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Professional Development Committee
April 2001


This report describes the work of the Professional Development Committee with respect to its charge for the 2000-01 academic year.

Goal #1: Develop a policy of professional leave and monitor the resulting program. The Committee will advocate inclusion of the policy in the Faculty Handbook and provide information about the policy to faculty and other universities.
Progress on Goal # 1: Meeting both separately and in concert, the Professional Development Committee and the Research Council researched the professional leave policies existing at the "top 25" research institutions and at our designated peer institutions. After deliberating in the light of these findings, we drafted a joint recommendation for a professional leave policy for U.T., and we brought it before the Senate. The Senate asked for certain revisions. We made the requested revisions, and our revised recommendation was approved unanimously by the Senate. The next step is up to President Gilley and the Trustees.
Goal #2: Study mentoring programs at UT. The Committee will collect information about existing mentoring programs, draft guidelines for departments and colleges, and monitor and evaluate the programs.
Progress on Goal #2: The committee generated questions to be asked of deans about existing mentoring policies. Committee member Elizabeth Aversa polled the deans. Aversa and Postow will tabulate the results and pass them on to the Committee.
Goal #3: If needed, collect information and recommend policies concerning interdisciplinary and team-taught courses.
Progress on Goal #3: We have not acted on this matter.
Goal #4: After consultation with the Bylaws Committee, propose revisions in the Bylaws description of the purposes of the Professional Development Committee.
Progress on Goal #4: We met and agreed upon desirable revisions. The revisions, along with their rationales, were forwarded to Kathy Greenberg.
Goal #5: Study the career development of contingent employees. This effort will be coordinated with a task force involving other Senate committees.
Progress on Goal #5: Jon Coddington is serving as our representative supporting the work of this task force. No specific action has been taken by the Committee.

Respectfully submitted,
Betsy Postow
Chair, Professional Development Committee

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