FAQs - Professor of Teaching Series and Other Guidance

Professor of Teaching Series FAQs and Other Guidance

Revised August 2024 - the prior FAQ Word document was converted to this format with ***NEW*** identifying questions added after the 2024 Networking Luncheon in April 2024.

FAQs - General

  • Is there a roster and email list for all Professors of Teaching?
  • Yes - Academic Affairs created an opt-in UCDProfTeachSeries listserv.  The Professor of Teaching Series resources webpage at https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/professor-teaching-resources contains information on how to subscribe to the listserv under the section labeled “Professor of Teaching Series listserv information.” If you subscribe to the listserv, your email will be added to the roster and shared with members of the listserv.
  • What is the difference between tenure and security of employment?
  • “Security of employment” is similar to “Tenure.” Formal definitions of these terms are provided in Academic Personnel Manual (APM) 110 – Academic Personnel Definitions policy:

    ♦ Tenure: Tenure is the status of an Associate Professor and Professor and positions of equivalent rank that are continuous until ended voluntarily by retirement or resignation, or involuntarily by demotion or dismissal. An appointment with tenure may be terminated by The Regents only for good cause, after the opportunity for a hearing before the properly constituted advisory committee of the Academic Senate (Regents’ Bylaw 40.3(c)).

    The following UC Davis titles carry tenure: Professor, Associate Professor, Agronomist in the Agricultural Experiment Station (AES), and Associate Agronomist in the AES.

    ♦ Security of Employment: Security of Employment (SOE) is the status of an Associate Professor of Teaching or a Professor of Teaching (full rank) that is held on a continuous basis in accordance with Regents’ Bylaw 40. An appointment with SOE may not be terminated except for good cause after a hearing before the appropriate committee of the Academic Senate. A budgeted FTE must be allocated before an appointment is made with SOE.
  • Can we get clarity on the salary scale and how people move up?

  • In 2019, defined ranks and steps came into existence for the Professor of Teaching Series (formerly the Lecturer with Security of Employment {LSOE} Series). A successful advancement action (e.g., merit or promotion) leads to movement up the salary scale and/or in rank. Beginning with the 2024-2025 salary program, the Professor of Teaching Series will be transitioned to UC Salary Scale Tables 1 through 8. Information can be found at: 
    https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/compensation/2024-25-academic-salary-scales.html  [1]. 
    ________________

    [1] AY = academic year; FY = fiscal year; BEE = Business, Economics, Engineering; HSCP = Health Sciences Compensation Plan; LAW = School of Law

  • What are the opportunities for off-scale?
  • APM UCD 620 outlines specific reasons how off-scale salaries may be applied. At UC Davis off-scale salaries are not considered in academic advancement reviews.
  • Is there a policy that faculty in the Professor of Teaching series have a higher teaching load than ladder rank faculty?
  • Yes.  APM 285-4-b states, “An appointee in this series will carry a heavier load of teaching than appointees in the professorial series.”
  • Did the LSOE series go away?
  • No. Effective May 1, 2024, the Lecturer with Security of Employment (LSOE) series policy name was changed to the Professor of Teaching series and is defined in APM 210 and APM 285. The three ranks are: Assistant Professor of Teaching, Associate Professor of Teaching, and Professor of Teaching.
  • Can someone in our series be on CAP (Committee on Academic Personnel - Oversight subcommittee)?
  • The members of CAP are selected by the Academic Senate’s Committee on Committees per Davis Division Bylaw 28: 
    “The Davis Division Committee on Committees shall each year appoint the members not ex officio to all regular standing committees of the Division unless otherwise specifically provided by the Bylaws.”  

    All members of the Academic Senate are eligible to serve on Academic Senate committees.  For more information, see: https://academicsenate.ucdavis.edu/committees/academic-personnel/oversight.
     
  • Do the University's Conflict of Commitment (COC) policies apply to the Professor of Teaching series?
  • ♦ APM 025 Conflict of Commitment and Outside Activities of Faculty Members
    ♦ APM 671 Conflict of Commitment and Outside Activities of Health Sciences Compensation Plan Participants

    Yes, both academic-year (AY) and fiscal-year (FY) faculty are subject to APM 025, whereas fiscal-year (FY) faculty who are members of the Health Sciences Compensation Plan are subject to APM 671. The conflict of commitment policies both state that faculty “… owe their primary professional allegiance to the University ….” It is important to review the applicable policy and consult with your department chair regarding questions you may have related to outside professional activities. If your chair is unsure, then they should consult with their dean’s office for assistance.

