COVID Adjustments for Impeded Faculty

Don't jump!

A report was issued by the systemwide Academic Senate on May 26th dealing with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on faculty, particularly with regard to the academic advancement process. When the pandemic began, faculty suddenly had to pivot to Zoom teaching, a time-consuming change that required substantial effort and adjustment. That change alone impeded research, simply because of the time diversion.

However, the pandemic suddenly shut down research labs, interfering with research projects, grant writing, etc., for those faculty whose research depends on labs. It closed off travel for those faculty whose research depends on travel. It closed off access to libraries and other facilities needed for research. 

Obviously, the degree to which research was impeded varied from field to field and individual to individual within a field. Some individuals had family obligations because of kids home from school, etc. The report deals with steps campuses should take in reviewing dossiers for promotions and other advancements. That said, the report is very complicated. Even the acronym for the group that produced it - MCIF-WG - Mitigating COVID-19 Impacts on Faculty Working Group - is off-putting. The old adage that a camel is a horse designed by a committee quickly comes to mind when trying to read it.

The cover of the report has a picture of a man who seems to be wearing a white coat (from a medical center?) high up on a balcony, presumably a faculty member whose research was delayed. Is he so upset by the delay that he is planning to jump? Yours truly couldn't figure out what the cover means.

Anyway, there is a basic principle in the report that comes with another acronym - ARO - Achievement Relative to Opportunities - that essentially means that in examining cases for advancement, decision-makers should consider what the candidate was able to accomplish given the impeded opportunities that were available.

The report is now available for reading at:

https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/reports/rh-senate-divs-mcifwg-report.pdf.

Good luck.