Consistent with our goal of assisting our young faculty in balancing the needs of work and family, I am pleased to forward for your review and comment a family accommodation proposal for 50% professorial status for ladder-rank Assistant Professors at UCSD. The issues and proposal are below.

A. The Issues

1. An impediment to attracting young scholars to academia is the difficulty of starting/raising a family while maintaining a full professorial life. It is a particular problem for young colleagues because the relevant age for earning tenure overlaps with the critical years for childbearing/rearing.

2. Re-entry to careers is not easily accomplished in academia because of the need to maintain the momentum of scholarly work. This is particularly true in fields where maintaining continuity of grants is essential.

3. Assistant Professors are currently accommodated with childbearing leave and Active Service-Modified Duties (ASMD) for one or two quarters, and also by extending the maximum probationary period for one (one child) or two years (two or more children). This means for those who received an extension of the maximum probationary period, a final tenure review can currently begin as late as the seventh or eighth year.

B. Family Accommodation Proposal for 50% Professorial Status for Ladder-Rank Assistant Professors

1. This proposal for temporary 50% professorial status is in addition to the existing family accommodations, but it does not extend the tenure decision period any further than is currently allowed by policy. This proposal is also consistent with the principle that it is not acceptable to base the tenure decision on less than the expected scholarly work of a 100% time Assistant Professor.

2. Assistant Professors who meet the criteria for ASMD (primary responsibility for a child less than five years of age) may be placed on 50% part-time professorial status for a period of up to two years, with the option of a third year based on a favorable performance review, under the following conditions:

a. They have not yet undergone a tenure review.

b. They are not relieved of any scholarly responsibilities, but are relieved of all structured teaching and service responsibility. Their scholarly productivity is expected to equal that of full-time Assistant Professors.

c. They are expected to have a presence and participate in departmental activities (e.g., seminars, departmental meetings, research student advising), the details of which are agreed upon by the chair and faculty member in writing when proposing the 50% professorial status.

d. There will be no delay in their review cycles for normal merits, appraisals, or career reviews for tenure beyond deferrals which may granted with an extension of the maximum probationary period. During the period of part-time professorial status, their reviews for advancement and reappointment will be based solely on their scholarly productivity and departmental participation. Appraisals and tenure decisions will be based on career reviews which will include all teaching, service, and scholarly productivity. Since many of these colleagues will already have an extension of the maximum probationary period, the basis for judging teaching and service will likely include at least four years. There is to be no diminution of the expectation of scholarly work due to this 50% professorial status for any review.

e. If an appraisal is judged to be unfavorable and/or a merit or tenure review is negative, then the 50% professorial status may be revoked and a one-year terminal appointment may be implemented.

f. The half-time professorial status will be "paid" for in one of, or a combination of, three ways: (i) A 50% reduction in time and salary; (ii) 50% pay as a research professor funded by extramural grants, or (iii) the mortgage (forfeiture) of the equivalent in future sabbatical leave. For example, if a candidate is 50% status for two years, he or she will forfeit one year (27 credits) of sabbatical leave. If the candidate does not earn tenure, the implied financial loss is absorbed by the SVCAA.

g. The candidate’s proposal must be reviewed by the department chair and the dean, and approved by the SVCAA. Candidates who wish to return to 100% status before the contract ends may do so by providing their chairs advance notice of at least two academic quarters.

h. The SVCAA will return to the department 50% of the candidate’s base salary (not including any market or bonus off-scale salaries). The department may use the funds for temporary FTE, TAs, or any other instructional support.

I would appreciate receiving any comments that you may have on this proposal. Please respond to Assistant Vice Chancellor Jennefer Collins at jcollins@ucsd.edu by Monday, May 16, 2005.

David R. Miller Acting Senior Vice Chancellor