TEXT OF PRESIDENT McCORMICK'S SEPTEMBER 18, 2008 RESPONSE TO THE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON CHARGE S-0705, CONTINGENT FACULTY PROPOSAL PART I:

Thank you for forwarding the Senate Report on Charge S-0705, Contingent Faculty Proposal Part I, as adopted by the University Senate at its May 2, 2008 meeting. Please express my appreciation to the members of the Faculty Affairs and Personnel Committee for their examination of these issues.


The Report’s recommendations are both useful and timely, as reducing reliance on contingent faculty for academic instruction, as reasonable and feasible, is a university-wide goal. On a practical level, however, reducing the number of contingent faculty significantly in our current fiscal climate would be a difficult task. We provide units the flexibility to convert part-time faculty to full-time annual or non-tenure-track appointments if such conversions enhance their academic programs and help them meet their instructional needs. Each case, however, must be considered within the context of the unit’s own academic program, and while we would encourage units to move in this direction, prescribing uniform mechanisms or targets would be contrary to units’ own responsibilities for academic and fiscal planning.


The use of contingent faculty is an issue we will continue to watch carefully in the years ahead. Be assured that your recommendations will remain an important part of our considerations as we work with units to achieve their academic goals.


Sincerely yours,

Richard L. McCormick

c: Philip Furmanski, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs