Policy Number: E10.0
Policy Name: University Administration's Commitment to Effective Teaching Development
Scope: Faculty

  1. Rationale

The administration of the university recognizes teaching as the foremost activity of the RIT faculty that is deeply rooted in the university's traditions. In cooperation with faculty and units throughout campus, the administration shall foster and support quality teaching through a variety of offerings designed to encourage and facilitate faculty growth and continued professional development as teachers throughout their careers. Members of the faculty are encouraged to seek ways to improve teaching effectiveness and participate in professional development offerings.

  1. University Effective Teaching Committee (former E11.0-Policy on Effective Teaching Committee)

The provost or designee will ensure the establishment and continuity of a committee on which the faculty and the university academic administration work to foster quality teaching at the university. The responsibility of this committee shall be to identify development needs related to quality teaching and to foster collegiality and mentorship among faculty. This committee shall work closely with the Innovative Learning Institute (ILI), which has the responsibility of providing teaching professional development for RIT, and in coordination with the Associate Provost for Faculty Career Development and The Wallace Center to create professional development opportunities which are broadly advertised and offered throughout the year.

  1. Committee Membership

    1. The committee shall be composed of the provost or his or her delegate, one academic dean appointed by the provost, and one faculty member per college. The faculty members should be those whose primary responsibility is teaching. Additional members may be added to the committee as needed to accomplish its work.

    2. The term of committee members shall be two years on a rotating basis at the end of spring semester. The committee shall annually select its own chair from among its faculty members.

  2. Committee Report

    1. The committee shall provide a report no later than 30 April each year to the faculty and administration. This report shall include an evaluation of the current university efforts in promoting effective teaching and a projection of needs forward for two years.
  1. University Grants

    1. Provost's Learning Innovation Grants (PLIG) (former E10.0-Projects Relating to Teaching Productivity)

      1. Emphasis

        These grants emphasize improving, through innovation, the quality of our educational efforts, and to explore new technologies and methods to enhance student learning. Recommendations for funding will be made to the provost by a university-wide committee.

      2. PLIG Committee Membership

        The provost or designee will establish a university-wide committee of members of the faculty, with no undue weighting from a particular college. Terms of the committee members shall be for two years, with the terms staggered so that approximately one-third shall expire each year.

      3. Duties of the PLIG Committee

        The PLIG Committee shall include: soliciting, receiving, and evaluating proposals from individuals and faculty groups to improve the quality of teaching at RIT. The committee shall forward all evaluations and funding recommendations to the provost for the final decision.

      4. PLIG Criteria and Process

      Detailed information is available through the chair of the Provost's Learning Innovation Grants Committee or through the academic administrator appointed by the provost. For more complete information, refer to the PLIG website. (http://www.rit.edu/academicaffairs/plig/).

  2. Faculty Education and Development Grants (FEAD) (former E15.0-Faculty Education and Development; see also E7.0)

All faculty are encouraged to develop professional/career development plans in conjunction with their deans and/or department heads. Tenure-track faculty, lecturers with multiple year contracts, senior lecturers, and principal lecturers, whose approved plan of work identifies areas of development which address the university's educational goals, or department, college or university strategic plans shall be eligible to apply for professional development assistance from the university. For information on the FEAD grants, see E7.0 Annual Review and Development of Faculty,section III.

  1. Responsible Party: Academic Senate and Office of the Provost

Academic Senate
asenate@rit.edu

Office of the Provost
academicaffairs@rit.edu

  1. Approved May 1, 2014 (Policy renamed and rewritten to include Policy E10.0 - Projects Relating to Teaching Productivity, Policy E11.0 – Policy on Effective Teaching Committee and Policy E15.0 - Faculty Education and Development.)

Effective Date: May 1, 2014

  1. Policy Histories

E10. 0 - Projects Related to Teaching Productivity (original policy) - Approved prior to 1980
Policy History:
Edited July 2001
Edited September 2010
Title changed and policy rewritten to include E11.0 and E15.0 - May 1, 2014

E.11.0 - Policy on Effective Teaching Committee - Approved December 11, 1974
Policy History:
Last revised March 29, 2001
Edited September 2010
Edited August 22, 2012 - calendar conversion language; formatting
Combined with E10.0 and E15.0 - May 1, 2014

E15.0 - Faculty Education and Development - Approved January 13, 1982
Policy History:
Edited September 2010
Combined with E10.0 and E11.0 - May 1, 2014