Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity

Tenured and tenure-track faculty members are expected to engage in research, scholarship or other creative activity as a substantial part of their assigned work at the university. Depending upon the unit, this effort can be up to 50 percent or more of the academic year assigned workload and 100 percent of the summer assigned workload. Non-tenure track faculty in professorial ranks should have a research/scholarship/creative appointment as part of their assigned work at the university.  These activities are expected to result in work products and recognition of the effort by such indicators as invited presentations or shows, publication of articles and books, invitations to join prestigious societies, and other recognition appropriate to the amount and quality of activity as evaluated by peers. Consistent with the vision of a student-centered institution, faculty members are expected to provide for active involvement by students in their research, scholarship, or other creative activity.

Faculty members who engage in research, scholarship or other creative activity are responsible for determining and complying with university regulations that apply to their activities—such as those that govern the preparation and approval of proposals for funding, the amount of time which may be spent on consulting, the treatment of human or animal subjects of experiments, the use of biohazards including human pathogens, the reporting of outside income, conflict of interest, and computing activities. They are responsible for determining that laboratory procedures, including modifications for facilities and installation of equipment, conform to university regulations. Activities on university property or time should be appropriately scheduled and approved. Faculty who travel from the campus to engage in research, scholarship or other creative activity should comply with university policies regarding absence from work.

Resources and policies related to research and creative activity are identified in other sections of the Faculty Handbook.