USC ROSKI SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES FOR FULL-TIME RESEARCH/TEACHING/PRACTICE (RTP) FACULTY INTRODUCTION In the Roski School of Art and Design, full-time Research, Teaching, and Professional Practice (FT-RTP) faculty are essential and integral to maintaining the high standards of the school, and faculty members on this track are highly valued as researchers, teachers, professionals, administrators, and colleagues This document sets forth the guidelines for all Roski FT-RTP faculty members, including a clearly defined system for advancement Through these guidelines, the Roski School is dedicated to maintaining an environment that rewards excellence and innovation in the studio, in the classroom, through research and professional endeavors, and through service and/or administration Through a process of peer and administrative review, FT-RTP faculty can be recognized for their accomplishments in a number of ways, including appropriate advancements in rank and merit-based raises in compensation, as well as consideration for increased commitment to the faculty member in the form of longer-term contracts FT-RTP faculty members are included in all Roski mentoring systems, including guidance or advisement towards advancement They are eligible to avail themselves of various vehicles for faculty development, including applications for university support such as university prizes; research and teaching grants; and Center for Excellence in Teaching awards In the case of any inconsistency, this document is subject to University policies, including the Faculty Handbook, and it in no way supersedes those policies or documents For more information, please refer to the Faculty Handbook at usc.edu/facultyhandbook or additional policies at usc.edu/policies Exceptions or waivers to these guidelines may be granted by the provost as deemed necessary Throughout this document, the term professional in the context of faculty activities includes any and all such activities relating to the professions of art and design, including but not limited to creative, artistic, scholarly and research endeavors CATEGORIES OF FT-RTP FACULTY IN THE ROSKI SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN A Lecturer A one-year fixed-term contract, with the possibility of a maximum one-year renewal Appropriate designation for those with teaching-only profiles; or teaching plus very specific, limited administrative duties Lecturers will be evaluated by supervisors based on a typical division of effort as 100% teaching. The typical teaching load associated with this profile consists of 12 units of undergraduate classroom instruction per semester, in either lecture or studio classes For graduate-level teaching, a total of 10-12 contact hours (individual or group MFA studio visits) per week constitute the equivalent of units of undergraduate teaching Note: adjustments to standard formulas may be made as authorized by the dean Lecturers who are being considered for a one-year renewal will be reviewed by the chair of the appropriate area of any affected division with an appropriate faculty committee, with a recommendation made to the dean Final approval for an extension of term rests with the dean, and with the provost’s office B Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor of Teaching One- to five-year contracts One-year contracts are typical at the rank of assistant professor, three-year at the rank of associate professor, and five-year at the rank of professor Multi-year contracts are based on merit and are authorized by the dean Appropriate designation for those teaching at levels commensurate with the high standards of the school, or a combination of teaching and upper or high-level administration or service in the Roski School Appropriate candidates have a consistent record of teaching or administrative achievements beyond the school level and measurable by internal and external factors: for example, USC or external teaching awards; evidence of outstanding and effective mentoring of students and graduates; guest teaching at peer institutions; participation in national art and design education organizations; participation on educational review boards, panels, or juries; consistently high ratings or evaluations for teaching by students and supervisors; Roski School of Art and Design Full-Time Research/Teaching/Practice Guidelines Approved: Office of Faculty Affairs, May 2019 Page and so on For complete information on the standards for the teaching track, see the USC Roski RTP Merit Categories document Faculty in this category will be evaluated based on a division of effort typically set at 75% teaching, 10% professional activity, 15% service The typical teaching load associated with this profile consists of 24 units (12/12 units) of classroom instruction per year, in either lecture or studio classes, 10-12 contact hours (individual or group MFA studio visits) per week constitute the equivalent of units of undergraduate teaching Note: adjustments to standard formulas may be made as authorized by the dean C Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor of Research or Practice (with an extended designation, if appropriate) One- to five-year contracts One-year contracts are typical at the rank of assistant professor, three-year at the rank of associate professor, and five-year at the rank of professor Multi-year contracts are based on merit and are authorized by the dean Appropriate designation for those with professional practices at levels commensurate with the high standards of the school, or a combination of professional practice and upper or high-level administration or service in the Roski School Appropriate candidates have consistent professional or research activities that result in national and international recognition and impact, and measurable by external factors or sources Faculty in this category are differentiated from tenured faculty as they engage in work considered to be at the avant-garde of the field Such work will be identified by its presence in high-profile alternative publications, venues, festivals, symposia, etc., and by citations, reviews, articles or other notice in respected media outlets