Governance Document
Revised November 2010
Printable pdf version of this document
CONTENTS
1.0 Mission and Distinctive Features of the Department of Architecture and Interior Design
2.0 Organization and Governance
3.0 Issues of Faculty Employment and Relationships
5.0 Rights and Responsibilities
6.0 Employment of the Instructional Staff
7.0 Evaluation, Promotion and Tenure of the Instructional Staff
8.0 Academic Policies and Procedures for the Instructional Staff
9.0 Use of Departmental Property and Resources
1.1 Mission of the Department
As defined in its Mission Statement, “Miami University, a student-centered public university founded in 1809, has built its success through an unwavering commitment to liberal arts undergraduate education and the active engagement of its students in both curricular and co-curricular life. It is deeply committed to student success, builds great student and alumni loyalty, and empowers its students, faculty, and staff to become engaged citizens who use their knowledge and skills with integrity and compassion to improve the future of our global society.”
The Department of Architecture and Interior Design is in agreement with the mission of the University and sees its own aspirations as parallel to those of Miami. At the undergraduate level, the department has a four-year pre-professional degree program in Architecture (Bachelor of Arts in Architecture) and a four-year professional degree program in Interior Design (Bachelor of Fine Arts) accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), with emphasis on broad-based interdisciplinary design education. Our program of graduate studies, the Master of Architecture, forms a continuum with the strengths of the undergraduate degrees, adding breadth and depth, and, in many ways, leads both the theoretical and practical directions of the undergraduate majors in Architecture and Interior Design. The Master of Architecture is accredited by the National Architectural Accreditation Board (NAAB).
These degree programs provide a context for teaching and learning that stresses the intrinsic relationship of the design disciplines in all their material and professional ramifications with the lives of human beings in the built and natural environment as they embrace personal, social, political, economic, and cultural concerns.
1.2 Diversity Statement
The Department of Architecture and Interior Design values, respects, and encourages diversity in the recruitment and appointment of students, faculty, and staff; and actively seeks equitable and representative involvement by a broad range of people in its leadership, activities, and in the content of its programs. The Department is committed to a policy of non-discrimination on the basis of any group identification or affiliation, including, but not limited to, race, gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin or any other basis. See Studio Culture Policy, Section 5.11.
1.3 Structure and Philosophy of the Undergraduate Curriculum
The program in architecture is a combination of courses that serve the graduate/professional program, the undergraduate/pre-professional program, and the Liberal Education plan of Miami University. The program in interior design is a combination of courses that prepare students to enter professional practice in that field upon graduation or continue advanced studies in either interior design or architecture. Courses serving programs in the Department of Architecture and Interior Design reflect the professional needs of the curriculum as well as the research and personal interests of the faculty and students.
1.3.1 Bachelor of Arts in Architecture
At the undergraduate level, a total of 48 hours in Liberal Education courses is required by the Miami Plan. Architecture students fulfill those credit hours with courses offered throughout the University and within the major.
The remaining requirements in the department total 80 credit hours, bringing the major to 128 credit hours. Several of these required departmental courses also meet requirements of the Miami Plan. Students are free to add additional undesignated electives that bring the total to more than 128 credit hours.
The four-year undergraduate program is intended to provide the student with a foundation in design and liberal arts leading to the Bachelor of Arts in Architecture (formerly Bachelor of Environmental Design).
The first two years are spent in studio, drawing, computer literacy, history, technical, and humanities courses, which attempt to introduce the entering and second-year students to the notion that architecture is an interdisciplinary endeavor. The BA and BFA share a curriculum in the first year, with common studios and graphic support courses. The second year is intended to offer a broad range of design issues that illustrate how landscape, urbanism, history, and technology all play significant roles in shaping the environment. This curriculum also introduces students to the various fields related to architecture and design, in support of their academic and career planning.
The third and fourth years continue the design studio sequence, affording students a wide variety of choices for that studio experience. In addition, a series of required and elective courses focus on the technical (environmental systems), historical (history and theory), and visual (communications process) components of the program. These courses build on the more general foundation laid in years one and two and allow the students to place particular emphasis on areas of interest.
The BA is a pre-professional program leading to the professional Master of Architecture.
1.3.2BFA with a major in Interior Design
The curriculum of the BFA is the same in the first year as the curriculum for Architecture students, with common studios and graphic support courses. During the second year, Interior Design majors begin to move into their own curriculum, although they still have some common classes with Architecture majors, including the history sequence and the introduction to building technology. However, Interior Design majors begin to focus on the psychology and behavioral aspects of interior space in the second year.
In the third and fourth years, a series of studios and required and elective courses allow students to learn the principles of color, lighting, furnishings, millwork, and other aspects of interior design practice. In the fourth year, a thesis preparation course leads to an independent capstone design thesis project, allowing each student to develop a specialty within the broader discipline.
The BFA is a “first professional” program and is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).
1.3.3 Undergraduate Minors
The Department offers minors in landscape architecture (currently suspended), urban design (offered jointly by the Departments of Architecture and Interior Design, Political Science and Geography), and in art and architectural history (offered jointly by the Art and Architecture and Interior Design departments with assistance from the Department of Classics).
1.4 Structure and Philosophy of the Graduate Curriculum
The Master of Architecture (M. Arch.) at Miami is a graduate degree accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). It is offered in two tracks:
M. Arch. II: a two-year program for students who have a pre-professional four-year degree in architecture or environmental design from a NAAB-accredited program;
M. Arch. III: a three-and-one-half-year program for candidates with an undergraduate degree in a discipline other than architecture.
Architecture graduate studies at Miami are organized around a spine of studio experiences. Students in the M. Arch. III track begin with a preparatory year (including two summer studios), during which they receive intensive training in the fundamental principles of architectural design, graphic communication (both traditional and digital) and visual analysis, architectural history and theory, and architectural technology. After the preparatory year, M. Arch. III students are admitted to the course work of the M. Arch II program. Students in the two-year program enroll in a sequence of four studios, including a comprehensive studio in the second semester and a thesis studio in the third and fourth semesters. Through their studio work, students become familiar with design integration, including site planning, structure, and environmental systems. Instruction is amplified by on-site visits and consultation with staff specialists from respected regional firms and through intensive experiences with visiting critics.
All students in the graduate studies program complete a written and design thesis document supported by a thesis advisor and a faculty committee. All theses are individually directed projects, chosen by the student to explore a particular area of personal interest. The thesis is valued as a rigorous culminating and synthesizing activity.
1.5 Relationship to Professions
The Department believes that at both graduate and undergraduate levels, the program needs to balance the issues of inclusiveness and breadth with the student's often more focused goal of professional training. This is accomplished by rigorous study of design, history, communication, technology and practice-related issues, but, more importantly, by the Department's effort to make bridges and crossovers among these areas.
Professional preparation and linkages have become increasingly important concerns in the Department of Architecture and Interior Design at Miami. In addition to the studio and curricular structure already mentioned above, the department has taken other steps to ensure professional preparation for its students. [See Advising, Section 5.8.] Specific courses and ad hoc sessions help students learn about organizing their resumes, how to conduct themselves in an interview, how to use their portfolios and application materials most effectively, and how to relate to the professional world when they begin to seek employment. In the fall semester, a meeting is organized to advise undergraduates about applying to graduate schools. Each spring semester, the student organizations sponsor a professional “career fair.” Area and regional firms send representatives to the Department to provide information and to recruit students.
Another effort of the department to incorporate professional preparation is the Internship program. Voluntary summer internships with alumni and other participating firms place students in a professional environment, usually the summer after the junior year (although qualified students may begin earlier). The department recommends that each architectural intern either initiate or maintain an Intern Development Program (IDP) record with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) during the internship. Interior Design internships can also be completed for credit through the Interior Design Experience Program (IDEP); this experience similarly requires formal assessment of the student intern.
The internship program is linked to courses in professional practice in both Architecture and Interior Design. These courses continue to emphasize ethics and professional responsibility in addition to information and experiences that relate to entering the job market. Professional practitioners are brought into the classroom to serve as resources. Where possible, such professionals are from regional firms that offer the department internships.
1.6 Commitment to Community Service
The department maintains a strong commitment to community service. This commitment is manifested in the Community Design Assistance Group (CDAG) and in various off-campus studio offerings. An established off-campus location for departmental activities is the Center for Community Engagement in Over-the-Rhine (Cincinnati). The Center houses ongoing programming, and regular off-campus studio experiences focused on the renovation of older buildings. In 2006, the Department initiated a residency program in Over-the-Rhine, which allows selected students to live in (as well as take courses in) the Over-the-Rhine community.
1.7 Commitment to Off-Campus Programming
The Department of Architecture and Interior Design promotes international educational experiences and encourages the establishment of off-campus programs on and apart from the MUDEC campus and in other parts of the world. Currently, off-campus departmental workshops are offered in Ghana, Africa; London, England; Italy; Turkey; the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio; New Mexico; at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater in Bear Run, Pennsylvania; and occasionally in China. In 2008, the department established a formal exchange program with the University of Applied Sciences in Rosenheim, Germany. The department promotes ongoing participation with semester study-abroad programs, including the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS) in Copenhagen, Denmark and Kent State University’s study abroad program in Florence, Italy.
1.8 Liaisons to Related Programs at the University
The Department of Architecture and Interior Design values and encourages collaboration with other units and disciplines across campus. Currently, department faculty and students demonstrate active participation in a variety of university programs, including the Art and Architectural History major/minor, the Armstrong Institute for Interactive Media Studies (AIMS), the Miami Design Collaborative (MDC), the Global Perspectives on Sustainability minor, and the Institute for Environmental Studies (IES) graduate degree program.
2.0 Organization and Governance
Administration of the instructional, professional, and service functions of the department, as outlined in the Miami University Policy and Information Manual (MUPIM) and the School of Fine Arts (SFA) Governance Document, is coordinated by the Chair in conjunction with various program directors, faculty-student committees, and departmental staff.
2.1 The Faculty
2.1.1 Regular Instructional Faculty:
The faculty of the Department of Architecture and Interior Design consists of all members of the instructional/administrative staff holding the rank of Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Senior Instructor, Instructor, Assistant Instructor or Lecturer, whether tenured or untenured, visiting, full-time or part-time. The faculty represents the legislative body of the Department. For voting eligibility see Section 2.9.2.
2.1.2 Other Faculty:
Other faculty include Emeriti and Adjunct faculty, and International Scholars. For voting eligibility see Section 2.9.2.
2.2 The Staff
Unclassified Staff provide specialized professional services in support of the educational mission of the Department, including woodshop management, computer support, research facility management, etc.
Classified Staff are part of the Supervisory, Administrative, and Technical Support Staff (SATSS), and provide office management, accounting, and clerical support for the Department.
2.3 The Chair
The Chair shall preside at Departmental meetings, expedite the business of the Department, provide leadership in Departmental planning, and represent the Department in dealings with the administration and other departments. It is understood that the Chair acts as coordinator, representative, and advocate for the Department. In addition the Chair serves as channel of communication between the Department and other offices. The Chair works with the support of the department’s Appointed Positions and Committees described below to fulfill ongoing duties including budget, course scheduling and staffing, curriculum oversight, promotion and marketing, student recruitment, and faculty development advising. The Chair also oversees periodic departmental activities including strategic planning, professional accreditation and university program reviews, facilities use planning, and hiring processes.
Selection, review, and reappointment of the Chair shall follow SFA procedures as set forth in the SFA Governance Document. If, after following appropriate grievance procedures (Section 3), persons within the Department find cause for recommending the removal of the Chair within the term of office, such a recommendation, with a statement of reasons, shall be presented to the Chair and the Dean of the School of Fine Arts. Subsequent action in this matter will be at the direction of the Dean, acting in consultation with the members of the Department.
2.4 Appointed Positions
Various functions, programs, and facilities in the Department are administered by a faculty member appointed by the Chair. These appointments are made at the Chair’s discretion for indefinite terms. Directors/coordinators are responsible for keeping the faculty-at-large abreast of program activities and for bringing substantive policy decisions and issues to faculty meetings for deliberation. Reappointment of directors/coordinators is subject to review on an ongoing basis by the full faculty. Any or all annual reappointments may be formally reviewed at any time at the request of one or more faculty members. The process for this review, as requested, will be determined by an ad hoc committee selected by faculty vote. A faculty member holding an appointed position may simultaneously hold a position as a departmental committee chair or member.
Appointed positions include:
2.4.1 Director of Graduate Studies (DGS):
Directs and coordinates graduate programs in Architecture, including curriculum development, promotion and marketing, student recruitment, participation of outside thesis critics and lecturers (in conjunction with Lecture Series coordinator), and graduate student advising. The Director of Graduate Studies serves on the Executive Committee, assists the Chair with graduate course staffing, and oversees the Graduate Committee (typically comprised of faculty with current teaching assignments in the graduate program).
2.4.2 Coordinator of Undergraduate Architectural Studies (CAS):
Coordinates undergraduate program in Architecture, including curriculum development. The CAS serves on the department’s Executive Committee, and assists the Chair with course staffing, promotion and marketing, and student recruitment. The CAS assists the Lecture Series coordinator with participation of outside lecturers, and the CDA with student advising.
2.4.3 Coordinator of Interior Design (CID):
Coordinates undergraduate program in Interior Design, including curriculum development. The CID serves on the department’s Executive Committee, and assists the Chair with course staffing, promotion and marketing, and student recruitment. The CID assists the Lecture Series coordinator with participation of outside lecturers, and the CDA with student advising.
2.4.4 Chief Departmental Advisor (CDA):
The CDA oversees all academic and career advising for undergraduate majors in Architecture and Interior Design, serves as liaison to the School of Fine Arts and the University, and trains the faculty in advising. Advising efforts are shared, or directed to specific majors, as appropriate.
2.4.5 Coordinator of the Urban Design Minor:
Administers Urban Design minor.
2.4.6 Coordinator of the Landscape Minor:
Administers Landscape minor (currently suspended)
2.4.7 Coordinator of the Art and Architectural History Minor:
Administers Art and Architectural History Minor in conjunction with the Department of Art.
