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Processes & Criteria to Evaluate Faculty

Professional Track Faculty

The review of professional track faculty takes place at their initial appointment, or whenever they request promotion to a different title. The process is outlined in the UMIACS Appointment, Evaluation, and Promotion policy for professional track faculty.

Core/joint Tenure Track Faculty and Adjunct/Affiliate Faculty

Except for a few legacy permanent faculty appointments, all faculty in UMIACS are evaluated when they request the renewal of their affiliation with the institute. All faculty with payroll appointments in the institute are also evaluated annually as part of the merit review process described in more detail below.

General Criteria for Evaluation

The primary mission of UMIACS is to foster and enable cutting-edge interdisciplinary research that is grounded in computer science and that addresses pressing scientific and societal challenges. In support of this mission, UMIACS is committed to fostering, on campus and beyond, a community that includes participation by people of diverse backgrounds, genders, identities, upbringing, and scientific knowledge. All faculty in UMIACS are expected to demonstrate strong scholarship, service to the institute, as well as to adhere to institute, campus, state, and federal regulations, policies, and laws. For more information about professional conduct expectations, see Expectations of Conduct for UMIACS Members.

Specific Criteria

The expectations from faculty are commensurate to the academic rank of the faculty involved. Appointments in UMIACS will be continued, if requested, if a faculty member’s activities and interests remain consistent with this broad mission. In concrete terms, the UMIACS APT committee will consider the following criteria:

  • Evidence of active positive engagement within the UMIACS community in support of the mission of the institute. Examples include active participation in standing and ad hoc committees, participation in UMIACS meetings and seminar series, active support and mentoring of junior members of our community, outreach on behalf of UMIACS to the broader scientific community, both on campus and beyond.
  • Evidence of scientific impact as measured through recent (prior 5 years) publications as well as overall publication record. Examples of concrete metrics include the quality of publication venues, number of publications, number of citations, etc.
  • Evidence of fundraising efforts, as measured through number and dollar amounts for awarded grants routed through UMIACS.

The expectation is that faculty will make major contributions in at least two of the three of the criteria described above. For senior faculty the evaluation specifically focuses on activities that demonstrate scientific leadership, such as serving as PI on major grant proposals, the organization of conferences and workshops, etc. Since the goal of UMIACS is to promote interdisciplinary research, the evaluation will specifically focus on publications and grants that include multiple faculty members from different fields, both from within and outside UMIACS and/or the university.

UMIACS appointments are only made or renewed at the request of the faculty member, and, in the case of joint appointments, with the explicit approval of the chair of the tenure home department. All appointments that entail a financial commitment from UMIACS are contingent upon an agreement between UMIACS, the tenure home department, and any other units in which a faculty member may have a payroll appointment. Such agreements usually specify the fraction of the 9-month salary, FTE contributed by each unit (note that the two fractions are not necessarily equal), as well as the proportion of credit and DRIF to be allocated to each unit for the externally funded projects associated with the faculty member. 

If the initial appointment occurs when a faculty member is hired into the university, the request for UMIACS affiliation is typically made by the candidate during the interview process, and the possibility of an affiliation with the institute is typically included in the offer letter and employment contract. The hiring department provides an application package for the faculty member that is then made available to the UMIACS Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure (APT) committee. 

A faculty member who is already appointed on campus must request a UMIACS appointment from the chair of their tenure home department as well as from the UMIACS director. The evaluation of the appointment may only proceed if both units agree to the financial terms described above. For faculty who are already members of UMIACS, during the last year of their appointment term, UMIACS will inform the chair of their home department that the appointment is ending and will invite the submission of a renewal package. It is the prerogative of the chair of the home department to decide whether to allow the joint appointment to lapse, or to forward the request for a renewal package to the faculty member. For initial appointments, the faculty member will provide to the UMIACS director a package that contains:

  • The recommendation/support of the tenure home department chair. For affiliate/adjunct appointments this item is optional.
  • A biosketch formatted according to the University of Maryland requirements covering the prior five years, or the period the candidate has been employed at the University of Maryland, if this period is less than five years.
  • A one-page statement outlining the faculty member’s proposed contributions to UMIACS during the period of their appointment.

The renewal package must include the following elements:

  • A biosketch formatted according to the University of Maryland requirements, or a confirmation that the faculty member’s information in the Faculty Success system is up to date for the preceding period of appointment in the institute.
  • A one-page statement outlining the faculty member’s contributions to UMIACS during the prior period of appointment.
  • A one-page statement outlining the faculty member’s proposed contributions to UMIACS during the future period of appointment.

For both initial and renewal appointments, the director of UMIACS will review the package provided by the faculty member and decide whether an appointment is warranted. If the director decides to proceed with an evaluation of the appointment, the director will forward the package to the UMIACS APT committee, which will then provide an independent assessment of the request. The UMIACS director will then make the final decision about the appointment based on the minutes of the APT committee meeting and the results of the secret vote taken at that meeting. In instances where an appointment is denied, the UMIACS director will communicate this decision to the faculty member requesting the appointment, and (in case of joint appointments) the chair of the tenure home department.

Initial requests for an appointment in UMIACS may occur at any time during the year and will typically be considered at the subsequent APT committee meeting, assuming a financial agreement (if necessary) has been completed between UMIACS and the tenure home department. UMIACS typically informs tenure home departments of appointments ending during the current academic year in the fall semester and evaluates renewal packages at one of several APT committee meetings during the spring semester. Decisions are typically communicated to faculty and their tenure home chair before the end of May. Most appointments are effective July 1, and typically extend for three years (assistant and associate professors with joint appointments as well as affiliate/adjunct appointments of all ranks) or five years (full professors with joint appointments).

According to the University of Maryland and UMIACS merit review policies all faculty with a paid appointment in the institute are reviewed annually. The review process proceeds as follows:

  • UMIACS faculty will elect a merit review committee, typically before the end of the prior academic year.
  • UMIACS faculty are invited to provide to the merit review committee and the UMIACS director information about their activities during the prior three years. This information may consist of an appropriately formatted biosketch or be provided through the Faculty Success system. An optional one-page statement may also be provided by each faculty member.
  • The UMIACS merit review committee reviews all faculty members according to the evaluation criteria described above, as well as additional criteria that may be requested by the UMIACS director to incentivize or reward certain activities supporting the mission of the institute. The merit review committee assigns each faculty member in one of five categories, ranked from 1 (low performance) to 5 (high performance) according to a rubric determined by the members of the committee. Members of the merit review committee as well as their relatives are excluded from the evaluation and are ranked by the UMIACS director according to the rubric created by the committee.
  • The chair of the merit review committee meets with the UMIACS director and presents the ratings as well as the rubric used in the evaluation. If necessary, the UMIACS director may request that the committee re-evaluate certain faculty, for example to correct inconsistent ratings.
  • The UMIACS director assigns ratings to members of the review committee and their relatives.
  • In years when merit funds are available, the UMIACS director, together with UMIACS and college financial administrators, assigns a dollar amount for each rating category. The merit pay amount received by each faculty member corresponds to the dollar amount associated with the rating they received, prorated by the percent of the 9-month salary contributed by UMIACS.
  • The UMIACS director informs the members of the merit review committee about the dollar amounts assigned to the different ratings and about any changes in ratings made by the director.
  • The UMIACS business office coordinates with the other units in which a faculty member is appointed to determine the overall merit pay, and a salary letter outlining the salary increase is prepared by the tenure home department and shared with each faculty member.

