The faculty voted at its April meeting to approve the addition of Appendix S to the Faculty Handbook, defining the role and operations of the Center for Professional Development. At the meeting, the faculty accepted amendments to this appendix introduced by Fred Hickernell. The modified version of the Appendix is here; the unedited version is here. The edited version of the appendix specifies that CPD program directors be Category I or Category II faculty members. Professor Jack Snapper has asked that the University Faculty Council remove this requirement and restore the original language regarding the eligibility requirements for CPD program directors. Prof. Snapper's argument is as follows:
Category I and Category II faculty have home Academic Units in which they are eviewed for appointment, promotion and re-appointment. The amendment passed at the faculty meeting therefore entails that either: (a) The CPD will have its own committees (including a COPT) that makes recommendations for promotion and tenure within itself as a home department for Category I and Category II faculty or (b) all directors of programs in the CPD must be Category I or Category II faculty with a home department in some other academic unit.
Neither of these options is appealing. If we treat the CPD as a body that is home to Category I and Category II faculty, then it should probably just be an academic unit itself, and we can drop Appendix S. If we demand that CPD program directors have homes in established academic units other than the CPD, then the CPD will have great trouble making appointments.
The Faculty Council can discuss this proposal from Professor Snapper at its May meeting.