Faculty members desiring flexible work arrangements for extended periods have a new policy effective Sept. 1 to guide them.
The policy, approved by the Academic Council and the Board of Trustees this week, puts into writing a previously ad hoc arrangement by which faculty members negotiated with their department chairs or deans a flexible work arrangement. The new policy covers regular-rank faculty, which includes all tenured and tenure-track faculty, professors of the practice, and faculty on Tracks 4 and 5 in the School of Medicine.
"The purpose is to offer support for faculty at different points in their career when they are in need of a flexible work arrangement," said Dr. Nancy Allen, vice provost for faculty diversity and faculty development. "Frequently these come up to provide care for young children, a sick child, partner or parent, but also increasingly they are coming up as faculty members approach retirement."
Allen said the intention of the policy was not to interfere with arrangements made by faculty members with department chairs but to regularize them. "We didn't want to upset the authority of the chairs and deans in this area, but we want faculty members to know that these types of arrangements are available to them and that they didn't have to go underground to create them."
Under the new policy, which will become part of the Faculty Handbook, a flexible work arrangement can be made for up to three years at a time and is renewable, although Allen said some pre-retirement arrangements could be extended for longer periods of time.
There's wide leeway given in the policy for faculty and chairs to work out the nature of the arrangement -- which can include reduced teaching, research, clinical activities or university service and administrative responsibilities. All faculty participating would still be considered full-time members of the Duke faculty.
To apply for the arrangement, faculty members must fill out a request form and get approval from the chair, dean and provost. The Provost's office will track usage of this policy.
Tenure-track faculty are eligible for three months of tenure clock relief (up to a maximum of 36 months) for each year of the approved flexible work arrangement. Allen said this is separate from any other tenure clock relief, including that for parental leave.
This policy was one of the major goals of the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Faculty Career Flexibility, which Duke received in 2006. Allen said that while other institutions have created part-time policies for short-term use, Duke's will be unusual in the breadth of the policy, the lengths of time that can be requested,and its relationship with tenure clock relief.
"It's our understanding that this policy will regularize and add to the possibility of flexible work arrangements for faculty members," said Academic Council Chair Paul Haagen. "In no way could it reduce the possibility of flexible work arrangements. We think this is a positive step."