focused on changes to the field This type of experience provides additional benefit to students by making available to them, information on the latest trends and advancements in the field Example of activities include: solo and group exhibitions of original work; high-profile commissions; competitive or invited residencies; articles and reviews about the work in noted mainstream or arts outlets; peer-reviewed (or high-profile) publication of original scholarship or art criticism; curation of exhibitions in significant venues; invited talks or presentations; national or international level awards and fellowships; design work that appears in national or international outlets or venues, including publications, websites, social media, products, and so on. For complete information on the standards for the Research or Practice track, see the USC Roski RTP Merit Categories document Faculty in this category will be evaluated based on a division of effort typically set at 60% teaching, 30% professional activity, 10% service which is differentiated from the tenure faculty profile of 40% teaching, 40% professional and 20% service The typical teaching load associated with this profile consists of 20 units (8/12 units) of classroom instruction per year, in either lecture or studio classes, 10-12 contact hours (individual or group MFA studio visits) per week constitute the equivalent of units of undergraduate teaching Note: adjustments to standard formulas may be made as authorized by the dean CI All FT.RTP faculty All FT-RTP faculty members are expected to show sustained growth over the years in all aspects of their profile, including advancement in reputation, career, and teaching All assistant, associate and full professors of research, teaching or practice are subject to annual performance review, unless they are not expected to have full-time appointments the following year Peer reviews will be conducted through the school’s annual RTP Merit Review process All FT-RTP faculty are expected to participate in shared governance by serving on committees, task forces and/or other governance bodies to which they are elected or appointed and by attending faculty meetings. Service to the school includes assigned departmental service, school-wide service or committees, and/or Academic Senate or university service or committees as appropriate It may also include other types of activities identified as appropriate by the dean or the dean’s designate Service loads for faculty at the associate rank are higher than those at the assistant, and so on Loads are commensurate with the standards and practices of the school at each rank, and typically consist of the following: ● Service to the department, as requested by the area chairs, vice dean or dean ● Service to the school on standing or ad hoc committees, as requested by the department chairs, the vice dean or the dean Standards for the Roski School typically include a minimum of two Roski committees at the Assistant rank and three to four committees at the Associate and Full ranks ● Other service to the school as requested by the dean Roski School of Art and Design Full-Time Research/Teaching/Practice Guidelines Approved: Office of Faculty Affairs, May 2019 Page ● Service on the Faculty Council, or on university-level committees such as the Academic Senate, if the individual is elected or appointed Every effort will be made to assist faculty in maintaining an appropriate teaching/professional/service balance, and to recognize different and varied contributions to the school and the university However, self-directed service (e.g., service that is defined by the faculty member alone, is not the result of election or selection by the Academic Senate, and is not requested or assigned by the dean, the President, or their designate) will not be taken into account as part of the required service load APPOINTMENT, REAPPOINTMENT, NON-REAPPOINTMENT Initial appointments, reappointments, and non-reappointments are made by the dean, after review and recommendation by an appropriate faculty body Unless university policy allows an exception, all initial appointments are made as a result of a public posting of the position, followed by an open search, interviews, and review by an appropriate faculty body The Roski Committee on Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure (RCAPT) may serve as the core committee for searches and may be augmented by additional faculty members as appointed by the dean based on the needs of the search Alternatively, an ad hoc committee may be formed when deemed appropriate by the dean, based on the needs of the search Faculty in Lecturer positions cannot be moved to the Professor of Teaching or the Professor of Research/Practice tracks without an open search and subsequent appointment by the dean Faculty in part-time positions can be moved to a full-time position only for a one-time temporary appointment in case of unforeseen emergency as provided in university policy, but are welcome to apply for posted full-time positions Faculty already in either the Professor of Teaching or Professor of Research/Practice track can be considered for a lateral move to the other track, and a more appropriate profile designation, upon recommendation by the department chairs and the vice dean, and final approval by the dean Faculty in either the Professor of Teaching or the Professor of Research/ Practice tracks are not eligible for tenure, and may not be appointed to the tenure track except through an open search and subsequent appointment by the dean The grant of tenure requires approval by the President under the provisions of the Manual of the University Committee on Appointments, Promotions and Tenure Non-reappointments of FT-RTP faculty in the Roski School on renewable contracts may occur, upon recommendation by the department chair and vice dean and review by the Roski APT faculty committee All final decisions on reappointment are made by the dean As provided in the Faculty Handbook, when such a non-reappointment is considered, a standing or ad hoc faculty committee will thoroughly review documentation sufficient for evaluation of the suitability and qualifications of the faculty member, and