F(16)

ROBINSON COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS OF FACULTY

Preamble

As a community of scholars committed to the enhancement of scholarship and increasing the quality of professional standards for the development and dissemination of knowledge, the faculty of the Robinson College of Business subscribe to the following professional obligations and expectations of faculty. A faculty appointment is a full-time position for the contractual period of employment.

In general terms, each faculty member is expected to:

1. prepare and provide effective instruction.
   
   
2. conduct appropriate intellectual inquiry to advance knowledge.
   
   
3. participate in service to and governance of their respective academic unit, the College and the University.
   
   
4. represent their respective academic program and unit, the College and the University in a respectful and professional manner to all constituencies, including students, other faculties and representatives of academic institutions, officers and officials of the university system, and the public.
   
   
5. conduct any appropriate outside professional and service activities in a manner consistent with the professional and educational obligations of the institution.
   
   
6. be reasonably available to those with whom he or she interacts in performing faculty duties.

The obligations and expectations identified herein should be consistent with any and all policies and procedures of the academic unit, the Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University and the Georgia Board of Regents. Other college and institutional policies, such as the selection of a faculty profile, the faculty activities/accomplishments reporting procedures, and specific standards for performance and merit, may contain more specific standards and expectations for faculty performance and behavior. This policy is a general statement of obligations and expectations for all faculty with full time appointment and, as applicable, with other than full time appointment. This policy may form the basis for identifying minimum standards of performance but is not intended, in and of itself, to establish measurable standards by which faculty performance is evaluated.

Unless otherwise specified in the terms of employment or faculty appointment, each faculty member in RCB is expected to observe the following guidelines.

TEACHING

Each faculty member is expected to perform instruction in his or her areas of expertise in accordance with current professional standards of the field. Specific teaching assignments and other instructional obligations are provided by the academic unit. Evaluation of instructional performance will also be carried out by the academic unit with procedures and standards set forth by RCB and the academic unit.

As part of the instructional obligation, each faculty member is expected to undertake the following:

1. Participate in curriculum development, assessment and revision as needed to carry out individual teaching assignments as well as development of programs, courses of study or other curriculum activities of the academic unit.
   
   
2. Prepare course syllabi and other course materials in accordance with current standards and requirements.
   
   
3. Meet and attend scheduled classes and other instructional assignments on a regular and timely basis in accordance with official schedules and institutional directives.
   
   
4. Accord all students respect and impartial treatment.
   
   
5. Maintain professional and personal relationships with students and others in accordance with all relevant policies and requirements of the university.
   
   
6. Maintain appropriate academic standards to achieve learning objectives of instructional assignments and academic quality objectives of the academic unit and the college.
   
   
7. Be reasonably available for consultation and advisement to students and others in a regular and timely manner.
   
   
8. Be reasonably available to guide, direct and mentor students in specific academic and professional activities as appropriate for fulfilling the strategic and instructional objectives of courses and programs.
   
   
9. Be reasonably available to serve as chairman or committee member of doctoral dissertations or to provide other assistance when appropriate requests for such service is made.
   
   
10. Take appropriate actions to maintain and improve pedagogical techniques and teaching abilities.

RESEARCH

Each faculty member is expected to conduct research and publish or otherwise distribute results to further knowledge in the field. Specific types, amount and quality of research needed to meet standards for tenure, promotion and merit are determined by the academic unit and the College.

As part of the research obligation, each faculty member is expected to undertake the following research-related activities:

1. Engage in a program of research on a continuing basis appropriate for the individual's faculty position and other faculty duties.
   
   
2. Distribute results of meaningful research and to publish results in outlets appropriate for academic research.
   
   
3. Be available to collaborate with other faculty, doctoral students and others when appropriate.
   
   
4. Seek funding from appropriate sources to support the faculty member's research activities.
   
   
5. Participate in research seminars and other organized research activities undertaken by the academic unit, College or University and other recognized academic and professional organizations promoting research in the field.
   
   
6. Observe acceptable professional and ethical standards in conducting research and in undertaking appropriate publication and distribution in outlets for research.

