I.C. Message from the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
The Faculty Handbook you have before you is a product of a collaborative process, and that is its greatest strength. Faculty members and administrators came together on the Faculty Handbook Committee and worked cooperatively to edit, improve and refine the text. The 2005 version of the Faculty Handbook provided a strong starting point, and with the addition of this year's changes, the result is a document much improved, much more accessible, and much more accurate. I commend the Committee for its work.
The committee that worked on this document devoted itself to the betterment of the university and the strengthening of the relationship between the institution and its most valuable resource: its faculty members. Faculty members are not simply the means by which the university educates its students; they are partners with the administration in the university's efforts to produce educated and enlightened citizens. The relationship between the university and its faculty is at the heart of the mission of the institution, and its parameters are outlined in this document. The Faculty Handbook is intended to be a living document, and to serve as a source of information and a guide to the faculty member concerning the employment relationship with the institution.
I urge all faculty members to review the terms of this Faculty Handbook, and to participate in the process of improving it in the future. Faculty suggestions and comments have guided the discussion of the provisions in this document, and faculty input is vital to the health of the institution and the future of this work. Please join with me in contributing your support and suggestions to the continued enhancement of this useful device.
Dr. Douglas T. Brown
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
