Academic Affairs Department Chair Notes - Message #7

You have probably thought about three major faculty processes: hiring, promotion and tenure, and annual reviews. Perhaps you have also had faculty who wished to pursue a sabbatical?

But there are other situations when faculty leaves arise. Sometimes faculty need to take a leave of some kind that can’t really be planned for. Faculty have access to minor sick leave (15 days per year), major medical leave (6 weeks fully paid), family formation leave (12 weeks) and family support leave (12 weeks). In addition, 12-month appointees have 22 vacation days a year. It’s a lot, and can get complicated. You don’t need to know all the details: what YOU are best at is figuring out how to cover classes and support your faculty member’s research when they happen. WE in faculty affairs can help when you face these challenges.

IU has generous leave policies and a lot of flexibility (‘partial’ leaves for both medical and family reasons), so reach out to etagelppA lehcaR to come up with something that works for you and your faculty.

This coming academic year, the campus is encouraging units to look at annual review processes and criteria for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

What questions do you have about this? Please email feedback to etagelppA lehcaR.

The 2021 Administrators’ Update on Promotion and Tenure occurred July 13th. View the session's recording and PowerPoint on our website (scroll towards the bottom of the webpage).

Classrooms, labs, housing, dining, and other campus facilities will return to pre-pandemic capacities with no physical distancing required.

Masks

Effective July 6, 2021, masks are optional within campus buildings for those who are fully vaccinated. Those who are exempt from the vaccine requirement or in the process of becoming fully vaccinated should continue to wear a mask inside buildings on campus. All individuals regardless of vaccination status will need to continue to wear a mask on public transportation, including campus buses, per guidelines from the Transportation Security Administration.

COVID-19 testing

For fall semester, those who are fully vaccinated will not be required to participate in mitigation testing, but they may be asked to participate in surveillance testing to monitor for areas of concern. Those with approved exemptions will continue to be tested.

Learn more about fall 2021 restart guidance.

• Next month, we will discuss general education.

Reminder

• Fall Promotion and Tenure Workshops
  
• Fall semester begins on August 23 – review the official long-term calendar for refresher on holidays and breaks for AY 2021-2022

• Faculty Affairs Guidance materials shared via IU Office 365: A repository of helpful information including how-to’s, when-to’s, and where-to’s.
  
• New Faculty Notes: Just-in-time monthly guidance to new faculty who cycle through New Faculty Orientation each year.
  
• Hiring Best Practices
  
• The Forum Network: An integrated coordinating structure that supports faculty collaboration and creativity.
  
• Faculty Crossing: A technology-rich collaboration space for faculty and teaching staff of all appointments. Part workroom, part café, the space provides a welcoming environment that promotes creativity and innovation. This space will reopen in the fall.