Appointment, Evaluation and Promotion

The University of Maryland guidelines on the Appointment, Evaluation and Promotion (AEP) of Professional Track (PTK) faculty provide transparency and accountability of rules, procedures, and processes; fair and equitable treatment of PTK faculty in appointment, evaluation and promotion; and meaningful inclusion of PTK faculty in the development and implementation of unit, College, or School policies and procedures.

The UMIACS Policy on Professional Track Faculty establishes unit-level policies that are compliant with college and university-level guidelines for the appointment, evaluation, and promotion of such faculty. Select the applicant's rank below to learn more about each position and see the table for which documents are required.

Title APT Vote Required? Signed & Dated CV Signed & Dated Professional Statement References Additional Documents
Assistant Research Scientist/Scholar/Engineer/Professor Y Y Y 3 including at least one that's external to UMD
Associate Research Scientist/Scholar/Engineer/Professor Y Y Y 3 selected by candidate; 3 selected by committee; at least one that's external to UMD
Senior Faculty Specialist Y Y Y 3 Evaluation by supervising faculty communicated to UMIACS director
Research Scientist/Scholar/Engineer/Professor N Y Y 3 selected by candidate; 3 selected by committee; including at least 3 external to UMD
Principal Faculty Specialist Y Y Y 3 including at least one that's external to UMD Nomination letter from UMIACS faculty member or mentor
Faculty Specialist N Y Y 2 Nomination letter from UMIACS faculty member or mentor; interview by supervising faculty member
Faculty Assistant N Y Y 1
Post-doctoral Associate N Y Y 1
All other PTK ranks N Y Y

Instructions for Professional Statement
 

The professional statement must document the candidate’s professional activities, administrative, and/or managerial responsibilities, productivity, creativity, and professional development, and (for research faculty) the research accomplished by the candidate and directions for future research. The statement must  specifically highlight collaborative and interdisciplinary activities within and outside UMIACS, such as collaborative grants and papers.

Contact

For general questions, please contact Elizabeth Hontz. 

For questions regarding financial accounts, contact Petra Zapf. 

For questions regarding payroll, contact Vivian Lu. 

If you are an international applicant, contact Yerty Valenzuela for additional requirements.

Center & Lab Policies

Several structures are organized within UMIACS with the goal of bringing closer together faculty and students with common research interests. These sub-units within the institute are created according to the University of Maryland Policy and Procedures for the Establishment and Review of Centers and Institutes. 

This policy outlines four types of structures:

  1. Institutes—formally-created entities intended to have a level of permanence similar to that of a department. UMIACS itself is such a structure; 
  2. Centers—formally-created entities that comprise multiple faculty, staff, and/or students in an area of specialized scientific focus; 
  3. Groups—informal collections of faculty with common research interests; 
  4. Externally-funded entities—entities created due to an external grant or contract. Confusingly, such structures could be named Centers, or Institutes, or whatever else either the principal investigator or the funding agencies decide, irrespective of their size or level of permanence. 

In UMIACS, some groups are referred to as “Laboratories,” with a prominent example being the Computational Linguistics and Information Processing Laboratory (CLIP Lab). The CLIP Lab is an informal structure that has, nonetheless, developed a long-lasting set of traditions and community spirit. Other groups or labs in UMIACS are typically smaller, involving just one or a few faculty members and associated students. 

Currently, UMIACS hosts two externally funded research groups: The NSF Grand Challenge Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation Institute (RQS), and the Center for Medical Innovations in Extended Reality (MIXR). UMIACS also hosts centers created jointly with external partners, such as the UMD-NIST Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science (QuICS).

As outlined above, groups or labs are informal structures, and therefore, their operation, policies, and procedures are entirely at the discretion of their corresponding members, within, of course, the scope of UMIACS, campus, state, and federal regulations and laws. The organization and operation of the formally established centers within UMIACS varies from center to center and is largely defined by the founding document (the proposal submitted for approval to the campus), or by the proposal submitted to the external sponsor as well as by sponsor requirements, in the case of externally funded centers. As a result, the organization of the different centers within UMIACS varies.

There are, however, some commonalities. All formally established centers have an appointed director who is appointed by, and reports to, the director of UMIACS. In the case of externally funded centers, the principal investigator of the project typically serves as the director.

All centers and major laboratories within UMIACS also have developed a culture of collaboration among their members, and most decisions that impact the centers or laboratories are taken collaboratively by their core faculty, even if the director of the center has substantial latitude in decision making.

We typically distinguish between two types of center affiliations: core faculty, and affiliate faculty. 

The core faculty are those UMIACS faculty members who are the primary members of the center, and are the most engaged in, and responsible for the success of the center. Typically, a group of core faculty members is identified at the creation of the center, however new core members may be added later, as described in more detail below. 

Most of the privileges (e.g., access to center resources) and responsibilities associated with membership in a center are reserved for the core members of the center, who must all also be joint members of UMIACS unless otherwise described in the center's founding documents. It is typically assumed that the core members’ research activities are primarily associated with the center. 

The primary metrics used to evaluate the productivity of centers and to make financial determinations (such as assigning DRIF credit) are restricted to the activities of the core faculty members of each center. Affiliate members of a center are faculty who have a general affinity with the center’s faculty and scientific mission, but whose primary activities take place outside of the center. All faculty members affiliated with UMIACS centers must also be affiliate or adjunct members of UMIACS, and are, therefore, subject to the review of the UMIACS APT committee. 

The first step toward joining a UMIACS center is to develop a relationship with the faculty in the center and with the center’s director. Appointments (core and affiliate, alike) within a center assume a mutually beneficial relationship between the center and each of its members. 

