• Implementing the Vision as it Relates to Faculty

Implementing the Vision as it Relates to Faculty

Recruit, mentor, and retain high quality and diverse faculty who value and promote world-class scholarship.

The faculty of the College of Engineering has long been the stable, reliable force behind the quality education that has been the cornerstone for engineering in the State of Arkansas. In addition, this faculty has grown its research expenditures and scholarly publications over the past two decades to the point that topical areas and individuals have become internationally recognized. Concurrently, this same faculty has continued to grow and evolve its overall educational offerings, becoming one of the first programs to be accredited and recertified under ABET EC 2000 criteria.

The College of Engineering has set a goal of achieving top-80 ranking. This has required change. The College has pursued new areas of research that are at the cutting-edge of technology while retaining its traditional strengths.  New faculty have been hired who have extended the expertise of existing faculty and staff. Faculty have sought new ways to integrate teaching, research, and service demands.  We recognize that it is not likely that each individual faculty member will perfectly balance teaching, research, and service because  faculty skills and interests differ; in addition, significant differences exist in funding opportunities within various engineering disciplines and interests of the faculty evolve over long academic careers.  Keeping these constraints in mind, the College has sought to achieve a balance among its teaching, research, and service missions only with respect to the overall faculty. This is reflected in the newly developed personnel procedures.

In order to achieve top-80 ranking, the College must continue to graduate doctoral students in significantly greater numbers and also increase research expenditures by significant amounts. All faculty have a role to play in contributing towards that goal. It is not merely the responsibility of a select few that have heavy emphasis on research. Faculty take the lead role in developing and teaching graduate courses, obtaining research funding, recruiting students, establishing and maintaining laboratory facilities, and conducting research. Thus, the success of the College of Engineering depends on the faculty of the College of Engineering contributing, each in his/her unique ways, to the overall mission. The faculty must be rewarded, personally and professionally, and recognized for their contributions toward these goals.

Implemention Actions

• Increase the percentage of outstanding women and minority faculty across engineering departments to augment diversity and provide role models for our women and minority engineering students.
• Provide facilities which enable faculty to become more successful and prominent in both national and international arenas of their expertise.
• Recognize, reward, and promote faculty which maintain consistent levels of excellence in research, teaching, and public service.

Table 3. Faculty-Related Metrics for Implementation

Metric Description	Unit	Fall’03	Fall’04	Fall’05	Fall’ 06	2010 Goal
Faculty in National Academy of Engineering	Percent of total COE faculty	1.8%	1%	1%	1%	4%
Faculty diversity: women	% of Total COE	11%	11.2%	11.5%	10.02%	15%
Faculty diversity: minority	% of Total COE	19.8%	28.5%	24.5%	25.5%	25%
Funding for conference travel on research contracts	Total COE (annual)	$128,392	$116,484	$111,657	$155,700	$200,000
Funding for conference-related travel[6]	Total COE (annual)	$136,705	$136,177	$155,568	$167,753	$200,000
Post-doctoral fellows	Total COE (annual)	6	14	4	32	35
Total number of endowed chairs/professorships	Total COE	7	9	27	28	30
Fellows of national professional societies	Total COE	21	25			40
NSF CAREER Awardees and Young Investigator Program for the faculty	Total COE[7]