By Larry B. Dendy
Junior faculty members working to obtain tenure can stop the tenure clock for up to a year because of pressing medical or family reasons under a policy approved by the University Council.
Tenure-track faculty will be able to interrupt the probationary period for tenure, promotion and interim review “when an event or circumstances cause substantial impairment of a candidate’s ability to pursue his or her teaching, scholarly activities and/or service,” according to the policy.
Such circumstances could include medical disability, extended or severe personal illness, the birth of a child, adoption of a child under six years of age, or other “significant obligations” on a family or household.
The delay can’t last for more than a year and will not impose any additional requirements for tenure, promotion or interim review on a candidate.
Camilla Watson, a member of the council’s Faculty Affairs Committee, said the policy assures “basic fairness” to young faculty and improves their chances of successfully completing the tenure process.
The council, meeting for the last time this academic year, also adopted a policy that forbids faculty members from giving students tests, quizzes or mandatory assignments on the last two calendar days of the semester or during reading days for final exams.
Paul Kurtz, chair of the council’s Educational Affairs Committee, said the policy is aimed at helping students prepare for finals by removing pressures of last-minute tests and assignments. The ban doesn’t apply if the course does not have a scheduled final-exam period.
The new policy replaces a policy that recommended against--but did not specifically prohibit--tests and quizzes on the last days of the term.
The council also adopted a calendar for the 2000-2001 academic year that includes a tentative 2001 spring break that coincides with spring holidays for the Clarke County school system.
Kurtz said he has reached preliminary agreement with school officials for both UGA and the public schools to take the third week in March for spring holidays. The school system must poll parents and teachers before making a final decision, and will give the university an answer by Nov. 1.
The calendar also includes a “fall break” in 2000 on Oct. 26-27, the Thursday and Friday before the Georgia-Florida football game.
In other action, the University Council:
• approved a resolution calling on President Michael Adams to examine the pay policy for summer teaching to eliminate salary disparities between the university’s schools and colleges;
• approved creation of a major in women’s studies for a bachelor of arts degree;
• approved a minor in aerospace studies; and
• approved a plan to include students’ majors on undergraduate diplomas unless the name of the degree and name of the major are the same.
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