Overview of US Computer Science Faculty Life Cycle

1. Overview of US Computer Science Faculty Life Cycle Debra Richardson University of California, Irvine Valerie Taylor Texas A&M University

2. Life Cycle • Starting Point: Assistant Professor • Usually recent PhD graduate • May come from industry • Progression • Assistant Professor • Associate Professor • Full Professor • Distinguished Professor

3. Tenure Time Line • 7 year probationary period • Intermediate Review: During year 3 • Tenure Review: During year 6 • Based upon work from past 5 years • Effective, September year 7

4. Detailed Timeline • Year 1:Start-up • Teach new courses • Get our papers from PhD • Take on a few grad students end of first year • Year 2: Focus on research • Teach same courses • Continue with your projects • Start publishing with grad students, independent of former advisor • Work on proposal writing • Year 3: Independent research • Continue publishing with grad students • Start giving some invited talks • Take on one program committee • Continue with proposal writing • Year 4: Research dissemination • Should have significant publications independent of former advisor • Given invited talks • Continue with proposal writing • Year 5: Good acceleration • Continue with publications • Invite top people to your university

5. Tenure Package • Detailed CV • External letters • Want people to say that you are established in your field • Made an impact, significant contributions • Statement of research, teaching, service contributions • Papers • Internal letters

6. Advancement to Full Professor • Generally about 4-6 years beyond the Associate Professor level • Should have international recognition as an established researchers • Recognized in your particular research area via: • Editorial boards, program committees, etc.

7. Distinguished Professor • About 1% of the faculty achieve this status • Based upon distinguished research contributions

8. Faculty Statistics(CRA Taulbee) • Total faculty sizes continue to grow at a rate of 3% during 2004-2005 • 85% of faculty hires for 2004-2005 were new PhDs • Only 15% came from change in academic positions or from government or industry

9. Faculty Losses (2004-2005) • For a total of 5,962 faculty, had a total of 213 losses or 3.7% • Faculty Losses: • Died 8 • Retired 56 • Took Academic Position Elsewhere 61 • Took Nonacademic Position 39 • Changed to Part-Time 16 • Other 25 • Unknown 8

10. Faculty Retention • Critical to the success of a department • Devote significant investment in the hiring of new faculty • Activities important for faculty retention • Mentoring of junior faculty • Providing a top environment for research activities • Promoting faculty via awards, professorships, chairs

11. Mentor Junior Faculty • Mentor faculty through the tenure process and the promotion to full professor • Mentors have the following roles: • Acclimate new faculty to the culture of the department and university • Provide feedback on papers and proposals • Help with getting involved with professional service

12. Research Environment • Having excellent students • Undergraduate and grad students • Providing support for equipment & space needs • Encourage and facilitate multi-disciplinary discussions

13. Promote Faculty • Nominate faculty for internal and external (international) awards and recognitions • Engage in development activities for endowments for professorships & chairs • Value and appreciate faculty