7.2 Professional Growth and Development
Mines is mindful of the important goal of attracting, supporting, promoting, and retaining quality faculty members and believes that professional growth and development is crucial to maintaining faculty quality. A Professional Growth Plan is mandatory for each new tenure-track and teaching faculty member to ensure that a clear understanding exists between the faculty member and Mines regarding their mutual expectations. Any interested faculty member may propose a Professional Development Plan to his or her department head. All Professional Growth Plans and Professional Development Plans must be prepared with the concurrence of the department head and submitted to the Provost for review prior to implementation.
7.2.1 Professional Growth Plans for Newly Appointed Faculty
During the first semester of employment, each new faculty member shall develop, in consultation with his or her department head, a Professional Growth Plan specifying goals and expectations. For tenure-track faculty, it should cover the period, at a minimum, up to the Preliminary Tenure Review. Faculty members may be offered developmental support as a part of their Professional Growth Plans or in conjunction with their initial employment contracts. A faculty member’s Professional Growth Plan may be modified from time to time with the approval of his or her department head. During the initial years of appointment, including year-to-year appointment renewals, the Professional Growth Plan shall be considered as part of the goal-setting exercise in Section 7.1.1.A.2.
- Categories of Available Support
Formative evaluations, workshops, and senior faculty mentor programs may be utilized, as appropriate, to guide new faculty members in their professional growth. Start-up packages may also include any of the following components: summer salary, special laboratory or office equipment, a lighter than normal teaching load, graduate student support, travel support, and research initiation support. A faculty member must account to Mines for the use of this support, and any equipment purchased under such an agreement shall be the property of Mines.
7.2.2 Professional Development Plans for Faculty
Any faculty member may request developmental support with the recommendation of his or her department head through submission of a written Professional Development Plan. This support is intended to assist those faculty members who desire to improve their teaching or research, or who wish to change their career directions at Mines. Professional Development Plans, which shall be submitted through the department head to the Provost for review, must clearly state the desired goals, justify the need for support and outline the expected areas of improvement. A faculty member's success in achieving Professional Development Plan goals shall be included as part of his or her annual evaluation.
- Categories of Available Support
Any of the following types of support may be granted in conjunction with a Professional Development Plan: research initiation support, travel support, summer salary support, sabbatical leave, equipment, and other appropriate support as may be agreed upon by the Provost and the faculty member. A faculty member must account to Mines for the use of this support, and any equipment purchased under such an agreement shall be the property of Mines.