March 31,2020 

Dear Colleagues,

We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy. Our deepest gratitude to all of you for your hard work as we transition to virtual/remote instruction and for your patience and understanding as we respond to this dynamic and unprecedented time.

We know that you are all overwhelmed by information from many sources.  Our goal with this message is to provide a clear, direct update on faculty concerns including salary, housing programs, hiring and appointments, tenure and promotion, renewals and reappointments, and University grants.  Please read this entire email for valuable information. Our Faculty FAQs have more detailed information about this and other academic matters impacted by COVID-19. 

We also invite you to a Zoom session on Thursday, April 2 from 9 am - 10:00 am with the Provost’s team for questions related these updates to faculty employment and compensation (https://scu.zoom.us/j/196185123; or by phone: +1 (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 196 185 123). 

Faculty Salary

Faculty members will continue to receive the salary and benefits described in their 2019-20 letter of appointment. 

Decisions about merit raises and market adjustments for 2020-21 are pending and may take a month or more to sort out. Letters of appointment for 2020-21 will follow as soon as possible.

Faculty Housing

The faculty mortgage subsidy program for tenure-stream faculty members and senior lecturers as well as the rental assistance programs for tenure-track faculty members and renewable-term lecturers will continue. 

For faculty members of any appointment type who are currently renting a University-owned property, we are working with Property Management to review all aspects of the program including rent rates and lease term end dates.  More information will be sent to current tenants by mid-April. Please contact Laurene Skinner, Faculty Personnel Specialist, with your specific questions. 

Faculty Hiring and Appointments

All current searches for tenure-track faculty members and renewable-term lecturers with appointments starting in Fall 2020 will continue. 

Searches for academic year adjunct faculty positions are in various stages at this time ranging from completed to just posted. For completed searches, the University will honor those contracts.  As each school reviews projected enrollment over the next several months, searches for posted positions will proceed based on need, and new positions may be posted. Note: The reappointment procedures for eligible academic year adjunct faculty will continue (see below). 

Academic year adjunct faculty members on multi-year terms of appointment will continue to the next year of their term in 2020-21.

Quarterly and semester adjunct faculty needs for fall will be determined in early summer. 

Tenure and Promotion

The tenure and promotion process will continue. The deadline for providing names for external reviewers is still April 12.  Since contacting external reviewers may be difficult, faculty needing more time may contact Laurene Skinner, Faculty Personnel Specialist, who will work with you to determine the best path forward. 

We understand that your work as a teaching scholar may be impeded by the sudden and dramatic changes required from faculty this winter and spring to teach online, as well as disruptions in research and conference travel, additional need to care for family given school closures, and more. Given these extenuating circumstances, faculty may request a tenure clock extension from the Provost, citing these disruptions as a reason. This is purely voluntary, and faculty who wish to go up for tenure as originally scheduled retain that option. We suggest that you consult with your department chair before applying for an extension.

The senior lecturer promotion process will continue following the posted timeline in the procedures document.  

Lecturer Term Renewal and Academic Year Adjunct Faculty Reappointment  

Renewable-term lecturers who are eligible for term renewal will proceed through the process. If additional time is needed to submit materials, please contact your dean to request an extension. 

The academic year adjunct faculty reappointment process will continue following the current timeline with notice of appointment by today, March 31. 

Sabbatical Leaves, Junior Faculty Development Leaves, and Course Releases

Approved sabbatical leaves and projected junior faculty development leaves for 2020-21 will be continued.

As enrollment needs are assessed, faculty resources including course releases will be reviewed by our office and the dean’s offices.  We anticipate that administrative releases for department chairs and other administrative functions, as well as endowed professorships, will continue.  

University Grants 

The April 3 deadline for grant proposals is suspended. We remain committed to supporting scholarly and creative work as mission critical activity and will update you when the allocation of grants can be continued.

Previously awarded grants remain funded. Eileen Elrod, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development, will follow-up soon with guidance about what expenses are allowed for existing, funded internal grants and processes for approval of such expenses. 

Provost’s Publication and Junior Faculty Development Leave grants will remain available. Please contact A’Dreana Quevedo, Research and Faculty Affairs Manager, with any questions. 

Taking Care of Ourselves  

We need to support each other as a community and care for ourselves. Here are some self-care tips that you may find helpful.  

Sincerely,

 Amy Shachter                                                                                                               Senior Associate Provost for Research and Faculty Affairs

Lisa Kloppenberg                                                                                                        Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs