“At any stage” is not consistent with current practice. Interfolio is not currently configured to allow “append and affix” to the letters of the faculty peer committees. “Written responses” are only solicited for the letters generated from review by administration.Reference

This assumes that a faculty member is applying for tenure in the final year of eligibility of their tenure-track appointment, i.e., their seventh year. A faculty member may choose to apply early, e.g. in their fifth or sixth year. If a bid for “early tenure” fails— perhaps at the earliest stages— the candidate is still welcome to continue with an application in the subsequent year. The language stated in the current Handbook draft should not be construed as applying to an unsuccessful bids for early tenure ahead of the seventh year of tenure-track appointment.Reference

For many of our adjuncts, a career at Pratt is most definitely a “primary responsibility”— to the great benefit of the Institution. While the description offered does apply to many with outside studios or professional interests, it is by no means universal. At the very least, replace the word “is” with “may be”.Reference

I applaud the Handbook committee’s inclusion of “providing ongoing feedback to students” as part of an instructor’s duties— after all, this is just part of instructional best practice— but question whether the Handbook is exceeding its mandate. For better or worse, the balance of formative assessments (including “frequent feedback”) and summative assessments could be seen as a matter of academic freedom up to the expertise of the individual instructor. If there is to be a more authoritative definition of what a Pratt class should/must look like, perhaps this should be developed as a separate academic policy.Reference

Needs complementary language in the CBA, with some negotiated specificity to assure that obligations for “curriculum coordination” in “a time period between fall and spring” will not equate to a full and uncompensated summer session. Until negotiated language appears in the CBA, I am not comfortable with vague language here.Reference

Great! Can you provide explicit reference to the central location for this?Reference

Perhaps a mention of faculty rights under Pratt’s IP policy is warranted somewhere in this section?Reference

“At any stage” might be in conflict with the CBA and current Institutional mechanisms. See my comment on the equivalent section for Full Time promotion: Interfolio is not set up to permit “append and affix” to the letters of the Peer Committees. An applicant can only append comment once letters are generated by administration. (This is consistent with the procedure as outlined in CBA 16.3)Reference

There is a form for this. Its existence should and location should be mentioned.Reference

Suggest mentioning where, specifically, within the CBA. (Sec 29.2.)Reference

CONSIDER THIS EDIT AND CLARIFICATION:

“and challenges them to achieve their full potential… as creative and responsible citizens.”Reference

This was originally written as, “chairs may be eligible for a full time position”. It does not entitle a chair to have a full time teaching position and it protects departments from hiring someone not suitable for the dept. It also protects the school from buying out a contract, which has been done in the past when the chair threatened to sue the school.Reference

Should read, hired by chairs, not hied.Reference

What about schools that don’t have chairs? Are we effectively saying here that all schools must have one?Reference

Can you add the word ‘may’ to this sentence? Library faculty don’t get student evaluations
“Sources of documentation may include, but are not necessarily limited to”

Consideration might be given to PT faculty in these positions to have the option of requesting a teaching release
at the same rate of one course. If the stipend for chairing a committee is less than one course pay, the PT faculty is obliged to teach to function on a living wage while taking on the Senate position. Both FT and PT should have the option. This would encourage more PT faculty to run for open positions.Reference

Yes. Very good thing to set forth here.Reference

…assuming responsibility for…Reference

Are the MS Dance Therapy and MPS Art Management not accredited for a reason? because they are outside the purview of NASAD, or they are seeking accreditation?Reference

XV and XVIReference

XV and XVIReference

The inviting of feedback is crucial here! I am excited to see this policy implemented!Reference

I agree with Sarah that there are issues with entitling a chair to a faculty position. I would like to see some faculty input on this decision, even if it is ultimately made by the Dean or Provost.Reference

Very good paragraphReference

A period is needed after “as need arises”Reference

(Is Foundation is accredited by NASAD? It’s not a program, I believe. But there are NASAD standards for Foundation.)Reference

Style re initial caps for titles? A few samples — “director of academic budget and operations” –no initial caps.
“The vice president for Finance and Administration” — some initial caps.
“Executive Director of Student Financial Services” . . . all initial caps.
These cases may not be entirely parallel but some seem inconsistent. . . . then further down,”VIce President for x” includes initial caps . . .Reference

Delete “being responsible for”– just make it “reviewing performamnce of . . .”Reference

Foundation doesn’t report to a Dean– so perhaps the vice provost should invite annual feedback?Reference

“Both the departmental peer committee and the chair should review the student evaluations as part of the annual faculty evaluation process.”