Once a candidate and the current core members of the centers agree that membership in the center is desired, the process for establishing the appointment depends on the nature of the appointment and the candidate's situation, largely as follows:

  •  Faculty member with a joint appointment in UMIACS seeking core membership in a center. The appointment can be directly made at the discretion of the center director and faculty, according to relevant center policies or norms. A faculty member may only be a core member of one UMIACS center.
  • Faculty member with an affiliate, adjunct, or joint appointment in UMIACS seeking affiliate membership in a center. The appointment can be directly made at the discretion of the center director and faculty, according to relevant center policies or norms.
  • Faculty member who does not have a joint appointment in UMIACS seeking core membership in a center. The faculty member must request and receive a joint appointment in UMIACS prior to seeking membership in the center. Learn more about the process for joining UMIACS.
  • Faculty member who does not have an affiliation in UMIACS seeking affiliate membership in a center. The faculty member must request and receive an affiliate, adjunct, or joint appointment in UMIACS prior to seeking membership in the center 

UMIACS Organization Plan

PDF Version

I. PREAMBLE

  1. The University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer studies was created in 1985 based on the recommendation of the University of Maryland President's Advisory Council for Graduate Studies and Research. The stated goal of this recommendation was: "The institute will provide a framework for support of numerous existing computer-related research activities within the University; in collaboration with the relevant academic departments, it will serve as a focal point for new interdisciplinary research in the computer sciences across the University campuses. The institute will facilitate collaboration between the University, industry, and the federal government and will help attract new high technology industry to the State."

  2. At a retreat in March 2023 and subsequent faculty discussions, UMIACS adopted the subsequent mission and vision statements, consistent with the initial vision that led to the creation of the Institute. 

    Mission: The mission of UMIACS is to catalyze, support and sustain collaborative and interdisciplinary computing-focused research, scholarship and innovation through crosscutting teamwork and stellar technical and administrative support. 

    Vision: By deeply engaging researchers with a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds, UMIACS aspires to be a leader in high-impact scientific innovations that expand the boundaries of computing research and benefit our campus, the state of Maryland, and beyond.

  3. Adoption and any subsequent amendment of the Constitution require approval by the Institute Assembly, followed by approval by the College Council.
  4. In case of any conflict or inconsistency of this Plan of Organization, including amendments, with duly established and announced rules of the College or University, the latter shall govern.

II. ORGANIZATION

UMIACS Director

  1. The Director is the chief administrative officer of the Institute and has those responsibilities and powers assigned by the College and the University. The Director is appointed by the University for a term not to exceed five years. The Director may be renewed for a second consecutive term after a satisfactory review conducted by the dean of the college within which UMIACS resides. The Director may not serve for more than 10 consecutive years. All key units with constituencies in UMIACS will provide input and feedback on the selection of the UMIACS director.
  2. If a candidate is not a tenured faculty member of the University in a unit, a recommendation as to tenure by the appropriate academic department faculty also shall be made.

Institute Assembly 

  1. The Assembly is the deliberative body of the Institute. It may consider any matter affecting the Institute or its members. It is responsible for its own organization, meetings, and elections.
  2. The following are members of the Assembly, each member having one vote:
    1. all professional track and tenure track faculty who have at least a 25% appointment in the Institute;
    2. the Institute's Director;
    3. such other persons as the Assembly may admit;
    4. one representative of the staff elected by the staff.
  3. All new or renewed appointments of tenure-track faculty in the Institute are limited to at most 5 years. Appointments may be renewed.
  4. Meetings: The Assembly shall meet no less than once during each semester of the academic year.

  5. Standing committees: The standing committees of the Assembly shall include Appointment, Promotion and Tenure (APT), Steering, and Merit Review. The Director, or their designated representative, is an ex-officio voting member of all standing committees. 

    At the beginning of each academic year, the Director shall provide a charge to the standing committees. The charge shall include the expectation that each committee report on their activities to the Assembly during one of the meetings of the assembly and expectations for those reports' content. 

  6. Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure (APT) committee The APT committee advises the Director regarding the appointment and reappointment of faculty in the Institute. The APT committee will be elected by the Assembly before the academic year ends. The committee comprises seven tenure-track faculty members and one professional track faculty member (if available). All elected members of the APT committee must be UMIACS faculty with at least a 25% appointment in the Institute. 

    Each member of the Assembly will be given a slate of eligible candidates and asked to vote for up to 14 candidates (twice the number of seats available) that they find acceptable to be members of the APT committee. 

    Four out of the seven tenure-track members of the APT committee will be those who receive the highest number of acceptable votes, distributed as follows: 2 Professor; 1 Associate Professor; 1 Assistant Professor. The professional track faculty member (if available) with the highest number of votes will also be selected. To pick the remaining three candidates, the following procedure is followed. All candidates get pooled in a partially ordered list, sorted descending by votes. Going down the list, pick the first candidates to fill one remaining slot each for Professor, Associate Professor, and Assistant Professor ranks, and ensure that at least three home departments are represented in the full committee. Ties will be broken at the discretion of the Director.

    The chair of the APT committee will be selected by the Director from the members of the committee with the rank of Professor. 

    For appointments to the ranks of Assistant Professor, Assistant Research Scientist, and equivalent research faculty ranks, as well as for Adjunct and Affiliate appointments at all ranks, all members of the committee may discuss and vote. 

    For appointments to the rank of Associate Professor, Associate Research Scientist, and equivalent research faculty ranks, only APT committee members with the rank of Associate Professor, Associate Research Scientist, Professor, Research Scientist, and equivalent research faculty ranks may discuss and vote on cases. For appointments to the rank of Professor, Research Scientist, and equivalent research faculty ranks, only APT committee members with the rank of Professor, Research Scientist, and equivalent research faculty ranks may discuss and vote on cases.

  7. Steering committee: The Steering committee advises the Director. The Committee should meet at least once each semester to discuss programmatic issues, recruiting, budgets and other areas of interest. A staff person, appointed by the Director, will be present to take minutes available to all UMIACS faculty. The Steering committee will be elected by the Assembly before the academic year ends. 

    Each member of the Assembly will be given a slate of eligible candidates and asked to vote for up to 12 candidates (twice the number of seats available) that they find acceptable to be members of the Steering committee. 

    The members of the Steering committee will be selected by the Director on the basis of the highest number of votes as acceptable, subject to satisfying the following requirements. The Steering committee comprises six members, at least three at the rank of Professor or equivalent. The members of the committee shall represent faculty with primary appointments in at least two different departments and can include members of the professional track faculty. 

    The chair of the department with the highest representation in the Assembly is an exofficio member of the Steering committee.

  8. Merit review committee: A Merit Review committee, consisting of three faculty members, will serve to advise the Director on merit pay distribution. The Committee will be directly elected annually via secret ballot by the tenure-track and tenured faculty. A faculty member may not serve more than two consecutive years on the Committee. 

    Each member of the Assembly will be given a slate of eligible candidates and asked to vote for up to six candidates (twice the number of seats available) that they find acceptable to be members of the Merit Review committee. 