2.4.8 Coordinator of Admissions and Scholarships:
Responsible for undergraduate admissions in conjunction with the Coordinator of Undergraduate Architectural Studies and the Coordinator of Interior Design. Oversees all student recruitment, admissions, transfer admissions, and award of scholarships to incoming students.
2.4.9 Coordinator of Curriculum
Oversees all program curricula in conjunction with individual program coordinators, including submission and approval of all curriculum changes. Monitors and updates course learning objectives for required courses.
2.4.10 Coordinator of Lecture Series
Responsible for developing annual lecture series, in collaboration with faculty and students.
2.4.11 Coordinator of Cage Gallery
Responsible for developing and publicizing Cage Gallery exhibit schedule.
2.4.12 Coordinator of Off-Campus Programs:
Oversees development and administration of all international and domestic off-campus study programs. Responsibilities include coordination and advertisement of all departmental offerings, and assistance with workshop proposal preparation.
2.4.13 Coordinator of Internships:
Assists students with temporary and permanent job placement. Acts as clearinghouse for all requests from professional employers, assists student organizations with the annual Career Fair and other career advising functions, coordinates efforts with Miami’s Office of Career Services, oversees “for-credit” internships, and assists with the Intern Development Program (IDP).
2.4.14 Chair, Promotion and Tenure Committee
Oversees submission and review of all promotion and tenure material. Serves as liaison to P&T candidates, the Chair, and the School of Fine Arts.
2.4.15 Coordinator of Publications and Web Site:
Responsible for developing and revising all departmental publications and promotional material, including the web site.
2.4.16 ACSA Faculty Councilor:
Serves as faculty liaison to the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA). Submits regular updates on departmental activities for publication in the ACSA News, and represents the department at regional and national meetings.
2.4.17 Coordinator of Departmental Honors and Scholarships:
Advises honors students and Undergraduate Associates, supervises selection of students to receive departmental honors and upper-class scholarships, and oversees selection and instruction of University Summer Scholars.
2.4.18 Coordinator of the Community Design Assistance Group (CDAG):
Coordinates assignment and execution of all “community design” projects.
2.4.19 Director of the Center for Community Engagement in Over-the-Rhine:
Oversees all curricular and outreach activities associated with Miami’s CCE-OTR.
2.4.20 Coordinator of Computer Studies:
Oversees computer instruction and computer facilities in the department.
2.4.21 AIAS Faculty Advisor:
Advises AIAS chapter (see Section 2.8.2).
2.4.22 IIDA Faculty Advisor:
Advises IIDA student chapter (see Section 2.8.3).
2.4.23 Unspecified appointed positions as necessary or as determined by the Chair.
2.5 Committees
Various functions, programs, and facilities in the department are administered by committee where diverse input is deemed important and where a committee of the entire faculty is cumbersome. Committees are appointed by the Chair in conjunction with the Executive Committee and/or the Student Advisory Council, and (except where specified below) the constitution of committees (number of members and representation) is determined on an as-needed basis. Committees are typically directed by a Chair or by Co-Chairs. Committees serve for one academic year, but Chair(s) and members may be re-appointed. A faculty member may hold an appointed position in addition to membership in a committee or committees. Committees meet on an as-needed basis. Those committees open to all interested faculty and students shall publish meeting times in advance. Committees are responsible for keeping the faculty-at-large informed of their activities and will bring substantive policy decisions and issues to faculty meetings for deliberation.
Standing committees include:
2.5.1 Executive Committee:
This committee advises and briefs the Chair, and helps to develop agendas for faculty meetings. Membership consists of the Chair, the Director of Graduate Studies, the Coordinator of Undergraduate Architectural Studies, the Coordinator of Interior Design, and one at-large representative of the faculty. Meetings are called as needed by the Chair.
2.5.2 Promotion and Tenure (P&T) Committee:
This committee evaluates all faculty being considered for tenure and/or promotion. In consideration of promotion, membership consists of all tenured faculty at a rank equal to or above that being sought by the candidate for promotion. In consideration of tenure, membership consists of all tenured faculty. One senior faculty (typically at the rank of Full Professor) serves as Promotion and Tenure Committee Chair (see 2.4.14 and Section 7. Evaluation, Promotion, and Tenure of the Instructional Staff.) The Department Chair sits on the Promotion and Tenure Committee in a non-voting, ex-officio capacity.
2.5.3 Undergraduate Admissions and Scholarship Committee:
This committee reviews all admission applications to the undergraduate programs (including transfer applications), coordinates recruiting efforts, and awards scholarships to incoming students. The Coordinator of Admissions and Scholarships serves as committee chair, with participation by the CAS, the CID, and additional faculty as required.
2.5.4 Graduate Committee:
This committee reviews all admission applications to the graduate programs, coordinates recruiting efforts, awards scholarships and assistantships, periodically reviews advising policy and curriculum, and reviews all student petitions related to graduate course waivers, substitution, or other variations to the requirements for the Master of Architecture degree. Membership consists of the Director of Graduate Studies, who serves as chair, and additional faculty involved with the graduate program(s).
Ad hoc committees are to be formed as needed, to address specific tasks. These might include:
2.5.5 Undergraduate Advising Committee:
This committee addresses advising policy and procedures and specific advising concerns. Membership consists of the Chief Departmental Advisor, and additional faculty and students as required.
2.5.6 Undergraduate Curriculum Committee:
This committee addresses curricular issues and works proactively to evaluate courses and curricula and propose revisions as appropriate. In cooperation with the Chair and the program coordinators, this committee also ensures that studio coordinators are assigned at all year levels and that specific faculty are assigned responsibility, as necessary, for content categories (history/theory, communication process, environmental systems + practice). The committee is chaired by the Coordinator of Curriculum, with participation by the program coordinators and additional interested faculty and students.
2.5.7 Faculty/Staff Search Committees:
Search committees are responsible for the approval, advertisement, and administration of searches, including application review, hosting, and final selection of candidates.
2.5.8 Facilities Committee:
This committee addresses issues related to program facilities, in consultation with building maintenance staff, the University Architect’s office, the Associate Provost for space planning, and other individuals or groups responsible for facilities.
2.5.9 Lecture Series Committee:
This committee is responsible for developing, advertising, and coordinating a departmental lecture series, participation of visiting critics, and management of associated budgets, in consultation and cooperation with individual faculty and with the Chair and program coordinators. The committee is chaired by the Coordinator of Lecture Series.
2.5.10 Cage Gallery Exhibits Committee:
This committee is responsible for developing, advertising, and coordinating all Cage Gallery exhibits (or other departmental exhibits as may be required), and management of associated budgets, in consultation and cooperation with individual faculty and with the Chair and program coordinators. The committee is chaired by the Coordinator of Cage Gallery.
2.5.11 Unspecified/ad hoc committees are formed as necessary or as determined by the faculty or Chair.
2.6 School of Fine Arts (SFA) Committee Representatives
Appointments are made by the Chair for one academic year unless indicated otherwise. Faculty may be re-appointed to subsequent terms. SFA Committees include the following (reference SFA Governance Document Section 2.5):
2.6.1 SFA Executive Committee:
Department is represented by the Chair.
2.6.2 SFA Promotion and Tenure Committee:
Department is represented by the Chair of the Promotion and Tenure Committee and one additional tenured faculty member.
2.6.3 SFA Committee of Advisors:
Department is represented by the Chief Departmental Advisor.
2.6.4 SFA Divisional Academic Appeals Board:
Department is represented by one faculty member.
2.6.5 SFA Dean’s Advisory Committee:
Department is represented by two faculty members, one senior and one junior. Terms are for two years and are staggered in order to establish continuity.
2.6.6 SFA Academic Excellence Committee:
Department is represented by one faculty member.
2.6.7 SFA Curriculum Committee:
Department is represented by the Coordinator of Curriculum. Term is for two years.
2.6.8 SFA Committee for the Evaluation of Administrators:
Department is represented by one faculty member. Term is for four years.
2.6.9 SFA Student Advisory Committee:
Department is represented by two students from each department, one graduate and one undergraduate, each with at least one year’s standing as a Miami University student.
2.6.10 SFA Student Recruitment and Admissions Committee:
Department is represented by the Coordinator of Admissions and Scholarships.
2.6.11 SFA Graduate Committee:
Department is represented by the Director of Graduate Studies.
2.6.12 SFA Technology Committee:
Department is represented by one faculty member (usually the Coordinator of Computer Studies).
2.6.13 SFA Diversity and Outreach Committee:
Department is represented by one faculty member.
2.6.14 SFA International Education Committee:
Department is represented by the Coordinator of Off-Campus Programs.
2.6.15 Unspecified committee appointments as determined by the SFA.
2.7 Representative to University Senate:
One faculty representative to University Senate is elected by a majority vote of the quasi-departmental unit of Architecture and Interior Design, and Theatre, in alternating terms. The two departments of the quasi-departmental unit have agreed to alternate terms of three years unless one department yields its term to the other.
2.8 Student Organizations
2.8.1 Student Advisory Council (SAC): (14) Student representatives are selected as follows:
(2) from the first-year
(2) from the second-year ARC class and (1) from the second-year ID class
(2) from the third-year ARC class and (1) from the third-year ID class
(2) from the fourth-year ARC class and (1) from the fourth-year ID class
(3) from the graduate program (one from each year)
Faculty advisors to the SAC include the Chair and other faculty representatives as interested.
2.8.2 American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)
2.8.3 International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Student Chapter
2.8.4 Unspecified student organizations.
2.9 Faculty Meetings
2.9.1 Format:
Meetings are typically held bi-weekly, but no less frequently than monthly, and are scheduled by the Chair. Meetings may also be called at the request of three voting members. Meeting dates and times should be made available at least one week in advance and are ideally set at the beginning of each semester. The Chair shall prepare an agenda in advance of each meeting, and agenda items can be added by faculty. The Chair is further responsible for making sure that meeting minutes are kept, recorded, and promptly distributed. Procedures and conduct of faculty meetings are informal except when need for precision and definitiveness of decision requires adherence to Robert’s Rules of Order. The Chair may appoint a parliamentarian to assist in the conduct of meetings.
2.9.2 Voting:
A quorum to conduct business and make decisions is 50% of the voting members of the department. Voting members include:
• All full-time tenured, tenure-track, and visiting members of the faculty holding the rank of Instructor or above. When voting relates to personnel decisions, or at the discretion of the permanent faculty, only full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty will vote.
• All continuing members of the faculty who have greater than a half-time appointment.
• All full-time unclassified staff in the department.
There is no proxy voting; only those eligible and present at a meeting may vote. Voting is normally open but can be made secret upon a vote of those present and eligible to vote. Unless otherwise stated in this document, a simple majority is needed for passage of a motion. (Note that specific committees (e.g. Promotion and Tenure) may exhibit more restrictive voting requirements. See Section 7.5.4.)17
3. Issues of Faculty Employment and Relationships
3.1 Alignment of department with university procedure and MUPIM
All policies described herein related to Faculty Employment and Relationships are to be in conformance with the Miami University Policy and Information Manual (MUPIM). Where discrepancies may occur, information contained in MUPIM shall prevail.
3.2 Student Complaints about the Quality of Instruction/Academic Grievances
A student has the right to question a grade he or she received and/or to charge an instructor with a violation of the Statement of Good Teaching Practices as outlined in the Student Handbook, Section 1.7.A. These are serious matters and deserve careful consideration. Complaints may be handled via an informal process or through a formal grievance review, as described below, and in accordance with the Student Handbook, Section 1.7.B. A grievance must be filed before 5 p.m. Friday of the eleventh week of the fall or spring semester that follows the term in which the alleged violation occurred.
3.3 Informal Resolution
3.3. 1A student is encouraged to first confer with the instructor and seek a resolution.
3.3.2 If the student is unwilling to confer with the instructor or after conferring is unable to resolve a difficulty to the student’s satisfaction, the student may file a written complaint with the Chair. The student must submit to the Chair a written, dated, and signed complaint stating the name of the instructor, the course, a precise description of the nature of the complaint including, as appropriate, the provision(s) of the Good Teaching Practices alleged to have been violated, a brief description of the incident(s) giving rise to the complaint, any supporting documents, and the remedy requested.
3.3.3 If the Chair is the instructor the complaint should be filed with the Chief Departmental Advisor within the major.
3.3.4 Anonymous or unsigned complaints will be disregarded and destroyed. Written complaints will be filed in the departmental student complaint file.
3.3.5 Upon receipt of a complaint, the Chair will share the complaint with the instructor and give the instructor an opportunity to submit a written response to the complaint or explain the circumstances as viewed by the instructor. If submitted, the instructor’s written response is also to be placed in the departmental student complaint file.
3.3.6 The Chair may then proceed to attempt to resolve the complaint. The student who files a complaint is entitled to a copy of the instructor’s response and to know what actions were taken by the Chair in response to his or her complaint.
3.4 Formal Grievance
3.4.1 In the event the student elects not to pursue an informal resolution, is not satisfied with the Chair’s informal resolution, or the Chair determines that he or she is unable to resolve the matter informally, a formal grievance may be filed challenging a grade and/or charging an instructor with a violation of Good Teaching Practices.
3.4.2 The written complaint and any written response from the instructor submitted as part of the informal resolution process form the basis for the grievance. If the informal resolution process has not been engaged, the student must submit to the Chair a written, dated and signed complaint stating the name of the instructor, the course, a precise description of the nature of the complaint including, as appropriate, the provision(s) of the Good Teaching Practices alleged to have been violated, a brief description of the incident(s) giving rise to the grievance, any supporting documents, and the remedy requested. The instructor may elect to submit a written response.
3.4.3 The Chair shall appoint a Committee of faculty members (at least three) to hear the grievance and name one of its members as chair. The Chair will provide the grievance committee with copies of the student’s complaint and the instructor’s response.
3.4.4 Each party shall have the right to call a reasonable number of witnesses to support his or her position. Witnesses shall be present only when their testimony is being given. Each party may bring an advisor to the proceedings. However, representation by legal counsel is not permitted. Both the student and the instructor shall have the right to question each other and inquire into any testimony given at the hearing. The Committee may receive any information it believes will be helpful.
