Research and Professional Growth Committee
Annual Report for 2011-12
The Research and Professional Growth Committee met five times during the 2011-2012 academic year.
At the request of Dean Beckford the committee met on September 13, 2011 to review and discuss the history and future of the full-year sabbatical program, as well as the status of the pre-tenure sabbatical program and of first-year course reductions for new faculty in light of recent budget constraints. (Dean Beckford had requested that the committee consider whether funds used for these programs might be better spent providing additional resources for faculty travel.) The committee invited Ty Tessitore (chair of the Curriculum Review Committee) to put in context the full-year sabbatical initiative relative to Furman’s recent strategic plan and curriculum revision, and initiatives related to both. Gil Einstein and Brian Goess (former chairs of RPG) agreed to attend in order to provide additional historical context and to answer questions from current RPG committee members. The RPG committee voted unanimously to support the continuation (and recommended expansion) of the existing full-year sabbatical and the pre-tenure sabbatical programs.
The committee met on September 27, 2011 to evaluate sabbatical leave applications for the 2012-13 academic year. It recommended approval of 28 proposals, four of which were pre-tenure sabbaticals. The committee also discussed nine applications for full-year sabbaticals at full-salary and made its recommendation to Dean Beckford. Dean Beckford, present during these deliberations, supported the committee’s selections.
On November 21, 2011, the committee evaluated 12 grant applications and awarded a total of $13,211 for 11 projects.
On January 17, 2012, the committee met to discuss guidelines of the new Furman Standard Faculty Research Grants and Furman Standard Faculty Fellowships, specifically those concerning eligibility.
On March 15, 2010, the committee evaluated 17 proposals and awarded $20,425 for 15 projects. Overall, there were requests for $48,713 for 42 projects, and the committee awarded $33,636 for 32 proposals.
The chair expresses appreciation to all of the committee members for their careful and thorough work throughout the year and to Kevin Treu for his continued help with the RPG website.
Karen Buchmueler, Chemistry
Jessica Hennessey, Economics
Mark Kilstofte (Chair), Music
Anne Leen, Classics
Doug Rall, Mathematics
Julian Reed, Health Sciences