Unit 18 -- Know your rights!

Pre-Six Non-Senate Faculty

• The performance of all pre-six year faculty members in the unit shall be evaluated in consideration for reappointment before the expiration of each appointment unless the University determines that the courses for which the faculty member was appointed will no longer be offered or will no longer be taught by non-Senate faculty.


• The University shall not be obligated to give priority to a pre-six year faculty member over a new candidate. However, the University shall not deny reappointment to pre-six year faculty for the exercise of academic freedom, for discriminatory reasons or for the purpose of avoiding post-six obligations.


• After employment for six years in a department, program or unit a non-Senate faculty may be eligible to receive a Continuing Appointment, based on the following criteria:

1. that an instructional need exists in the area that that non-Senate faculty has previously taught
2. that “the individual under consideration is excellent following an academic review”

The non-Senate Faculty must be notified in writing of the review process, its timing, criteria, and the procedure to be followed, and has the right to submit materials in support of their record. The review must be based on academic record, and not on other irrelevant matters.

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Non-Senate Faculty Professional Development Fund

Description of the Program

In accordance with the last UC-AFT/UC Memorandum of Understanding, a Professional
Development Fund provides Unit 18 Non-Senate Faculty (NSF) with financial support for
professional development activities. As the relevant section of Article 9, Paragraph F of the M.O.U.
states, “Individual NSF will be eligible to submit requests for funding to support proposals for
professional development including but not limited to professional meetings, training seminars,
software and paid leave, all of which should be in support of pedagogical endeavors. Only those NSF with Continuing Appointments will be eligible to submit requests for paid leave.”

The phrase “pedagogical endeavors” is interpreted broadly to refer to all activities and projects that
contribute to the Unit 18 NSF member’s professional development and effectiveness as a teacher at
UCSD. The fund is not intended for program development that should be funded by departments or
other administrative units. Lecturers may apply for funds from UCSD’s Instructional Improvement
Program for such projects.

For more information, go to: http://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/offices/planning/ongoing/iip/.

Eligibility

Any Unit 18 NSF member who has or had an appointment during the grant period during which the professional development activity takes place is eligible. Part-time and full-time Unit 18 NSF employees are encouraged to apply. Please note that research faculty in the medical college who do not hold a concurrent Unit 18 lecturer appointment are not eligible for this program. Lecturers and instructors covered by the Unit 18 contract with teaching appointments in fall 2009, winter 2010 and spring 2010 are eligible during this cycle. The application deadline is January 10, 2010. Awards will cover professional development activities that take place between July 1, 2009 and July 1, 2010. Applicants do not necessarily have to have a contract during the quarter in which the professional development activity takes place as long as they have a contract that will extend or resume beyond the period of the grant (either a Continuing Appointment or, for pre-six lecturers, a letter of appointment for the following quarter or year). Pre-six lecturers requesting money for professional development activities that will take place after the appointment covered by their current contract should include written confirmation from a department chair or program director of an NSF appointment for the period during which the activity will take place. Retroactive grant requests are acceptable.

Criteria

Any activity or project is potentially fundable if its relationship to specific teaching responsibilities can be established. Examples include academic training (coursework related to UCSD teaching responsibilities); attendance fees for conferences, seminars or workshops; research expenses; travel expenses related to teaching or other scholarly endeavors; and software, equipment, books or films for use in the preparation of pedagogical research or teaching. Course releases or paid leave for up to one quarter can be requested only by lecturers with continuing appointments.        

The most common grants cover conference costs (travel, hotel, fees) for participants of record (organizers, panelists, presenters); however, funds have also been granted for equipment, material, and travel related to course improvement and academic research. Conference presenters are far more likely to be funded than those only attending. UCSD’s travel policies and budgetary stipulations must be followed when requesting funds for travel reimbursement. The committee will not fund requests for food expenses.

The committee is unable to fund the following: projects aimed primarily at supporting student work; projects that cannot demonstrate an ultimate beneficial impact on pedagogy or the educational mission of UCSD; projects that seek funding for the production or promotion of publications; projects that mainly benefit or involve institutions or entities other than UCSD; and technical support that should be funded by other university resources.

In the interest of assuring an equitable distribution of available funds, preference will be given to applicants who have not received a grant in the previous two years. Applicants who have received $5000 in funds must wait at least two years after their most recent grant to apply again. The suggested range for requests is $500 to $3000. Funds approved may be less than or more than amounts requested, depending on the availability of money and the applicant’s supporting information; therefore, the application should include the most detailed and comprehensive budget possible. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application Procedure

The NSF Professional Development Committee, made up of five NSF volunteers approved by the UC-AFT, must follow university procedures for making faculty awards. For that reason, applicants are advised to notify their department chair/program director and obtain their signature, especially when a leave of absence is being requested. Recommendations of the committee will be submitted to the Senior Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for review and subsequent action. Approved funds will be disbursed through the applicant’s department. To receive funds, original receipts and other proof of expenditures will be required.

Your application must include all relevant documentation:

• A 1-2 page explanation of the proposed project, including a description of its contribution to your professional development and its academic value to the pedagogical endeavors of UCSD;
• Supporting materials such as conference announcements, price quotations and/or copies of receipts, and letters of acceptance or endorsement;
• A budget and timetable for the conference or project, including a list of any other available sources for which the applicant has applied or will apply (in the budget, provide a breakdown of exactly how all the funds being requested will be spent/ have been spent; see sample below);
• A current curriculum vitae with current contact information (address, phone number, email);
• Written confirmation of an NSF Unit 18 appointment (if applicable);
• Complete application form, including department chair signature (below).

 

Example Sample Budget:

Attendance at MLA conference in New York City, Dec. 26-29
Attendance fee for MLA                          $100
Hilton Hotel, 3 nights @ $110                 $330
Roundtrip air travel                                  $229
Transportation to/from hotel in NYC       $  50
Total                                                          $709

 

To apply, please submit six copies of the application packet to the NSF Professional Development Committee c/o Chair Holly Bauer, Mail Code 0422.

Download the application and guidelines here (PDF format).