This sentence could be taken to imply a PRC should review all faculty evaluations annually . . . our PRC certainly only reviews evals of faculty applying for change in rank or status.
Perhaps just “The departmental chair should review student evaluations as part of the annual faculty evaluation process. The departmental peer committee reviews evaluations of faculty who are applying for change in rank or status.”Reference

I agree..
this language feels a bit neoliberal.

In addition to leading artists, architects and urban planners, designers, and librarians and information professionals scientists, — might we also include researchers which might be a more broad term that cuts across disciplines?
Im not sure what information professionals are..

In this paragraph and the next the word talented is repeated several times, bringing to mind the gifted and talented tracking lines in the schools, which are, as we know quite problematic.

I also feel uncomfortable also with the language of able/ability (disability) : “thousands of exceptionally able and talented students”Reference

not sure if effective contributors to committees is clearly defined as service. perhaps instead: as effective contributors to the service and well-being of the deptReference

I wonder why there is no mention of the recommendation/ review of the faculty by their peer review committee here?Reference

Insert period after “as need arises”Reference

How is payment interchanged for release time? What is the “exchange rate”? Is this based on the salary of the officer or committee member, or is it based on the cost of replacing that person with another hire (presumably an adjunct?).Reference

Each Chair has a contract with the Administration. While the responsibilities in the handbook are informational, the contract determines the responsibilities for which each Chair is evaluated.Reference

I support comments sent separately to the Senate and the Provost by the Chairs CouncilReference

I would recommend keeping the link to the HR Policy.Reference

Manhattan add ‘facility’ in lieu of Manhattan site to Manhattan facility.

NY is a gateway to the professional world of art, architecture, design, and construction. Transfer the sentence around to read exactly how the industry works…art, architecture, design and construction. or if you need to stick with art and design add: art, design, architecture and construction.Reference

Is it really a memoranda that faculty get from their chairs? I though it was a semi-contract,

I would prefer to see something such as: these assignments are verified and agreed upon by pre-contract memoranda’s issued prior to each semester. Not at the start, it must be prior to:
It must be agreed upon……they are semi-contractual memos. Food for thought…..Reference

Agree, and I would like to see the order reversed to Provost will consult faculty, staff, chairReference

I would love to see some language here that acknowledges the faculty independence in curriculum development. Like the PRC committees, the school/dept curriculum committees make recommendations to the chair/dean and administration involvement is limited to procedural requirementsReference

We need to look carefully at students’ course evaluations and reconsider how/why we use them and what we ask. They seem to have morphed from something that provided helpful feedback to something punishing. I am not happy with our increasing reliance on the data they produce (see President Bronet’s recent report) as promotional materials, target indicators and more.
The evaluations are not consistent with our efforts to create a more inclusive and diverse faculty since it is known that evaluations are biased against minorities and women.
In fact only yesterday we had an excellent School event called “Diversifying the Curriculum and our keynote speaker provided example of how this payed out in her course evaluations.
See recent (see Chronicle 11/18 https://www.chronicle.com/article/Students-Evaluating-Teachers/245169 and 4/18 https://www.chronicle.com/article/Why-We-Must-Stop-Relying-on/243213)Reference

The Libraries are also an academic unit of the Institute and should be added here. (See 15.3 of the CBA “The Library is an academic facility of the Institute.”) In the same vein, the Director of the Libraries interacts with the Libraries’ faculty and chair in the same way the deans do with their faculty and chairs and this might be appended to the deans section?Reference

I agree with that suggested change as being a broader statement of a chair’s responsiblity.Reference

Are TT faculty evaluated annually? There’s a different schedule in the CBA.Reference

faculty are also contributors to community and industry service that should be fostered by the chairReference