3.4.5 Within seven (7) calendar days after the close of the hearing in the matter, the Hearing Committee shall present its recommendations in writing to the Chair, the student, and the instructor.
3.4.6 If the student asks only for a grade review, the review of the grade will be handled within the department and may not be appealed. Although a grade change may be recommended by the Chair and/or by the Hearing Committee, the final decision regarding change of grade rests with the instructor.
3.4.7 A student may appeal a departmental decision on a charge of a violation of good teaching practices.
3.5 Appeal
If the student wishes to appeal the decision beyond the department level, the student must follow the procedures outlined in the Academic Grievance Policy found in the Student Handbook, Section 1.7.B. A divisional grievance committee will not adjudicate a violation of Good Teaching Practices unless the written complaint is lodged before 5 p.m. Friday of the eleventh week of the fall or spring semester that follows the term in which the alleged violation occurred.
3.6 Faculty and Unclassified Staff Grievance Procedure
[See MUPIM Section 8.1 Grievance Procedures Available To Members of the Instructional Staff]
3.6.1 Pre-Grievance Requirements
Before a grievance is initiated, the faculty member is expected to engage in constructive discussion and consultation with the individual(s) involved, in order to assure that concerns are understood, and to attempt to reach a resolution. Faculty members are also encouraged to consult as appropriate with deans, chairs, colleagues, representatives of the provost's office, or the Chair or any member of the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities for advice and counsel. The objective of such consultation is to resolve disputes and misunderstandings by clarification and conciliation, in order to avoid the need to initiate a grievance.
3.6.2 Scope of Grievance Procedure
3.6.2.a A grievance is a request for a particular decision or action; or a request for modification of, or relief from, a decision or action previously taken. The purpose of the grievance procedure is to enable members of the faculty to raise questions and concerns, to attempt to resolve differences and, where appropriate, obtain redress, in matters directly affecting an individual or group relationship with the University.
3.6.2.b A grievance must identify a particular action, inaction, or decision, and an individual or individuals within the academic division of the university believed to be responsible for it.
3.6.2.c A grievance may not be initiated where the subject matter of the proposed grievance is: an action or decision exclusively affecting one or more individuals other than the grievant, a decision or action as to which the grievant has already been afforded the right to a University level hearing, whether or not such right was exercised.
3.6.3 Submission of Written Grievance
A grievance is initiated by the submission of a written statement of the grievance to the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities via the Chair of the Committee. A grievance should be filed with the Committee only after such time as the individual has exhausted all other means of redress as specified in 3.6.1.20
4.1 Determination of Salary Increments
Each year, the Board of Trustees of the University determines an amount to be allocated for faculty and staff salary merit increases. The Provost of the University determines the distribution to the College and Schools and other units reporting to the Provost. The Dean makes a further allocation to the four departments in the School of Fine Arts. As a result, the Chair of the Department of Architecture and Interior Design learns the amount available for salary merit increases for faculty and unclassified staff. This salary pool may be supplemented with other funds to correct salary inequities or to reward special merit. In recent years, it has been the practice of the University to determine centrally all promotion related salary increases.
The Chair of the Department is responsible for determining the salary increases for each member of the department faculty and unclassified staff. Per university guidelines, raises are based solely on merit. Merit increases are further understood to be proportionate to the faculty member’s base salary; in other words, where merit is deemed to be equal, the percentage increase is equal but the dollar amount differs.
In making a determination of merit increase, the Chair will take into consideration all available performance related data, e.g. notable accomplishments during the previous year, student evaluations, faculty peer evaluations, recognition from outside the department. The Chair and each faculty and unclassified staff member should identify mutually agreeable objectives against which performance can be measured. These objectives will provide a basis for reflection and evaluation at the end of the academic year.
The faculty encourages the Department Chair to establish equitable salaries for all faculty. Faculty and unclassified staff who are dissatisfied with their salary conditions are encouraged to speak directly with the Chair of the Department.
4.2 Determination of Summer Appointments
The Department chair determines courses to be taught in the summer. Priority is given to those courses required in the Department's undergraduate and graduate curricula. Contributions to the University's summer programming and other elective courses are encouraged. Elective courses may be scheduled when there is sufficient student demand to assure full enrollment.
Summer courses must be self-supporting; i.e. they must generate tuition income adequate to cover expenses. Section 6.6 of MUPIM clarifies the eligibility of faculty for summer appointments and appointment procedures, and requires that summer session teaching be made equally available to all members of the tenured and tenure track faculty.The University does not permit the use of “guaranteed” summer session teaching as a recruiting inducement or as compensation for administrative work.It is University practice to determine summer faculty salaries as a percentage of each faculty member's annual salary (typically 3% of salary per credit hour). This percentage can be reduced as necessary to match expenses to income.
Summer workshop budgets are considered separately from summer course budgets. Workshop proposals are submitted to the Office of Lifelong Learning, but require department Chair approval. As with summer courses, workshops must generate tuition income adequate to cover expenses. The Department encourages active faculty participation in summer workshops.
Normally, unclassified staff are appointed for the full year. Therefore, separate summer appointments are not necessary. Unclassified staff can direct or participate in workshops, or teach summer courses, with the approval of the Chair and to the extent that typical job duties are not compromised.
Summer appointment of the Chair of the Department, or Chair designate, is determined by the Dean of the School of Fine Arts.
5. Rights and Responsibilities
5.1 Principles of Academic Freedom
Institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good and not to further the interest of either the individual teacher or the institution as a whole. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. (The word "teacher" as used in this document is understood to include the investigator who is attached to an academic institution without teaching duties.)
Academic freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research. Freedom in research is fundamental to the advancement of truth. Academic freedom in its teaching aspect is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the teacher in teaching and of the student to freedom in learning. It carries with it duties correlative with rights.
Tenure is a means to certain ends, specifically: (1) freedom of teaching and research and of extramural activities, and (2) a sufficient degree of economic security to make the profession attractive to men and women of ability. Freedom and economic security, hence tenure, are indispensable to the success of an institution in fulfilling its obligations to its students and to society.
No faculty member shall be obliged to make her or his non-public work available for inspection by a second party in the absence of compulsory legal process.
5.2 Statement of Good Teaching Practice
Every instructor is responsible for:
5.2.1 Informing his or her students within the first two weeks of the course of the learning objectives, content, assignments, policy on return of student work and examination procedures in each course and, within reason, abiding by those statements;
5.2.2 Specifying in writing within the first two weeks of the course the methods by which the instructor determines the final grade in the course;
5.2.3 Ensuring that all materials assigned are equally available to all students in the course;
5.2.4 Informing students of the generally accepted conclusion on the subject matter of the course when those conclusions differ from the conclusions of the instructor.
5.2.5 Giving adequate notice of major papers, projects, and examinations in the course;
5.2.6 Providing assignments to permit students to benefit from evaluative experiences during the course;
5.2.7 Being fair and impartial in evaluating all student performances, i.e., evaluating all students according to common criteria;
5.2.8 Allowing students to review papers, projects, and examinations in a timely manner after they have been evaluated;
5.2.9 Making oneself available for conferences during announced, regular office hours;
5.2.10 Treating students with courtesy and respect at all times. Courtesy and respect do not prohibit strong criticism directed at the student's academic errors and scholarly responsibilities.
5.2.11 Endeavoring to ensure that the learning environment is free from all forms of prejudice that negatively influence student learning, such as those based on age, ethnicity, gender, mental or physical impairment, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
5.2.12 Adhering to the "Class Attendance Policy" (Section 1.9.A of the Student Handbook).
5.2.13 Adhering to the "Statement on Professional Ethics" in MUPIM Section 5.3, including the following section:
As teachers, professors encourage the free pursuit of learning in students. Teachers exemplify the best scholarly standards of their disciplines. They demonstrate respect for students as individuals, and adhere to their proper roles as intellectual guides and counselors. Professors make every reasonable effort to foster honest academic conduct and to assure that their evaluations of students reflect students' true merit. Faculty members respect the confidential nature of the relationship between professor and student. They avoid any exploitation of students for their private advantage and acknowledge significant assistance from them. Professors protect their academic freedom. No faculty member shall be obliged to make the academic work of students available for inspection by any third party in the absence of compulsory legal process, without bona fide academic reasons, or without the express written consent of the student.
5.2.14 Assuming the positive obligation to confront students of suspected academic dishonesty.
5.3 Teaching Load
See section (6.2.2)
5.3.1 Normal Teaching Load.
In determination of its teaching load policy, the Department of Architecture and Interior Design values an equitable distribution of courses among its faculty, and a recognition that other administrative duties and service responsibilities, probationary status, research interests, and characteristics of specific courses may impact teaching assignments. The Department adheres to the following teaching load guidelines:
5.3.1.a The normal teaching load for full-time faculty in the Department of Architecture and Interior Design shall be one studio and one lecture/seminar each semester (or other equivalent combinations of courses), typically in the range of 15 – 18 credit hours per year. In addition to this, all full-time faculty are expected to participate as chairs and/or readers on 2-3 graduate thesis committees and in year-end studio reviews. This load of 15 – 18 credit hours per year is consistent with the Provost’s “Faculty Workload Norms” document (March 3, 2008), which specifies either a 3-3 or 3-2 yearly teaching load.
5.3.1.b The Department appreciates the flexibility of the Workload Policy. Conditions such as unusually high service loads, large lecture courses, courses with shared teaching assignments, and courses created for the first time may affect the Chair’s judgment in distributing teaching responsibilities. For faculty holding joint appointments, the Provost’s document says “workloads shall be developed jointly by the relevant department chair(s) and program director.”
5.3.1.c Faculty are expected to contribute to the instructional mission of the Department by teaching studios and support courses required in the curriculum. Typically, faculty will teach no more than one elective course per year.
5.3.1.d Teaching loads for probationary faculty are clearly spelled out in “Faculty Workload Norms,” and include a course release in one’s first and second year respectively as well as the expectation that faculty will apply for and be granted an Assigned Research Leave during the probationary period (see Sections 5.5 and 5.6). Probationary faculty members should not be burdened with the creation of multiple new courses, unless it is in the interest of the faculty member to do so and in consultation with the Chair.
5.3.1.e Faculty with administrative or significant service assignments may be granted a course release at the discretion of the Chair (typically one course per year). At a minimum, all faculty are expected to teach 12 credit hours per year.
5.3.1.f Historically, the Chair’s normal teaching load has been one 3 credit hour course each semester (1-1) plus graduate thesis advising. The faculty recognizes that the Chair’s teaching load should be on par with the School of Fine Arts, determined by the Dean and shared with the faculty.
5.3.1.g The clear expectation and responsibility for all faculty is to contribute at the very highest levels of quality in the three domains of teaching, research/creative activity, and service. If a faculty member over time becomes research inactive, in consultation with the Chair he or she may elect to trade a reduced level of scholarship for additional contributions in the categories of service and/or teaching.
5.3.2 Course Releases
In addition to probationary course releases (5.3.1.d.) and administrative course releases (5.3.1.e.), other releases may be granted by the Chair on an ad hoc basis as circumstances permit, in order to support departmental, divisional, or university service, or intensive research or scholarship.
5.4 Leaves
One- or two-semester leaves are available as Faculty Improvement Leaves, or as On- or Off-Campus Assigned Research Appointments. These are awarded per the guidelines described in 5.4, 5.5, and 5.6 below. The Department further makes every effort to distribute available leaves equitably among all faculty and based on the merit of the proposal.
5.4.1 The Faculty Improvement Program, established in conformity with Section 3345.28 of the Ohio Revised Code, provides extended periods for professional growth and development. It enables faculty development away from campus and requires seven years of full-time service for eligibility.
This program is crucially important for enabling the improvement of teaching techniques, extending the frontiers of knowledge, and maintaining the vitality of individual faculty members and programs.
The terms of the program provide for release from teaching duties and other University assignments; either full compensation during one term or two-thirds compensation during two terms; the continuation of benefits based on full salary; and eligibility for salary increment and promotion.
Specifics of the program are outlined below:
5.4.1.a Application for a Faculty Improvement Leave is initiated through the department chair to the Dean, Provost, and President.
5.4.1.b In any single year, because of commitments to teaching and service as well as to faculty development, the University customarily will not authorize more than 30 Faculty Improvement Leaves.
5.4.1.c Professional leave taken as a Faculty Improvement Leave shall not normally be deemed to be in lieu of Assigned Research (assigned duty in connection with a specific research, scholarly, or creative program).
5.4.1.d A Faculty Improvement Leave ordinarily does not involve additional funding for a department. A request for Faculty Improvement Leave must indicate how the department will cover the load of the staff member applying for the leave. In rare instances when extreme hardship would result in a department if a Faculty Improvement Leave were granted, funds may be authorized by the Provost or dean to hire replacement staff.
5.4.1.e All full-time, tenured members of the instructional staff with teaching loads who have served at least seven years in any rank in full-time service are eligible for a Faculty Improvement Leave. Faculty Improvement Leaves are granted on the basis of the contribution that the appointee will make to the Profession or University upon returning to normal assignment. Years of service are crucial for determining eligibility but are not a major factor in discriminating among aspiring candidates.
5.4.1.f An individual may not receive a second (or "the next") Faculty Improvement Leave until seven years have elapsed from the end of the previous Leave.
5.4.1.g A request for a Faculty Improvement Leave should detail the activities proposed for the year or the term and indicate their significance for the mission of the University. They may relate to professional growth, disciplinary research, a research project dealing with the effectiveness of various instructional methods, or teaching development.
5.4.1.h Persons receiving a Faculty Improvement Leave are obligated to remain at Miami during the ensuing academic year and to make a full report of the results of the assignment to the department, chair, dean, and Provost within 90 days of the completion of the Leave. If an individual chooses not to return to Miami during the ensuing academic year, he or she is expected to refund compensation equal to that received during the Faculty Improvement Leave.
