The Lifecycle of a Faculty
Member
Melanie T. Cushion, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Dean for Research, COM
Professor, Tenured
Department of Internal Medicine
Research Career Scientist, VAMC
Lifecycle
Faculty transition from
full-time teaching and
research to phased
process of professionally
rewarding workmentoring, lecturing,
philanthropy
Emeritus Centers
Concept of lifelong
learning
Need for time and
resources to retool skills
as knowledge advances
in chosen fields
Thomas A. Kochan, March/April 2011m MIT Newsletter
New and diverse faculty
through targeted and
strategic recruiting at all
levels- University and
College efforts
Significant losses of
young faculty, esp.
women due to stressed
in this balance
UC- LEAF, Provost,
AAUP
-day care, tenure
extensions, time off
Unfortunately….
A few things to keep in mind
as you begin
People you should get to know
• Department Chair and division chiefs
• Full professors within your department and division
• Colleagues with whom a research collaboration is
possible
• Colleagues who have a good understanding of any
health and safety risks associated with your research
• Administrators and business administrators
– Institutional memory and key contacts
• Organizational charts of the College and University
Promotion and Tenure Requirements
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Record of Action form- basic info with position you are seeking
Department Director’s recommendation letter and signature on RoA
Department APT Committee Chair’s recommendation
Curriculum vitae
Letters of recommendation
– 3 for Instructor to Assistant
– 3 external and 3 internal for Asst. to Associate; Associate to Professor
and Tenure Review
– Clinical, Educator, Field Service, Adjunct, Volunteer and Secondary
Tracks- 3 from individuals who can assess activities
Letter of appointment
Copies of all annual evaluations
Personal Statement
Documentation of excellence and effectiveness in teaching/and
or mentoring
Develop a 5 year plan
• Sit down and write a 5 year plan
• Prepare an experimental schedule for Year 1
• Learn to LOVE Gantt Charts
Year 1
• Set up your lab ASAP
– Try to remodel, order equipment, hire techs before you arrive
• Learn the COM ground rules for tenure
• Ask for a faculty mentor if you are not assigned one
– Need someone who will help wade through office politics and
advise regarding the byzantine academic world
– Scientific mentor as well
• Get to work
– Write up your post doc research if pending
– Plan experimental schedule
– Apply for small internal and external grants
• Accept committee responsibilities, but avoid becoming bogged down
– “death by committee”
Year 2
• Publish the research you did in your first
year
• Apply to NIH, DOD etc for small grants
(R03, R21, AHA)
– HAVE YOUR COLLEAGUES READ YOUR
GRANTS
• Apply the “Rule of 3”
• Consider leadership/management course
Year 3- Reappointment time!
• Check with mentors that you are on the
right course
• Get departmental checklist for dossier
information
• Resubmit R21 etc Submit R01
– Apply for internal funding, small external
grants, explore Pharma
Years 4, 5 and 6
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You should begin to be recognized in your field for your research
– If not, discuss with mentor, dept. chair for steps towards visibility (e.g.
suggestion session on your subspecialty at a national meeting
Funding
– If you don’t have it, this is a danger
– Keep this as your #1 priority
Teaching is limited at COM
– Participate in ongoing courses as part of a team
– Offer to organize a grad school course
Review manuscripts
Take on departmental and university committee memberships
Build your networks within UC and externally
Sit on Study sections
Write book or reviews
To Improve Promotion and Success
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MAKE A TIMELINE OF IMPORTANT DATES for the ARPT Process
– Provide sufficient prep time (e.g.letters of recommendation turn around)
– Be aware of your responsibilities for dossier components
To Improve Promotion and Succes
DOCUMENTS YOU WILL NEED
• Curriculum vitae/ Annual evaluation
– Desktop; enter on the fly, both sources
– Research Directory; (some Colleges do and some don’t)
– THE RULE OF 3
• Activities “count” in 3 different ways, e.g. write a grant, use the Introduction
for a review; manuscript, lecture slides (avoid self-plagiarism though)
• Join a committee; write a policy (product) that you can claim; identify collaborators or
important administrative faculty
– STANDARDIZED FORMAT
• Reverse chronological order for publications!
TIPS
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Letters of recommendation
– Begin cultivating peers and upper level faculty who are nationally and
internationally recognized EARLY (don’t be shy!)
• International and national conferences, colloquia, workshops etc
• Create a social scientific network to bounce ideas, ask questions,
recommend as reviewers
– Most will be happy to help as they too have needed such letters and understand
the importance of networking
– Flattery usually works
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Annual evaluations
– Update “on the fly” to avoid trying to remember all your accomplishments the day
before it is due
– Use the time to set realistic goals and assess progress
– Update 3-5 year plan based on attainment (or not) of goals
– Ask for help
– Don’t forget professional development
TIPS
• Personal Statement
– Use to highlight accomplishments, e.g. research grants, awards
– Re-iterate how you have “hit” the requirements for
promotion/tenure/reappointment
– Provide future plans for the upcoming year (s)
– Document leadership of other professional training
• Documentation of excellence and effectiveness in teaching
and/or mentoring
– Teaching evaluations standard forms; if not, plan surveys for your students to
document teaching effectiveness
– Work and subsequent placement of graduate students
– Early career faculty should describe their mentoring program
– Mid- and senior faculty should list mentees, workshops, seminars devoted to
mentoring and successes or learning objectives satisfied of the various programs
– Identify leadership in charge of mentoring in your department and
volunteer for training and participation
The Review Process
• Year 2-3 of employment, promotion and tenure dossier is created
• Before the end of 3rd year, AAUP-represented faculty committee
vote to recommend appointment for another 3 years
• After the vote, Dept. Chair meets to discuss any problems that may
hinder future progress
• The dossier is submitted to the COM ARPT committee then to the
Dean- Provost-President- Board of Trustees
• Year 5- letters are solicited from internal and external experts in your
area
• Tenured faculty review dossier and vote on your tenure
– Follows same route: Dept. Chair, ARPT committee, Dean, Provost, President,
Board of Trustees
Right to Appeal
• Faculty have the right to write a letter
rebutting the Departmental Committee or
Department Chair’s recommendation
• Entered into the dossier as a formal
document