Month: March 2015

Faculty Professional Leave

If you’ve followed the news updates  posted to the College of Pharmacy website in recent months about the achievements of our faculty, I’m sure you’ve noticed that our faculty members are outstanding scholars, researchers and teachers in pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy practice. They work countless hours and help the college achieve its mission of advancing pharmaceutical care for the people of Ohio and the global community. The hard work, dedication and tremendous intellectual contributions our faculty members make on a daily basis come directly from demanding years of study and inquiry: proposing theories, collecting data, testing hypotheses, developing conclusions, advancing new ideas.

To support this work and help faculty continue their personal and professional growth, the College of Pharmacy and The Ohio State University offer regular opportunities for professional growth, including  Faculty Professional Leave (FPL).  FPL gives tenure-track faculty with at least seven years of service an opportunity to have “a period of uninterrupted time to invest in their professional development.” [1]

Approved by Ohio State’s Board of Trustees in 1977, FPL is discussed in the college Pattern of Administration document and is also described in detail in the Office of Academic Affairs Policies and Procedures Handbook, found online at http://oaa.osu.edu/assets/files/ documents/facultyprofessionalleave.pdf. [2]  Faculty approved for FPL may use one or two semesters to strengthen research skills and knowledge, or to build pedagogical or administrative skills when these are determined to be “mutually beneficial to the faculty member and his or her academic unit.”[3]

FPL can be granted for up to two academic semesters, but may not bridge two academic years (it cannot be taken in a spring semester and the following autumn semester). Stipends awarded during FPL vary with the length of leave. Guidance on compensation during an FPL and the use of funds from external sources to supplement a leave stipend can be found in the FPL policy statement on the Office of Academic Affairs’ website.

Any faculty member who would like to apply for FPL should submit Form 202, which is also found on the Office of Academic Affairs’ website.  Applications should include a cover letter plus supporting documentation describing the proposed leave activity and expected benefits of the leave. Applications should be submitted to the faculty member’s division chair and Dean Mann at least three months prior to the intended start of an FPL.[4]

Approval of leave applications must be granted by the division, the college, the Office of Academic Affairs and the Board of Trustees, and are based on the quality of the proposal and its potential benefit to the faculty member and to the college.  The ability of the division or the college to accommodate the leave at the time requested is also considered.[5]

Faculty who complete an FPL must submit a written summary of goals and accomplishments to their division chair and Dean Mann within 60 days of their return to service following the FPL.

Applying for and completing an FPL requires advanced planning and approval, but can result in a great opportunity to renew, refocus and revitalize professional goals and interests. Eligible faculty interested in applying for FPL may talk with their division chair or Associate Dean for Graduate Students and Research Cynthia Carnes for additional information about whether this opportunity may be right for them.

 

Best regards,
Katherine Kelley

 

 

1Faculty Professional Leave Policy, Office of Academic Affairs Policies and Procedures Handbook, http://oaa.osu.edu/assets/ files/documents/facultyprofessionalleave.pdf.

2 College of Pharmacy Pattern of Administration, pp. 8-9.

3 Faculty Professional Leave Policy, Office of Academic Affairs Policies and Procedures Handbook, http://oaa.osu.edu/assets/ files/documents/facultyprofessionalleave.pdf.

4 http://oaa.osu.edu/assets/files/documents/Form202.pdf

5 College of Pharmacy Pattern of Administration, p. 9.

[1] Faculty Professional Leave Policy, Office of Academic Affairs Policies and Procedures Handbook, http://oaa.osu.edu/assets/ files/documents/facultyprofessionalleave.pdf.

[2] College of Pharmacy Pattern of Administration, pp. 8-9.

[3] Faculty Professional Leave Policy, Office of Academic Affairs Policies and Procedures Handbook, http://oaa.osu.edu/assets/ files/documents/facultyprofessionalleave.pdf.

[4] http://oaa.osu.edu/assets/files/documents/Form202.pdf

 

[5] College of Pharmacy Pattern of Administration, p. 9.

New Voices

In the past few months of posts, we’ve shared updates from a variety of voices within the College of Pharmacy community.  So far, though, we haven’t brought you the direct voices of some of the most important members of our community: our students.  This week, I invited Ms. May Matsunami, president of Pharmacy Council, to share a few words about some of the work the council has been doing this year.

For those of you who may not be familiar with our student governance structure, Pharmacy Council (short for “College of Pharmacy Student Council”) is the umbrella organization for students and student organizations within the college.  This group serves as a primary link between students, faculty and alumni in the college, and upholds the values of student self-governance, service to the community and the integrity of the profession of pharmacy. 

Council officers are PharmD students, but the bi monthly meetings are open to Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences, PharmD or PhD students.  This year, we have four outstanding PharmD students serving as officers:  President May Matsunami, Vice President Kristine Mason, Secretary Alyssa Nacke, and Treasurer Sarah Wiesner.  These students have provided important leadership for the activities that May describes below:

As the umbrella organization for all student organizations and classes in the College of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Council serves as the coordinating link between students, faculty, and alumni. This academic year, we have both continued traditions and forged new paths. In August, we welcomed the Class of 2018, getting to know them at the involvement fair and white coat ceremony, and later running the P1 class officer elections. We welcomed great speakers, including most recently the admissions staff from the College of Public Health to highlight the dual PharmD/Master of Public Health degree. The P3 class led the rest of the classes in a successful adopt-a-family event for the holidays, with a wonderful gift turnout for three deserving families.

In keeping with the changing times, new ideas were put in motion as well. Student feedback from the Dean’s Town Hall and Dean’s Lunch meetings prompted changes that allowed students to more readily participate in the Ohio Pharmacists Association’s Student Legislative Day on March 24. By doing so, we hope to increase OSU’s presence and participation at this event and reflect our students’ passion for furthering our profession. Other changes from this year include updating the Pharmacy Council Constitution to better reflect the organizations we serve, and assisting with the Executive Committee’s ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

As we approach the end of the school year, we look forward to several exciting events. The first is the annual Student-Faculty Night Out on March 7, where Ohio State men’s ice hockey will face Minnesota. On April 2, we are honored to be welcoming Dr. Dennis Helling as part of the Milap Nahata Distinguished Lecturer series. Plans are currently underway for our annual Pharmacy Ball, to be held at the Ohio Union on April 17 for students, faculty, and alumni. We also look forward to greater collaboration with our alumni in assisting with their first ever 5K, also to take place in April. In spring semester and beyond, Pharmacy Council hopes to continue strengthening the ties between students, faculty, and alumni.

Go Bucks!

Thank you May and all of the active members of Pharmacy Council for all of your hard work this year. 

Best regards,

Katherine Kelley