2.3.J. Establishing, Monitoring and Applying Proportionality of Contributions

1. Establishing, Monitoring or Changing the Proportionality of Contributions

The allocation of an UML faculty member’s time is determined by the strategic and programmatic needs of the department and School. The approximate proportionality of contributions is initially determined at the time of appointment and is generally confirmed in the faculty member’s offer letter.  UML Assistant Professors, Associate Professors and Professors with a fixed term of appointment should discuss the proportionality of their contributions at annual counseling meetings with their department chair (or designate); this proportionality should be recorded on the annual counseling meeting form.  In consultation with and with approval by the department chair (or designate), a faculty member’s proportionality of contributions may change; such changes should be included in written documentation summarizing the counseling meeting.

2. Documenting Proportionality of Contributions for the Review Process

Evaluation for reappointment and promotion should take into account the approximate proportionality of contributions in each year of the UML faculty member’s term.  This information should be incorporated by the department into the reappointment or promotion “long form” so that evaluating bodies at the departmental, School and University levels are cognizant of the proportionality of contributions and may give appropriate weight to each area during the review process.

3. Clinical Care Proportionality

Typically, UML faculty members will spend the majority of their time on clinical care and teaching.  While there is flexibility regarding proportionality of contribution, excellence in clinical practice or clinical care is required for UML faculty members regardless of the level of their time commitment.

4. Scholarship Proportionality

The intensity of contributions in the area of scholarly activity will be tempered by clinical and teaching commitments of most faculty members and, for some, by the demands of institutional service.  However, because scholarly activity is a requirement for appointment, reappointment and promotion of faculty in the UML, departments must allocate and protect time for academic pursuits.  There must be an explicit written plan for academic time; this is typically formalized initially at the time of the job offer, and should in general be reconfirmed annually at the faculty member’s counseling session.

All UML faculty should normally have a minimum of approximately 20% FTE protected for scholarly research from required clinical care, teaching and, if relevant, administrative duties.  This is particularly important for Assistant Professors. The department chair should work cooperatively with the faculty member to establish and maintain the minimum threshold of protected time.

Under certain limited circumstances, UML faculty may, with the agreement of their department chair, allocate the highest proportion of their time and effort to scholarship.  Among the distinguishing characteristics of an UML faculty member versus a tenure line faculty member with a similar proportion of time allocated for scholarship are that UML faculty members are also required to demonstrate excellent clinical performance.  In addition, UML faculty members’ scholarship may result in achievement in a more narrowly defined field than that expected of a tenure line faculty member.

Recognizing the complexity of clinical practice, it should be understood that this allocation of academic time can be scheduled in various ways compatible with the clinical obligations of the faculty member.  In some instances, this may correspond to blocks of time allocated for academic purposes, but in many cases more creative schedules may be required.  Monitoring of academic time by Departmental or Divisional leaders (as well as by the faculty member himself or herself) is necessary to ensure that this allocation of academic time is both respected and appropriately utilized.