5.4.1.i Recipients of Faculty Improvement Leaves may receive money for approved study or research or other activities expressly related to the purpose of the leave without prejudice to their receipt of income from Miami, provided that the total remuneration from all sources does not exceed the recipient's annual Miami University salary.
5.4.1.j In addition to salary, special arrangements may be made for grants to defray travel and similar coincidental expenses. These arrangements must, however, be approved in advance of the leave.
5.4.1.k Applications for a Faculty Improvement Leave should be submitted to the Chair by October 15 in order to be received in the Office of the Dean by November 1 and in the Office of the Provost by December 1, of the academic year preceding the leave period if one is to receive most favorable consideration.
5.4.1.l Questions regarding the program and its guidelines should be addressed to the Office of the Dean or the Office of the Provost.
5.5 Assigned Research Appointments - On-Campus
An Assigned Research Appointment provides for disciplinary and pedagogical research by releasing a faculty member from teaching for one semester. It assumes that the appointee will continue University assignments other than classroom teaching and therefore requires the appointee's presence on campus.
The terms of the program provide for release from teaching, full salary, the continuation of benefits based on full salary, and eligibility for salary increment and promotion.
The program is crucially important for extending the frontiers of knowledge. Specifics of it are outlined below:
5.5.a An application for Assigned Research Appointment - On-Campus is initiated by the faculty member with the department Chair who forwards it to the Dean, Provost, and the President. Final approval must be given by the President. The number of such appointments that can be approved in any given semester will depend in part upon the ability of the department in question and the University to meet all their obligations.
5.5.bA reduced load for Assigned Research shall not normally be deemed to affect the eligibility of an individual member under the University's Faculty Improvement Program.
5.5.cThe appointment of a faculty member to Assigned Research ordinarily does not involve additional funding for a department. The application must indicate how the department will cover the load of the faculty member.
5.5.dMembers of the instructional staff in a tenured or tenure-eligible position are eligible for Assigned Research. Criteria for successful Assigned Research proposals may include but are not restricted to (a) the significance, originality, and feasibility of the project, (b) the soundness of the methodology proposed, (c) evidence that the proposer has taken into account the relevant existing work, and (d) the record of the proposer's scholarly or creative accomplishment.
5.5.e Persons receiving an appointment for Assigned Research are obligated to remain at Miami during the ensuing academic year and to make a full report of the results of the assignment to the chair, dean, and Provost within 90 days of the completion of the assignment. If an individual chooses not to return to Miami University during the ensuing academic year, he or she is expected to refund compensation equal to that received for Assigned Research.
5.5.f Anyone on Assigned Research Appointment will devote full time to the specific project and therefore will not be engaged in other activities for which remuneration is awarded (except as permitted when teaching full time and with appropriate approval).
5.5.g Applications for appointment to Assigned Research should be received by the Chair by October 15, in the Office of the Dean by November 1, and in the Office of the Provost by December 1, of the academic year preceding the leave period if one is to receive most favorable consideration.
5.5.h Questions regarding the program policy and guidelines should be addressed to the Office of the Dean and the Office of the Provost.
5.6 Assigned Research Appointment - Off-Campus
An Assigned Research Appointment - Off Campus permits an individual to spend a semester conducting research in an off campus location when the nature of the research project makes absence from campus necessary. Normally faculty not eligible for a Faculty Improvement Leave will be awarded an Assigned Research Appointment, but in unusual circumstances - when research away from campus is essential - an Assigned Research Appointment- Off Campus will be granted.
The terms of the program provide (from grant and University sources combined) full salary, the continuation of benefits based on full salary, and eligibility for salary increment and promotion.
5.6.a An application for an Assigned Research Appointment - Off-Campus is initiated by the faculty member with the Chair who forwards it to the Dean, Provost, and the President. Final approval must be given by the President.
5.6.b Receipt of an Assigned Research Appointment - Off Campus normally will not affect the eligibility of a person for a Faculty Improvement Leave.
5.6.c The application for an Assigned Research Appointment - Off Campus must indicate how the department will cover the usual duties of the applicant during the semester of appointment, with the understanding that no additional funding for the department will be provided.
5.6.d Members of the instructional staff in a tenured or tenure-eligible position are eligible for an Assigned Research Appointment - Off Campus. Criteria for evaluating applications include, but are not restricted to, the merit of the research project and the record of the proposer's scholarly or creative accomplishment.
5.6.e Persons receiving an Assigned Research Appointment - Off Campus are obligated to remain at Miami during the ensuing academic year and to make a full report of the results of the assignment to the chair, dean, and Provost within 90 days of the completion of the assignment. If an individual chooses not to return to Miami during the ensuing year, he or she is expected to refund compensation equal to that received from the University for the Assigned Research Appointment - Off Campus.
5.6.f Anyone on an Assigned Research Appointment - Off Campus will devote full time to the research project and therefore will not be engaged in other activities for which remuneration is awarded.
5.6.g Applications for an Assigned Research Appointment - Off Campus should be received by the Chair by October 15, in the Office of the Dean by November 1, and in the Office of the Provost by December 1, of the academic year preceding the leave period if one is to receive most favorable consideration.
5.6.h Questions regarding the program and its guidelines should be addressed to the Office of the Dean and the Office of the Provost.
5.7 Office Hours
Every member of the instructional staff is expected to establish and maintain regular office contact hours at convenient times each week in order that she or he may be readily available to students and other staff members and will strive to be available at other times by appointment as well as by e-mail. Faculty are encouraged to add Tuesday or Thursday contact hours for the convenience of students who cannot make Monday-Wednesday-Friday hours. Office hours must be stated on the course syllabus, announced to students in the staff member's classes near the beginning of each term, posted on the office door and reported to the department administration (who will keep a schedule posted for each faculty member each semester.)
5.8 Advising
All members of the full-time instructional staff serve as academic advisers to students who are assigned them by the department. Students usually remain with their adviser throughout their undergraduate career so long as they continue a major within the division and department of the adviser.
Besides advising students on immediate academic problems and long-term academic programs, advisers also discuss with them the vocational and career opportunities and opportunities for graduate study in the field of their major, as well as the scholarships and fellowships available to them. In addition, faculty advisors should be proactive in identifying students’ need for counseling on any of a variety of personal issues, and should refer students to university support units when advisable.
Advising also comprises regular service on graduate thesis committees as a reader or chair. (See 5.3.1.a.)
5.9 Ownership of Student Work.
[See MUPIM 15.6.B]
The right of ownership by a faculty member, staff member, or student to his or her own writings, productions, art, videotapes, computer programs, or other works is recognized by the University. Thus, the individual generally is vested with the copyright privilege and receives all royalties which result.
There are exceptions to this general rule, however, and the University will claim ownership:
• If called for in an external grant or contract, or specified in the terms of a gift, under which the
copyrightable material was produced.
• If the faculty member, staff member, or student creates a copyrightable work in the course of performing
an explicit University assignment or commission to create such a work.
Situations also may arise in which faculty, staff, or students wish to include in copyrighted commercial products materials generated by Miami University support services. In such cases, in return for unrestricted outside use of the material, the University is entitled to seek reimbursement for development and production costs. The amount of possible reimbursement shall be reasonable and come from, and not exceed a portion of, royalties available to the faculty member.
5.10 Student Responsibilities
Students are responsible for attending all classes and completing all assigned work and taking tests at designated times as outlined in the Student Handbook.
5.11 Studio, Classroom, and Facilities Conduct
The Department of Architecture and Interior Design recognizes that the studio is a principal learning environment for our majors and that studio activity occurs outside of structured classroom time. We therefore strongly value and promote a supportive studio culture as described in this section. The department further recognizes the interdependency of all studio and other course offerings and promotes open and proactive dialogue between the various disciplines represented by these courses, thus modeling a collaborative environment for students.
In conjunction with requirements of the National Architectural Accreditation Board (NAAB), the department adopts the following Studio Culture Policy Statement:
5.11.a. Framework
The studio experience is a time of intense individual and collective effort, resulting in much self-scrutiny. It consists of a pedagogy and language of expression that are radically different from conventional classroom settings. It requires a set of skills not always anticipated by beginning students, including time management, research, teamwork, and clarity of written and verbal presentation.
The design studio is a rich learning environment, a voyage of discovery and growth where discrete disciplines are synthesized in the design process. The Department of Architecture and Interior Design at Miami University emphasizes a studio atmosphere where students take the initiative in learning with instructors. A departmental focus on student/professor interaction is achieved through an appropriate student to instructor ratio. This fosters strong communication during designated studio hours but also allows for interaction throughout the academic week. Critique is encouraged from both faculty and fellow students to create the most helpful instances for learning.
In order to foster successful learning experiences among students and faculty alike, an atmosphere of respect, clear communication, and understanding is necessary. To establish these goals the studio experience should embrace the following four core principles: responsibility, academic awareness, personal exploration and growth, and community.
5.11.a.1 Responsibility
An accredited professional degree in architecture must operate according to a clear set of standards. It is assumed that students and their professors will attend studio regularly and on time; that any anticipated absences or delays be communicated in advance whenever possible; that the work environment be respectful in terms of noise level and cleanliness; that studio time be used for studio work; that posted materials relate to studio projects; and that spoken and written language is fully respectful of each individual’s integrity. Students shall receive a written syllabus for each studio setting forth a schedule, bibliography/resource list, explanation of grading criteria, and professor’s office hours and contact information. Work shall be completed on time and meet established presentation requirements. Reviews will be conducted in an atmosphere of civility.
5.11.a.2 Academic Awareness
The design studio plays a crucial role in student learning in architectural education. The expectations for studio will consume much of the student’s time, but it is necessary to emphasize the importance of other academic responsibilities and course requirements. Studio schedules should not interfere with other classroom obligations as much as possible. Therefore, studio reviews should be correlated with due dates in other courses to avoid the kind of congestion that leads students to cut classes or hand work in late. Studio faculty should schedule field trips and other special events during studio time. If the nature of the event requires a student to miss all or part of another class, the studio instructor should clear this with the other teacher so students are not placed in a difficult position.
5.11.a.3 Personal Exploration and Growth
The Department of Architecture and Interior Design encourages students to participate in leadership opportunities through both architectural and university-wide activities. By engaging in experiences inside and outside of the department, students are able to explore values and identity and to understand how these influence their personal perspectives creating opportunities for better design understanding.
5.11.a.4 Community
It is essential studio members work to create an atmosphere of community which strives for inclusivity by respecting gender, race, sexual orientation, and other aspects constitutive of people’s identities. The Department of Architecture and Interior Design encourages students and faculty alike to respect members of the respective majors and programs. Studio members prize shared efforts and mutual support in the task at hand. This entails meeting expectations for team projects, helping each other learn new skills, and sharing resources. At the same time, it means recognizing that we all have other concerns in our lives – family, job, health, etc. – and being understanding and supportive of this reality. A healthy balance between these two spheres will enhance student learning and the studio environment. Workloads and due dates can be demanding but should not be unrealistic. While “all-nighters” may sometimes be unavoidable, the Department strives to create a culture that does not accept them as a given. It is essential, for example, that students get the amount of sleep they need to function safely and productively. Mostly it means establishing a culture of generosity that will help ensure that our time at Miami University is one within a positive atmosphere that produces collective success.
6. Employment of the Instructional Staff
6.1 Search and Appointment Procedures
6.1.1 General
The Office of the Provost has established search procedures for recruiting and appointing tenured and tenure-eligible faculty, lecturers, and clinical/professionally licensed instructional staff. All faculty and staff are responsible for compliance with all of the following search procedures (MUPIM Section 6).
6.1.2 Selection Requirements
6.1.2.a A Position Announcement Authorization (PAA), completed in its entirety, must be submitted when seeking approval to fill a vacant or new position. Essential responsibilities, the date application screening will begin, and the required and desired qualifications must be specified separately. The PAA must be forwarded to Academic Personnel Services with the signatures of the department chair, the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity (OEEO), and the academic dean. The Office of the Provost must approve all PAAs prior to any advertisement or job posting.
6.1.2.b When a search committee is to be used, it must be appointed with as diverse a composition as practicable and should include gender as well as ethnic diversity, even if members are drawn from cognate departments. The Associate Vice President for Institutional Diversity must be consulted regarding composition of search committees.
6.1.2.c The entire search committee or department chair (if there is no search committee) must meet with the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity to review and obtain OEEO approval of:
•the recruitment plan, which shall be designed to attract a highly qualified and diverse pool of applicants;
•the advertisement;
•the selection process, including any ratings instruments; and the applicant data collection process.
This meeting should take place during the first meeting of the search committee. Upon OEEO approval, the recruitment plan and advertisement are then forwarded with the PAA for approval by the academic dean.
6.1.2.d All advertisements must include the date that screening of applicants will begin and the position’s responsibilities and required qualifications as specified in the Position Announcement Authorization and according to University requirements.
6.1.2.e Prior to the selection of candidates for interview, it is the responsibility of the search committee chair or department chair (if there is no search committee) to obtain from OEEO an Applicant Flow Data Report indicating the composition of the pool of applicants. OEEO must approve the composition of the applicant pool before candidates are invited to interview. If OEEO finds the candidate pool to be unacceptable, OEEO in consultation with the Office of the Provost will make a determination whether to conduct additional recruitment or to close the search.
6.1.2.f After receipt of the approved Applicant Flow Data Report, candidates selected for inclusion in the final interview pool must be approved by the academic dean and the Office of the Provost before being invited to campus to interview.
6.1.2.g Once interviews have been completed, reference checks have been conducted, and a candidate is identified for final consideration, the department must complete an Employment Recommendation form. A hiring department may not recommend an applicant who does not meet the required qualifications for the position. The Employment Recommendation form, the original letter of application, the candidate’s vita, and copies of any correspondence that include desired terms of employment, e.g., chair’s letters, must be sent to Academic Personnel Services. This package is submitted by Academic Personnel Services to the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity for hiring approval. Academic Personnel Services will issue a letter of offer after approval from the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity and the Provost and with receipt of an acceptable background check.
