Faculty response on responsibility and rewards survey will guide future

Over 700 UW faculty members have completed and returned the surveys sent out by the UW ad hoc Committee on Faculty Responsibilities and Rewards.

"We're very pleased with the response thus far: the more completed surveys the committee receives, the more credible the results will be," said John M. Wallace, chair of the committee and professor of atmospheric sciences.

The deadline for returning the surveys has been extended to April 22 with hopes that even more faculty will respond.

In addition to sending the survey to all faculty at the three UW campuses, the committee has solicited comments from deans and chairs and has scheduled three forums to give faculty additional opportunity to offer opinions and suggestions. The first forum will be at Bothell from 8 to 10 a.m., Friday, May 1. Two forums are scheduled for the Seattle campus: the first from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 5 and the second from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 7. A forum also will be scheduled for Tacoma. Forum locations will be announced closer to the meeting dates.

Early returns from the surveys provide ample evidence that faculty rewards are not always commensurate with faculty responsibilities. At the forums the committee hopes to hear practical suggestions as to how to address the inequities. It is also seeking advice on how to promote fair and substantive reviews of faculty performance.

Comments and suggestions may also be sent by e-mail to facrr@u.washington.edu or by campus mail at Box 351237, attention Linda Richter. The committee also is creating a web site where faculty members who wish to will be able to share their views on these issues with the university community.

There is a widespread perception that our committee is concerned with tenure," Wallace said. "In fact, we have not been asked to consider the issue of tenure itself, but a broader range of issues that influence the productivity and job satisfaction of UW faculty members." A specific proposal concerning post-tenure review is expected to be among the committee's recommendations.

The committee's report, due Friday, June 5, will be part of an ongoing University-wide conversation on faculty responsibilities and rewards. Any of its recommendations that the University seeks to implement will be subject to ratification through the regular governance procedures.

Serving on the committee with Wallace are: Gaetano Borriello, associate professor, computer science and engineering; Wayne Crill, professor, physiology and biophysics; James Green, senior lecturer, anthropology; Charles Johnson, professor, English; Robin McCabe, professor and director, music; Rheba de Tornyay, professor, psychosocial and community health; Ted Kaltsounis, professor, education; Kathie Friedman-Kasaba, associate professor, liberal studies, Tacoma; Cordell Carter, student representative, ASUW; and Cindy Zehnder, vice president, Board of Regents. ¶