Modified Duties Policy for Tenure System and Health Programs Faculty with New Dependent Children”.
7.3. Annual Evaluation Fact Sheet Guidelines
I. Teaching
- Courses (list by semester providing course number, name, and number of students enrolled: mention here independent study and thesis or dissertation courses as well as regular courses; include all SIRS for all courses taught as well as syllabi and other course materials such as copies of exams. It would be helpful to average the numerical ratings from the SIRS forms, for each class of 60 students or fewer.)
- Program coordination
- TA training and supervision
- Development of new courses, materials (including digital content) and methodologies
- Graduate students whose committees you chair (list, mentioning significant activity in the year reported such as examinations and thesis or dissertation progress)
- Graduate students on whose committees you are a member (list, mentioning significant activity such as reported in no. 5 above)
- Other graduate advising responsibilities (include here advising of new graduate students, and consulting to guidance committees)
- Undergraduate advising responsibilities
- Special recognition for teaching excellence
- Special considerations and other teaching activity (include appointments at institutions other than Michigan State University, etc.)
II. Research and Creative Activity
- Publications authored and appearing in the year reported (list in full bibliographical form and include offprint or copy of each)
- Publications edited and appearing in the year reported (list in full bibliographical form and include copy of each as appropriate)
- Presentations at conferences, invited lectures, and other presentations (include relevant documentation, e.g. conference program, letter of invitation)
- Organizing of panels and sessions at conferences (include documentation)
- Attendance at conferences otherwise (include teaching workshops, etc.)
- Awarded or rejected grant applications (describe content as necessary; include documentation)
- Continuing funding of applications from a previous period
- Refereeing and editorial board service for scholarly journals and publishers
- Special considerations and other scholarly activities
III. Service and Outreach
- University committees (indicate terms of service, describe obligations of membership as necessary, including any special role or contribution)
- College committees (describe as in no 20 above; include here service as college representative at doctoral defenses)
- Department and center or other unit committees (describe as in 20 above)
- Office or committee membership in professional organizations
- Membership in professional organizations
7.4. Timeline for Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure Procedures
The following is a tentative timeline and may be subject to change:
| When | What | Who |
| Early April | Notify all faculty who are required by the University to be put forward for reappointment or promotion/tenure | Chairperson |
| End April | Notify all eligible faculty for tenure, promotion or reappointment that the review process will take place during the following academic year. This may be in the form of a written notification a face-to-face meeting with each assistant and associate professor | Chairperson |
| Within one week of notification | Respond in writing, indicating whether or not they wish to be considered for such action | Eligible faculty |
| Within one week of response | Review the promotion and tenure criteria and the review process with each candidate who wishes to be considered for promotion and/or tenure | Chairperson |
| ASAP | Request from candidates: 1) names of potential external reviewers (5 or 6); 2) names of external reviewers who should not be invited to review (no more than 5); 3) suggestions of 3 eligible faculty members to serve on the candidate’s RPT committee |
Chairperson |
| ASAP | Establish RPT committee for each person going forward for reappointment or promotion | Chairperson, in consultation with the Policy Committee |
| ASAP | Establish Chair of RPT committee | Chairperson, in consultation with the Policy Committee |
| ASAP | Request names of possible outside reviewers (6-10) from RPT committee | Chairperson |
| Mid-May | Assemble research dossier to include: 1. No more than 5-page selfevaluation, addressing research, teaching, professional service 2. Up-to-date CV (including status of articles listed as in press, forthcoming, etc.) 3. Electronic copies of publications and/or hard copies of books and/or publications (6 copies) |
Candidate |
| End of May/early June | Invite outside reviewers (6 invitations); half from candidate’s list and half from Chairperson/RPT committee list | Chairperson |
| August 31 | Submit external review letters | External reviewers |
| Mid-September | Make available for review to the RPT committee the complete dossier, including letters, SIRS (or other teaching evaluations), and other relevant documentation (e.g., service/outreach) | Chairperson |
| Mid to late October | Make recommendation to Chairperson | RPT Committee |
| Mid- November | Forward decision of recommendation to Dean | Chairperson |
| Mid- November | Meet with candidate to inform him/her/them of RPT committee and Chairperson recommendation | Chairperson |
| Within 10 days | Request a reconsideration of decision | Candidate |
| End-November | Notify candidate in writing of the final departmental decision | Chairperson |
| End-November/mid-December | Submit final departmental decision and materials to College | Chairperson |
7.5 Mentoring Procedures
RCS mentoring procedures should be in line with the College of Arts and Letters Mentoring Statement. Mentoring includes both formal and informal support, and is available to each member of the faculty (both tenure-stream and fixed-term.
Mentoring Early-Career Faculty and Fixed-Term faculty:
- Assignment of mentors should take place at the beginning of the first year of a faculty member ‘s service at MSU.
- The Chairperson of the Department shall facilitate the selection of two mentors, one from inside and one from outside the Department.
- The mentor/mentee relationship will vary according to individual needs, but mentors should generally adhere to the following guidelines:
- Listen to the mentee’s concerns, and respond to those either with direct suggestions or by connecting them with others who can address their concerns.