6.1.2.h The department does not have appointing authority. Only the President and Provost have appointing authority. A letter of offer may be sent to the candidate by Academic Personnel Services only after approval by the Provost.
6.1.2.i Records, written or electronic, of the recruitment and selection process must be kept by the hiring department for six years. Records maintained should include information on advertising, recruitment letters, telephone calls or other contacts, interview notes, applications received, letters of appointment or rejection, ratings instruments, and specific steps taken to recruit women and minorities.
6.2 Contract of Employment
6.2.1 General
No contract of employment for more than one (1) year between any member of the instructional staff and the University is valid. Notwithstanding this fact, the principle of tenure shall be observed as an act of good faith on the part of the University. Financial exigency procedures are described in Section 9.5 of this manual. At the same time, it must be recognized by all concerned that changes in status or compensation may become necessary at any time because of reduction in financial support of the University. Under these circumstances, the President shall make a full explanation to the members of the instructional staff and the action of the Board must necessarily be final and not subject to the procedures described in other sections of this manual.
6.2.2 Duties of the Instructional Staff
6.2.2.a Duties of the instructional staff include, in addition to classroom teaching, many other components such as research, student advising and counseling, professional and institutional service, and committee assignments. Full-time members of the faculty are expected to attend all meetings of Faculty Assembly.
6.2.2.b The regular academic year, herein defined as the fall and spring semesters, begins one week prior to the beginning of classes in the fall and ends the day of Commencement Exercises in May. For purposes of interpreting the individual terms, the fall semester begins one week prior to the beginning of classes and ends the last day of December final exams. The spring semester begins with the first day of classes in January and ends the day of Commencement Exercises in May.
6.2.2.c Any major change or reassignment of duties of a member of the instructional staff shall include adequate notice, explanation, consultation, a sincere effort to find a mutually agreeable conclusion, and the right of appropriate appeal up to and including the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities and the President.
7. Evaluation, Promotion, and Tenure of the Instructional Staff
(See MUPIM Section 7.0, Appendix A – Teaching Evaluation Plan, and Appendix B – Tenure Guidelines)
The Faculty of the Department of Architecture and Interior Design believe that a strong educational environment will result from a successful merger of individual faculty goals, department goals and programs, and University policy for effective faculty service in the areas of teaching effectiveness, creative activity/research, and service.
Each faculty member has the responsibility of:
• formulating his/her own teaching, research and service goals,
• continually evaluating and improving his/her teaching effectiveness,
• informing colleagues of his/her current research, creative efforts and service to the University and the profession.
The Faculty have the responsibility of:
• identifying department goals and developing corresponding programs,
• defining university criteria for tenure and promotion in terms of departmental appropriateness,
• maintaining a current knowledge of each faculty member with respect to teaching effectiveness, professional development and research,
• assisting individual faculty in their evaluation of their own work, and
• evaluating each candidate for promotion or tenure with respect to the appropriate Department criteria.
The balance between an individual faculty member's direction setting and self-evaluation, and the collective faculty's responsibility for departmental direction and effectiveness is of prime importance. The Chair shall advise the individual about concerns about this balance informally and in the annual letter of evaluation.
7.1 Evaluation of Members of the Instructional Staff
7.1.a Frequency and Purpose of Evaluation
Each tenured and probationary member of the instructional staff shall receive at a minimum a written annual evaluation based at least in part on data supplied by the person in his or her Annual Report of Professional Activities. Evaluations shall serve two functions: (1) to guide the professional development of the person, and (2) to record part of the evidence upon which personnel decisions and salary recommendations shall be based. Accordingly, each annual evaluation should include strengths, weaknesses, and specific recommendations for improvement. Additional assessments may be conducted if deemed desirable by the chair or the program director (when appropriate).
7.1.b Annual Report of Professional Activities
Each tenured and probationary member of the instructional staff shall submit to the chair or program director (when appropriate) a written Annual Report of Professional Activities that shall include information on publications, teaching responsibilities, committee assignments, public service, and other professional activities. Faculty are encouraged to submit annual reports conforming to the tenure dossier format, highlighting those activities completed during the academic year.
7.1.c Annual Evaluation of Tenured Members of the Instructional Staff
Department chairs shall prepare written evaluations and salary recommendations for all instructional staff. Where tenured members of the instructional staff hold joint appointments, their evaluations and salary recommendations are the shared responsibility of the appropriate chairs, program directors, coordinators, and deans.
7.1.d Annual Evaluation of Probationary Members of the Instructional Staff
The policy for the annual evaluation of probationary members of the instructional staff is outlined in Section 7.5. Probationary members of the instructional staff shall receive a written explanation of the chair’s annual salary recommendation.
7.1.e Formative Promotion Evaluations
In addition to the annual evaluation, all tenured members of the instructional staff in a promotable rank may request a formative promotion evaluation once per academic year. Upon the person’s request, the evaluation shall be prepared by the department’s promotion committee and by the chair (or only by the former if the chair is being evaluated) or program director (when appropriate). These evaluations shall be based on (1) cumulative information provided by the person concerning his or her teaching, research, and service, and (2) may include other relevant information. At the person’s discretion, the information provided may include his or her plans concerning teaching, research, and service that may help the promotion committee and chair or program director (when appropriate) provide useful guidance. Formative promotion evaluations are to guide the person toward promotion and are not to be used for personnel or salary decisions.
7.2 Statement on the Evaluation of Teaching
7.2.a General
Miami University stresses the importance of high-quality teaching and its impact on student learning and recognizes that there are differing professional views on the nature and utility of evaluation of instruction. The University also recognizes that the responsibility of demonstrating teaching effectiveness rests with the faculty and the department.
Teaching is a complex and multi-faceted process, requiring multiple approaches to measurement which extend beyond student evaluations of teaching. Much of the richness of information is not necessarily quantifiable, but relies instead on qualitative information.
7.2.b Teaching Evaluation Plan (See Appendix A).
7.3 Tenure and Promotion
7.3.a Purpose of Tenure and Promotion
The best faculty members combine intense intellectual curiosity with a talent for high-quality teaching, active prosecution of research, scholarly and/or creative work, and a demonstrable commitment to productive professional service. The University seeks to reward through tenure and promotion those persons who exhibit the highest standards of teaching, research, and service.
Tenure is a means of assuring academic freedom: that is, the freedom to teach, to inquire, to create, to debate, to question, and to dissent (see Section 5.1). Such activity is the essence of the search for truth and knowledge, and is primary to the University. This atmosphere is necessary as the University seeks to attract, maintain, and nurture a diverse and exceptional faculty. Promotion is a means of recognizing meritorious performance and professional accomplishment.
Each candidate for tenure and promotion is judged individually on the criteria, not relative to other candidates. Full-time members of the instructional staff serving with a rank of Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, or Senior Instructor either are tenured or are serving a prescribed probationary period. The probationary period is intended to give the individual an opportunity for professional growth and to give the University an opportunity to assess the individual’s qualifications for a continuing appointment. If a candidate demonstrates the high quality of professional performance expected by Miami, tenure will be conferred, regardless of how many other candidates may be considered in a given year. However, it is not anticipated that all individuals will be able to demonstrate the high quality of professional performance required to achieve tenure.
7.3.b Eligibility for Tenure
Tenure at Miami University is conferred by the Board of Trustees upon the positive recommendation of the President. Eligibility for tenure requires that a person:
1. serve as a full-time member of the instructional staff;
2. be engaged at least fifty percent (50%) of his or her appointment in regular teaching assignments and research, except when in the judgment of the department, the department chair, the program director (when appropriate), the divisional dean, and the Provost, an instructional staff member's responsibilities warrant the protection of tenure; and
3. have an appointment with a tenure-eligible rank.
7.3.c Eligibility for Promotion
Eligibility for promotion, unlike tenure, does not require that the person be engaged at least 50% of his or her appointment in regular teaching assignments or research, or that the person be a full time member of the instructional staff.
A person with a full-time tenure-eligible appointment who has not attained the rank of Associate Professor will be promoted to that rank upon the award of tenure. However, a person with a full-time tenure-eligible appointment may apply for promotion to Associate Professor without making a simultaneous application for tenure. No minimum time in rank is required for promotion to Professor.
7.4 Definitions
7.4.a Definition of Terms
7.4.a.1 "High-quality teaching and academic advising" is defined as meaning that the person has demonstrated the following:
• proficiency in classroom instruction through the discharge of such responsibilities as meeting scheduled classes on time; being prepared for each class; being able to present material clearly; integrating new developments in the field and new methods of instruction;
• proficiency in classroom instruction through continuing evidence of favorable teaching evaluation;
• maintenance of regularly scheduled office hours and an interest in students indicated by availability for conferences, or one-to-one contact, etc.;
• commitment to good teaching and maintenance of a continuing effort to improve teaching ability;
• participation in scholarly discussion on teaching problems;
• initiative and skill in the development and administration of teaching programs;
• satisfactory fulfillment of academic advising responsibilities
7.4.a.2 “Research, scholarly and/or creative achievement of high quality and its prospective continuation” is defined as meaning that a person has developed and formally presented through publication, performance, or other appropriate means a sustainable body of research, scholarship and/or creative work that is judged to be substantive and of high quality by others in the discipline.
7.4.a.3 "Productive Professional Service" is defined as the effective engagement in structured activities that contribute to the operation and advancement of a person’s department, division, campus, the University, scholarly and professional associations, and/or the educational enterprise. Professional service includes the use of one’s professional expertise in community, state, national or international service.
7.4.a.4 “Professional collegiality” is not personal congeniality, but rather a quality manifested, for example, by behaviors such as willingness to serve on committees and perform work necessary to departmental operation, willingness to provide guidance and help to colleagues in their professional duties, adherence to professional ethics, respect for the ideas of others, and the conduct of one's professional life without prejudice toward others.
7.4.b Senior Instructor (tenure eligible rank)
A Senior Instructor must hold a master’s degree, or the equivalent of such a degree, from an accredited college or university. Promotion to Senior Instructor may not be considered until a person has taught full time at Miami University for at least three years. This rank is used rarely and only in extraordinary situations. For promotion to this rank, a candidate must have:
• demonstrated excellence and extraordinary competence as a teacher; and
• made contributions either in scholarship or in service to the University that justify a continuing appointment
• demonstrated professional collegiality within the department, division, campuses, and University community.
7.4.c Assistant Professor (tenure eligible rank)
An Assistant Professor must hold an earned doctorate or other terminal degree, or the equivalent of such a degree, from an accredited college or university. (It is recognized that the equivalent of a doctor's degree may involve specialized training, study or experience that does not culminate in a doctorate.)
For appointment to this rank, a candidate must demonstrate:
• ability to achieve effectiveness as a teacher and academic adviser;
• ability to do research, scholarly and/or creative achievement;
• ability to perform productive professional service; and
• ability to meet standards of professional collegiality
7.4.d Associate Professor (tenure eligible rank)
An Associate Professor must hold an earned doctorate or other terminal degree, or the equivalent of such a degree, from an accredited college or university. (It is recognized that the equivalent of a doctor’s degree may involve specialized training, study, or experience that does not culminate in a doctorate.) For appointment or promotion to this rank, a candidate must demonstrate:
• high-quality teaching and academic advising;
• research, scholarly and/or creative achievement of high quality and its prospective continuation;
• productive professional service; and
• professional collegiality within the department, division, campuses, and University community
7.4.e Professor (tenure eligible rank)
Appointment or promotion to the rank of Professor at Miami University will ordinarily be recommended to the Board of Trustees only for those members of the instructional staff who will enhance the excellence of this group and the academic standard of the University.
A Professor must hold an earned doctorate or other terminal degree, or the equivalent of such a degree, from an accredited college or university. (It is recognized that the equivalent of a doctor’s degree may involve specialized training, study, or experience that does not culminate in a doctorate.) For appointment or promotion to this rank, a candidate must demonstrate excellence in the first and second criteria listed
below and must demonstrate strength in the third:
• a cumulative record of high-quality teaching and academic advising;
• a cumulative record of research, scholarly and/or creative achievement which has resulted in an established reputation within the discipline;
• performance of productive professional service
If the emphasis is to differ from that specified above, the department, the department chair, the program director (when appropriate), the dean, the Provost, and the candidate shall agree in writing upon the relative importance to be attached to each of the above criteria.
7.5 Review of Members of the Instructional Staff
7.5.a Review of Associate Professors
7.5.a.1 An associate professor may apply for promotion in any year. Candidates should consult with their department chair and/or program director(s), when appropriate, and dean before making this request.
7.5.a.2 Starting in their third year in rank and every three (3) years thereafter, associate professors must submit to their department(s) a report of professional activities that addresses the criteria for promotion to professor. The department chair, after consultation with the departmental promotion committee, will provide a letter of review of the report. The dean(s) and the Provost will also provide letters of review. These letters should be detailed enough to provide associate professors with valuable guidance for achieving promotion.
7.5.a.3 Faculty who have been in the associate professor rank for at least fifteen (15) years may opt out of the review. An opt-out will not affect prospects for promotion.
7.5.b Annual Review of Probationary Members of the Instructional Staff
7.5.b.1 Candidates for tenure and promotion are reviewed by the Tenure Committee. In Architecture and Interior Design, this committee consists of all tenured faculty members. In each year of the probationary period, the instructional staff member submits to the department a report of professional activities that addresses the tenure criteria. Subsequently, the department chair or program director (when appropriate), after consultation with the department tenure committee, prepares an annual written evaluation of the member's accomplishments; an evaluation that will provide an assessment of the member's progress toward tenure, including strengths and weaknesses and specific recommendations for improvement.
7.5.b.2 Concerns regarding professional collegiality should be shared as promptly as possible with the person whose behavior is questioned. Notice of uncollegiality must be given to that person in writing no later than his or her next annual evaluation after occurrence of the behavior considered uncollegial.
7.5.b.3 In the event the tenure committee’s evaluation differs from that of the chair, the tenure committee shall forward its evaluation to the probationer. Such evaluations are subsequently reviewed by the divisional dean, and then officially transmitted to the probationer. Whenever the dean's evaluation differs from that of the department chair or the department tenure committee, the dean must so inform the staff member, the chair, and the committee in writing, citing the basis for the judgment.
