Understanding Universities Understanding Universities and the Needs of Facultyand the Needs of Faculty

Robert Emery, DrPH, CHP, CIH, CSP, RBP, CHMM, CPP, ARMAssistant Vice President for Safety, Health, Environment & Risk Management

The University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonAssociate Professor of Occupational Health

The University of Texas School of Public Health

22CA EH&S Academy 2008CA EH&S Academy 2008

BackgroundBackground

EH&S programs play an important role within EH&S programs play an important role within universities, but….universities, but….

EH&S staff understanding and appreciation for EH&S staff understanding and appreciation for how universities work is often lackinghow universities work is often lacking Patently obvious from recurrent discussions in the Patently obvious from recurrent discussions in the

UTS EH&S AcademyUTS EH&S Academy courses and multiple EH&S courses and multiple EH&S program peer reviewsprogram peer reviews

The better we as a profession understand our The better we as a profession understand our clients, the better service we can provideclients, the better service we can provide

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Covey’s 5Covey’s 5thth Habit Habit

““seek to understand, then be seek to understand, then be understoodunderstood””

(The 7 Habits of Highly Successful (The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People)People)

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ObjectivesObjectives

Describe the three main university Describe the three main university constituencies, and the relative importance of constituencies, and the relative importance of eacheachDescribe how a person becomes a faculty Describe how a person becomes a faculty membermemberDescribe what a faculty member does, and how Describe what a faculty member does, and how they are measuredthey are measuredExplain the underlying basis for some of the Explain the underlying basis for some of the common critiques of facultycommon critiques of facultyDiscuss measures that can be taken by EH&S Discuss measures that can be taken by EH&S programs to improve services to facultyprograms to improve services to faculty

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Three Main ConstituenciesThree Main Constituencies

StudentsStudents

FacultyFaculty

Staff (Administration)Staff (Administration)

Who is most important? Who is most important?

What group is “necessary and sufficient” to What group is “necessary and sufficient” to achieve the missions of the institution?achieve the missions of the institution?

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University Core MissionsUniversity Core Missions

TeachingTeaching

ResearchResearch

ServiceService

Where do the funds come from to Where do the funds come from to do this work?do this work?

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Major Current-Fund Revenue Sources for All Public Degree-Granting Institutions

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1980-81 1985-86 1990-91 1996-97 2000-01

Pe

rce

nta

ge

Dis

trib

uti

on

Other

Federal Grants and Contracts

Tuition and Fees

Sales and Services

State Appropriations

Source: U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. Digest of Education Statistics 2003.

Revenue at Public Institutions(from NACUBO Website)

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Major Current-Fund Revenue Sources for All Private Degree- Granting Institutions

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1980-81 1985-86 1990-91 1995-96

Per

cen

tag

e D

istr

ibu

tio

n

Other

Endow ment Income

Private Gifts and Grants

Federal Grants and Contracts

Sales and Services

Tuition and Fees

Source: U.S Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. Digest of Education Statistics 2003.

Revenue at Private Institutions(from NACUBO Website)

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What is it EH&S Wants from What is it EH&S Wants from Faculty?Faculty?

Complete training, have staff trainedComplete training, have staff trainedRead, understand and comply with rulesRead, understand and comply with rulesMaintain inventoriesMaintain inventoriesFill out, return formsFill out, return formsWork safelyWork safelyReport events, accidents, injuriesReport events, accidents, injuriesClean up messesClean up messesDispose of waste properlyDispose of waste properlyServe as model for othersServe as model for others

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Becoming a Faculty MemberBecoming a Faculty Member

Develop a keen interest and aptitude in an Develop a keen interest and aptitude in an areaareaComplete terminal degreeComplete terminal degreePost doctoral fellowship?Post doctoral fellowship?Job search (Job search (Chronicle of Higher EducationChronicle of Higher Education))Recruitment, promises?Recruitment, promises?HiringHiringContract, perhaps yearly or 5-7 yrsContract, perhaps yearly or 5-7 yrs

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Tenure Track vs. Non Tenure TrackTenure Track vs. Non Tenure Track

Faculty positions come in two main Faculty positions come in two main classesclassesTenure definitionTenure definition a statement by the university: “we place value a statement by the university: “we place value

on what you have to say”on what you have to say” establishes securityestablishes security

Finite number of tenure track positionsFinite number of tenure track positionsNon tenure track positions can be added Non tenure track positions can be added (or deleted) more easily(or deleted) more easily

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Faculty HierarchyFaculty Hierarchy

AdjunctAdjunct

Instructor, Lecturer, or Research Instructor, Lecturer, or Research AssociateAssociate

Assistant ProfessorAssistant Professor

Associate ProfessorAssociate Professor

ProfessorProfessor

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Faculty HierarchyFaculty Hierarchy

Non Tenure Non Tenure TrackTrack

Tenure TrackTenure Track

Assistant Assistant ProfessorProfessor

Associate Associate ProfessorProfessor

ProfessorProfessor

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How Faculty are Measured?How Faculty are Measured?

