Policy of Support for Tenure-Track Faculty in Research and Creative Accomplishment

The College of Arts and Architecture recognizes the importance of focused research and creative opportunities for faculty members on the tenure track. It therefore endorses the philosophy that each tenure track member of the faculty who has successfully completed a second year tenure review be given focused research and creative opportunities. Since the governance, load, and schedule of each unit is unique, each unit of the College has developed its own plan that is listed below.

Upon completion of this release from teaching, the faculty member may be asked to share the accomplished work with faculty and students. Furthermore, faculty members who are granted this release from teaching will be expected to return to full service for a "full contract year" following the release time, similar to that outlined for sabbatical leaves under the University's Policy HR-17. Should a faculty member decide to resign from Penn State before the end of that "full contract year," the member will be required to reimburse Penn State for the salary of the semester release from teaching.

Department of Art History
A tenure-track faculty member who has successfully completed a second year tenure review may take a reduction in her/his teaching load of two courses for one semester or a one course reduction over two semesters. This reduction will take place during the third, fourth, or fifth year. The actual timing of the reduction must be made in agreement with the department head and will take into consideration both the scholarly plans of the faculty member and the teaching needs of the department. The purpose of this teaching reduction is to provide the faculty member with an opportunity for concentrated focus on his/her research, scholarship and publication in preparation, ultimately, for the sixth year review. During the semester(s) of the two course reduction the faculty member will be expected to continue her/his advising duties, supervision of graduate theses, and normal service activities. If the faculty member will be spending a significant amount of time outside of University Park doing research, then adjustments can be made to the faculty member's service responsibilities. A concise report should be filed with the department head within one month after the final semester of the course reduction summarizing how the teaching reduction benefited the faculty member's scholarship.

Department of Architecture
This proposal will enable tenure-track faculty to focus exclusively on research and creative work for the equivalent of a semester. The intent of the plan is to allow a faculty member a larger portion of time to focus exclusively on research and creative activity.

Each faculty member who successfully completes a second-year review will develop a plan in consultation with the Department Head for focused opportunities for research and creative work in the third and fourth year of their tenure-track appointment.

The plan will be shared with Department and College P&T Committees, as well as filed for future reference.

During this semester of focused activity, the faculty member is expected to participate in crucial academic and service activities, such as advising and committee work.

This semester of concentrated and productive engagement should be regarded as future investment in the quality of teaching, research, and creative accomplishment within the department and not merely as "release time" from teaching. Upon completion of this semester of intense activity, or soon thereafter on a mutually agreed upon time frame, the faculty member will be expected to share the work accomplished with faculty and students in the form of exhibition(s), presentation(s), performance, or any other form that is deemed appropriate.

Department of Landscape Architecture
The Department of Landscape Architecture has traditionally supported tenure track faculty in research and creative activities during the tenure process. To further these goals, each faculty member will be given the opportunity for the equivalent of one semester for focused research and/or creative activity before their sixth year review, with no compensatory teaching overload expected in other semesters. Depending on the specifics of individual cases the faculty member may have a reduced teaching load of one course in each of two semesters, or one semester with no teaching assignment. Administrative and advising responsibilities, including graduate thesis advising, will continue.

After initial appointment, the department head and the faculty member will together develop a plan to facilitate the faculty member's focused research and creative activities during pre-tenure years. The plan for teaching release should take into consideration both the faculty member's research and creative activity agenda and the needs of the department, but should be arranged to assure that the faculty member can benefit in preparation for intermediate second and fourth-year reviews and the pre-tenure review. The plan will be noted and filed, and be made available to promotion and tenure committees at the unit and college level.

Department of Integrative Arts
The Department of Integrative Arts supports tenure track faculty in research and creative activities during the tenure process. Each member of the faculty on the tenure track who successfully completes their second year review for tenure may take a reduction in her/his teaching load of two courses for one semester or a one course reduction over two semesters or an equivalent aid to research or creative activity determined in consultation with the department head. The purpose of this teaching reduction is to provide the faculty member with an opportunity for concentrated focus on his/her research, scholarship and publication in preparation, ultimately, for the sixth year review.

This reduction will take place during the third, fourth, or fifth year. The actual timing of the reduction must be made in agreement with the department head and will take into consideration both the scholarly plans of the faculty member and the teaching needs of the department. During the semester(s) of the two course reduction, the faculty member will be expected to continue her/his advising duties, supervision of graduate theses, and normal service activities.

In practice, the department head and the faculty member will together develop, after the second-year review, a plan to facilitate the faculty member's focused research and creative activities during the third, fourth, and fifth years. The plan should take into consideration both the faculty member's research and creative agenda and the needs of the department, but should be arranged to assure that the faculty member can benefit in preparation for a tenure decision. The plan will be noted and filed and be made available to promotion and tenure committees on the unit and college level.

School of Music
It is the policy of the School of Music to support the professional productivity of its tenure-track faculty to a degree that is both practical and fair to all. Although this support may take a variety of forms, it is commonly given as travel funding and as release from the School's, the College's and the University's service committees for a specified period following the second-year tenure review. As are appropriate and feasible, other arrangements may be possible. The specific plan for professional support should be developed in consultation with the director of the School and a written statement of the agreement should be filed and made available to the School's and the College's promotion and tenure committees. Following the specified period of support, faculty are expected to acknowledge the support and to provide a summary of their accomplishments in the annual activity report that is submitted to the director.

School of Theatre
The School of Theatre has long supported tenure track faculty and creative accomplishment in the tenure process. To further these goals, each faculty member who successfully completes a second year tenure review will schedule a meeting with the School Director and together create a plan allowing for focused opportunities for research and creative accomplishment in the third and fourth years. The plan will be noted and filed and made available to promotion and tenure committees on the unit and college level.

School of Visual Arts
It is in the best interest of the School of Visual Arts (SVA) that its tenure-track faculty members have ample time to focus their research and creative objectives during the tenure process. As such, those faculty members who successfully complete their second year review will be granted the equivalent of one semester of research time from teaching before their tenure decision year, with no compensatory overload expected in other semesters. This release semester does not constitute sabbatical leave.

After passing the second year review, the faculty member, in consultation with the Director, will be expected to develop a focused plan for research and creative work, which can be sustained during the release semester and through the third and fourth year of the tenure process. This plan will become part of the faculty member’s personnel file and made available to the SVA and College Promotion & Tenure Committees.

This release from classroom teaching responsibilities does not preclude the faculty member serving on graduate student committees, undergraduate advising assignments or SVA, College, and University faculty committees, which may include both, elected and appointed responsibilities. Any professional development opportunities during the release semester that may require traveling away from the University must not conflict with the faculty member’s committee responsibilities and will have to be negotiated with the Director of the School of Visual Arts.

Upon completion of this release semester, the faculty member will be expected to share the accomplished work with SVA faculty and students. Furthermore, faculty members who are granted a release semester will be expected to return to full service for a “full contract year” similar to that outlined for sabbatical leaves under the University’s Policy HR-17.

To accommodate this release time, the SVA plans to hire temporary faculty to assume the classroom teaching responsibilities of tenure-track faculty on the condition that funds within its operating budget are available to do so. Should these funds not be available, non-required courses in the SVA’s curriculum would be cancelled during the release semester and faculty and graduate student teaching assignments would be rearranged in order to cover all required courses. In doing so, courses that are required for graduation would be available to students without overloading the tenured or other faculty.