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The University hopes to have in place by this fall a series of new "family friendly" policies for faculty that will aid in recruiting and provide a more flexible and supportive work environment.
An overview of the new policies, which are in development by the provost's office, was presented to the Columbia Faculty Senate June 27 for comments or questions before their implementation.
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| Christine Curtis |
"Academia is becoming more diverse and we need to deal with the issues that people are facing," said Christine Curtis, vice provost for faculty development, who presented a draft of the policies to the senate.
The extension of the tenure probationary period policy is an existing policy that is being modified, Curtis said. The dual career accommodation policy and the modified duties policy represent new initiatives. The dual career accommodation policy will help spouses or partners of new faculty members find jobs. The modified duties policy will help faculty cope with unforeseen circumstances or the changing nature of families and care giving.
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| President Sorensen |
The extension of the tenure probationary period would provide more time in the probationary period to allow for the birth or adoption of a child, or the death of a spouse, partner, or child. Extensions also could be requested in the case of serious illness of a family member, child, partner, spouse or parent, the death of a parent, particularly for a primary care giver, placement of a foster child, or other circumstances relating to a relative or family member.
The modified duties policy would provide for a continuation of professional activities or duties of a faculty member, except that there would be relief at some level to respond to an anticipated or unanticipated personal or family situation. Similar policies are being promulgated for staff, Curtis said.
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| Mark Becker |
In other business, President Andrew Sorensen said he would present a $996 million budget to the USC Board of Trustees at its June 28 meeting, a 56 percent increase over the $640 million budget of his first year in office in 2002. He also announced a proposed tuition hike of 6.9 percent for the Columbia campus, a 47 percent increase in cash gifts to the University over the last year, and a 70 percent increase in external research grant and proposal funding over his first year in office.
Provost Becker briefed the senate on the work of an academic consortium of provosts of Southeastern Conference schools who meet to discuss items of mutual interest. He also discussed an initiative with the University of Georgia that draws on study abroad coordinators looking at ways member institutions can partner to share resources.
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| Robert Best |
Senate chair-elect Robert Best of the School of Medicine presided at the meeting for Gene Reeder, who was out of the country. Best reported on a coalition of intercollegiate athletics made up of faculty senate chairs interested in making academics a central part of intercollegiate competition.
The group's recommendations are on the Columbia Faculty Senate's Web site.
The next meeting of the senate will begin at approximately 3:10 p.m. Sept. 5 in the Law School Auditorium. It will be preceded by the fall general faculty meeting, which will begin at 2 p.m. in the Law School Auditorium.
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