Teaching Teaching Class taught, guest lectures, student Class taught, guest lectures, student

evaluationsevaluations

ResearchResearch Funded grants, scholarly (peer reviewed) Funded grants, scholarly (peer reviewed)

publications, abstractspublications, abstracts

ServiceService Editorial boards, committees, advisory panelsEditorial boards, committees, advisory panels

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Generic Process StepsGeneric Process StepsSchool, school, schoolSchool, school, schoolDissertation, defenseDissertation, defensePost-doctoral trainingPost-doctoral trainingLand faculty positionLand faculty position sign contractsign contract teaching, research, teaching, research,

serviceserviceStart up money?Start up money?Preliminary results?Preliminary results? Remember, Remember,

inherent to inherent to research is failureresearch is failure

Seeking supportSeeking support who funds your kind of who funds your kind of

work?work? what’s the business plan?what’s the business plan? what’s the science?what’s the science? what will it cost?what will it cost? necessary reviewsnecessary reviews

Initial rejection (success rate Initial rejection (success rate may be 1 in 3 or 1 in 4)may be 1 in 3 or 1 in 4)Re-apply, more formsRe-apply, more formsTeach, serviceTeach, service

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Generic Process StepsGeneric Process Steps

Notification of awardNotification of award not as much as you not as much as you

neededneeded not coming when not coming when

you need ityou need it

Periodic progress Periodic progress reportsreports

Eventual resultsEventual results

Inability to bank fundsInability to bank funds

Submit for publication, Submit for publication, critical reviewcritical review

Renew, continue?Renew, continue?

On track for On track for promotion, tenure, promotion, tenure, career change?career change?

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Why Be a Faculty Member?Why Be a Faculty Member?

Rewards of teachingRewards of teaching

Excitement and rewards of discoveryExcitement and rewards of discovery

Intellectual stimulationIntellectual stimulation

Elevated status by being associated with Elevated status by being associated with universityuniversity

Professional achievementProfessional achievement

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Peer ReviewPeer Review

Faculty are “hard wired” for critical reviewFaculty are “hard wired” for critical review

Scholarly work must be constantly Scholarly work must be constantly defended – it’s the basis of the processdefended – it’s the basis of the process

Hence, faculty often apply critical review to Hence, faculty often apply critical review to other institutional aspects as wellother institutional aspects as well

Expect critical review, but don’t take it Expect critical review, but don’t take it personallypersonally

Address concerns and move onAddress concerns and move on

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Faculty FrustrationFaculty Frustration

Anything that interferes with actual Anything that interferes with actual teaching, research, or serviceteaching, research, or service InterruptionsInterruptions Apparent bureaucracyApparent bureaucracy Chores, meetingsChores, meetings ““Pushing down” of tasksPushing down” of tasks Impediments to getting grants out the doorImpediments to getting grants out the door

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The Great IronyThe Great Irony

Research, by definition, is doing work that Research, by definition, is doing work that has not been done beforehas not been done before

Yet, funding agencies and institutions Yet, funding agencies and institutions demand timelines and budgets to describe demand timelines and budgets to describe how this will be donehow this will be done

Thus, from the onset, faculty are frustrated Thus, from the onset, faculty are frustrated with the process, yet it is essential to with the process, yet it is essential to successsuccess

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Indirect Cost RecoveryIndirect Cost Recovery

The cost of overhead negotiated between The cost of overhead negotiated between the university and the funding agencythe university and the funding agency

An amount of money above and beyond An amount of money above and beyond the direct cost of the researchthe direct cost of the research

A constant source of contention between A constant source of contention between faculty and administrationfaculty and administration

Funds awarded to institution, but wouldn’t Funds awarded to institution, but wouldn’t have been awarded without faculty efforthave been awarded without faculty effort

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Contracts vs. GrantsContracts vs. Grants

A “contract” is a business arrangement for the A “contract” is a business arrangement for the supply of certain goods or services at a fixed supply of certain goods or services at a fixed priceprice

A “grant” is the formal bestowing or transfer of A “grant” is the formal bestowing or transfer of funds, in hopes that some societal benefit may funds, in hopes that some societal benefit may occur (“occur (“cast money upon the waters…cast money upon the waters…”)”)

What about “grants” with “subcontracts in” or What about “grants” with “subcontracts in” or “subcontracts out”?“subcontracts out”?

