A resolution has passed through the Faculty Affairs Council that could affect who is eligible for the Chancellor’s Travel Fund. Currently, only tenure track faculty are eligible, while the proposal recommends that all full-time instructional faculty, regardless of whether the faculty member is on the tenure-track, be eligible to apply.
Those in favor of this resolution cite the important contributions of non-tenure track faculty to the university. Currently non-tenure track faculty have very little access to professional development money and the possibility of receiving money from this fund will help our non-tenure track faculty stay current in their field and share their insights with others in the field.
Those who oppose the resolution cite the limited funding available. Opponents point out that most non-tenure track faculty are not required to do scholarship, whereas all tenure-track faculty are evaluated on their scholarly productivity. In a world of limited resources, opponents of this resolution often suggest that the money should only be available to tenure-track faculty whose tenure and promotion may depend on their ability to present at professional conferences.
This issue is an important one for all faculty. Please share your opinions with your faculty senator so your viewpoint can be reflected.
HOT TOPIC Follow-Up from September 29, 2010 Faculty Senate Meeting:
After much debate and discussion, the Faculty Senate voted against the proposed resolution: 9 Yes, 14 No, and 2 Abstaining.Comments from the period of discussion and debate included:
- As the department heads and deans are required to sign off on the application, there is a review process already in place to validate the request.
- There are concerns for tenure track personnel with limited funding and obligations to have scholarship.
- Multiple examples were given where non-tenure track faculty gave presentations at conferences without any sort of funding from the university, yet they enhanced the reputation of WCU through these presentations.
- Requirements for non-tenure track faculty are not consistent. Some are not required to do scholarship, while others have it as part of their job description. If they are require to do scholarship by their contract, then we need to support it.
- A suggestion was made that a statement be added to the application where the department head indicates how the travel is in keeping with the mission of the department, an argument that the person's role in the department warrants the activity. This could help the Chancellor's Travel Fund committee decided.
- Are we setting up a system of comparison between non-tenure track faculty for whom research is not required? If some are doing research anyway, this will naturally lead to an area of comparison.
- Are we creating a "separate but equal" environment?
- Perhaps push tenured and tenure track faculty to apply first; encourage a way to have departments help with this. Then funds that still remain could be used to support non-tenure track faculty.