Guidelines for teaching staff move forward

The provost and university human resources offices will receive a request for action from the Professional and Scientific Council. At its March 3 meeting, the council approved a motion to share its guidelines for P&S teaching staff with both offices.

The council's executive committee developed the guidelines for P&S staff who teach for-credit courses as part of their duties or outside their position descriptions, and for their supervisors and department chairs. The document outlines the various resources and policies that apply to teaching appointment issues -- such as time allocation, position description updates, additional compensation, faculty rank and maximum teaching loads.

A summary in the council's document indicates a need for "streamlined communication." It also states that the guidelines "should be easily accessible, should be included in supervisor training and should provide a comprehensive resource for all parties."

Along with distribution to human resources liaisons, supervisors and department chairs, the approved document also includes a recommendation to integrate the guidelines in:

Elections

Councilor elections

Vote online March 9-25 (by 5 p.m.) via AccessPlus. Candidate bios are available on the council website.

The council elected its 2016-17 officers. Their terms begin in June, when president-elect Clayton Johnson (College of Engineering) moves into the president role. The incoming officers are:

  • Jessica Bell (natural resource ecology and management), president-elect
  • Jordan Bates (internal audit), vice president for university planning and budget
  • Ben Green (information technology), vice president for university community relations
  • Samone York (animal science), vice president for equity and inclusion
  • Melissa Gruhn (chemistry), secretary and treasurer

The council also approved two council member appointments to vacant seats:

  • Megan Fink (ISU Dining), as a student affairs representative
  • Sara Morris-Benavides (U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory), as a College of Veterinary Medicine representative