Williams College Employee Handbook

Faculty Handbook . | . Administrative Staff Handbook . | . Support Staff Handbook

Faculty Service to the College Community

In addition to teaching courses as outlined in previous sections, members of the faculty are expected to perform other duties that contribute to the governance and academic mission of the College community. Such contributions to the College and the faculty member's department or program are evaluated and play a role in decisions on reappointment, tenure, promotion, and salary determination. (See Faculty Appointments and Non-tenured Faculty Evaluation)

Community service can take many forms. At the department/program level it includes such things as advising majors and other students; serving on committees; screening, interviewing, and evaluating candidates for faculty appointments; and writing grants that address department/program needs. At the College-wide level it includes serving on faculty standing or ad hoc committees (the membership and responsibilities of which are spelled out in Faculty Committees and Panels); representing the College at alumni functions; and serving as a First-Year Advisor or as an advisor or mentor of other students and student groups. The academic advising of students is especially important in the context of the College's curriculum, which gives students a wide degree of latitude in their selection of courses. In order to contribute effectively to academic advising, faculty members are expected to be conversant with the structure of the overall curriculum and academic requirements of the College.

Although the College depends on faculty to participate in activities such as those described above and expects them to do so, non-tenured faculty members especially should avoid participating to such an extent that it interferes with their teaching and scholarly activities. As indicated in Faculty Appointments, the latter activities are of central importance in reappointment and promotion decisions. A non-tenured faculty member who, over time, takes on a reasonable share of collegial assignments should not hesitate to decline a request for additional service. Non-tenured faculty members in their first year of employment at the College are normally exempted from substantial service responsibilities.

While it is equally important for tenured faculty to continue to develop as teachers and scholars, they are also expected to undertake a reasonable share of responsibility for departmental and program activities and for divisional and College-wide committee assignments. Those responsible for making assignments, (principally the President, the Dean of the Faculty, the Steering Committee, and department chairs) endeavor to distribute assignments equitably over the years. It is understood that faculty members rotate in and out of exceptionally demanding department/program and College responsibilities and may need, on occasion, to take on or be relieved of heavy assignments.

Faculty Handbook . | . Administrative Staff Handbook . | . Support Staff Handbook