Cleveland State University strives to be a university where all faculty members can advance themselves professionally in the areas of teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity, and service. CSU provides numerous faculty development opportunities related to all of these areas and more.
New Faculty Orientation
Prior to the start of the academic year, the Center for Faculty Excellence organizes a multi-day orientation for all new faculty to ensure their smooth transition into the university and to enable them to access all available resources.
Faculty Mentoring
CSU is committed to ensuring that our faculty members are in the best possible position to success professionally. To achieve this goal, CSU has appointed a Faculty Mentoring Fellow. The Faculty Mentoring Fellow organizes and manages the CSU Faculty Mentoring Program through formal and informal mentoring practices. The goal of our program are to support new faculty members at CSU; familiarize them with university expectations, practices and resources; mazimize satisfaction, productivity, and retention; and maintain a high level of collegiality.
Center for Faculty Excellence
The Center of Faculty Excellence exists to develop the talents of CSU faculty members and increase their effectiveness, both inside the classroom and out. They foster faculty excellence through innovative teaching and leadership to create engaged student success. Using workshops, video presentations and individualized services, they work with faculty to develop their talent and advance their outcomes, processes and engagement with CSU students, their careers and the University. Learn more about the Center for Faculty Excellence on their page.
eFAARs
General Instructions
Completion of the Faculty Annual Activity Report is required for all continuing full-time faculty — tenure-track, tenured, lecturers, professors of practice, clinical, research, visiting, law faculty (all three categories) and chairs/directors, per the Faculty Personnel Policy 3344-16-03.
The chair and faculty member shall discuss the areas of teaching, scholarship/creative activities, and professional service, indicating what the faculty member hopes to accomplish in each of these areas. The chair shall comment on those plans in terms of the career interests of the faculty member, the academic purpose and direction of the department, and the professional service interests of the university and community.
The purpose of faculty/chair discussions is to develop a plan for faculty professional development that takes into consideration both individual professional development and the purpose and direction of the department, the college and the university. The chair may also suggest alternate or additional opportunities for professional growth, and suggest possible sources of support to assist faculty.
The faculty member, based on the discussions with the chair, shall prepare a written statement describing their planned goals and objectives for the year. The faculty development plan statement shall be due on or before October fifteenth of each year. This statement shall be reviewed by the department chair and added to the faculty annual activities report (FAAR). The statement of goals and objectives may be revised or amended to reflect new directions in a faculty member’s professional development. The revised or amended statement shall be reviewed by the department chair and added to the FAAR.
Faculty members shall indicate on the FAAR the degree of progress toward achieving the goals and objectives articulated in the previous academic year’s FAAR. For purposes of evaluating faculty, however, achievement shall be measured on the basis of tangible, objective evidence of progress towards stated goals, achievements that had not been anticipated at the time of the faculty member’s statement of planned goals and objectives, and on the overall record of accomplishment for the year. The college FAAR forms may be amended by agreement between the administration and the university faculty affairs committee.
Due dates
April 30 - Faculty should submit all activities and achievements for the preceding period May 1 to April 30.
September 30 - Faculty shall meet with their department chairs to discuss their professional plans for the current academic year.
eFAARs in Interfolio
How to access eFAAR through Interfolio
How to submit Acitivity Reporting
How to import publications
Professional Leaves of Absence (PLOA)
A full-time faculty member with at least seven (7) academic years of teaching service at the University may be granted professional leave with pay not to exceed one (1) academic year to engage in further education, research, or other program of professional improvement that can contribute directly to the improvement and development of the faculty member and the University.
Important Dates
September 15 - Applications are due from faculty members to their department office.
November 15 - Applications and recommendations from the Dean's office is due to the Provost's Office.
January BOT meeting - Provost and President will recommend PLOAs to the board of trustees.
90 days from returning - Faculty member shall submit a written report of activities during the period of professional leave.
PLOA Procedures
A full outline of the PLOA procedures can be found in each collective bargaining agreement.