Common Features of Disciplinary Statements
The Faculty Reward System

As part of national initiatives to address faculty reward structures, over twenty-five disciplinary associations have developed statements outlining the range of activities considered appropriate for faculty in the field. While the statements reflect the unique characteristics of the disciplines, there are a number of common features among the collection of statements produced to date. They include the following:

Statement of need
What is the need for such a document? What are the problems associated with present faculty reward structures and practices as experienced by those within the discipline?

Context
Most statements establish a context for their work, including a summary of the national initiatives underway and any activities or projects currently on the agenda of the disciplinary association or its affiliates.

Statement of purpose
How will this statement be used and by whom? What is the purpose for this initiative? What are the assumptions upon which it rests?

The domains of faculty work
What are the major areas in which faculty members work within the discipline? How does the discipline describe them and why? What specific activities or initiatives fall within the broader domains?

Establishing criteria
Under what conditions do such activities "count" within the various domains named? What is their relative merit from the perspective of the discipline? What constitutes important work for the discipline? What are the salient features for work in this area?

Documentation
What documentation or evidence must be presented to substantiate the quality or importance of the work described? What special considerations must be made for documenting work in this discipline?

References and resources
Any materials or resources that will assist academic departments in using the statement or considering faculty work for recognition and reward.

— Robert M. Diamond and Bronwyn Adam

Back to Faculty Reward System