    Insofar as possible, the Merit Review committee composition over a period of years will reflect the diverse composition of the Institute. Each year the Director will review the makeup of the Merit Review Committee over the previous five years to ensure that a reasonable representation of the faculty has been achieved. If necessary, the Director will modify the composition of the committee to rectify the situation subject to the approval of the Steering Committee. The Director should consider how diversity requirements for committee membership can disproportionately burden diverse faculty, who, relative to their colleagues, often face increased service work demands from their department and scholarly community that do not benefit their own careers.

  9. The Director and/or Assembly may assign duties other than the above to any of the standing committees and may create ad hoc committees other than the standing committees.

III. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY 

The rules in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Plan in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Plan, with applicable regulations of the University of Maryland, and with any special rules of order that may be adopted by the Assembly.

IV. PROCEDURE FOR AMENDMENTS 

The plan of organization (sections I-IV) may be amended by the Assembly by a two-thirds vote, provided that the text of the proposed amendment shall have been submitted to the membership at least two weeks in advance of that meeting. The vote may take place during a meeting of the Assembly or may be submitted electronically within 24 hours of the conclusion of the meeting. A quorum is necessary, i.e., two thirds of the current members of the Assembly with at least a 25% appointment in UMIACS must ratify any amendment. Amendments to the plan of organization must also be approved by the College Council. 

The bylaws (section V) may be amended by the Assembly by a majority vote, provided that the text of the proposed amendment shall have been submitted to the membership at least two weeks in advance of that meeting. The vote may take place during a meeting of the Assembly or may be submitted electronically within 24 hours of the conclusion of the meeting. A quorum is necessary, i.e., one half of the current members of the Assembly with at least a 25% appointment in UMIACS must ratify any amendment.

V. BYLAWS

Tenure

As an Institute, UMIACS does not grant tenure. In the case of joint appointments of tenure-track faculty with the Institute, decisions related to academic promotion and tenure are the responsibility of the tenure home department. In such cases, the Director shall provide the tenure home with a letter providing a recommendation regarding the promotion based on the faculty member's contribution to the Institute, a letter that shall be added to the promotion dossier.

Initial Appointment in the Institute of Tenure Track Faculty Members

A request for appointment in the Institute must include, in writing, the following documents:

  • An approximately one-page statement justifying the request, highlighting the proposed contributions of the faculty member to the Institute’s mission (as specified where);
  • A support letter from the chair of the tenure home department;
  • A signed and dated CV (preferably in the official University of Maryland format) or a signed certification that the information available in the Faculty Success system is up to date. For new university hires, the statement justifying the request should preferably be written by the appointee, but it need not be (for example, a justification accurately reflecting the candidate’s intent that is written by the Director of UMIACS or by the chair of the tenure home department); and the CV from the appointee’s application packet, formatted as-is, is acceptable. 

In case the Director determines that the appointment is in the best interest of the Institute, and financial resources are available to support the joint appointment, the Director shall ask the APT committee to review the request in accordance with the UMIACS criteria for appointment and promotion. 

The APT committee vote is advisory to the Director. In case the Director makes a decision contrary to the vote of the committee, the Director shall inform the committee members and provide a justification. 

The Director formally presents the final decision to the faculty member and to the chair of the tenure home department. The APT committee’s vote count is not made available to either the faculty member or tenure home chair.

Initial Appointment in the Institute of Affiliate or Adjunct Faculty Members (No Cost Appointments)

A faculty member seeking appointment in the Institute must submit, in writing, the following documents: 

  • A one-page statement justifying the request, highlighting the proposed contributions of the faculty member to the Institute’s mission;
  • A signed and dated CV in the University of Maryland Format, or a signed certification that the information available in the Faculty Success system is up to date.

In case the Director considers that the appointment is in the best interest of the Institute, the Director shall ask the APT committee to review the request in accordance with the UMIACS criteria for appointment and promotion. 

The APT committee vote is advisory to the Director. In case the Director makes a decision contrary to the vote of the committee, the Director shall inform the committee members and provide a justification. 

The Director formally presents the final decision to the faculty member. The APT committee’s vote count is not made available to the faculty member.

Renewal Appointment in the Institute of Tenure Track Faculty Members

During the final year of appointment of a joint faculty member, the UMIACS director shall inform the chair of the tenure home department and request a reappointment package containing the following documents: 

  • A one-page statement justifying the request, highlighting the proposed contributions of the faculty member to the Institute’s mission;
  • A one-page statement describing the faculty member’s contributions to the Institute during the prior period of appointment.
  • A support letter from the chair of the tenure home department;
  • A signed and dated CV in the University of Maryland format, or a signed certification that the information available in the Faculty Success system is up to date. 

In case the Director determines that the appointment is in the best interest of the Institute, and financial resources are available to support the joint appointment, the Director shall ask the APT committee to review the request in accordance with the UMIACS criteria for appointment and promotion. 

The APT committee vote is advisory to the Director. In case the Director makes a decision contrary to the vote of the committee, the Director shall inform the committee members and provide a justification. The Director formally presents the final decision to the faculty member and to the chair of the tenure home department. The APT committee’s vote count is not made available to either the faculty member or tenure home chair.

Renewal Appointment in the Institute of Affiliate or Adjunct Faculty Members (No Cost)

UMIACS will notify affiliate and adjunct faculty members whose appointments are ending with sufficient lead time for them to be reappointed without a gap. A faculty member seeking re-appointment in the Institute must submit, in writing, the following documents: 

  • A one-page statement justifying the request, highlighting the proposed contributions of the faculty member to the Institute’s mission;
  • A one-page statement describing the faculty member’s contributions to the Institute during the prior period of appointment.
  • A signed and dated CV in the University of Maryland Format, or a signed certification that the information available in the Faculty Success system is up to date. 

In case the Director considers that the appointment is in the best interest of the Institute, the Director shall ask the APT committee to review the request in accordance with the UMIACS criteria for appointment and promotion. 

The APT committee vote is advisory to the Director. In case the Director makes a decision contrary to the vote of the committee, the Director shall inform the committee members and provide a justification. 

The Director formally presents the final decision to the faculty member. The APT committee’s vote count is not made available to the faculty member.

Visiting Appointments (No Cost)

The appointment of visiting faculty is at the discretion of the Director. Such appointments are made for one year and may be renewed in exceptional circumstances for an additional year. After an initial visiting appointment, faculty seeking a longer-term appointment in the Institute must apply for a joint, affiliate, or adjunct appointment.

Other Appointments

If the Director desires to make appointments in the Institute that deviate from the UMIACS criteria for appointment and promotion and/or from the procedures outlined above, a special meeting of the APT committee can be scheduled.

Merit Review

The Institute’s procedures and criteria for assigning merit pay are detailed in the Merit Pay Distribution Plan for UMIACS faculty. This plan shall be reviewed by an ad hoc committee no less frequently than once every 5 years. Any proposed changes to the plan must be approved by a vote of the Institute’s Assembly.

