�MINUTES OF THE FACULTY HANDBOOK REVISION COMMITTEE
TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2006

MASON HALL, room D1

Present:� Kevin Avruch, Professor of Conflict Resolution and Anthropology, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution; Lorraine Brown, Professor of English, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and President of the AAUP Chapter of George Mason University; Rick Coffinberger, Associate Professor of Business and Legal Studies, School of Management, Chair; Martin Ford, Senior Associate Dean, College of Education and Human Development; Dave Harr, Senior Associate Dean, School of Management; Marilyn Mobley, Associate Provost for Education Programs; David Rossell, Associate Provost for Personnel and Budget, ex-officio; Suzanne Slayden, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Science.�

Revision:� 2.1.3 Other Types of Fixed Term Appointment:

Removal of �normally� from �An appointment for full-time employment for a fixed term, in which service is not applied to consideration for tenure.� The University can, but is not required to, renew such appointments for additional terms.� The total duration of these appointments is normally five years, but may be longer if dictated by circumstances and the needs of the University� to add �Any exceptions must be approved by the Provost and the respective dean.�

Discussion:�� Leave Extending Beyond Two Years Duration

• Recent cases� in which military service extended indefinitely; one in third year of deployment,� in violation of university policy two year maximum leave period
• Early 90�s several tenure-track faculty deployed; contractual clock continued but tenure clock stopped.
• Federal law would supercede in private sector; perhaps to add statement such as �Applicable federal law to cover military leave?� or create a separate paragraph regarding military leave?
• Not to penalize faculty in any way in such circumstances � an ethical as well as legal question
• Impact of timing of leave � whether in 1^st or 2^nd year of tenure-track position vs. 6^th year
• Did faculty member voluntarily extend deployment; should they be penalized for this?� Does Human Resources have a policy about this?�
• Also applicable to instances of extended illness;� two years� consecutive leave allowed, needs to be reworded more clearly.
• To consult University Counsel and Provost

Discrepancy between University Policies and Human Resources Information:� Faculty member makes responsible effort to follow rules which contain discrepancies.� Although we are a state agency, faculty do not fall under Virginia Personnel Act.

Should Research Faculty be covered by the Faculty Handbook?�

• Matt Kluger, VP for Research and Provost Stearns support this idea
• Instances in which faculty hired as research professor, given tenure, then funding stopped
• New faculty inquired at orientation whether research faculty may teach
• COS trying to accommodate research faculty requests to teach
• Focus for research faculty to secure sponsored program funding; OK to teach but not to create courses for them to teach; must be based on enrollment need
• Administrative/professional faculty teach; consistent for research faculty to teach
• Series of negotiations between dean/director and chair � cannot legislate this; to have Faculty Handbook reflect reality, will be allowed/disallowed by dean/director/chair; deans have targets for enrollment
• How have Robinson professors handled charge as great undergraduate teachers?� Some have fulfilled this quite well, some teach graduate as well as undergraduate courses � how does the history of the Robinson professoriate fit into GMU picture?� What can we learn from this regarding reorganization?�
• Instructional faculty must teach at least one course, whether tenured, tenure-track or term faculty.� Teaching loads vary quite a bit.�
• Do research faculty have contractual right to teach?� No, but they can request to have a teaching load, must be specified in their contract.� Does �Some research faculty may have the right to teach (to include 2.1.3 Other Types of Fixed Term Appointment� cover this?

Section 2.10.3 Exclusion of Faculty From The Classroom

• Dismissal for Cause/Exclusion from the Classroom � most cases deal with mental health issues; post-traumatic syndrome � need to separate out better issues of medical emergency from categories of misconduct; circumstances arise; very sticky

• In criminal justice system, people get administrative leave pending results of investigation- to create a new category � administrative leave with pay?� Under present system is either �excluded from classroom� or �dismissed�

• Do you allow to continue to teach if accused of plagiarism or scientific misconduct?�
• Timing is crucial � how long it goes on; can you intervene?
• False accusations
• Caveat about faculty member going through treatment as admission needing help, becomes part of record and a stigma; very hard to monitor once person involved has accepted recommendation of committee/department; also did faculty have legal counsel available?
• To research AAUP policy; a quick survey of VA doctoral institutions.
• Some situations (such as lack of English proficiency) should ideally be handled at the hiring state; not to over-legislate.� Dean/Chair responsibility to respond to complaints.

Respectfully submitted,

Meg Caniano

Clerk, Faculty Senate