- Provide support and advice. Confidential information shared must remain confidential.
- Advise on setting priorities and creating a professional development plan.
- Encourage submission of proposals and papers, offer feedback on drafts, recommend conferences, journals, and publishers likely to be beneficial to mentee.
- Advise on development of new research collaborations, connect with other scholars at MSU and beyond.
- Help identify appropriate opportunities for engagement and leadership within the Department, College and University.
- Assist with developing professional networks, at MSU, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
- Suggest strategies for work/life balance, overcoming difficulties, and saying “no” when appropriate.
- Offer a teaching observation for the mentee and provide feedback and advice on how to improve pedagogical practices.
- Meet with the Chairperson and mentee at least once annually.
- If either the mentee or the mentor feels the relationship is unproductive he/she/they should meet with the Chairperson to discuss concerns. The Chairperson will offer recommendations for establishing a more effective relationship or facilitate selection of an alternative mentor to the mentee.
Mentoring Mid-Career and Senior Faculty:
TS and FT mid-career faculty will be offered workshops on developing their careers, defining a trajectory toward promotion, strategizing research and creative effort toward longer-term goals, engaging with administrative and other advancement opportunities, etc. Faculty are encouraged to participate in the College Mentoring Group for 1-2 years.
TS and FT senior faculty will be encouraged to take on administrative positions, participate inuniversity governance, and contribute in other ways to the culture of service, support, and mentorship. They are encouraged to participate in the College Mentoring Group for 1-2 years.
7.6. Curricular Change Approval Process
For course and program changes:
- Discussion of proposals for course or program change should take place first among the
faculty involved. - Proposals for course or program changes will be submitted to the Undergraduate or
Graduate Committee for approval. - Once approved by the Department Undergraduate or Graduate Committee, proposals will be
submitted to the College Curriculum Committee for review and approval. - Once approved by the College Curriculum Committee, proposals will be submitted to the
Department Policy Committee to be announced/published and archived.
7.7. Summer Teaching Requests and Assignments
This departmental policy is designed to provide a transparent and fair process for summer
teaching requests and assignments in order to deliver the best learning experience for our
students.
Procedures
- The Chairperson or Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies sends an announcement on available summer teaching assignments, including Study Abroad assignments.
- The call for applications shall detail eligibility, application materials, selection criteria and deadlines, including course cancelation policy.
- Applications by graduate students shall be reviewed by the Graduate Committee who shall make its recommendations to the RCS Chairperson.
- Applications by RCS faculty shall be reviewed by the Undergraduate Committee who shall make its recommendations to the RCS Chairperson.
- The RCS Chairperson shall announce summer teaching assignments by late February.
Factors considered in the selection process as adopted by RCS in AY 2021-2022, to be revised
by the Policy Committee in following year:
- Consecutive and/or repeated summer teaching assignments. This does not preclude someone from a teaching assignment.
- Instructors with multiple teaching assignments across units will be considered, but priority will be given to applicants without a teaching assignment in other units.
- Course availability and offerings.
- Participation in study abroad.
- Applicants’ service and work in the department.
- For some sections (esp. SPN): graduate student availability to teach at 300-level.
7.8. Protocols for Communicating Student Concerns
These protocols outline how students in RCS can voice concerns about their experiences in our
courses, programs, and events. Faculty, Academic Staff, and Administrative Staff should share
these protocols with undergraduate and graduate students.
1. Instructional Concerns
Students who have concerns about a course syllabus, assignment, or activity should
first attempt to discuss these matters with the course’s instructor of record.
If obstacles exist or the attempts at discussion fail, students should make an appointment to
express their concerns with the Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies or the Associate
Chair of Graduate Studies as appropriate. If these attempts to address these concerns are
unsuccessful, students may then address their concerns with the Chairperson.
2. Mentoring Concerns
Students in a mentoring relationship with faculty should first raise their concerns with the
mentor/instructor of record.
If obstacles exist or the attempts at discussion fail, students should make an appointment to
express their concerns with the Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies or the Associate
Chair of Graduate Studies as appropriate. If these attempts to address these concerns are
unsuccessful, students may then address their concerns with the Chairperson.
3. Title IX Issues, Bullying, and Other Forms of Harassment and Discrimination
NOTE: Under Title IX, Faculty, Academic Staff, and Administrative Staff are mandatory reporters.
Title IX holds that “discrimination based on sex includes:
- Excluding, separating, denying benefits to, or otherwise treating a person differently based on gender;
- Sexual Harassment;
- Sexual Violence, which includes sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking” (titleix.msu.edu).
Students who experience discrimination that falls under these categories should talk to any
faculty or staff member. If the student identifies a faculty or staff member in RCS as an alleged
perpetrator of this discrimination, the student should talk to the Associate Chair for
Undergraduate Studies, the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, or the Chairperson.
These discussions are subject to mandatory reporting protocols. Investigations and/or disciplinary
action may result.
Students who experience bullying and/or other forms of harassment and discrimination,
including violations of MSU’s Anti-Discrimination Policy (ADP), in their classrooms or in
relation to their connections with Department faculty or staff, should talk to the Associate Chair
for Undergraduate Studies, the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, or the Chairperson.