    Outside Professional Activities (OPA), whether compensated and uncompensated, are categorized into three types. Please refer to the policy for definitions and examples: 
    ♦ Category I – activities related to your training, qualifications, and expertise for which you were hired to perform at the     University, but will be performed for a third party, and/or require significant commitment professionally. This category requires prior approval before engagement. Note that the Provost has final approval authority. 
    ♦ Category II – activities that are unrelated to your University employment, yet may raise concerns about potential conflict of commitment. 
    ♦ Category III – activities unlikely to rise concerns with conflict of commitment because they are within the course and scope of your employment. NOTE: "...these activities must not interfere with a faculty member's obligations to the University."
  • If my chair and I determine an activity falls under Category I, how do I obtain prior approval to engage in the OPA? 
  • All Category I and Category II activities should be entered in the University of California Outside Activity Tracking System (UC OATS). It is considered a best practice to enter OPA in the system when you know about it rather than waiting until the annual certification report is due. Academic Affairs offers a dedicated web page with a plethora of resources as well as a link to login to UC OATS:  https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/oats
  • What is NCFDD?
  • NCFDD stands for National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity. UC Davis holds an institutional membership that makes it possible for faculty to join the NCFDD e-mail listserv and receive updates about their upcoming programs and workshops. For more information and details about NCFDD, please check out the Academic Affairs web page:  https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/ncfdd
  • ***NEW*** Whom should I talk with if I have questions related to my Professor of Teaching faculty role?

  • There is a plethora of resources available on the Academic Affairs website. Below is a chart depicting academic personnel areas and who has purview over them. However, we always recommend starting with your department for guidance.

    chart indicating who has authority for areas

FAQs - Appointment / Advancement 

  • What components should be included in promotions packages?
  • Faculty in the Professor of Teaching series are strongly urged to familiarize themselves with those portions of the Academic Personnel Manual (APM) that provide guidance about advancement within this series. We recommend reviewing APM 210-3 and APM 285: you will be evaluated on your teaching excellence, professional and/or scholarly achievement and activity, including creative activity, and university and public service. Examples of components of the advancement dossier have included, but are not limited to:
    ♦ Publications on educational pedagogy or discipline;
    ♦ Presentations at professional meetings/conferences and societies on educational pedagogy or discipline;
    ♦ Professional reviewing and editorial board memberships;
    ♦ Professional service activities at the national and international levels;
    ♦ University service (e.g., department, college/school, university, systemwide);
    ♦ Contributions to public policy documents;
    ♦ Grants;
    ♦ Creative works that are performed and recognized outside UC Davis;
    ♦ Teaching materials (e.g., printed, web-based, multimedia);
    ♦ Teaching awards;
    ♦ Course syllabi;
    ♦ Outcomes assessments;
    ♦ Student and teaching assistant evaluations that attest to excellent teaching;
    ♦ Peer review instructional evaluations that attest to excellent teaching (note: the Academic Senate is developing recommendations about ways departments can accomplish this that go beyond only classroom observation);
    ♦ A candidate’s statement that is reflective, introspective, and analytical, particularly of teaching and pedagogical accomplishments, outcomes, and impacts during the review period;
    ♦ Extramural letters for promotions and barrier steps.
  • Can we get clarity on the external review process from Assistant Professor of Teaching to Associate Professor of Teaching? From Associate Professor of Teaching to Professor of Teaching? 
  • ♦ Promotion from Assistant Professor of Teaching to Associate Professor of Teaching: Departments are required to seek 6-8 extramural (i.e., not from individuals at UC Davis) letters from individuals deemed qualified to opine on the candidate’s record and readiness for security of employment.  At least half the letters must be “arm’s-length” (note: see APM UCD 220 V.B.4.b on page 12 for an explanation of basic principles and definitions of “arm’s-length” letters). A model letter from the department to such individuals requesting an evaluation of a candidate can be found at https://aadocs.ucdavis.edu/policies/apm/ucd-220/ucd-220-exhibit-b.pdf (see Section H: Model format for letters soliciting extramural evaluations for promotion to Lecturer with SOE or Senior Lecturer with SOE on page 7). 

