Statements of Mutual Expectations
REG 05.20.27
Authority: Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
History: First Issued: Fall 1994. Last Revised: May 23, 2005. Additional History Information.
Related Policies:
NCSU POL05.20.1 -
Academic Tenure Policy
Additional References:
Sample Statement of Mutual Expectations
RPT Process Description
Contact Info: Senior Vice Provost (919-515-9770)
I. 1. Development of the Statement of Mutual Expectations
The Statement of Mutual Expectation (SME) is to be a written description of the appropriate mix of the individual faculty member's realms of responsibility and the mutually-agreed-upon expectations from both the faculty member and the department during the faculty member's appointment. Every faculty member is to have a SME, which is to be prepared in consultation with their department head. Every faculty member is to maintain this document throughout their course of service to the university. The SME will be included in the RPT dossier. The SME will also be used in post tenure reviews. The SME is to be prepared during the initial year (within 12 months) of appointment as a member of the faculty. Failure to develop or agree to changes in a SME must be brought to the attention of the dean by the department head. Consultation should then occur between the faculty member, the department head and the dean to resolve the matters at issue. The SME is to be memorialized as a dated document signed by the faculty member, department head and, at the discretion of the college, the dean and placed in the faculty member's personnel file.
The SME is to be reviewed periodically and changes instituted as necessary, especially when significant changes occur in expectations associated with the faculty member's appointment or in the professional life of the faculty member. Recommended times for review of the SME are after promotion with tenure, promotion in rank, and during post-tenure review. All substantive changes in the realms of responsibility are to be documented in the SME as to when the changes occurred and why such changes were deemed necessary.
Together with the annual report of accomplishments (faculty activity report), the SME should provide the principal basis for both annual and comprehensive evaluation of the performance of the faculty member in the light of the university Academic Tenure Policy and written Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure (RPT) rules of the department(s) and college(s) in which the faculty member is appointed and active.
II. 2. Contents of the Statement of Mutual Expectations
The faculty member and department head are encouraged to consider the following in development of the SME:
2.1. Initially the SME should reflect the responsibilities and expectations of both the faculty member and the department agreed to in the letter of offer.
2.2. The faculty member should have adequate flexibility and intellectual freedom to pursue promising leads and special opportunities for creative scholarship in all of his or her mutually agreed-upon realms of responsibility.
2.3. A close and well-recognized linkage should exist between each individual faculty member's SME and the mission and goals developed by that faculty member's department(s), college(s) and university.
2.4. A faculty member's SME might include a brief description of the following items as appropriate and consistent with the Academic Tenure Policy and college and departmental reappointment, promotion and tenure standards and procedures rules.
2.4.1. List of appropriate mix of realms of responsibility agreed to by the faculty member, the department head representing the department and others as appropriate to the appointment, and the dean of the college, including approximate percentage distribution of effort expected in those realms listed.
2.4.2. Items suggested to include about realms listed are:
2.4.2a. Teaching responsibilities, including undergraduate and graduate courses or areas of instruction, undergraduate advising, graduate advising as major professor or committee member, distance learning responsibilities, etc.
2.4.2b. Scholarship area(s) to be pursued by the faculty member, including names of departmental or college research centers or consortia, any multidisciplinary, multi-university, or other commitments expected.
2.4.2c. Creative artistry and literature expectations, e.g., as expressed in literary, performing, fine, and applied arts.
2.4.2d. Technological and managerial innovation expected, including description of technology transfer expectations, e.g., invention disclosures, copyrights, patents, designs, organizational processes, and constituency to be served.
2.4.2e. Extension and engagement responsibilities, including description of constituencies inside and outside the university to be served and areas of competence to be covered.
2.4.2f. Service responsibilities, including committees on which the faculty member is expected to serve within the department, college, university and professional society service roles. Description of administrative duties, e.g., Undergraduate Coordinator, Director of Graduate Programs, Center or Program Director.
2.4.3. Reference to the performance standards for reappointment, promotion and tenure documented in the departmental and college rules.
2.4.4. Summary of substantive changes in the realms of responsibility.