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Pre-award and Post-awardPre-award and Post-award

Pre-award processPre-award process Division, department, Division, department,

school reviews and school reviews and approvalsapprovals

Scientific reviewsScientific reviews Human subjects, animals, Human subjects, animals,

hazardous materialshazardous materials Other collaborators and Other collaborators and

associated ICR, reviewsassociated ICR, reviews Cost sharing, waiversCost sharing, waivers DeadlinesDeadlines

Post award processPost award process Award receiptAward receipt Account set upAccount set up Subcontracts in or outSubcontracts in or out Time and effort reportingTime and effort reporting Expenditure reviewsExpenditure reviews Progress reportsProgress reports Subcontractor complianceSubcontractor compliance RenewalsRenewals terminationsterminations

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Promotion and TenurePromotion and Tenure

At pre-determined time, faculty member At pre-determined time, faculty member will apply for promotion, tenure or both – in will apply for promotion, tenure or both – in effect “up or out”effect “up or out”Teaching, research, service outcomes Teaching, research, service outcomes assessed by peers both internal and assessed by peers both internal and external to the universityexternal to the universityVote (secret ballot?)Vote (secret ballot?)Outcome – promotion or no promotion, Outcome – promotion or no promotion, tenure or no tenuretenure or no tenure

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Conceptual TimelineConceptual Timeline

Assume complete bachelors degree at age 22Assume complete bachelors degree at age 22Pursue masters, doctorate: +6 yrsPursue masters, doctorate: +6 yrsPost doctoral fellowship: +4 yrsPost doctoral fellowship: +4 yrsFirst faculty job – sign 7 yr contract, by 5First faculty job – sign 7 yr contract, by 5 thth year year will be able to predict PT success or failurewill be able to predict PT success or failure

That’s 15 years of career uncertainty! (now at That’s 15 years of career uncertainty! (now at age 37)age 37)If one fails, professional options greatly limited, If one fails, professional options greatly limited, given the time and effort investedgiven the time and effort investedTalk about stress!!!!!Talk about stress!!!!!

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Other Faculty ComplaintsOther Faculty Complaints

Not enough time – too many demandsNot enough time – too many demands

Genuine love for one aspect, but impacts Genuine love for one aspect, but impacts outcomes in others –balance is importantoutcomes in others –balance is important

““Didn’t realize I would be a small business Didn’t realize I would be a small business operator”operator”

Too much paperworkToo much paperwork

Absence of “bridging funds”Absence of “bridging funds”

Interfering with academic freedomInterfering with academic freedom

Lack of mentoringLack of mentoring

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Common EH&S Complaints About Common EH&S Complaints About FacultyFaculty

Last minuteLast minute

Pack ratPack rat

IrritableIrritable

Doesn’t complyDoesn’t comply

Constantly criticizes policiesConstantly criticizes policies

““Creative”Creative”

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Typical Administrative Response to Typical Administrative Response to Client ConcernsClient Concerns

1 person - a fruitcake1 person - a fruitcake2 persons – fruitcake and friend2 persons – fruitcake and friend3 persons – troublemakers3 persons – troublemakers5 persons – let’s have a meeting5 persons – let’s have a meeting10 persons – we’d better listen10 persons – we’d better listen25 persons – our dear friends25 persons – our dear friends50 persons – a powerful organization50 persons – a powerful organization

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Suggestions for EH&S ProgramsSuggestions for EH&S Programs

Ensure that every staff member understands the Ensure that every staff member understands the needs of facultyneeds of facultyInvite faculty to department to talk about their Invite faculty to department to talk about their work and the challenges they facework and the challenges they faceMake the department apply for a grant or two, Make the department apply for a grant or two, and manage itand manage it Even better if some portion of salary “put at risk”Even better if some portion of salary “put at risk”

Have department staff attend seminars and Have department staff attend seminars and “research days” to see the outcomes of the work “research days” to see the outcomes of the work they supportthey support

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Suggestions for EH&S ProgramsSuggestions for EH&S Programs

Have director (and others if possible) get Have director (and others if possible) get active faculty positionsactive faculty positions

Design systems with faculty challenges in Design systems with faculty challenges in mind – make it simple and non-invasivemind – make it simple and non-invasive

Solicit faculty feedback – don’t assume Solicit faculty feedback – don’t assume you know what is bestyou know what is best

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SummarySummary

The faculty are key component of any institution The faculty are key component of any institution of higher learningof higher learningThe challenges that face faculty are daunting – The challenges that face faculty are daunting – must constantly demonstrate success in must constantly demonstrate success in teaching, research and serviceteaching, research and serviceDevelop and understand needs of the faculty, Develop and understand needs of the faculty, and design systems with these needs in mindand design systems with these needs in mindSolicit feedbackSolicit feedbackShow how your program furthers the mission of Show how your program furthers the mission of the institution!the institution!