    ♦ Promotion from Associate Professor of Teaching to Professor of Teaching: Departments are required to seek 6-8 extramural (i.e., not from individuals at UC Davis) letters from individuals deemed qualified to opine on the candidate’s record and readiness for security of employment.  At least half of the letters must be “arm’s length” (note: see APM UCD 220 V.B.4.b on page 12 for an explanation of basic principles and definitions of “arm’s-length” letters).  A model letter from the department to such individuals requesting an evaluation of a candidate can be found at https://aadocs.ucdavis.edu/policies/apm/ucd-220/ucd-220-exhibit-b.pdf (see Section H: Model format for letters soliciting extramural evaluations for promotion to Lecturer with SOE or Senior Lecturer with SOE on page 7).

    In both promotion actions, external reviewers may be provided with some or all materials included in the advancement dossier.
  • How can I find external reviewers?
  • The Department Chair is responsible for finding external reviewers. You can suggest names for the Chair to consider when they solicit letters. Arm’s-length letters (non-UC Davis) are best and given more weight. It is possible to find faculty in your discipline at other UC campuses that are in the same series at a higher rank. Another resource would be to look for faculty who have advised other Professors of Teaching because they should have a good understanding of the role.
  • Is there a requirement to promote to the Professor of Teaching rank?
  • Yes. The Associate Professor of Teaching is equivalent in level to an associate professor, whereas the Professor of Teaching is equivalent in rank to a full professor. All Academic Senate faculty are expected to continue to fulfill all the expectations of their position through normative advancement through the steps and promote through the ranks of their series. In accordance with APM 285-19-(3), service at the Professor of Teaching rank, Step 5 and above may be of indefinite duration.
  • What are the expectations for full Professors of Teaching and how do they vary from the research-track faculty [ladder rank full professors]?
  • The advancement criteria are similar between the Professor of Teaching and Professor series, but for the former APM 285 specifically states “Teaching excellence: The demonstration and maintenance of teaching excellence is the primary criterion for the series.” For ladder rank professors, the criterion is “Teaching” without the literal expectation for “Teaching excellence.” 

    See APM 285 for additional details. Both series are required to promote and advance until Step 5. Although faculty are not required to advance past Step 5, they are encouraged to continue to grow and advance when possible. Merit advancements at Associate Professor of Teaching steps 4.0—5.5 and Professor of Teaching steps 1.0—8.5 are every three years at UC Davis, and are eligible for Step Plus consideration.
     
  • Teaching evaluations – advice? What are ways for Professors of Teaching to have successful evaluations?
  • We recommend that you consult the Center for Educational Effectiveness (CEE) to help you establish yourself as an outstanding instructor and educator. The CEE offers a variety of consultation types to provide you with feedback on your teaching, strategies to achieve your teaching goals, and instructional resources to inform your teaching practice. All consultations are free, confidential, and available to all instructors, including full- and part-time faculty, graduate students, and Postdoctoral Scholars.

    In addition, you may wish to refer to the Report of the Special Committee on Evaluation of Teaching that was recently released by the Academic Senate:
    https://academicsenate.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk3876/files/inline-files/report_scet_10.14.19.pdf
  • What are the relative teaching loads between ladder rank faculty, Professors of Teaching faculty, and Lecturers/Continuing Lecturers?
  • Teaching load expectations are established by the deans of the respective colleges and schools at UC Davis.  These will typically involve a combination of lecture courses and laboratory courses but could include other courses recognized by the University Registrar. There is no uniform teaching expectation for all Professors of Teaching faculty across the university’s colleges and schools.

