This document serves as a supplement to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Faculty Standards of Competence and Performance to provide additional expectations appropriate to the department’s discipline. It serves to clarify how the collegiate standards can be applied and evaluated within the department.

Department values statement

In accordance with their track and rank, faculty in the Department of Chemistry are expected to make significant and sustained contributions to knowledge, mentor undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars, deliver effective and appropriate classroom instruction, and provide meaningful service to the department, institution, and profession. In all these endeavors, we embrace a growth model that encourages and rewards efforts on the part of faculty at all levels to continuously improve their knowledge and skills. Our collective goal is to intentionally strive to improve the quality of our contributions so as to raise the reputation and visibility of the department and provide support and opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to achieve their professional goals.

Basic expectations for all faculty

All tracks and ranks

Teaching

  • No additions or clarifications to the CLAS standards

Service

  • No additions or clarifications to the CLAS standards

Tenure-track faculty expectations

All tenure-track ranks

Teaching

  • Mentor and advise both undergraduate and graduate students to support their academic and career development.
  • When appropriate and possible, recruit and effectively mentor postdoctoral scholars.
  • Serve on graduate advisory committees.
  • Participate in departmental divisional seminars.

Research

  • The department does not stipulate a particular rate of publications or set of journals, but a rule of thumb is that each research-active faculty member will maintain a laboratory that produces an average of at least 2-3 publications in reputable, peer-reviewed journals each year. Assistant professors are expected to work toward that level of productivity as the tenure year approaches.
    • A reputable scientific journal is characterized by a commitment to rigorous peer review, high-quality production standards, and transparent editorial policies. Other characteristics include an active and respected editorial board, inclusion in reputable indexing databases (e.g. Web of Science), and a history of publishing credible research.
    • The department values research contributions that significantly advance knowledge in the field, are performed rigorously, are innovative, and are communicated transparently.
  • In addition to examples in the CLAS standards, other markers of a national reputation include awards from prestigious professional societies, editing special issues for reputable journals, and being elected to leadership positions for professional organizations.

Service

  •  Participate in the department colloquium program.

Assistant professor

Teaching

  • Effectively mentor graduate students and guide them toward the PhD in a timely manner.
    • Note that the department does not expect assistant professors to have graduated a doctoral student before the promotion-and-tenure year, but there should be evidence of student progress and meeting major milestones.

Research

  • Develop an increasingly active and visible research program and steadily increase the rate of significant publications that are authored independently of former mentors.
  • Submit grant proposals and secure major funding to support research beyond the promotion-and-tenure year.

Service

  • No additional unique expectations beyond the basic expectations for all faculty and those for all tenure-track faculty ranks.

Associate professor

Teaching

  • Effectively mentor graduate students and guide them to the PhD in a timely manner.

Research

  • Maintain major external funding to support research and trainees.

Service

  • Expand the range of service contributions within the department.

Full professor

Teaching

  • Continue to effectively mentor graduate students and guide them to the PhD in a timely manner.

Research

  • Maintain a research program that further enhances a national and international reputation.
  • Maintain major external funding to support research and trainees.

Service

  • Expand the range of service contributions within the department, including taking on leadership positions.

Instructional-track faculty expectations

Assistant professor of instruction/practice

Teaching

  • Contribute to managing large-enrollment courses.

Associate professor of instruction/practice

Teaching

  • Provide leadership for team-taught courses.

Service

  • Expand the range of service contributions within the department.

Full professor of instruction/practice

Teaching

  • Provide leadership for team-taught courses.

Service

  • Expand the range of service contributions within the department, including taking on leadership positions.