Meetings

The Director will schedule monthly meetings of the Assembly during the academic year.

Election for Standing Committees 

Members of standing committees will be elected before the end of each academic year effective at the start of the following academic year.

Centers & Labs

Our Major Centers

At the heart of our research enterprise, the major centers we support advance interdisciplinary science and scholarship that will have a positive impact on society. Several of these centers involve cross-institutional participation from federal agencies or other academic institutions. For more information on how to join a UMIACS center or lab, read the policies page. 

Center & Lab Policies
researchers talking by Maryland Cybersecurity Center column

Maryland Cybersecurity Center 

The Maryland Cybersecurity Center (MC2) is a unique, multidisciplinary research and education powerhouse focused on theoretical and applied cryptography, data-driven security, human-computer interaction and security, network and wireless security, machine learning and security, blockchain and cryptocurrency security, and programming languages security. 

University of Maryland Center for Machine Learning 

The University of Maryland Center for Machine Learning is a multidisciplinary center that uses powerful computing tools to address challenges in big data, computer vision, health care, financial transactions and more. 

researchers in white lab coats with equipment

Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology 

The University of Maryland Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (CBCB) is a multidisciplinary center dedicated to research on questions arising from the genome revolution. CBCB brings together scientists and engineers from many fields, including computer science, molecular biology, genomics, genetics, mathematics, statistics and physics, all of whom share a common interest in gaining a better understanding of how life works.

Maryland Blended Reality Center 

The Maryland Blended Reality Center (MBRC) is a multidisciplinary partnership that joins computing experts at the University of Maryland with medical professionals at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. The center’s mission is to advance visual computing tools—many of them based in immersive technologies like virtual, augmented and mixed reality—that can be used for emergency medicine, health care and innovative educational and training modules.

doctor and computer scientist discussing AR headset

Center for Medical Innovations in Extended Reality 

At the Center for Medical Innovations in Extended Reality (MIXR), researchers are transforming development and use of cutting-edge extended reality (XR) technologies through high-impact research that meets shared industry, government and healthcare needs.

Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science

The Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science (QuICS) is a partnership between the University of Maryland and the National Institute of Standards and Technology that advances research and education in quantum computer science and quantum information theory.

quantum researcher in lab

NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation 

Combining expertise in computer science, engineering and physics, the NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation addresses the grand challenge of robustly simulating classically intractable quantum systems. Supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the institute is a partnership between the University of Maryland, Princeton University, Duke University and North Carolina State University.

Center for Automation Research 

The Center for Automation Research (CfAR) at the University of Maryland is a leader in research and education involving computer vision, computer visualization, perceptual interfaces, and language and media processing.

man and woman talking in front of TRAILS logo

Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society 

The Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society (TRAILS) is a partnership between the University of Maryland, George Washington University, Morgan State University and Cornell University. Funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the institute is focused on transforming the practice of AI from one driven primarily by technological innovation to one that is driven by ethics, human rights, and input and feedback from communities whose voices have previously been marginalized.

University of Maryland Center of Excellence in Microbiome Sciences

The University of Maryland Center of Excellence in Microbiome Sciences joins faculty, postdoctoral scholars and graduate students from across campus in pursuit of a deeper understanding of complex microbial communities, and how those microbiomes interact with each other and with our ecosystem.

Major Labs

In addition to individual faculty labs, we support two multidisciplinary labs that join faculty and graduate students from multiple academic units across campus.

women discussing data

Computational Linguistics and Information Processing Lab 

The Computational Linguistics and Information Processing (CLIP) Laboratory is engaged in designing algorithms and methods that allow computers to effectively and efficiently perform human language-related tasks, as well as using computational methods to improve our scientific understanding of the human capacity for language, and explore heterogeneous datasets at scale.

 Human-Computer Interaction Lab

The Human-Computer Interaction Lab (HCIL) has a long, rich history of transforming the experience people have with new technologies. From understanding user needs, to developing and evaluating those technologies, the lab’s faculty, staff and students have been leading the way in HCI research and teaching.

Research Partners

We also partner with several independent research centers and labs on scientific areas of interest, education and outreach, and industrial collaborations. 

Laboratory for Telecommunication Sciences 

At the intersection of academia and government, the Laboratory for Telecommunication Sciences (LTS) conducts both classified and unclassified networking and computing research, exploring the implications of new communications domains. LTS researchers work at the cutting-edge of technology, enhancing the National Security Agency's mission.

National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center

The National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC), brings together the science of the natural world with the science of human behavior and decision making to solve complex environmental problems and social problems facing our world.

 

Contact us

Interim Director

Andrew Childs (301) 405-2329

Executive Director of Administration & Operations

Emily Hartz (301) 405-0408  ehartz [at] umiacs.umd.edu 
 FAX (301) 314-9658 

Director of Computing Facilities

Derek Yarnell (301) 405-6754  derek [at] umiacs.umd.edu

Media Inquiries

Tom Ventsias (301) 405-5933  media [at] umiacs.umd.edu 

Director of Corporate Partnership Development 

Maria D. Johnson 301-405-7990 mjohns40 [at] umd.edu 

General Information

(301) 405-6722  

REU Summer Interns Tackle Big Problems in Bioinformatics

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UMD Framework Used to Test Safety of Meta’s New Multimodal AI Model

Furong Huang is co-leading efforts involving AI safety testing under simulated operational pressure.

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UMIACS Policy on Professional-Track Faculty

This policy was originally approved by UMIACS faculty in March 2019. It was revised in response to feedback from Faculty Affairs in November 2019. This revised policy was presented to UMIACS faculty and went into effect in April 2020. The document history was added in August 2022. 

View Policy as PDF

Scope, Purpose, and Implementation of this Policy

  1. The purpose of this document is to establish unit-level policies compliant with collegeand university-level policy and guidelines for appointment, evaluation, and promotion of professional track faculty within the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS).
  2. This policy only describes the criteria and procedures for the following professionaltrack (PTK) ranks that are presently in use or may be used within UMIACS: Assistant Research Professor, Assistant Research Scientist, Assistant Research Scholar, Assistant Research Engineer, Associate Research Professor, Associate Research Scientist, Associate Research Scholar, Associate Research Engineer, Research Professor, Research Scientist, Research Scholar, Research Engineer, Faculty Specialist, Senior Faculty Specialist, Principal Faculty Specialist, Post-Doctoral Associate, and Faculty Assistant.
  3. UMIACS shall review its written Criteria for Evaluation and/or Promotion for Professional Track Faculty periodically, as deemed necessary, but no less frequently than once every five years.

