This P&P includes the following main sections:

• Background
• Faculty categories
• Teaching activities
• Service activities
• Academic achievement activities
• Professional growth and development activities

The performance of members of the faculty of Southern Polytechnic State University is evaluated on the basis of the four areas of faculty activity:

• Teaching
• Service
• Academic achievement (also referred to as scholarship)
• Professional growth and development

The three levels for full-time tenure-track faculty are T1, T2, and T3, as defined below. The term Academic Year refers to fall and spring terms only. The hour teaching loads specified can be reduced through reassigned time approved by the vice president for academic affairs (VPAA) or supported by external sources.

The first priority of all faculty members who teach at Southern Polytechnic State University is to achieve and sustain a high level of teaching effectiveness. Performance both inside and outside of the classroom is considered in evaluating teaching performance. Ratings of classroom performance may include evaluations by students, alumni, colleagues, and supervisors. Performance in areas outside the classroom such as the development of courses, laboratories, curriculum, or teaching materials also are evaluated and included in the assessment of teaching performance.

All teaching faculty members at SPSU must undertake all of the following teaching and teaching-related activities:

Perform all responsibilities normally associated with teaching assigned classes, including but not limited to:

• Planning each course or laboratory

Use the results of student evaluations and other available teaching evaluation information such as peer reviews, administrative reviews, alumni evaluations, and student commentary to improve teaching performance.

Maintain currency in the faculty member's teaching discipline.

Impart skills to their students such as critical thinking, writing, and the ability to be objective.

Post and hold regular office hours.

(added for T1 faculty only) Involve graduate students in scholarly endeavors when possible.

All full-time faculty are expected to participate in service. Service may take many forms, of which the following activities are examples:

Service to the academic program or school, including but not limited to:

• Serving on program or school committees
• Participating in the formulation of program goals
• Doing academic advising as needed or assigned
• Advising student organizations
• Developing program or school degree or certificate programs
• Developing new pedagogical materials
• Preparing and submitting reports as needed
• Participating in administrative functions of the program or school

Service to the university, including but not limited to:

• Serving on campus committees
• Advising student organizations
• Participating in recruiting activities
• Assisting administrative offices
• Participating in work with advisory committees, the foundation, alumni, or civic groups on behalf of SPSU.

Service to the profession, including but not limited to:

• Participating in professional societies
• Chairing or organizing professional meetings or conferences
• Holding office in a professional organization

Service to the community at large that contributes to fulfilling the mission of the university. It is the responsibility of the faculty member to demonstrate that such service does further the mission of the university.

Academic achievement, or scholarship broadly defined, is an integral part of the academic profession. The basic difference between scholarship and professional growth and development is that faculty members contribute knowledge through scholarly or creative activities, but they receive knowledge through professional growth and development. Academic achievement or scholarly work involves at least the following properties:

The Scholarship of Teaching

This area involves activities with intellectual merit that contribute to teaching and learning, or the understanding of teaching and learning. These could include:

• Creating original instructional materials
• Developing original curricula
• Incorporating new knowledge or new technology into existing courses
• Evaluating the effectiveness of pedagogical procedures
• Examining ethical and/or societal issues in the course context in an original manner

The Scholarship of Discovery

This area involves the pursuit of original knowledge and creativity, and it contributes to the stock of human knowledge and to the intellectual climate of a university. This type of scholarship includes not only traditional research but also original and creative work in software development and in the literary, visual, and performing arts.

Evidence of achievement normally would include some or all of the following:

• A higher academic degree
• Publication of original contributions to knowledge in refereed journals or books
• Refereed conference papers, or creative or artistic works

Note:

The latter may include exhibitions, performances, compositions, recordings, designs, software of an innovative nature, or recognized standards.

The Scholarship of Integration

This area involves the interpretation and fitting of one's research or the research of others into larger intellectual patterns. This type of scholarship offers original contributions that make connections between disciplines, creates new contexts for viewing knowledge, or establishes new models.

Beyond simply collecting or cataloging information and knowledge from various disciplines, contributions must reflect some original insight, put apparently unrelated facts into perspective, or place specialized knowledge into a larger context. In discovery we ask, "What is to be found," but in integration we ask, "What do the findings mean?"

The Scholarship of Application

This area involves contributions with intellectual merit outside the teaching role - including consultancies - that demonstrate the ability either to enrich knowledge and skills or to apply knowledge and skills in a particular situation.

The scholarship of application moves the scholar to ask, "How can this knowledge be responsibly applied to consequential problems?" Evidence of achievement would frequently include productive consultancies with outside groups resulting in innovative practical outcomes, acceptance by the profession of resources or techniques developed, or major original performances or exhibits where appropriate.

Regardless of type, scholarly activities must be in or related to a faculty member's field, have some degree of originality, and be subject to some degree of external review. The system of evaluation must offer assurances of it trustworthiness each step of the way. Scholarship is intended to complement and enhance the importance of teaching at SPSU. In pursuing one or more of the scholarship activities described above, faculty will have a more fulfilling professional life in their career at SPSU.

The following table includes scholarly expectations associated with faculty categories:

All full-time faculty at SPSU are expected to participate in professional growth and development. Professional growth and development activities focus on the growth of the faculty member in terms of knowledge or skills that enhance the capabilities of the faculty member as a professional and as a teacher.

While professional growth and development may involve the sharing of knowledge by professionals, the receiving of knowledge is a major part of professional growth and development. Faculty members are responsible for documenting the significance and relevance of their activities. The activities listed below are some examples of professional growth and development:

Work on an advanced degree beyond the degree required for the position held, provided that such work is related to the teaching responsibility of the faculty member.

Participation in short courses, symposia, workshops, or seminars related to the faculty member's teaching field or teaching methods.

Learning activities or self-study projects that broaden the educational capabilities of the faculty member.

Achievement and utilization of professional registration.

Engaging in professional activities such as appropriate consulting, temporary employment, fellowships, or internships.