make a recommendation to the dean In addition, the adequacy of the process in each instance of non-reappointment will be reviewed by the Provost’s delegate This procedure does not apply to faculty on time-limited contracts, such as visiting professors and lecturers Policies and Procedures for FT-RTP Merit Review Identification of the FT-RTP faculty who will conduct merit reviews The FT-RTP Merit Review Committee will be formed from the membership of the Faculty Council, which is an elected body When possible, the committee should have at least one member each from the Teaching and Practice profiles An ad hoc committee member can be selected by the faculty council to ensure representation of both profiles The committee consists of three to four FT-RTP faculty Submission of Materials by Faculty ● Online FT-RTP Annual Activities Report ● Current, up to date curriculum vitae ● Syllabi, course materials, and any other appropriate accompanying materials as described in the Annual Activities Report form Evaluation Criteria and Rankings Roski School of Art and Design Full-Time Research/Teaching/Practice Guidelines Approved: Office of Faculty Affairs, May 2019 Page ● ● ● The FT-RTP Faculty Merit Review Committee will use the same scales as those designated by the Provost’s Office to review full-time faculty on the tenure track As with the tenure-track process, there must be sufficient distinctions made so that no more than 50% of the faculty being reviewed in a given year will be placed in any one merit category; The FT-RTP Faculty Merit Review Committee will use the criteria listed in the Roski FT-RTP Merit Review Categories document when evaluating the annual teaching or professional performance and standing of a faculty member, taking into account the arc of individual’s total career, but emphasizing current standing and any recent changes in performance; The completed evaluations are provided to the dean of the Roski School for review, along with accompanying evaluations from the appropriate department chair After review, the dean may accept a Merit Review Committee evaluation and rankings, or request a reconsideration of all or part of an evaluation and/or the relevant rating(s) by the FT-RTP Merit Review Committee, based on input from other sources, or adjust the evaluation and/or relevant rating(s) to accurately reflect performance Appeal of Faculty Evaluation or Salary decisions A faculty member may appeal their merit review results or salary decisions to the dean for re-evaluation Appeals by individuals shall be submitted i n writing no later than two weeks after the date on which evaluation notifications are made Copies of the appeal will be given to the chair of the appropriate area As part of the appeal process, the dean will consult with the members of the FT-RTP Faculty Merit Review Committee As stated above, the dean has final authority to determine the evaluation, including final ratings, whether or not there has been an appeal PROMOTION PROCESS As is the case for full-time tenure-track faculty, all FT-RTP faculty at the rank of assistant professor and above are expected to exhibit sustained growth and development in all parts of their profile As provided in the Faculty Handbook, during the continuing appointment of an RTP faculty member, at three to five-year interval, the individual’s performance will receive a careful review by the appropriate faculty committee as to whether a promotion is warranted and whether reappointment is appropriate If consideration of promotion is deemed appropriate, the formal promotion process described below will be initiated Alternately, the individual, the department chairs, the vice dean or the dean of the school may nominate any deserving faculty member for consideration for promotion during the merit review period FT-RTP assistant professors are expected to continue to garner significant professional and/or teaching accomplishments within the first six years at the Roski School Typically it is expected that all FT-RTP assistant professors will be considered for promotion to the associate level The typical time frame is the same for promotion from associate professor to full professor For any FT-RTP promotion, a dossier should be assembled that in most cases consists of the following: Department chair evaluations for every year of service since the candidate’s last promotion or appointment; Annual Activities Reports for every year of service since the candidate’s last promotion or appointment; Merit review reports for every year of service since the candidate’s last promotion or appointment; Teaching evaluations, course observations, and other relevant documentation that demonstrates teaching effectiveness, such as examples of student work; A letter from the department chair with a detailed evaluation of the candidate’s qualifications for promotion; A curriculum vitae including a summary of the candidate’s professional, teaching, administrative and service records while at USC (as applicable, professional, scholarly or creative activities, courses taught, new courses developed, committee service, administrative success, etc.); Roski School of Art and Design Full-Time Research/Teaching/Practice Guidelines Approved: Office of Faculty Affairs, May 2019 Page A personal statement reflecting the candidate’s approaches to teaching, professional activities, administrative duties, and service (as applicable) In addition to the above, one to three referrals from outside references may be requested by the Office of the Dean to substantiate impact in the field Appropriate references themselves should themselves be acknowledged leaders in the candidate’s field or sub-specialty, and therefore capable of commenting on the level of activities as outlined in the dossier Once the dossier is compiled, it is submitted through the vice dean for review by the Roski Committee for Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure (RCAPT) For such reviews, RCAPT may be augmented by additional FT-RTP faculty members as needed, appointed by the dean RCAPT shall make its recommendation to the dean, with whom rests the final decision For consideration for promotion in any subsequent academic year, dossiers