Professional Track (PTK) Appointment, Evaluation, and Promotion – General Policies

  1. UMIACS may choose to set expectations related to appropriate time in rank between evaluations for promotion, but such expectations shall not preclude a faculty member from seeking to be reviewed early or from opting not to be reviewed for promotion.
  2. PTK faculty cannot be prohibited from applying for promotion because of budget considerations.
  3. Evaluations of individual PTK appointment/promotion candidates shall be based on the duties and expectations associated with the specific faculty rank and as described in the offer letter or appointment contract. A decision regarding the promotion of PTK faculty shall be based on the performance of the individual faculty member, and shall not be determined in relation to a unit-wide quota.
  4. UMIACS recommendations for appointments and promotion for all PTK faculty at or above the Associate or Senior level will be reviewed by the CMNS Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and the CMNS Dean. The Dean will make a decision and notify UMIACS, which will notify the candidate in writing. Appointments above the Associate or Senior level are also reviewed and approved by the Provost, and the Provost may choose to institute additional university-level review for PTK faculty promotions as deemed necessary to ensure that fair and equitable processes and procedures are being successfully implemented.
  5. In the event of a negative decision, the faculty member shall be notified in writing by the UMIACS Director. The faculty member can appeal a negative decision based on procedural grounds, i.e., if aspects of the review appeared to violate the UMIACS published processes. All appeals shall be handled by the Office of Faculty Affairs.
  6. In cases of positive decisions regarding applications for promotion, the promotion shall usually be accompanied by an increase in compensation, subject to budget constraints and directives from USM. Minimum salary increases due to promotion are subject to and defined by current pay policies and salary guidelines, as distributed to units by the Provost/USM through the annual budget process. Every effort shall be made to make salaries professionally appropriate and competitive to the extent allowed by available fiscal resources.
  7. Promotions may not be rescinded, and future appointments shall be to the faculty rank granted through the promotion process.
  8. Current PTK faculty members may request an appointment or promotion to a title from a different PTK title series. Such requests will be evaluated according to the policies for initial appointment or promotion to the requested title, as appropriate.
  9. In the event a faculty member holds multiple appointments in different units or departments in the same PTK title series, generally, the PTK faculty member should apply for promotion in UMIACS only if UMIACS is designated as the primary unit for the appointment. The primary unit is usually determined by the percentage FTE for the appointment (the unit contributing the highest FTE percentage is the primary unit), however this designation may also be specified in an MOU between the units contributing to the appointment. Any decision to grant promotion by UMIACS as the primary unit must consider evaluative input from the other units in which the faculty member holds an appointment, however, the decision to grant promotion lies with the primary unit. Once promoted, the faculty member is entitled to be compensated at the rate of the higher PTK faculty rank in all of the units or departments in which he/she holds an appointment.
  10. UMIACS shall evaluate PTK faculty at least once every 3 years, or according to the terms specified in the offer letter or employment contract. The evaluation shall be conducted by the UMIACS Faculty Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure (FAPT) committee on the basis of the duties and expectations associated with the specific faculty rank and as described in the offer letter or appointment contract. The FAPT committee shall seek relevant information from the faculty member, their mentor, and their supervisor. The FAPT committee shall submit a written report to the Director, recommending, as appropriate, the promotion or nomination of the faculty member for an award, or, in case of unsatisfactory performance, recommending remedial action or termination of employment. The Director shall discuss the recommendations of the FAPT committee with the PTK faculty member.
  11. UMIACS shall include PTK faculty in awards for faculty. If the requirements for existing awards inherently preclude PTK faculty from being nominated, UMIACS is encouraged to create appropriate awards for recognizing excellence among PTK faculty in the various domains of academic activity. Within the College, PTK faculty may be nominated annually for the Distinguished Research Scientist Award, the Outstanding Lecturer Award, and the Board of Visitors Creative Educator Award.
  12. Offer letters and/or employment contracts for PTK faculty shall clearly indicate the name and title of the supervisor assigned to the new PTK faculty member, usually either the UMIACS Director, or the principal investigator of the award providing the funding for the position. PTK faculty must be informed in writing by the UMIACS Director of any subsequent changes in their supervisory relationship.

UMIACS Professional Track Faculty Ranks

  1. The following are official titles per the University of Maryland Policy on Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure of Faculty (II-1.00(A)). Details related to qualifications, descriptions, and terms change frequently. It is for this reason that we do not explicitly enumerate the current details in this document, but instead include them here by reference only.
  2. Professional track ranks, which run parallel to tenure/tenure track faculty ranks, use the “Research Faculty Track”
    1. Assistant Research Faculty Ranks (First Rank) include: Assistant Research Professor, Assistant Research Scientist, Assistant Research Scholar, and Assistant Research Engineer.
    2. Associate Research Faculty Ranks (Second Rank) include: Associate Research Professor, Associate Research Scientist, Associate Research Scholar, and Associate Research Engineer.
    3. Research Faculty Ranks (Third Rank) include: Research Professor, Research Scientist, Research Scholar, and Research Engineer.
  3. Professional track ranks, which denote management responsibility for academic or research programs, use the “Faculty Specialist Track”
    1. Faculty Specialist (First Rank)
    2. Senior Faculty Specialist (Second Rank)
    3. Principal Faculty Specialist (Third Rank)
  4. Entry-level Faculty Ranks with Renewal Limits include:
    1. Faculty Assistant (may be renewed for up to 3 years)
    2. Post-Doctoral Associate (may be renewed for up to 6 years)
  5. Emerita or emeritus status at UMIACS may be conferred, following campus procedures in USM II-1.00(A), on the following third-rank PTK faculty:
    1. Research Professors
    2. Research Scientists
    3. Research Scholars
    4. Research Engineers
    5. Principal Faculty Specialists
  6. The prefix “Visiting” before an academic title, e.g., Visiting Professor, shall be used to designate a short-term, temporary professorial appointment.
  7. Definitions of Terms Related to Rank
    1. The term “Introductory Rank” in this policy denotes the following: Assistant Research Professor, Assistant Research Scientist, Assistant Research Scholar, Assistant Research Engineer, Faculty Specialist (all first-rank), as well as PostDoctoral Associate (an entry-level rank).
    2. The terms “Research Faculty” or “Research Tracks” in this policy denote the following: Assistant Research Scientist, Associate Research Scientist, Research Scientist, Assistant Research Scholar, Associate Research Scholar, Research Scholar, Assistant Research Engineer, Associate Research Engineer, Research Engineer, Assistant Research Professor, Associate Research Professor, and Research Professor.