SERVICE

Each faculty member is expected to engage in service activities that advance the image and objectives of the academic unit, the College and the University. Service activities include: (1) performing duties and assignments internal to the institution; (2) undertaking service functions for academic, professional and other organizations related to academic endeavors; (3) undertaking community service functions with public, charitable and other community organizations; and (4) representing the institution in public forums. Specific types of service activities appropriate for tenure, promotion and merit and those that are inappropriate are further identified by the academic unit, the College and the University. Standards and procedures for evaluating performance of service activities are also identified by the academic unit, the College and the University.

As part of the service obligation, each faculty member is expected to undertake service-related activities such as the following:

1. Participate by performing appropriate activities needed to carry out the administrative and faculty governance functions of the academic unit, the College and the University.
   
   
2. Participate by performing appropriate activities that achieve programmatic objectives as well as administrative and governance functions of academic, professional and other organizations related to the academic field or higher education in general.
   
   
3. Engage in professional and community service activities, especially activities that appropriately utilize a faculty member's academic and professional expertise.
   
   
4. Act as a representative of the institution by performing in a manner that upholds and enhances respect and public recognition for the institution when dealing with constituencies of the university or with the public.
   
   
5. Engage in appropriate activities to recruit students and market the programs of the academic unit, the college and the university that help to achieve enrollment and academic objectives.
   
   
6. Engage in appropriate activities to obtain grants, donations and other external funding for the academic unit, the college and the university.

OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES

While a faculty appointment is viewed as a full-time position, each faculty member is permitted and encouraged to engage in outside activities appropriate for the faculty member's academic and professional position. Such activities are expected to provide benefits to the faculty member and the institution by maintaining or enhancing his or her academic or professional standing. While appropriate outside activities are permitted and encouraged, permission to engage in such activities must be requested in writing prior to each such engagement in accordance with relevant laws and policies of the College, the University, the Georgia Board of Regents and the state of Georgia.

When a faculty member undertakes appropriate outside activity, the following conditions are expected to be observed as part of the faculty member's professional obligations:

1. Follow established policies and procedures to identify and gain prior approval to undertake any outside activity.
   
   
2. Engage only in outside activities that are in keeping with the faculty member's academic and professional position and that reflect positively on the academic unit, the College and the University.
   
   
3. Engage in outside activities that do not compete directly with previously established activities associated with the College or University.
   
   
4. Avoid using the faculty position to actively promote consulting or other outside activities for compensation.
   
   
5. Avoid using University resources (space, equipment, personnel or other university property) for outside activities, except where explicit permission has been obtained and appropriate arrangements for reimbursement have been established.
   
   
6. Observe the guidelines and requirements in College and University policies and procedures that limit the amount of total time that may be devoted to approved outside activities.
   
   
7. Be prepared to account for the actual amount of time devoted to approved outside activities and their appropriateness.
   
   
8. Avoid any outside activity that detracts from or conflicts with faculty responsibilities.
   

ACCESSIBILITY

A faculty member is expected to be reasonably available to those with whom he or she interacts in performing faculty activities. Although many faculty may maintain irregular schedules and perform many activities away from the university, each faculty member is expected to conduct faculty activities where others may have reasonable access to the faculty member as well as to be available on campus as needed or deemed appropriate.

As part of the professional obligations of faculty, each faculty member is expected to observe the following:

1. Keep the academic unit and others affected by the faculty member's academic and professional activities informed with respect to the faculty member's schedule, planned periods of absence, and the manner and place where the faculty member can be contacted.
   
   
2. Respond in a timely manner to communications and requests for information from students, other faculty, university administrators or staff, and others who contact the faculty member regarding university-related matters.

COORDINATION WITH OTHER OFFICIAL
POLICIES AND DOCUMENTS

These professional obligations and expectations of faculty are intended to be in concert with and supplemental to other official policies, procedures and documents of the academic unit, the Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, the Georgia Board of Regents and the State of Georgia. A list of such official documents containing related policies and procedures should be consulted for more specific requirements or standards and for further information. Other official documents and the specific subjects these documents address follows:

RCB Policies and Procedures Manual

GSU Faculty Handbook

Policy Manual, Board of Regents, University System of Georgia

(Developed by the Faculty Affairs Committee, reviewed by the Executive Committee and approved by the RCB faculty on 5/25/94)