University at Buffalo (UB)
UB has interdisciplinary structures that bring together faculty and staff from different departments and hiring units into areas of interest common to the members. The interaction across disciplines expands the avenues for faculty scholarship and creates collaborative studies and projects that enhance the scholarly life of the University. These interdisciplinary structures do not replace and are not intended to substitute for disciplinary focus within the departments, but they have provided many opportunities for exciting scholarly work at UB. While departments should continue to be the core organizational units at UB and the sole venue for faculty hiring and promotion, interdisciplinary units are critical for the missions of the University. To promote the growth of interdisciplinary units and encourage faculty participation in their activities, it is essential that such participation be fairly considered and evaluated in promotion decisions. To this end we propose the following rules to govern the "Participation of Organized Research Units, Centers, and Institutes in the promotion process for faculty who have activities and responsibilities in these units."
1. When faculty wish to explore interdisciplinary activities, they should be encouraged to interact with Organized Research Units, Centers, and Institutes.
2. All faculty appointments will continue to be made in departments. Whenever applicable, the letter of appointment of a faculty member must contain a description of the faculty member's level of commitment to any unit other than the hiring department(s).
3. Whenever a current faculty member wishes to participate in or to adjust the level of their commitment to the activities of another unit, their participation must be discussed with, and agreed upon by, the faculty member, the department chair, and the head of the respective unit. If there is a disagreement with regard to the amount or kind of participation, a further discussion must be conducted with all interested parties, including Deans. The final agreement for such participation must be signed by all interested parties and documented in the offices of all involved Deans, Chairs and Unit Heads.
4. Teaching research and service associated with other units must be credited by the faculty member’s department in the promotion process. This evaluation must include at least the following:
a. In preparing the dossier for promotion of a candidate who has formally participated in the activities of another unit, the head of that unit must be consulted by the chair of the candidate’s department.
b. A letter from the head of the other unit must be included in the candidate’s dossier prior to its submission at the school level and included on the checklist for the dossier.
c. In soliciting letters of reference from outside and inside evaluators, the chair of the department must consult with the head of the unit for appropriate names. A record of this consultation must be included in the dossier.
d. The head of the unit must be invited to participate in all discussions of the promotion by the department’s voting body of record and is entitled to participate in other formal deliberations.