Special Provisions and Committee Representations

  1. An introductory-rank PTK faculty member shall be included on any UMIACS committee responsible for the creation, adoption, and revision of unit-level policies and procedures related to appointment, evaluation, and promotion of PTK faculty.
  2. PTK faculty above introductory rank shall be included on any UMIACS committee responsible for the creation, adoption, and/or revision of unit-level policies and procedures related to appointment, evaluation, and promotion of PTK faculty.
  3. Emerita/Emeritus faculty may attend and comment at any appointment or promotion meeting (whether committee or full faculty meeting), but do not add to quorum and cannot vote unless they have a current appointment as research faculty.
  4. Visiting faculty and part-time faculty (under 50% FTE at the University of Maryland) cannot participate in faculty meetings voting on the promotion or appointment of PTK faculty.
  5. Special Provision for the Appointment/Promotion (AP) Committee.
    1. For appointments and promotions to the ranks of Associate Research Professor / Scientist / Engineer and Research Professor / Scientist / Engineer, Senior/Principal Faculty Specialist, the Director shall appoint a three-person ad hoc AP Committee. If the candidate is internal to UMIACS, the Director shall consult with the candidate and the candidate’s mentor prior to naming their AP Committee.
    2. Membership in an AP Committee will be open to all UMIACS faculty with a rank equal to or higher than that being considered, and must include at least one PTK faculty member.
    3. The primary responsibility of an AP Committee is to assemble the dossier and present the candidate’s case at a faculty meeting, if required (see Section IV.7). For appointment or promotion to the Research Faculty, the committee has the additional responsibility of selection of additional reviewers not on the candidate’s list.
  6. The AP Committee (or a departmentally appointed individual for ranks not requiring an AP Committee) is required to produce a written descriptive report to be added to the candidate’s dossier, summarizing the candidate's credentials and qualifications, and the rationale for or against the appointment/promotion.
  7. Special Provision for Faculty Meeting and Vote: According to the UMIACS Constitution, the appointment and promotion of faculty is subject to the approval of the Faculty Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure (FAPT) committee, and does not involve a vote of the Institute's assembly. In the case of appointments and promotions of PTK faculty, the membership of this committee will be augmented by the addition of a PTK faculty member of rank equal to or higher than that being considered.
For Appointment and Promotion To … Eligible Voting Members
Assistant Research / Scientist / Scholar / Engineer / Professor Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Senior / Principal Faculty Specialist, Assistant Research Scientist / Scholar / Engineer / Professor, Associate Research Scientist / Scholar / Engineer / Professor, Research Scientist / Scholar / Engineer / Professor
Associate Research Scientist / Scholar / Engineer / Professor, Senior Faculty Specialist Associate Professor, Professor, Senior / Principal Faculty Specialist, Associate Research Scientist / Scholar / Engineer / Professor, Research Scientist / Scholar / Engineer / Professor
Research Scientist / Scholar / Engineer / Professor, Principal Faculty Specialist Professor, Principal Faculty Specialist, Research Scientist / Scholar / Engineer / Professor
All other ranks Appointment/Promotion Committee members only; no faculty meeting vote

Application, Dossier, and Evaluation

  1. The candidate and their mentor should discuss appointment or promotion with the Director and agree on a timeline for the consideration of the case. The candidate shall provide to the Director’s office an application within the agreed-upon timeline.
  2. In all cases, the application package shall include:
    1. Signed Curriculum Vitae
    2. Signed and dated Professional Statement, documenting the candidate’s professional activities, administrative, and/or managerial responsibilities, productivity, creativity, and professional development, and (for research faculty) the research accomplished by the candidate and directions for future research.
    3. Nomination letter from UMIACS faculty member or mentor (For faculty Specialist Ranks only)
    4. Names and contact information of references, suitable for the solicitation of letters of reference by the Director’s office (number and requirement varies by title; see Section V.3).
    5. Any additional information the Director or committee may require.
  3. For the Research Faculty tracks, after initial application, UMIACS will solicit and conduct:
    1. Assistant Research Professor/Scientist/Scholar/Engineer:
      1. Three letters of reference from writers chosen by the candidate, at least one external to the university.
      2. A vote of the UMIACS FAPT committee.
    2. Associate Research Professor/Scientist/Scholar/Engineer:
      1. Three letters of reference from writers chosen by the candidate.
      2. Three additional letters of reference chosen by the committee. Of the six total letters, at least one must be external to the university.
      3. A vote of the UMIACS FAPT committee.
    3. Research Professor/Scientist/Scholar/Engineer:
      1. Three letters of reference from writers chosen by the candidate.
      2. Three additional letters of reference chosen by the committee. Of the six total letters, at least three must be external to the university.
      3. A vote of the UMIACS FAPT committee
    4. For all the Research Faculty tracks above, evaluation will be appropriate for the job description. In addition to research duties, evaluation of a candidate for the three Research Professor ranks will have added emphasis on teaching and educational activities. Evaluation of a candidate for the three Research Engineer ranks will instead have added emphasis on original designs and/or inventions.
  4. For Appointment or promotion in the Faculty Specialist track after initial application, UMIACS will solicit and conduct:
    1. Faculty Specialist:
      1. Two letters of reference from writers chosen by the candidate.
      2. An interview by the supervising faculty member, communicated to the Director. The interview will consider potential to: make significant contributions to meet or exceed research project(s) needs; work collaboratively with professional colleagues and contribute to the achievement of UMIACS’s mission.
    2. Senior Faculty Specialist:
      1. Three letters of reference from writers chosen by the candidate.
      2. An evaluation by the supervising faculty member, communicated to the Director.
      3. A vote of the UMIACS FAPT committee.
    3. Principal Faculty Specialist:
      1. Three letters of reference from writers chosen by the candidate, with at least one external to the university.
      2. A vote of the UMIACS FAPT committee.
  5. For Appointment to entry-level faculty ranks (Faculty Assistant, and Post-doctoral Associate), the mentor or UMIACS will solicit at least one letter of reference from writer(s) chosen by the candidate.
  6. Blind solicitation of letters: while the candidate or AP Committee may confirm availability and willingness of potential references prior to applying for promotion, in order to solicit unbiased and confidential assessments, each request for letters must be issued by the Director’s office or the committee (not the candidate), and should describe the criteria for the promotion and appointment, and must contain, at minimum, the candidate’s signed CV and signed professional statement.
  7. The final dossier may not be seen by the candidate, except on appeal. It must include the minimum number of letters as well as all other required elements before a vote can be held.

Timelines

  1. The candidate may be eligible for promotion to a given rank following the guidance in Section II.12. Faculty may seek early review or opt not to be reviewed.
  2. A promotion application is initiated in two ways:
    1. Upon nomination by the faculty member’s mentor, supervisor, or another UMIACS colleague. The Institute Director will then ascertain the consent of the candidate.
    2. By self-nomination from the candidate. In promotion cases, the Institute Director is required to inform the candidate’s mentor and seek their advice.
  3. A promotion or appointment may be initiated at any time of the year if permitted by university policy.
  4. The candidate, with the mentor’s advice in promotion cases, will submit the application package, including names of references as in Section V.
  5. The Director shall select the members of the Appointment/Promotion Committee as in Section IV.5.
  6. The membership of the Appointment/Promotion Committee shall be communicated to the candidate and, if applicable, the candidate’s supervisor(s) and mentor.
  7. The Appointment/Promotion Committee will assemble the final dossier, including receipt of letters of recommendation.

