The Faculty Development Plan
Planning for Success
What is it?
The faculty development plan is a "blueprint" describing a faculty member's proposed professional activities. According to the "University Policy on Faculty Rank and Status," this plan includes the following elements:
A. The faculty member's self-assessment of his or her strengths, skills, competencies, interests, opportunities, and areas in which the faculty member wishes to develop.
B. The faculty member's professional goals in citizenship, teaching, and scholarship (or citizenship and professional service, for professional faculty) and the plan to accomplish these goals.
C. The relationship between individual goals and department and university aspirations and needs.
D. Resources needed to accomplish the professional goals, including budgetary support, equipment, time, etc.
E. The faculty member's activities and accomplishments so far in achieving the goals.
F. The faculty member's comments, if desired, on measures used to assess success in his or her professorial or professional responsibilities and in accomplishing the goals set forth in the plan. ("Univ. Policy on Faculty Rank and Status," 3.1.2).
An important feature of the plan is to help you identify your top priorities and goals. Next, the more specific and measurable your goals are, the more the plan can help you focus on your priorities and track your progress. Mentors can serve as consultants in the process of creating a faculty development plan. Chairs review these plans with the new faculty and provide feedback. The final document should reflect an appropriate mix of the chair's expectations and the new faculty member's aspirations. A signed copy should be included in the new faculty member's department file. It is assumed that faculty members will continue to plan with their department chairs throughout their careers, requesting guidance and clarifying expectations about department, college, and university needs and goals.
The Purpose of the Faculty Development Plan
The faculty development plan serves several purposes:
It encourages the faculty member to think reflectively and then make explicit her/his vision and goals for an effective contribution to the university.
It allows new faculty members to "float trial balloons" with their mentors and chairs.
It facilitates reciprocal communication among faculty, mentors, and chairs.
- Expectations can be clarified, including any conflicting views between what the chair and new faculty expect, thus limiting future "surprises."
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Resources can be negotiated to successfully achieve goals.
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A written document is produced for future reference, decreasing dependence on inaccurate memories.
It contains long-and short-term goals that can be revisited during stewardship interviews and used as benchmarks for progress.
Guidelines
The "University Policy on Professorial Rank and Status" describes the university expectations for the faculty development plan. See Section 3.1.2 (and related sections for professional faculty). Your department or college may also have written guidelines.
There are no guidelines on the format and length of this plan. Use a format that feels comfortable to you and communicates well with others. Make it as long or as short as best meets your needs and the needs of your department.
Faculty members are encouraged to begin creating their plans during their first semester at BYU. Faculty who participate in the Spring Seminar should complete a draft before the seminar begins.
Example Plans
Example faculty development plans created by new faculty in each college can be found on the Faculty Center website.