1. The EPC reviews all faculty lines that affect the “total number of faculty members in a department of program” (Faculty Manual—Bylaws, Faculty, Policy Committees, Committee on Educational Policies, Duties, item d). This would include:
When a hire constitutes a long-term university commitment, this would also include:
- Grant-funded positions
- Endowed Chairs (if it represents an additional line
It would not typically include:
- Visiting lines associated with sabbatical replacements
- Renewal of visiting lines for which there is an already established pattern of need
- Lined filled by adjuncts without rank
[The above represents the typical procedure; the provost can elect to bring any staffing request for EPC to review.]
2. EPC evaluates requests “to determine the effect of proposed change on the educational program” (Faculty Manual—Bylaws, Faculty Policy Committees, Committee on Educational Policies, Duties, item d). It is the responsibility of each department to submit materials to support its request. In doing so, consult:
Criteria for Tenure Line Review by EPC
According to the bylaws of the university, one of the duties of the Committee on Educational Policies is to “review all proposed changes in the total number of faculty members in a department or program to determine the effect of the proposed change on the educational program and to submit recommendations as may seem appropriate” (Faculty Manual/Bylaws and Documents/Faculty Policy Committees/Committee on Educational Policies/Duties/ d). The EPC also acknowledges the working agreement between the committee and the provost, as stated in the document, “Principles Governing the Analysis of Tenure Lines in a Department”: ”Departmental and institutional curricular needs should be evaluated in consultation with EPC, before filling any tenure-track position (new or vacant)” (Bladh, September 1, 2002). The EPC has therefore devised the following set of questions to guide department chairs in submitting requests for recommendations to fill vacated tenure-track lines, create new lines, or convert visiting lines to tenure-track lines and to guide the committee in evaluating request thoroughly and fairly.
I. Planning Considerations
A. Goals and Requirements
-How does this request relate to the university’s strategic plan?
-How does this request relate to the department’s mission and planning?
-How does this request help the department meet the requirements of professional accreditation?
B. External Review
-How does this request relate to the outside evaluator’s report and recommendations? If it differs from the evaluator’s recommendations, please explain why.
Please include copies of whatever self-study materials the department provided the outside reviewer in addition to the evaluation itself. (These materials will very likely address most of the questions listed below.)
C. Projections
-What will not happen if this position is not created?
-What will happen if this position is created?
II. Enrollment, Staffing, and Workload Considerations
A. Enrollments
-Is there an indication of growth in the number of majors or minors over a period of five years? How many majors and minors graduated each of the past five years?
-What are the fill rates for the department’s course offering for the past five years?
-What are the caps used by the department for its courses? What is the basis for the caps?
B. Contributions to Other University Programs
-To what extent has this department served the WittSem program (i.e.,how many sections, which faculty) over the last five years?
-To what extent has the department served the Honors Program over the last five years?
-Please provide number of General Education seats available (by General Education area) over the last five years, as well as actual number of General Education credits awarded by area, in the follow categories: courses that are solely for General Education or elective credit; courses that carry General Education credit but also count for the major or minor; courses that count for the major but do not provide General Education credit.
-To what extent does the department serve other programs, e.g. Women’s Studies, Russian Area Studies, Urban Studies?
C. Staffing and Curriculum
-How many full time and adjunct faculty members are there in the department (Please list name, rank, and specialization(s) of each faculty member.)
-Please provide a chart showing a typical staffing plan of what courses (by course number) each member of the department will likely be teaching over the next two years.
-What retirements and sabbaticals are projected for the next five years?
-Please provide a list of the department’s course offerings by number and title.
-What are typical areas of specialization necessary to departments teaching a liberal arts major in your discipline?
-Is the department’s curriculum offered using a pattern of rotation that offers efficient use of faculty resources and creates variety in course offerings for students?
D. Workload
-How does your department figure faculty teaching loads, including labs?
-Release time is given to what members of the department for what purposes and in what quantities?
-What is the total number of semester hours produced by the department during the past five years? How many credits were produced by each faculty member?
-What are the numbers of students each faculty member advises? Which members of the department have taken first-year advising sections in the last five years?
-Each faculty member serves on what university and departmental committees?
-Is work load equitably distributed across the department’s faculty? (number of students, number of advisees, number of WI courses, ect.)
-To what extent do faculty members supervise independent studies, internships, directed research and senior honors theses?
E. Resources
-Creation of this position will require what kind of initial investment and ongoing support in equipment and other resources?