7.5.b.4 In the third year of qualifying service, the department tenure committee will also prepare a separate written evaluation of the instructional staff member's progress toward tenure, including strengths and weaknesses and specific recommendations for improvement, and share that evaluation with the probationer and the department chair. The chair will also write an evaluation of the probationer’s progress toward tenure.
7.5.b.5 The Provost reviews the evaluations in the third, fourth, and fifth years of a candidate's probationary period. Whenever the Provost’s evaluation differs from what has already been recorded, this judgment, with reasons, will be reported in writing to the candidate, the department tenure committee, the department chair, the program director (when appropriate), and the dean.
7.5.b.6 Early in the candidate’s final year of probationary service, the department tenure committee undertakes a review of his or her cumulative professional record and makes a positive or negative recommendation for tenure to the department chair. After receiving the department tenure committee’s recommendation, the department chair makes a positive or negative recommendation. The candidate’s application is then advanced to the dean, who makes a positive or negative recommendation. The University Promotion and Tenure Committee then considers all candidates who have received a positive recommendation from the department committee, the department chair, or the dean. Candidates who receive a positive recommendation from the University Promotion and Tenure Committee are advanced to the Provost for consideration. Candidates who receive the Provost’s positive recommendation are advanced to the President. Candidates receiving the positive recommendation of the President are advanced to the Board of Trustees for final action.
7.6 Tenure and Time
7.6.a Probationary Period
Unless otherwise permitted by these policies, all members of the instructional staff holding an appointment with a tenure-eligible rank ordinarily serve a probationary period of six years at Miami University. In unusual circumstances the President, upon recommendation of the department, the department chair, the dean, and the Provost, may waive the probationary period and recommend tenure for a person being appointed to the rank of Associate Professor or Professor. For a person who begins Miami service after the start of an academic year, the time counted toward the probationary period shall begin at the start of the person’s first full academic year of service.
A person is usually considered for tenure in the last year of the prescribed probationary period. Upon application by the candidate and with the permission of the department, the department chair, the dean and the Provost, candidates may choose to waive part of their probationary period and come up for tenure before the beginning of the sixth year. A person may be considered for tenure only once (except as permitted by MUPIM Section 7.9.C). A leave of one year or less will count as part of the probationary period unless the candidate, the department, the department chair, the dean, and the Provost agree in writing at the time the leave is granted to an exception to this provision.
7.6.b Credit Towards Probationary Period
7.6.b.1 At the time of hiring in a tenure-eligible position, a person may be accorded, upon agreement of the Provost, the dean, the department chair, and the department, credit toward the six-year probationary period. This credit must be noted in the original appointment letter. Normally, a person may receive up to two years’ credit toward tenure. Only in exceptional circumstances, and with the approval of the Provost, may more credit be granted. However, by mutual agreement of the department, the department chair, and the instructional staff member, and with the written approval of the dean and the Provost, this grant of credit or a portion thereof may be rescinded subsequently during the probationary period. Full-time service in a different Miami department or an earlier discontinuous period of full-time Miami service may be credited in the same way as full-time service at other institutions.
7.6.b.2 Although tenure may be conferred only upon someone in a tenure-eligible rank, up to two years for full-time Miami service in a nontenure-eligible position will be credited toward the probationary period. However, at the time of appointment to a tenure-eligible rank, by mutual agreement of the department, the department chair, the dean, the Provost, and the candidate, the candidate may waive the crediting of all or a portion of service in a nontenure-eligible position toward the probationary period.
7.6.c Stopping the Tenure Clock
7.6.c.1 A one-year extension of the probationary period will be granted by the Provost upon request of a probationary faculty member who (1) has or shares primary responsibility for the care of an infant or a newly-adopted child under age five, and who must commit substantial portions of time to this care; (2) faces similar responsibilities associated with a serious health condition of another person; or (3) has a serious health condition. This extension may be granted whether or not sick leave, personal leave, or family and medical leave has been taken. Written requests for such extensions must be made within two years of the birth, adoption, or serious health condition.
7.6.c.2 There may be other circumstances that require substantial amounts of time or produce excessive stress that would justify extending the probationary period for one year. Examples of such circumstances include (but are not limited to) the disruption of research facilities or the interruption of research for foreign teaching assignments. In such cases, the probationary faculty member may apply in writing to the Provost, who in consultation with the department tenure committee, the department chair, and the divisional dean, will determine whether such an extension should be granted. Any such request for an extension must be made within one year of the occurrence of the circumstance.
7.6.c.3 There is normally a limit of one such extension of any type during the probationary period. A person may, however, request a second extension through the Provost.
7.6.c.4 The maximum number of years of extension to the probationary period is two.
7.7 Criteria for Tenure
In order to secure and retain an exemplary faculty, the following all-University criteria, as demonstrated by suitable evidence, shall be used to make tenure recommendations:
• high-quality teaching and academic advising;
• research, scholarly and/or creative achievement of high quality and its prospective continuation;
• productive professional service; and,
• professional collegiality within the department, division, campuses, and University community.
The usual emphasis, in descending order of significance, for the above criteria shall be:
(1) high-quality teaching and academic advising, (2) a record of research, scholarly and/or creative achievement of high quality and its prospective continuation, (3) productive professional service, and (4) professional collegiality. The University places importance on both teaching and research, scholarly and/or creative achievement. Neither aspect of a candidate’s career should be neglected if tenure is to be achieved.
The criteria applied to tenure recommendations are normally the criteria in force at the time the application is considered. In cases where new specifically-stated criteria have been adopted since a candidate was first appointed to a tenure-eligible position at Miami, the candidate has the option of being judged by the criteria in force at the time of appointment.
7.8 The Tenure and Promotion Process
For the policy regarding eligibility to participate in the tenure and promotion process, see “Employment of Members of the Same Family”
7.8.a Candidate’s Preparation of Tenure and Promotion Materials
Individuals in their final probationary year and other members of the instructional staff who wish to be considered for promotion are responsible for assembling and submitting a dossier of relevant supporting materials (the application). Candidates may solicit suggestions from the department chair as to appropriate materials. The Promotion and Tenure Guidelines for Dossier Preparation are reviewed and approved each year by University Senate.
In the spring of the year prior to the candidate’s final tenure and/or promotion evaluation, the chair will develop a list of potential external reviewers, in conjunction with the candidate, the committee, and the dean. From this list, a minimum of four reviewers will be selected, from whom letters evaluating the candidate’s scholarship/creative activity will be solicited.
7.8.b Departmental Evaluation
After receiving the positive or negative recommendation of the department tenure or promotion committee, the department chair makes a positive or negative recommendation on the application to the divisional dean. The department's recommendation to the dean may be a joint report of the committee and the department chair. However, if the recommendations of the committee and the department chair differ, both are transmitted to the dean. The Promotion and Tenure Guidelines for Dossier Preparation are reviewed and approved each year by University Senate.
Note: To evaluate candidates seeking promotion to full professor, members of the promotion committee must hold the rank of full professor with tenure. To evaluate candidates seeking promotion to associate professor, members of a promotion and tenure committee must be tenured and hold the rank of associate or full professor. In the Department of Architecture and Interior Design, all faculty at appropriate rank serve on these committees.
7.8.c Divisional Evaluation
The faculty of each division may develop procedures for divisional handling of tenure and promotion matters. The dean of the division is responsible for making a positive or negative recommendation on each application for tenure or promotion. If the dean’s recommendation differs from the department chair’s or the department committee’s, the dean will discuss the case with the department chair or the committee (as appropriate) prior to the University Promotion and Tenure Committee meeting.
7.8.d University Promotion and Tenure Committee Evaluation
The Committee consists of the Provost as chair, the deans of the academic divisions, the Graduate Dean, the Dean of the Regional Campuses, and six tenured members of the instructional staff (at least one of whom is based on a regional campus) appointed by the President as members for staggered three-year terms. This committee considers all candidates who have received a positive recommendation on their application from the department committee, or the department chair, the program director (when appropriate), or the dean. The candidate’s application, the departmental or program (when appropriate) recommendation(s), and the dean’s recommendation shall all be forwarded to the University Promotion and Tenure Committee.
7.8.e Provost, President, and Board of Trustees Evaluation
Candidates who receive a positive recommendation from the University Promotion and Tenure Committee are advanced to the Provost for consideration. Candidates who receive a positive recommendation from the Provost are advanced to the President for consideration. Candidates who have the positive recommendation of the President are advanced to the Board of Trustees. Final action is taken by the Board of Trustees. If granted, tenure and/or promotion is conferred effective the next July 1 and is not specific to a given campus.
7.8.f Procedure When a Negative Tenure Recommendation is about to be Made
In the event any individual or committee is about to make a negative tenure recommendation, the annual written evaluations described in Section 7.5, Annual Review of Probationary Members of the Instructional Staff, will be reviewed by the individual or committee and appended to the candidate’s tenure application.
7.8.g Notification of Recommendation by Any Individual or Committee
A candidate who receives a positive recommendation is notified as soon as possible.
A candidate who receives a negative recommendation is notified in writing with a Statement of Reasons for the negative recommendation. This written Statement of Reasons, which becomes part of the record, must be given no later than ten (10) working days from the date the negative recommendation is made.
7.8.h Effect of Degree Completion on Promotion
No promotion is effected solely by the completion of a degree. In those cases where an individual’s appointment letter offers a rank contingent upon the completion of a degree, rank will be assigned as of the first day of the first regular academic term following award of the degree or the next July 1, whichever is earlier.
7.9 Rights of a Candidate Who Has Received a Negative Recommendation or Been Denied Tenure or Promotion
7.9.a Reconsideration
Within ten (10) working days of receipt of the written Statement of Reasons, the candidate may request, in writing, reconsideration by the individual or committee that rendered the negative recommendation. Reconsideration is on the merits of the case.
The candidate may respond, in writing, to the written Statement of Reasons prior to reconsideration. The candidate may not alter his or her application or submit new evidence. “New evidence” includes accomplishments since the submission of the application and evidence of accomplishments not included in it. The candidate’s response to the written Statement of Reasons must be submitted no later than ten (10) working days from the date of the request for reconsideration. Reconsideration shall be completed within ten (10) working days of the receipt of the candidate’s response or, if no written response is given, within twenty (20) working days of the request for reconsideration.
A candidate who receives a positive recommendation upon reconsideration is notified as soon as possible. A candidate who receives a negative recommendation upon reconsideration is notified, in writing, with a Statement of Reasons for the negative recommendation. This written Statement of Reasons must be given no later than ten (10) working days from the date the negative recommendation is made.
The original application, written Statement of Reasons for the negative recommendation, request for reconsideration, candidate’s response to the written Statement of Reasons, and recommendation upon reconsideration, including the written Statement of Reasons, if any, become part of the record.
7.9.b Appeal of Denials
Any candidate whose application for tenure or promotion has been denied has the right to appeal to the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities and, subsequently, to the President under MUPIM Sections 8.1.E and 8.1.H. The basis for the appeal must be an alleged procedural error or inequitable treatment. The candidate must appeal, in writing, to the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities within fifteen (15) working days of the last date of the consideration or reconsideration that resulted in the denial of the candidate’s application for tenure or promotion. The written notice of appeal shall state the basis for the appeal and shall be addressed to the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities and delivered to the Office of the University Secretary.
Appeals will be heard by the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities under one of the options described in the second paragraph of Section 8.1.E. The decision of the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities may be appealed to the President under Section 8.1.H. The provisions of Sections 8.1.F, G, and J apply to all appeals of tenure or promotion denials.
The Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities does not make a judgment on the merits of a candidate’s performance, except insofar as a judgment may be implied in a finding of inequitable treatment. Thus, the Committee will not make any findings about the ultimate viability of a candidate’s application for tenure or promotion.
Appeals may also be based on allegations of discrimination, in which case they are covered by the University’s Policy Prohibiting Harassment and Discrimination (Section 3). The basis for such an appeal would be discrimination based on sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, military status, or veteran status. Appeals alleging discrimination should be presented, in writing, to the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity. Candidates are urged to file such appeals within fifteen (15) working days of the last date of the consideration or reconsideration that resulted in the denial of the candidate’s application for tenure or promotion; such appeals must be filed with the OEEO within three hundred (300) calendar days. When appeals based on discrimination in the tenure or promotion process are filed, there shall be coordination, as appropriate, among the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity, the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities, and the Office of the Provost.
7.9.c Presidential Directive that Tenure Be Considered the Following Year
In unusual circumstances, the President may direct that a candidate who has failed to achieve tenure be considered during the following academic year. In the event such consideration is directed, a previous positive recommendation for tenure by a committee or individual can be reversed by the committee or individual only on the basis of a deteriorating performance or the discovery of evidence not previously available as it relates to the criteria applicable at the time the original tenure recommendation was made.
7.9.d Deadlines
The deadlines specified in Sections 7.9.a and 7.9.b may be extended by the Provost. The running of any time period specified in these procedures will be suspended during Thanksgiving Recess, Winter Recess, Spring Recess, and the interval between the end of final examinations for spring semester and the date on which faculty are required to report for the ensuing Fall Semester.
7.10 Failure to Attain Tenure
If a probationary faculty member is not granted tenure during the final year of the probationary period, his or her Miami service will be terminated no later than the end of the following academic year. Reconsideration and appeal procedures do not extend the date of termination of employment.
7.11 Nontenure Eligible Instructional Staff Positions
Appointments to nontenure-eligible instructional staff positions are made on an academic year basis. A person in a nontenure-eligible instructional staff position is eligible to receive, but not entitled to expect, renewal of appointment. No person shall serve more than five (5) years in a full-time, nontenure-eligible instructional staff position except for those appointed as Lecturers or as Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty. Appointments to nontenure-eligible instructional staff positions are subject to renewal at the will of Miami University. Persons whose appointments are not being renewed are entitled to notice of nonrenewal on or before February 1.