We are writing this document in gender neutral terms, therefore: 5th line down “his/her” shall be ‘their’Reference

Is the word “appropriate” needed? Perhaps just ” . . .for meeting grading deadlines established by”Reference

sorry for duplicate comments!Reference

While it may not be the purview of the FHB to address it, I strongly second this concern about the purposes and uses of student evaluations. (Their uses sometimes end up being different from original purposes.) Numbers are “data” and anything construed as “data” can then be (is all too likely to be) given undue importance.
And YES–study after study has shown that evaluations are biased against minorities and women. Some argue those evals thus should be illegal. But at minimum, yes, it would be advisable to consider whether we might be working against our own goals regarding inclusion.
Also. Many studies have shown that higher grades yield higher evaluations — that the more weight placed on student evaluations, the greater the increase in grade inflation. Sorry not to cite still more sources, but Debbie Rabina provides good ones, thanks.Reference

Re “Relate is not the proper word: could it be governance body that ‘coordinates’, that ‘reports’; that ‘consults’ directly with the president (?); works together with the president’ collaborates with the president? Not relates…thank you” . . .

I know this point has been under discussion for many years (hesitate to count them!) No, it’s not specific enough, but . . .so far it seems no one has found a term that all parties can agree upon.Reference

I agree, I’m also uncomfortable with the emphasis on talent and exceptional ability. For the reasons cited by Caitlin Cahill yes, but also: it’s not always my most talented students (or peers) who do the best and most important work . . . it’s far more likely to be those who are most dedicated, who are determined to keep going further . . . who are curious and persistent . . .
I think this is a crucial point about education at Pratt.Reference

After department (2nd line) deleted the dash it reads department-, delete dash.Reference

Is the rank of Professor only for Tenured Faculty? If so we need to mention this. I was under the impression only Tenured Faculty can be full Professors.?.Reference

Please take out the word ‘etc’. You can add:
“This applies to all elements, including work samples and citations of professional activities, publications, honors, and additional support documentation”. Not etc.! This is a formal contractual document. Thank You. Or just end the sentence after honors.Reference

Thank you to Senate and FHB committee for this revision of the Handbook. I understand the Provost’s office and Union worked with with the Senate on this, and thanks are due to all.

There are policies here that weren’t previously in writing, or which no one would sign off on . . . many noted by faculty on this comment site.

Thanks too for this comment forum. Good catches, good questions, and good discussions.

Honestly, during the FHB’s several years of existence as as a draft full of outdated information, it was hard to realize how valuable a resource this revision would be.

Take out word ‘etc’. It could be honors and additional supporting material.Reference

Why would “Pratt not want to wish to impose rigid body of rules upon members of faculty”. Every organization whether it is higher ed or financial organizations have structured policies, processes and procedures, and policies.We should delete this sentence or say something like: As an educational institution Pratt Institute has certain policies, procedures and practices that members of its faculty, staff and administration should follow. The Institute has certain, delete: does, however, have.

Pratt can certainly embody policies, process and procedures on its employees….and it should….I’m not sure why Pratt would be so passive in stating that we don’t want to impose rigid rules, this is very old school and should be taken out. We as an organization must implement polices, processes and procedures.Reference

Why limited to ‘nearby’, delete word ”nearby’ can read: The Institute recognizes that from time to time, our teachers faculty may be invited as guests, adjunct faculty, lecturers or as performers at other schools, universities or organizations.

It’s not just institutions, it can organizations, as well. Other sentence:
These experiences may foster development and permit faculty to interact with colleagues at other institutions and organizations. Add ‘and organizations’.Reference

I agree with the comments of Eva and Eve. The full faculty of a department should be involved in planning course offerings (not only a curriculum committee).

Above, assigning courses “in consultation with faculty” needs to be inserted.Reference

I agree with the comments of Eva and Eve. The full faculty of a department should be involved in planning course offerings (not only a curriculum committee).

Above, assigning courses “in consultation with faculty” needs to be inserted.

Classes to held off-campus can be communicated to the Department via the syllabus.

grammar here: “work which they plan”, not plansReference

I think the heading should read “Full-Time Non-Tenure Track” — rather than “Non-Tenured-Track”Reference