must be submitted by the second week of October If an FT-RTP faculty member is determined to be ineligible for promotion due to inadequate performance in either teaching or professional activities, the dean, in consultation with the department chair and the dean of faculty, will determine if a development plan, a change of effort profile, a reconsideration after one year, or some other accommodation is required to assist the faculty member in becoming eligible, or whether the faculty member should be considered for non-reappointment PROMOTION CRITERIA Promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor of Research or Practice ● Achievement appropriate for years of service as Assistant Professor of Research or Practice, though years of service are neither necessary nor sufficient ● Continuing professional work and career accomplishments that demonstrate visibility and impact at the national level and that are measurable by external factors or sources See the Merit Review Categories document ● Continuing excellence and effectiveness in teaching and student-centered activities based on student and graduate accomplishments, student evaluations, classroom or studio visitations, and vice dean evaluations ● Evidence of appropriate, positive, and dedicated service to the Roski School and the university ● Where applicable, evidence of excellent, dedicated, and effective administration of the school, as identified by regular and consistent evaluations by supervisors and the dean Promotion from Associate Professor to Full Professor of Research or Practice ● Achievement appropriate for years of service as Associate Professor of Research or Practice, though years of service are neither necessary nor sufficient ● Continuing professional work and career accomplishments that demonstrate visibility and impact at the national and international level and that are measurable by external factors or sources See the Merit Review Categories document ● Continuing excellence and effectiveness in teaching and student centered activities based on student and graduate accomplishments, peer and student evaluations, classroom or studio visitations, and evaluations by the vice dean and dean ● Evidence of appropriate, positive, and dedicated service to the Roski School and the university ● Evidence of effective formal mentoring of Roski and other USC colleagues ● Where applicable, evidence of excellent, dedicated, and effective administration of the school, as identified by regular and consistent evaluations by supervisors and the dean Promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor of Teaching ● Achievement appropriate for years of service as Assistant Professor of Teaching, though years of service are neither necessary nor sufficient ● Evidence of excellent teaching based on student accomplishments, teaching evaluations, classroom or studio visitation, and department chair evaluations Continuing activities that evidence visibility and impact as an arts educator at the regional or national level, and measurable by external factors or sources See the Merit Review Categories document ● Continuing excellence in professional activities as evidenced by quality and impact of work ● Evidence of appropriate, positive, and dedicated service to the Roski School and the university ● Where applicable, evidence of excellent, dedicated, and effective administration of the school, as identified by regular and consistent evaluations by supervisors and the dean Roski School of Art and Design Full-Time Research/Teaching/Practice Guidelines Approved: Office of Faculty Affairs, May 2019 Page Promotion from Associate Professor to Full Professor of Teaching ● Achievement appropriate for years of service as Associate Professor of Teaching, though years of service are neither necessary nor sufficient ● Evidence of excellent teaching based on student accomplishments, teaching evaluations, classroom or studio visitation, and department chair evaluations Continuing activities that evidence visibility and impact as an arts educator at the national or international level, and measurable by external factors or sources See the Roski RTP Merit Review Categories document. ● Continuing excellence in professional activities as evidenced by quality and impact of work ● Evidence of appropriate, positive and dedicated service to the Roski School and the university ● Evidence of effective formal mentoring of Roski and other USC colleagues See Roski Mentoring Guidelines ● Where applicable, evidence of excellent, dedicated and effective administration of the school, as identified by regular and consistent evaluations by supervisors and the dean Note: Promotion in any of the tracks is based on merit and not on number of years at rank at the Roski School or USC PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNANCE All FT-RTP faculty members are required to participate in Roski School of Art and Design governance, including representation on the Faculty Council, the FT-RTP Faculty Merit Review Committee, the Committee on Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure (except on matters of tenure), and other Roski standing committees All faculty are also expected to serve on university-wide committees and panels if they are elected or appointed ACCESSIBILITY OF THIS DOCUMENT This document will be made available to all Roski faculty through the Roski Faculty Portal Faculty will be notified if and when significant changes or updates are made to the document Roski School of Art and Design Full-Time Research/Teaching/Practice Guidelines Approved: Office of Faculty Affairs, May 2019 Page ... member can be selected by the faculty council to ensure representation of both profiles The committee consists of three to four FT-RTP faculty Submission of Materials by Faculty ● Online FT-RTP... (e.g., service that is defined by the faculty member alone, is not the result of election or selection by the Academic Senate, and is not requested or assigned by the dean, the President, or... may be augmented by additional faculty members as appointed by the dean based on the needs of the search Alternatively, an ad hoc committee may be formed when deemed appropriate by the dean, based