7.11.a Instructor
An Instructor must:
1. hold a master's degree from an accredited college or university or the equivalent thereof, or a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with specialized training or experience beyond the bachelor's degree sufficient to qualify for a specialized teaching assignment; and
2. have evident ability or promise as a teacher.
Instructors are eligible to receive, but not entitled to expect, annual reappointment not to exceed five (5) years.
7.11.b Visiting Professor, Visiting Associate Professor, Visiting Assistant Professor
These titles are used for members of the instructional staff appointed to conduct instructional work for which they are especially qualified. Visitors are eligible to receive, but not entitled to expect, annual reappointment not to exceed five (5) years.
7.11.c Lecturer
A Lecturer must:
1. hold a master’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university or the equivalent thereof; and
2. have documented superior teaching ability or extraordinary experience, talent, or abilities deemed critical to fulfilling the mission of the department or program; and
3. be full time.
The following additional expectations and conditions apply to the rank of Lecturer:
4. The rank of Lecturer carries with it the requirement of teaching and advising as well as institutional and professional service.
5. Lecturers, by virtue of the prospect that they may be associated with departments/programs for extended periods of time, should be as fully enfranchised as possible in the day-to-day life of the departments/programs with which they are affiliated.
6. Lecturers shall receive annual performance reviews.
7. In addition to the annual evaluation, all lecturers may request a formative promotion evaluation once per academic year. Upon the person’s request, the evaluation shall be prepared by the department’s promotion committee and by the chair. These evaluations shall be based on (1) cumulative information provided by the person concerning his or her teaching and service, and (2) may include other relevant information. At the person’s discretion, the information provided may include his or her plans concerning teaching and service that may help the promotion committee and chair or program director (when appropriate) provide useful guidance. Formative promotion evaluations are to guide the person toward promotion and are not to be used for personnel or salary decisions.
8. In the event the nonrenewal of a Lecturer is under consideration, the department chair or program director (when appropriate) must first consult formally with the faculty consistent with the governance procedures of the department or program (when appropriate).
9. The initiative for establishing a Lecturer position in a department/program should ordinarily originate in the department/program.
10. The number of Lecturer positions shall be limited in each of the schools, the College, and the individual regional campuses to a maximum of five (5) percent of the total number of full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty members.
Appointment to the position of Lecturer requires either: (a) the approval of the Provost upon the positive evaluation and recommendation of the department chair and dean for a person holding a nontenure-eligible instructional staff position at Miami University; or (b) a competitive search.
7.11.d Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty
A Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty must:
1. hold a master’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university or the equivalent thereof; and
2. have documented superior teaching ability or extraordinary experience, appropriate educational background, and significant professional experience including a professional license or professional certificate/degree; and
3. be full time.
The following additional expectations and conditions apply to the rank of Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty:
4. The rank of Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty carries with it the requirement of teaching and institutional service as well as the requirement to remain active professionally for accreditation purpose.
5. Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty, by virtue of the prospect that they may be associated with departments or programs for extended periods of time, should be as fully enfranchised as possible in the day-to-day life of the departments or programs with which they are affiliated.
6. Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty shall receive annual performance reviews.
7. In addition to the annual evaluation, all clinical/professionally licensed faculty may request a formative promotion evaluation once per academic year. Upon the person’s request, the evaluation shall be prepared by the department’s promotion committee and by the chair and/or program director (when appropriate). These evaluations shall be based on (1) cumulative information provided by the person concerning his or her teaching and service, and (2) may include other relevant information. At the person’s discretion, the information provided may include his or her plans concerning teaching and service that may help the promotion committee and chair or program director (when appropriate) provide useful guidance. Formative promotion evaluations are to guide the person toward promotion and are not to be used for personnel or salary decisions.
8. In the event the nonrenewal of a Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty is under consideration, the department chair or program director (when appropriate) must first consult formally with the faculty consistent with the governance procedures of the department or program.
9. The initiative for establishing the Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty position in a department or program should ordinarily originate in the department or program.
10. The number of Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty positions should not exceed a maximum of five (5) percent of the total number of full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty members.
Appointment to the position of Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty requires either: (a) the approval of the Provost upon the positive evaluation and recommendation of the department chair and dean for a person holding a nontenure-eligible instructional staff position at Miami University; or (b) a competitive search.
7.11.e Senior Lecturers and Senior Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty
1. Lecturers and Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty may be promoted to Senior Lecturer and Senior Clinical/Professionally Licensed Faculty after five (5) years in rank.
2. To be promoted, faculty need to be nominated by the chair/program director (when appropriate) for:
• exceptional performance in teaching, pedagogical and curricular innovation; and professional growth; and
•exceptional performance in productive service; and
•collegiality
3. The nominated faculty shall prepare a dossier to be evaluated by promotion committees at the department level, the chair and/or program director (when appropriate), the academic dean, the Dean of the Regional Campuses, when appropriate, and the Provost.
4. Senior Lecturers and Senior Clinical/Professionally Licensed faculty will count toward the limit in those categories set in MUPIM 7.11.C and 7.11.D
7.11.f Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Adjunct Instructor
Professionals who volunteer to provide instructional staff services without pay on a part-time basis may be appointed with the rank of Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor, Adjunct Assistant Professor or Adjunct Instructor. The person must (1) bring professional distinction to the department and to the division of appointment; (2) must have demonstrated specialized competence which would enrich both students and faculty in the department or program of appointment; and (3) be available to share his or her research, teaching, and consultative competence with the University community. A person with an adjunct rank may occasionally be paid for teaching a course, but such a role is neither expected nor ordinary. An adjunct rank will be granted only on request of departmental faculty and approved by the chair, the program director (when appropriate), the dean, and the Provost. Appointments may be terminated at the will of the professor or the University.
In upgrading the adjunct rank of a person, the regular promotion process is not applicable. Upon request of the department, and with the approval of the chair, the dean, and the Provost, an adjunct rank may be upgraded.
7.12 Affiliate
Faculty holding rank in one department may be considered for appointment to the additional title of Affiliate in another department or interdepartmental program. The Affiliate title is ordinarily used to recognize specific contributions on the part of the faculty member in teaching, and/or research, and/or service to a second department or interdepartmental program. The nomination for an Affiliate title can be initiated only by the appropriate department or interdepartmental program, and it will be granted only on the approval of the appropriate chairs, the dean, and the Provost.
The Affiliate title is intended to recognize the linkage of appropriate cognate faculty to academic departments and programs. Guidelines for administering this title are as follows:
7.12.a Nomination for an Affiliate title must be initiated by an academic department or interdepartmental program.
7.12.b An Affiliate title may be initiated at any time. The title continues until such time as a department or interdepartmental program or the person wishes it to be removed.
7.12.c There is no limit to the number of Affiliate titles a faculty member may hold.
7.12.d The Affiliate rank (i.e., assistant, associate, full) shall be at the same rank as that held in the home department.
7.12.e The department chair or program director (when appropriate) initiating the Affiliate rank will prepare a letter outlining the expected contributions (e.g., teaching a course or courses in the program, serving as an adviser to students working on a collaborative research project, etc.) the person will make to the unit.
7.12.f Since the expectation is that an Affiliate is making a significant contribution to the second unit, the chair or director of the home department or program will endorse the letter requesting Affiliate rank and will indicate how the Affiliate’s responsibilities to the home unit have been adjusted to accommodate the person’s new activities. These letters are then forwarded to the appropriate dean(s) and then to the Provost for approval.
8. Academic Policies and Procedures for the Instructional Staff
8.1 Attendance and Absence of Faculty
See MUPIM Section 5.9.
8.2 Classes
8.2.1 Class Sizes
Class sizes must appropriately reflect each program’s pedagogical mission. Each program plan must be designed in cooperation with the chair with regard for staffing and facility resources. The faculty will cooperate with the Chair in working towards equitable balance of enrollment in all classes offered. In accordance with university policy, low-enrollment classes (typically under 10) not specifically required for majors, minors, or thematic sequences may be cancelled.
8.2.2 Frequency of offerings
• Required courses must be offered at least once annually.
• Courses required in minors must be offered at a frequency to fulfill requirements.
• Courses offered to fulfill university liberal education requirements must be offered at a frequency appropriate to satisfy student progress and as acceptable to the Director of the Office of Liberal Education.
• Electives are offered in a variety and frequency that accords as best as possible with the balance of student and faculty interests and other curricular needs.
8.2.3 Scheduling of Courses
Courses should be scheduled throughout the day to provide an ongoing active educational environment.
Course scheduling must be flexible to accommodate professional commitments of visiting faculty.
8.2.4 Availability of Facilities
All faculty must use the established process devised by the department for requesting use of break-out spaces, jury spaces, projection facilities, etc.
8.2.5 Use of Undergraduates as Teaching Associates and Aids to Faculty.
MUPIM outlines the guidelines for appointing and using undergraduates in classroom instructional activities. Normally, students should not be placed in a position of grading or making independent evaluations of the work of peers. Faculty members are urged to send a letter of appreciation to the assisting students.
8.3 Off-Campus Trips and Class Excursions
The University Registrar must be able to pinpoint the location of any student who is enrolled in a class at the time that the class meets, whether the meeting is regularly or irregularly scheduled. Off-campus trips by faculty with students are subject to the rules established by the Department and the School of Fine Arts. Faculty are responsible for taking all due precautions for insuring the safety and well-being of students participating on field trips. Information regarding class field trips must be on file in the Departmental office in advance of the field trip, including names and emergency contact information for all participating students and waivers as necessary. Sponsoring faculty are also responsible for providing notification of field trips to other departmental and university faculty when field trips are scheduled outside of class time. When conflicts occur with other scheduled classes, approval for students’ participation is at the discretion of these faculty.
8.4 Academic Misconduct
Refer to MUPIM Section 5.4 Statement of Good Teaching Practices
Refer to Student Handbook and Graduate Student Handbook.
9. Use of Departmental Property and Resources
9.1 General Policy Concerning the Use Of Building and Facilities
The use of Alumni Hall and its facilities is regulated in line with MUPIM Section 16.4. Except for lecture spaces that are also scheduled for classes by the Office of the Registrar, the spaces and facilities of the building are generally for use in support of the department’s academic mission. Regulations concerning the use of facilities by students are found in Section 5.5 of the Student Handbook.
9.1.1 Use Of Departmental Building And Facilities by ARC/ID Faculty and Majors.
The use of all spaces by architecture and interior design majors is described in the department’s Policies Regulating the Use of Alumni Hall, revised 4.2.07, and as stipulated by specific persons responsible for Alumni Hall facilities.
9.1.1.a Computer Lab
The computer lab is available for general use by majors in the Department of Architecture and Interior Design. Lab computers may be designated for use by specific classes, as pre-approved by the Chair. Use of lab computers and peripherals is in accordance with all policies as posted.
9.1.1.b Wood Shop
The Alumni Hall Woodshop is a facility-resource used as an educational laboratory for students working on projects and assignments related to the curriculum of the Department of Architecture and Interior Design. The woodshop is available for use by students and faculty of the department within strict guidelines. The Shop Manager oversees operations of the shop, including all digital fabrication equipment, welding equipment, etc., supervises graduate assistants and student workers assigned to the shop, and is responsible for maintaining a safe and reliable work environment. Specific policy pertaining to shop use may be instituted at the discretion of the shop manager. Additional policy may be instituted by the faculty or the department Chair with recommendations from the shop manager.
9.1.1.c Materials Library
The collections of the Materials Library are for use by and in support of the faculty and students. Use of this facility is in accordance with all policies as posted.
9.1.2 Use of Architecture and Interior Design Building and Facilities by Non–majors.
Except for the spaces that are scheduled for use by the Registrar, the uses of public and restricted areas (as identified in MUPIM Section 16.4.C) shall be approved by the Chair of the Department of Architecture and Interior Design in consultation with the executive committee and/or appropriate faculty and/or staff member(s). In general, approval shall be based on how the proposed non–regular use fits into the educational mission of the Department of Architecture and Interior Design.
9.2 General Policy Concerning the Distribution of Funding for Field Trips and Faculty Development
In general, the distribution of funding for field trips and faculty development shall be in a manner that most equitably permits all individuals to fulfill the stated mission of the department.
9.2.1 Funding In Support Of Field Trips And Other Class Activities
Any funds in support of field trips shall be equitably distributed across the six years (undergraduate and graduate) of the programs in the Department of Architecture and Interior Design, unless special circumstances warrant otherwise.
9.2.2 Faculty Development Funding from The Division and the University
Funding of faculty development activities including faculty travel in support of research follow the guidelines established by the School of Fine Arts. The Chair and/or executive committee act as facilitators in assisting the faculty members who seek such funding.
It is intended that this Governance Document be consistent with both the Miami University Policy and Information Manual (MUPIM) and the School of Fine Arts (SFA) Governance Document. Revisions to this governance document which reflect either MUPIM or SFA Governance Document changes may be made regularly without faculty vote. Other amendments to this document may be made by faculty vote, per the procedures described in Section 2.9.2.49
Teaching Evaluation Plan
Introduction
The purpose of this plan is to provide a structure to evaluate and enhance the quality of instruction, and by consequence, enhance student learning in the Department of Architecture and Interior Design at Miami University. Within this Department, the means of design instruction and course content demands considerable direct interaction with students. Small class size in studios, in combination with advising, counseling and critiquing student work, makes the teacher-student relationship complex. This is in contrast with large lecture classes that are also a function of the department.
When implemented, the Evaluation Plan of the Department of Architecture and Interior Design will provide faculty with information useful in improving their teaching (formative evaluation) and documenting their teaching effectiveness for promotion, tenure and/or merit review (summative evaluation). The different uses of formative and summative evaluations suggest distinct evaluation strategies depending on a faculty member’s tenure and promotion status. Candidates seeking promotion and/or tenure and/or salary increase should utilize a variety of summative teaching evaluation strategies and present multiple indicators of teaching effectiveness in their documentation dossiers or annual reports. All faculty should use both formative and summative measures in evaluating their teaching. University guidelines (MUPIM 7.2.C) specify the use of student evaluations for all courses taught, with the exception of independent studies.