Items 8-12 apply only for appointments and promotions requiring a vote of the UMIACS FAPT committee (described in Section IV.7 and Table 1):

  1. Upon completion of the candidate’s dossier, the Institute Director, in consultation with the FAPT Committee Chair will decide on a date or dates for the FAPT Committee meeting(s) for voting on the case.
  2. The candidate’s full dossier must be available at least one week prior to the FAPT meeting to hold the vote.
  3. The upcoming meeting will be announced at least one week prior to all eligible members (as in Section IV.7, Table 1).
  4. The meeting will be held, the candidate’s case presented, and a recommendation made to the Institute Director as in Section VII based on the result of the votes cast.
  5. The Director will approve/reject the case based on the result, or make a recommendation to the CMNS Dean (for successful votes on Research Faculty).
  6. Upon Appointment to UMIACS, a new hire will be assigned a mentor from within UMIACS as in Section IX.
  7. New appointments (not promotions) are effective when shown in the contract.
  8. All promotions are effective the July 1 after the promotion is approved. This extends to appointments from entry-level ranks, such as Post-Doctoral Associate.
  9. The UMIACS and CMNS policies, procedures, and criteria for professional-track faculty must be made available and communicated to all professional-track faculty at the time of their hiring or appointment.

Voting

  1. At least one FAPT committee meeting shall be held in a timely manner in the spring of each year to review pending appointments and promotions requiring a vote.
  2. For non-Research Faculty or where an FAPT committee meeting vote is not required, an Appointment/Promotion Committee may choose to meet and vote at any time after final dossier preparation.
  3. Those eligible to vote in the FAPT committee, are at or above the rank being considered or its equivalent. The detailed eligibility by rank is shown in Table 1 in Section IV.
  4. A quorum shall consist of two-thirds of the FAPT committee members. Telepresence shall count towards quorum. Faculty with Emeritus designations may attend the meeting and comment, but do not add to quorum and cannot vote unless they have a current appointment as research faculty.
  5. Absentee voting is accepted if the eligible member is on travel or off-site, but while it counts in the vote tally, it cannot count towards the quorum.
  6. Voting by proxy is not permitted.
  7. Any appointment or promotion vote requires at least a two-thirds majority of those who cast votes in order to pass a positive recommendation to the Director.
  8. The result of the vote (number of votes cast, quorum, number of yea/nay/abstention votes) shall be communicated by the Chair of the FAPT Committee to the Director in writing, which letter is added to the candidate’s dossier.
  9. In the event of an adverse decision, except for appeals and where allowed by University policy, the candidate may reapply the following academic year.

Appointment Contracts

  1. As specified by CMNS Protocols for Faculty Searches, Appointments, Promotions and Reviews:
    1. For State-funded positions and Research Faculty the CMNS dean must approve the terms of the offer and any changes.
    2. For all positions the CMNS Assistant Dean for Finance and Personnel must approve all offer letters and contracts in advance.
    3. All permissions and approvals must be in writing (normally by email).
  2. Prior to the beginning of their assignment, all PTK faculty shall be provided with written appointment contracts created by UMIACS using the on-line contract management system of the Office of Faculty Affairs. An appointment contract shall stipulate the faculty rank, the term, the type of appointment, e.g., 9 month or 12 month, the annual salary rate, assignments and expectations, benefits, and terms regarding notifications for non-renewal. Information about UMIACS resources and performance/evaluation policies and procedures, including this document, may be referenced in the contract, and if so, will be made available on the UMIACS website.
  3. The specific faculty rank for a given appointment shall correspond to the majority of the appointee's effort, as indicated by the assignments and expectations in the contract.
  4. Given that PTK faculty might be active in only one or two of the three dimensions of academic activity, assignments and expectations shall establish explicitly the scope of the appointee's efforts in terms of the three dimensions of academic activity, i.e., Teaching, Research, and Service, thereby providing expectations for evaluating faculty performance and applications for promotion.
  5. In accordance with provisions within University policy (II-1.00[A]), PTK faculty shall be given progressively longer contracts whenever possible, to provide additional stability for the faculty member as well as for UMIACS.
  6. PTK faculty currently employed within UMIACS shall be provided with a copy of UMIACS’s latest policies and procedures related to promotion and evaluation (including this document). New PTK faculty will typically be provided with a copy upon appointment. A copy shall be publicly available online.

Mentoring

  1. The Director’s office shall facilitate mentoring of PTK faculty upon or shortly after a new appointment, if needed by introducing the appointee to appropriate higher rank faculty. Assignment is contingent on agreement of both parties to the relationship.
  2. The Director’s office shall keep a list of all junior PTK faculty and their mentors, with the date of assignment noted.
  3. Either tenured/tenure-track or PTK faculty may serve as mentors of PTK junior faculty. A supervisor or PI is typically considered first for the mentor role. It is highly encouraged that the mentor shall have the highest rank in their track (Professor, Research Professor, or equivalent).
  4. Mentors should typically consult semi-annually with the mentored faculty member on professional development and promotion. Favorable feedback from mentors is advisory and no guarantee of promotion.
  5. Introductory-rank faculty shall identify a mentor to the Director’s office either upon or soon after appointment.
  6. It is the responsibility of junior faculty to alert the Director in a timely fashion of any change in mentor or need for a new mentor. A replacement shall be facilitated by the Director as appropriate.
  7. Mentoring of post-doctoral associates is appropriate if working for an UMIACS faculty member, but may be exempted at the Director’s discretion, (e.g., off-site post-doctoral associates).
  8. A Mentoring Guide is available online.

Merit Pay

  1. All merit pay decisions are subject to and defined by current pay policies and salary guidelines, as distributed to units through the annual budget process. Each fiscal year the merit pool availability and amount varies as determined by legislative appropriation and campus funds.
  2. The Institute will annually elect a Faculty Activity subcommittee, consistent with University policy (UMD Policy VII-4.00(A)), to evaluate annual scholarly and research activity of faculty and provide scoring or rating to the Director. The committee shall have a minimum of four members, and must have representation from both professional and tenure track faculty ranks.
  3. The Faculty Activity subcommittee may solicit input from Principal Investigator(s) for junior faculty cases. For post-doctoral associates, mentor scoring may inform the subcommittee. All evaluations will be based on the job description and annual Faculty Activity Reports, or equivalent as available, for the preceding three years.
  4. The subcommittee will report to the Director, who will allocate merit pay according to current campus distribution guidelines in consultation with the business staff. The Director will then recommend the merit pay for consideration by the Dean.

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