    The issue of comparative teaching loads was addressed by the UC Academic Council:
    https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/reports/rm-mb-apm-285-guidelines.pdf.
    Language in the report at this website, “Avoiding Inequities in APM-285 Implementation,” clarifies that while the teaching loads of Professors of Teaching faculty are greater than those of ladder rank faculty within a college or school (owing to the predominant emphasis in this series on teaching, as noted in APM-285), they should also be lower than the teaching loads of Unit 18 Lecturers (including Continuing Lecturers) in the college/school because faculty in the latter series are not expected to perform “professional and/or scholarly achievement and activity” nor “university and public service.”
  • Where can I find information about peer evaluation?
  • Peer evaluation of teaching is required for all faculty promotion reviews. Additional information regarding peer evaluation can be found in APM UCD 220 Section V.B.6.b (page 16): 
    https://aadocs.ucdavis.edu/policies/apm/ucd-220/ucd-220-(9-5-06).pdf
  • Has there been any discussion on publishing expectations?
  • Publishing expectations will vary by discipline and department, as well as rank. You should consult with your department chair about what will be expected of you for advancement. Remember that disseminating your work in peer-reviewed journals or through other avenues that showcase creative activities will be very helpful in future promotions and merits through barrier steps.
  • What are the expectations for publications at each level?
  • There is no single rule that applies to all disciplines, colleges, and schools. It would be instructive to have a discussion with the department chair about the expectations for faculty in this series. Neither APM 210 nor APM 285 establish a minimum number of publications required for promotion.

    It remains our practice at UC Davis to not require peer-reviewed publications in educational pedagogy for promotion to Associate Professor of Teaching, so that faculty may focus on developing their teaching excellence. Such publications (or the equivalent, depending on discipline), however, would normally be expected for promotion to Professor of Teaching to show that the impact of their work is recognized outside of UC Davis. Other efforts departments may recognize for promotion to Associate Professor of Teaching include evidence of national visibility/recognition in a disciplinary community, leadership in the development of new course materials and delivery for undergraduate and/or graduate instruction, and development of teaching materials that can be independently evaluated by reviewers outside the university.

    Refer to APM 210-3.d(2): Instructions to Review Committees: Professional and/or Scholarly Achievement and Activity, which is excerpted below:

    "Clearly demonstrated evidence of professional and/or scholarly achievement and activity, including creative activity, is one of the criteria for appointment or advancement. Professional and/or scholarly activities may be related to the underlying discipline itself or to the pedagogy. Such activities should provide evidence of achievement, leadership, and/or influence on the campus or beyond. Certain administrative work (e.g., of learning centers and teaching programs) and community outreach work are also relevant, as would be presentations of seminars or lectures at other institutions or professional societies, or participation in scholarly activities (e.g., summer seminars) designed to enhance scholarly expertise in relevant fields. Other records of participation in intensive programs of study - in order to be a more effective teacher and scholar, with the goal of enhancing one’s teaching and scholarly responsibilities - are also relevant evidence of professional and/or scholarly activity.

    “Creative activities count as relevant professional and/or scholarly activities in appropriate disciplines. In certain fields, such as art, architecture, dance, music, literature, and drama, an accomplished creation should receive consideration as an example of professional and/or scholarly achievement and activity. In evaluating creative activities, an attempt should be made to define the candidate’s merit in light of such criteria as originality, scope, richness, and depth of creative expression.

    “The following are broadly defined, non-exclusive examples of evidence that may be presented:
      (a) Documentation of the development of or contributions to:
           i) Original materials designed to improve learning outcomes;
          ii) Evidence-based design and evaluation of educational curricula or pedagogy;
         iii) Administration and evaluation of a teaching program or a learning center;
         iv) Systematic quality improvement programs and evaluation of their implementation;
          v) Discipline-specific information systems;
         vi) Development and evaluation of community outreach or community-oriented programs.
     (b) First, senior, or collaborative authorship of scholarly or professional publication; 
     (c) Accomplished performance, including conducting and directing;
     (d) Accomplished artistic or literary creation, including exhibits;
     (e) Accepted invitations to present seminars or lectures at other institutions or before professional societies.

    “Initial appointment to the Lecturer with Potential for Security of Employment title requires evidence or promise of productive and creative contributions to professional and/or scholarly activity that would support excellent teaching.

    “Appointment or promotion to the Lecturer with Security of Employment title requires evidence of sustained professional and/or scholarly achievement and activity and a profile of excellent teaching.