Formative evaluation
Purpose:
Formative teaching evaluation techniques are designed for self-reflective purposes and should aid in the course and teaching development of the instructor. All faculty should use formative evaluations to further teaching effectiveness and student learning. Tenure-track faculty and faculty teaching new courses or using new techniques should be especially mindful of seeking formative feedback for course improvement purposes.
Procedure:
Formative evaluations will be carried out at the discretion of the individual instructor and may be conducted by the instructor. Formative evaluation instruments could include, but are not limited to:
• Informal open-ended student questionnaires
• Formal student evaluations
• Classroom discussion
• Student, peer, chair, and/or alumni consultation
• Peer review of classroom instruction or materials
• Peer review of student work
• SGID audits conducted by MCIS (small group diagnostics)
• Faculty mentor review and discussion
• Participation in teaching workshops, seminars, and programs
• Self-assessment
Function:
Formative evaluations are designed to provide feedback for the improvement of instruction to the faculty member and for the improvement of student learning. Pursuing formative evaluations is strictly the decision and at the discretion of the faculty member; and the faculty member determines the impact and scope of their use. Formative evaluations cannot be used for promotion and tenure decisions or merit considerations, as indicated in MUPIM 7.2.C.4. Only summative evaluations may be used for the purposes of promotion and tenure and merit considerations.
Summative evaluation
Purpose:
Summative evaluations provide an assessment of a course and/or an instructor and are used in tenure, promotion and salary decisions. In order to provide a complete picture of an individual’s teaching effectiveness, multiple indicators of teaching effectiveness are required. Miami University policy (MUPIM 7.2.C) requires that all faculty conduct student evaluations as one of the evaluative techniques. The Department of Architecture and Interior Design requires that part-time faculty conduct student evaluations at a minimum of all courses, although part-time faculty may choose to use additional measures of teaching effectiveness also. It is the responsibility of the department to conduct these evaluations but at a time to be determined by the part-time faculty.
Procedure:
In compliance with MUPIM 7.2.C, the Department of Architecture and Interior Design administers student evaluations in the following manner:
1. All courses taught in the department must be evaluated in order for departmental average data to beuseful and meaningful. In cases where a fulltime faculty member teaches courses in other departments, the evaluation form of the Department of Architecture and Interior Design must be employed inaddition to any forms required by the other department.
In a timely fashion, prior to the end of the semester (or summer session), the chair will notify all faculty that student evaluation forms are available and request that they schedule a class time with the department office for conducting evaluations. The faculty member provides information on the date, time, and number of students in the class.
Departmental standard forms shall be used in order to assure data comparability. Where courses are team-taught, faculty should be evaluated using separate forms. For situations wherein teaching assistants have significant instructional responsibility, those administering the forms should emphasize that the evaluation covers the instructor (not the assistant); however, the role of the assistant can be considered when evaluating the course itself.
Where teaching assistants actually participate in the teaching, it is appropriate and strongly recommended that they be evaluated.
2. The Department makes the appropriate number of student evaluations available to the individual conducting the evaluation. Someone other than the faculty member, and other than the graduate orundergraduate assistants for the course, must conduct the evaluation. Neither the faculty member northe assistants may be present during the student evaluation.
3. The evaluations are distributed and collected by the third party and returned to the Architecture andInterior Design department office for processing by the University. The University will process andtally all evaluation data. No evaluations will be processed in the department.
4. Student evaluations are available to each faculty member following the submission of grades eachsemester. Evaluations will be kept in the Department office and may be reviewed by the facultymember at any time or copied for personal records.
5. These data must be presented in promotion and tenure applications: the course data for each question in comparison to departmental averages from similar courses taught in the department that semester (summer course data shall be compared with departmental means from the previous spring semester). The response rate for the evaluation must be included (i.e., 10/15 to indicate 10 responses out of 15 enrolled at the end of the semester).
6. Data analysis shall include comparison of means of individual instructors to the departmental meansper question. The departmental means for each question shall be calculated in each of the following
categories: all departmental courses, all department studio courses, all departmental lecturecourses, all graphics courses, and all department seminar courses.
7. The data for each academic year shall be evaluated by the department chair and summarized in eachfaculty member's annual letter.
8. Student comments for tenure-track faculty shall be reviewed and summarized by a faculty memberoutside the Department (and typically within the SFA), in order to obtain a balanced assessment ofstudent comments. This information is included in the candidate’s promotion/tenure dossier.
Additional teaching effectiveness measures
Student evaluations provide only one measure of teaching effectiveness. The Department of Architecture and Interior Design should include other measures in order to enrich the teaching effectiveness data presented. Those seeking promotion and/or tenure and/or salary raises should include two or more measures of teaching effectiveness in their dossiers.
Additional measures of teaching effectiveness include, but are not limited to:
• internal peer review of classroom teaching [see discussion below]
• external peer review of classroom teaching [see discussion below]
• internal review of teaching materials
• external review of teaching materials
• student portfolios
• student examinations and/or papers
• student awards
• chair review of classroom teaching
• chair review of classroom materials
• teaching (faculty) portfolios [see discussion below]
• senior exit surveys
• alumni surveys
• curriculum development activities
• teaching awards
Teaching Portfolio
A teaching portfolio can be effective supplemental material in support of a faculty’s application for promotion and/or tenure. The teaching portfolio should represent courses taught by the instructor and should include: the course syllabus, project statements, sample tests, readers, anonymous examples of student work representing both passing and failing grades, and an assessment of the course results in light of the objectives stated in the syllabus. The portfolio, to be optimally effective should be initiated at the beginning of full-time employment, or even part-time employment where there is the possibility that the individual will become a candidate for promotion or tenure in the future.
Peer Evaluations
Formal peer evaluation for purposes of tenure include the responses of tenured faculty invited by the candidate to participate in or to attend lectures, seminars, or studio reviews. When requested by the applicant for tenure and/or promotion, the applicant’s assigned mentor shall ensure that at least one tenured faculty is assigned to attend lectures or participate in design reviews of the probationary faculty. The peer evaluator must submit a brief assessment, in writing, of the course and instructor (and any suggestions for improvement, based on this class or review, on the pertinent syllabus). A copy of this report shall be provided to the instructor, the Chair of the Tenure Committee, and the Department Chair.
Informal peer evaluations based on direct observation by a tenured faculty of the candidate’s teaching practices may be reported to the tenure committee and considered in tenure deliberations. Only teaching practices directly observed by tenured faculty will be considered; hearsay may not be introduced.
Function:
The Promotion and Tenure Committee and the chair in making promotion and tenure decisions will use summative measures of teaching effectiveness. The chair in making salary recommendations will also use them. Although summative measures are used in personnel decisions, they may also provide useful information to faculty in teaching improvement and course development.
Interpretation:
It is incumbent upon the P & T Committee and the chair to employ a range of data in forming a complete description and assessment of a faculty member’s teaching. The level of student-faculty interaction, class size, class format, and the general nature of the course should be considered in evaluating data. Certain distinctions, not typically scrutinized, may be of great importance: e.g.: Is the course being taught by the faculty member for the first time? Is this a new course being evaluated? How much time was given the faculty person to prepare for this course? Furthermore, since it is impossible to conduct student evaluations which eliminate totally the biases of some students, it is appropriate to analyze student responses in light of the instructor’s age, sex, ethnicity, and other pertinent criteria; e.g.: whether English is the second language for the instructor. No weight should be given to any student response that is clearly prejudicial or not germane to the course and its teaching.
Multiple indicators, over a period of time, considered in combination with an individual’s teaching responsibilities, provide the most complete and accurate representation of teaching effectiveness.
Tenure Guidelines
The Department of Architecture and Interior Design is committed to providing the candidate with as much helpful information and guidance as is practicable and these guidelines are offered as part of that commitment. Candidates are required to meet the criteria enumerated in the Miami University Policy and Information Manual (MUPIM) in order to garner a positive recommendation for tenure.
MUPIM 7.7 provides:
In order to secure and retain an exemplary faculty, the following all-University criteria, as demonstrated by suitable evidence, shall be used to make tenure recommendations:
A. high-quality teaching and academic advising;
B. research, scholarly and/or creative achievement of high quality and its prospective continuation;
C. productive professional service; and,
D. professional collegiality within the department, division, campuses, and University community.
The usual emphasis, in descending order of significance, for the above criteria shall be:
(1) high-quality teaching and academic advising, (2) a record of research, scholarly and/or creative achievement of high quality and its prospective continuation, (3) productive professional service, and (4) professional collegiality. The University places importance on both teaching and research, scholarly and/or creative achievement. Neither aspect of a candidate’s career should be neglected if tenure is to be achieved.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to suggest quantitative guidelines for what is a qualitative assessment. Nonetheless, we have endeavored to do so. These guidelines are aids rather than substitutes for the professional judgment provided by the candidate’s colleagues. Thus, legalistic or formalistic interpretation or application of these guidelines must be avoided. Achievement of the quantitative standards set forth in these guidelines does not ensure a positive recommendation for tenure, as tenure is primarily a qualitative assessment. Similarly, there may be cases that do not meet the quantitative standards set forth in the guidelines, which merit a positive recommendation for tenure.
All candidates for tenure in the Department of Architecture and Interior Design should refer to Section 7 of MUPIM, Section 4.5 of the School of Fine Arts Governance Document and Section 7 of the Department’s Governance Document for further information on the procedures and criteria for tenure.
I. TEACHING AND ACADEMIC ADVISING
A. Tenure-track faculty members should refer to the Department of Architecture and Interior Design Teaching Evaluation Plan (Appendix A) for a full description of measures of high quality teaching. Tenure candidates are required to provide at least three indicators of teaching effectiveness; one of these must be student evaluations. The Teaching Plan provides examples of measures that can be used in addition to student evaluations. Determination of high quality teaching will be made by the Department of Architecture and Interior Design Promotion and Tenure Committee and the Department Chair based on all of the information provided by the candidate.
B. According to MUPIM, all faculty should conduct student evaluations for all courses taught. The candidate's evaluation data will be compared with the departmental averages that are provided when student evaluations are analyzed. Candidates are expected to maintain average or above average student evaluations on a consistent basis.
C. Tenure-track faculty members should use the Teaching Evaluation Plan to select at least two additional measures of the quality of their teaching and provide documentation in the tenure dossier.
D. Candidates for tenure are expected to maintain an advising load commensurate with faculty members in the area. Candidates may (but are not required to) provide evidence of advising effectiveness.
E. Curriculum and/or course development are considered additional indicators of teaching quality.
Although not all tenure candidates in the Department are expected to develop new courses or curriculum, all are expected to improve the courses they teach on a continuing basis. Evidence of continued course development should be provided in the teaching dossier.
II. RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY
Judgments as to “high quality” research and its “prospective continuation” are made by the Department Promotion and Tenure Committee, the Department Chair, and by external reviewers in the candidate's field. It is important that the candidate document the quality of her/his work by carefully noting all acceptance rates and other measures of quality and/or selectivity. Further, the candidate should note specific contributions on any multi-authored scholarship. Because some tenure-track faculty in the Department conduct conventional research, some are involved in creative activities, and some pursue both activities, multiple guidelines are listed below.
Categories of activity include (but are not limited to):
A. Conventional Research
Authored or edited books related to the candidate’s field.
Articles in refereed journals with international/national stature in the candidate’s field.
Presentations at conferences of significant professional organizations in the candidate’s field.
Competitive grants.
B. Creative/Professional Activity
Architectural or interior design commissions (built or unbuilt)
Architectural or interior design competitions
Design consulting
Technical consulting
Development of new and meaningful pedagogy
Professional licensure or certification (NCARB, NCIDQ)
Other design work (furniture, graphic, landscape, product, etc.)
Studio art work (painting, sculpture, photography, etc.)
Exhibit design
Grants in support of any of the above
Each candidate for tenure will create a written “tenure plan” based on the kinds of activities listed here. The plan will be created in consultation with the Department Chair and P&T Committee chair, and presented to the full P&T committee for comment and approval. The plan can be modified as necessary throughout the duration of the probationary period. While it is understood that assessment of scholarship is ultimately “qualitative,” as determined by the P&T Committee, the Chair, and the external reviewers, the following guidelines are implicit in the review process and can help in the construction of the tenure plan:
1. Generally, the tenure plan should be central to the mission of the department and to the teaching, research, and creative agenda of the candidate.
2. The department expects a pattern of activity that is characterized by a sense of growth and continuous productivity. The dossier should evidence potential for continued achievement beyond the probationary period.
3. Generally, multiple evidence of productivity is required.
4. Research or creative work must make a contribution to the discipline. Work having a greater level of impact on the body of knowledge or on the current discourse, (as evidenced by citation, review, or dissemination) will be deemed to be more valuable in the assessment of quality.
5. The department places value on built work, given that it must be resolved at multiple technical and professional levels. Professional consultancy may be understood as “peer reviewed,” if the process for selection is appropriately competitive and rigorous.
6. Publication or award made by peer review will be deemed more valuable than similar work that is not peer reviewed.
7. Generally, national and international venues will be viewed as superior to regional or local venues.
8. The relative stature of reviewers, venues, publications, etc. will be considered in the assessment of quality. (It should be noted that a greater value is placed on publications than presentations.)
9. Generally, work completed during the probationary period is deemed more valuable than work completed prior to the probationary period. The department recognizes, however, that previous work demonstrates a level and pattern of achievement, and also notes the extensive length of time required to complete architectural and interior design commissions (relative to the time frame to complete work in other creative disciplines).
III. SERVICE
Candidates for tenure are expected to have significant departmental service in multiple areas. This includes service on departmental committees and participation in departmental activities. Experience on School of Fine Arts and university committees is a valuable addition. Candidates are expected to attend conferences in their field and to provide evidence of involvement in professional organizations as committee members, officers, board members, and presenters. Candidates are urged to pursue distinctive university and or professional service and to articulate the unique impacts of such service on the discipline or on the broader community.
IV. COLLEGIALITY
The Department of Architecture and Interior Design adheres to the definition and guidelines for collegiality in MUPIM as indicated above.
Revised November 2010