    “Appointment or promotion to the Senior Lecturer with Security of Employment title requires evidence of consistent and sustained professional and/or scholarly achievement and activity and a profile of excellent teaching that have made the candidate a leader in the professional field and/or in education.”
  • ***NEW*** What are the service expectations for the Professor of Teaching series?
  • There are no quotas of committee service that you are required to meet. At the Assistant Professor rank you should not feel obligated to do extensive service, and serving on department and college/school committees is often sufficient. However, service expectations increase as you advance through the ranks and steps. Once you advance to the Associate rank, you should be doing more service at the school/college level, and if you like at the campus level. There is no expectation for faculty to be involved in Academic Senate committees until they achieve full rank. At that point you should be doing more campus service, perhaps even at the systemwide level. Many committees have a practice to not ask new faculty to be members, so do not be surprised if you are not invited to join a committee as an Assistant Professor of Teaching.

FAQs - Sabbaticals

  • When do sabbatical credits start accruing? Is it when you were officially hired?
  • Sabbatical credits begin accruing when one is hired into the Professor of Teaching series, and faculty earn one credit for every full quarter or semester of service. 
  • What might a sabbatical look like for the Professor of Teaching series?
  • Faculty should read APM - 740 - Leaves of Absence/Sabbatical Leaves for an understanding of the purpose of such leaves, which is to enable faculty engaged in intensive programs of research and/or study to become more effective teachers and scholars and to enhance their services to the University.

    Examples of sabbatical leaves for faculty in the Professor of Teaching series include, but are not limited to, taking online courses for pedagogical work, studying and taking in-person classes at another university in your discipline, collaborating on research projects related to educational pedagogy, and attending training programs directed at educational outcomes assessment.
  • How do we find out if we can take a sabbatical leave?
  • Please consult with your department to obtain your current number of sabbatical credits earned. Again, please also refer to APM 740 – Leaves of Absence/Sabbatical Leaves for details, including the available types of sabbatical leave as well as the number of credits required to take a leave. If a sufficient number of credits have been accumulated for a leave, then we recommend consulting with your department chair about the timing of and proposed plan for the leave. If there is support, then complete and submit a sabbatical leave request form in MyInfoVault (MIV). Sabbatical leaves are approved by the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs.
  • ***NEW*** What is a Sabbatical in Residence? 
  • A Sabbatical in Residence (refer to APM 740-8-b) is a type of leave in which you continue teaching during the quarter (minimally, at least one class that meets regularly at least 3 hours each week during the sabbatical period), and you are charged fewer sabbatical credits. It’s also possible to request an exception to substitute significant leadership service for the teaching requirement to take a Sabbatical in Residence. Retroactive service is not eligible for an exception.

Other Guidance

  • Here are some examples of “Professional and Scholarly Achievement” work completed by Assistant Professors of Teaching who recently promoted to the Associate Professor of Teaching rank:
  • ♦ Published on-line instructional tool, YouTube channel
    ♦ Presented at local and national conferences
    ♦ Published peer-reviewed articles in discipline and education
    ♦ Published peer-reviewed conference proceedings
    ♦ Developed analytics application for Canvas
    ♦ Attended training workshops
    ♦ Served as PI/Co-PI on intramural and extramural grants focused on education
    ♦ Designed national initiatives to improve STEM education and inclusion
    ♦ Developed programs to facilitate transfer student success
    ♦ Participated in workshops for self-improvement in education
    ♦ Writing/editing books and book chapters on education
    ♦ Teaching modules available on-line for other instructors to use
    ♦ Received national awards in pedagogy from national organizations
    ♦ Experimental teaching research
    ♦ Multi-intuitional collaborative educational research
    ♦ Poster presentations at meetings
  •  Here are some examples of “Professional and Scholarly Achievement” work completed by Associate Professors of Teaching who recently promoted to the Professor of Teaching rank:
  • ♦ Since appointment to Associate Professor of Teaching (Step 2), one poster and four peer-reviewed conference proceedings related to disciplinary education (impacted by COVID). 
    ♦ $400,000+ grant from the national Center for Advancing Women in Technology
    ♦ Letter: “Peer-comparison of an educationally focused professor is never easy. One measure of that is evidence of  contribution to important national forums (print and peer-reviewed conferences); [name] has a long record of both moderate publication, reviewing/editing, and now leadership positions in important conferences in [their] field.”